Rabot Hotel From Hotel Chocolat
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Hotel Details
Location
Soufriere
Saint Lucia, North America
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Key Highlights
- ✓Exceptional Service:** The staff receives frequent commendation for being extremely accommodating, attentive, kind, helpful, warm, and friendly.
- ✓Dining Experience:** The innovative "cacao cuisine" at Rabot Restaurant is a major draw, with many guests praising the fantastic food and drinks.
- ✓Bars:** The Cacao Bar serves creative chocolate-inspired cocktails, also with stunning views. There are two bars/lounges in total.
Expert Review: Rabot Hotel From Hotel Chocolat
Rabot Hotel From Hotel Chocolat: A Cacao-Infused Retreat in Saint Lucia
Nestled amidst the lush rainforest of Saint Lucia, 1000 feet above the Caribbean Sea, the adults-only Rabot Hotel From Hotel Chocolat offers a unique and indulgent escape for those seeking tranquility, breathtaking views, and a deep dive into the world of cacao. This Michelin Key Selected property, set on a working cacao farm, consistently earns high praise for its stunning natural setting, exceptional service, and innovative chocolate-infused experiences.
1. Overall Rating & Sentiment
The general consensus for Rabot Hotel is overwhelmingly positive, with guests frequently describing it as a beautiful vacation and resort. Review scores are consistently high, with averages like 8.0 based on 269 reviews on KAYAK, 8.1 on Booking.com from 134 reviews, and a "Wonderful" 9.0 out of 10 on Expedia. The hotel is lauded for its unique boutique vibe and its ability to provide a truly relaxing and pampered experience.
2. Key Highlights
Guests consistently rave about several standout features:
- Stunning Location & Views: The hotel's prime position offers breathtaking 180-degree panoramas of the iconic Piton Mountains and the distant Caribbean Sea. The infinity pool, lined in black quartz, is particularly celebrated for perfectly mirroring these spectacular views.
- Cacao-Centric Experience: As part of a working cacao farm, the hotel offers immersive "Tree to Bar" tours and chocolate-making workshops, allowing guests to connect directly with the origin of chocolate. The spa also incorporates homegrown cacao pods in its treatments.
- Exceptional Service: The staff receives frequent commendation for being extremely accommodating, attentive, kind, helpful, warm, and friendly.
- Unique Design & Ambiance: The hotel's design, featuring contemporary structures that blend with the natural environment, is often highlighted. The open-air concept of the restaurant and lodges creates a profound sense of freedom and connection with nature, where exotic birdsong replaces urban noise.
- Dining Experience: The innovative "cacao cuisine" at Rabot Restaurant is a major draw, with many guests praising the fantastic food and drinks.
3. Room Quality
The accommodations, referred to as "cacao pods" or luxury eco-lodges, are designed with a blend of Saint Lucian charm and sleek contemporary style. They are positioned to catch cooling breezes and are furnished for premium comfort.
- Design & Comfort: Rooms feature pitched wooden roofs, chic stone walls, and slatted shutters that allow for natural airflow and tropical sunlight. King-size four-poster beds with deluxe linens and delicate netting contribute to an exotic and romantic Caribbean feel.
- Amenities: Each lodge includes modern electronics, luxurious bath products, a fully stocked mini-bar, and coffee/hot chocolate makers. A notable feature is the private open-air showers, some with river stones and multiple water settings to simulate rainfall.
- Views: While standard lodges are described as traditional cottages on the lower part of the hill without a view, Luxe Lodges are larger, offering secluded verandahs with direct, impressive views of the Pitons and better tropical breezes.
4. Dining Experience
The Rabot Restaurant is a significant highlight, offering an ultra-local menu with 180-degree views of the Pitons.
- Cacao Cuisine: The restaurant specializes in "cacao cuisine," incorporating various forms of cacao (nibs, pulp, powder) into both sweet and savory dishes, such as scallops in citrus and cacao sauce, cacao-marinated pork tenderloin, and yellowfin tuna with a cacao-nib crust.
- Breakfast: A free cooked-to-order breakfast is typically included and highly praised by guests.
- Bars: The Cacao Bar serves creative chocolate-inspired cocktails, also with stunning views. There are two bars/lounges in total.
5. Service & Staff
Feedback on service and staff is overwhelmingly positive. Guests frequently describe the staff as "excellent," "amazing," "warm & friendly," "kind and helpful," and "attentive." Many guests have stated that the service is among the best they have experienced, even after traveling to numerous countries. Staff are available 24/7 and can assist with booking tours and tickets.
6. Location & Accessibility
The Rabot Hotel is uniquely situated on the Rabot Estate, a working cacao farm set within a rainforest and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, adjacent to the Petit Piton Mountain.
- Neighborhood & Attractions: It's an adults-only eco-escape, approximately 1.5 miles from the center of Soufrière. The location is convenient for exploring nearby attractions like Toraille Waterfall, Diamond Falls, and Sulphur Springs. The hotel also provides a complimentary shuttle service to Malgretoute Beach.
- Transport: Hewanorra International Airport (UVF) is about a 45-minute drive away, and transfers can be arranged. Free parking is available on-site.
7. Value & Pricing
While considered a luxury experience, guests often find the Rabot Hotel to be worth the cost, despite some prices for a one-night stay for two adults starting around $801.22. KAYAK shows prices ranging from $586 to $802 in the last two weeks, with users typically booking for 4 days. Other sources indicate an average room price of $345, suggesting that deals and specific room types can influence the cost. All-inclusive room rates are also available, which cover onsite food and beverages.
8. Common Complaints
While overall sentiment is positive, some recurring issues have been noted:
- Mosquitoes and Insects: Due to the open-air design and rainforest setting, mosquitoes are a common complaint, with some guests reporting significant bites even with mosquito nets.
- Lack of Air Conditioning: Many reviews highlight the absence of air conditioning, although some guests find the natural breezes and fans sufficient for a comfortable sleep.
- Limited Dining Options: For longer stays, some guests found the dining options to be somewhat limited.
- Cleanliness Issues: Some reviews, particularly from KAYAK, mentioned issues with cleanliness, though other platforms show high cleanliness scores.
- Noise Disturbances: Occasional noise disturbances have been mentioned, likely due to the open-air concept.
- Pillows: One reviewer specifically noted the pillows as a minor disappointment.
- Beach Excursion Costs: While transport to a nearby beach is complimentary, costs for sun loungers and food/drinks at the beach are additional and subject to VAT, which some guests felt was applied twice.
Sources
Points to Consider
- •While overall sentiment is positive, some recurring issues have been noted:
- •Mosquitoes and Insects:** Due to the open-air design and rainforest setting, mosquitoes are a common complaint, with some guests reporting significant bites even with mosquito nets.
- •Cleanliness Issues:** Some reviews, particularly from KAYAK, mentioned issues with cleanliness, though other platforms show high cleanliness scores.
