St. Lucia loves tourists...

St. Lucia is one of the most southerly islands of the Windward group of the West Indies. St. Vincent and Grenada are its neighbours to the south while Martinique and Dominica sit directly to the north. English is spoken along with an interesting Creole patois that is unique to this area. LeSPORT is located on the northwest tip of St. Lucia.

Think waterfalls, rainforests and lush vegetation in the interior of the island teamed with coastal mountains, a 'friendly' volcano, fabulous sandy beaches and coral reefs to warm the heart of any diver. Picture bananas, bananas, bananas, the island's leading money maker, and a tourism industry that is constantly adding media kudos to its repertoire. The best news is that St. Lucia is still not blase about its visitors. Warm smiles, genuine interest and excellent service is the norm from the moment you step off the plane and into their tiny airport. Be prepared to be charmed.

A mix and match situation...

After just one visit to The BodyHoliday website I was forced to drop any notion of a health farm where determined divas congregate for the sole purpose of shedding extra weight and whipping their bodies into shape. Instead a whole new approach to stress reduction and healthy living unfolded before me. LeSPORT is not simply a spa. It's an elegant, beautifully landscaped resort that sits on 15-acres of property and houses a world class relaxation facility. Clients are most often returnees--satisfied guests who appreciate the all-inclusive program of food, drink, spa services, lectures, instruction, exercise classes and water sports.

Each vacationer fulfills a personal goal...

For some guests holiday utopia is about shedding pounds with hard driving exercise. For others, the more pampering they receive the better. Sunseekers may want only sun, sand and water sports while 'beach bunnies' prefer to make themselves comfortable under an umbrella with a good book and cold glass of white wine.

Opportunities to learn new skills and practice old ones abound. On tap are pilates, fencing, calypso dancing, archery, scuba diving, golf, waterskiing, meditation, kick boxing, to name just a few. One day I counted thirty-five different scheduled activities yet there wasn't a hint of cajoling from staff to attend sessions, no loud speakers calling slackers to exercise, no teasing for non-attendance. The only stress I ever encountered was finding time to check out all the classes that appealed to me. I learned that I didn't fancy fencing at all but loved meditation and yoga.

Single women fit right in...

Most spas generally attract a predominantly female clientele. Not so at LeSPORT. This is, first and foremost, a pampering resort that also attracts couples of all ages needing a break from the real world. The majority of guests generally arrive from the U.K. with Americans placing a close second. The week I was there there was also a smattering of guests from Canada, the Islands and various parts of Europe. All in all it made for a fabulous mix of ages, cultures, singles, marrieds, men and women with no guests under the age of sixteen.

P.S. It was also lovely to find out that the resort dedicates twenty-nine generously-sized rooms with quality views totally to the solo traveller. There is a single-supplement involved in this category but it's only a few dollars. Kudos to the management for this forward thinking, very single-friendly gesture. And, here's a little secret about those rooms--the word is that the view from number 711 is splendid.