Ti Kaye Resort & Spa

Honeymooners and couples are Ti Kaye's primary crowd (no children under age 12 are permitted) and it's not unusual to see a beach wedding taking place at the resort. With no shopping, TVs, or nearby nightlife to distract, guests spend most of their time lounging -- and there are plenty of opportunities to participate in this task at Ti Kaye.

Swinging rope hammocks big enough for two and rocking chairs are staples on the expansive decks fronting the private cottages, an ideal spot to watch the sun set. Cushy lounge chairs encircle a small but satisfactory pool and line the expansive swath of silver-sand beach, sheltered by umbrellas and wooden pergolas framed with wispy curtains.

Getting to Anse Cochon (bay of pigs) Beach requires a 166-step trek down a switch back of wooden stairs. The beach is Ti Kaye's activity hub, offering a dive shop, snorkeling, kayaking, sailing, and Ti Manje, a laid-back lunch spot serving fish tacos and homemade chips atop wooden tables covered with colorful checkered linens.

In the evenings, the atmosphere takes a more sophisticated turn. Cocktails at the beach chic Kai Manje Bar are followed by romantic dinners at the open-air terrace of Kai Manje Restaurant perched above the sea. The vibe is hushed and romantic with diners focused on conversation, the views, and the fine cuisine, which consists of a carefully curated menu that includes locally caught fish and island grown produce.

Retiring early is de rigueur as there is no nightlife (except on Wednesdays) at Ti Kaye, just the incessant cacophony of tree frogs, who like to party until the sun rises.

A slightly nerve-wracking 20-minute ride down a steep, winding, bumpy road is required to access Ti Kaye. Upon arrival, guests quickly forget about the ride when they see the ocean views from the resort's cliffside location. Ti Kaye is set on St. Lucia's western coast overlooking Anse Cochon beach, a perfect horseshoe-shaped bay. The nearest town, Anse La Raye is a sleepy fishing village known for its French and Colonial architecture and its Friday night Fish Fry's, a must for guests of the resort.

• 80-minute drive to Hewanorra InternationalAirport
• 12-minute drive to Anse La Raye Village
• 21-minute drive to Marigot Bay
• 45-minute drive to Rodney Bay
• 60-minute drive to Pigeon Island National Park
• 40-minute drive to Soufriere

Carved wooden signs with distinct Creole names direct guests down paved pathways and concrete steps to access the accommodations, a collection of 33 shuttered cottages all facing the Caribbean. Ti Kaye, the Creole name for "little cottage," built its accommodations into the steep hillside, giving guests privacy and unobstructed views of the Caribbean.

All of the cottages feature the same size guest rooms, with king-size or two queen beds, outdoor showers, and covered porches with oversized hammocks (for two) and two rocking chairs. The semi-detached Ocean View Rooms are located at the highest points on the hillside; they hold two separate guest rooms with a shared porch that can be booked separately or, for groups, as a joined space. The remaining freestanding cottages, located lower on the hillside, are differentiated by the addition (or lack) of plunge pool.

All of the cottages possess an open-air design. Double French doors and dark-wood shutters can be opened to create a breezy ambiance or closed to form air-conditioned cocoons. Interiors are spacious and simple with terra-cotta tile floors, white walls, white bedding, and mosquito netting wrapping the four-poster beds. Punches of bright colors come from paintings of local St. Lucian life and objects, bouquets of flowers picked on the property, and the dark mahogany beams lining the vaulted ceilings. The non-air conditioned bathrooms feature handmade soaps and deliciously scented chocolate-mint bath products. A thick door connects the bathrooms to outdoor showers, a mini oasis surrounded by manicured gardens and an opening to the ocean views.

While rustically luxurious, the openness of the cottages and their screen-less shutters means the rooms are prone to the occasional darting tiny gecko and buzzing mosquito.

While Ti Kaye may not have the barrage of amenities offered at larger St. Lucian resorts, the resort takes care in showcasing the best that St. Lucia has to offer through its cuisine and spa products. The restaurants incorporate locally sourced produce, fish, and ingredients. Bath products used in the guest rooms and at the small spa are made with organic substances such as coconut and cocoa sourced from St. Lucia's rain forest, mountain valleys, and ocean. The resort's gym, which sits atop a tall hill, lacks modern equipment, but there are plenty of opportunities such as swimming, snorkeling, kayaking (and stairs) to burn off excess calories.