"Top amenities: Nature trails, horseback riding, “Fish Friday,” a weekly party in a nearby fishing villageWhat’s nearby: Project Chocolat, a tree-to-bar chocolate-making experience A stay with a slice of history, Ladera Resort was once part of the Rabot Estate, one of St. Lucia’s oldest cocoa plantations. Today, the 37 rooms and suites reflect its history with covered verandas and tall white-painted slat ceilings, yet each of the three-wall accommodations boasts contemporary standards of luxury, like tablets, Nespresso machines, and keyless entry wristbands. Situated on a UNESCO World Heritage site, the setting is unlike any other, on a volcano ridgeline 1,000 feet above the Caribbean Sea. Soak in these views from the private dipping pools included in each room. The resort prides itself on its sustainable ethos—the property is constructed from locally harvested tropical hardwoods, stone, and tile, while all of the furniture is made locally by St. Lucian artisans. The resort has eliminated single-use plastics on-site, and the staff-led Ladera Green Team meets weekly to participate in community efforts like planting trees at a local school or cleaning up roads." - Scott Bay
