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St. Lucia's Windjammer at the top of the upscale
Financial Post - February 17, 1992

ST. LUCIA - It's a tiny speck on the map, yet for years St. Lucia has been a popular holiday spot for the rich and famous and for people who prefer natural beauty to the noisy nightlife of other Caribbean countries.

And the country wants more of the rich type of clientele. So, in an attempt to increase traffic- while maintaining quality - the St. Lucian government has allowed foreign investors to develop some areas of this mountainous island.

French capital has built a luxurious five-star hotel, and Iranian money is slowly constructing the hideaway Jalousie resort across from the Piton mountains. Canadian investment is developing Windjammer Landing Villa Beach Resort

The US$56-million (to date) Windjammer, owned by construction company Ellis Don Ltd. of London, Ont., is the leader in the upscale resort market in St. Lucia.

Built along 55 acres of hillside, the 114 Spanish-style villas have a magnificent view of Labrelotte Bay.

From the water, the Windjammer creates a spectacular picture of sun-drenched white architecture nestled behind a partial screen of trees and shrubbery.

Each villa is equipped with television and videocassette equipment. Kitchens feature the latest gadgets. Every room has a ceiling fan and all bedrooms have air conditioning and access to a private sun deck.

These comforts are standard in luxury resorts, but what gives Windjammer its special appeal is its open-air concept - "barefoot living" is how the owner describes it.

That means living room doors and dining room windows have no glass, allowing breezes to flow through the unit. It also means birds can fly in and out. Nature doesn't venture in all that often, but when it does it sometimes can be fun - and sometimes not. If being close to nature is not a priority, screens have been installed in some villas to keep out the wildlife.

If you don't want to walk up and down the winding paths that lead from your villa to the beach, you can take a shuttle cart. The resort also has an in-house doctor. Windjammer is the only resort on St. Lucia with a helicopter pad. The 15-minute trip from the airport costs US$90.

Some guests prefer to spend most of their time in their villas, so chefs are available at US$75 to cook a gourmet meal. Food is extra.

All the villas, which range from 1,800 to 3,200 square feet, share common features, but the two- and three-bedroom units come with a private outdoor plunge pool. The one-bedroom version will be equipped with Jacuzzis this year.

Prices vary by season, but generally, a one-bedroom villa costs US$2,500 a week, a two-bedroom villa (for four) goes for US$4,900 and a three-bedroom (for five or six) for US$6,600. Children under 16 (maximum of two) stay for free.

Water sports equipment, day and night tennis, green fees and a children's program are included in the price.

If you want to buy into the Windjammer Resort, a one-bedroom villa will set you back US$229,000, while a two-bedroom goes for around US$360,000. Maintenance fees start at US$400 a month. The purchase price includes villa land rights, furniture and appliances.

The most expensive villa on the property is the four-bedroom Villa Labrelotte (approximately 120 metres above sea level), which was listed at US$850,000 in December. This villa is usually reserved for VIPs.

Since the resort opened in 1989, only 50% of villas have been sold, and all but three owners have opted to join the property management pool.

"Our aim is to sell all our two and three-bedroom villas by April 1992," says Don Smith Jr., a construction consultant now living in St. Lucia. "We'll see how the one bedroom villas sell. If they don't, we'll take them off the inventory and keep them for rental."

If the market picks up this year, Windjammer plans to build another 100 two-bedroom villas or custom homes on an additional 25 acres of land, or construct a 100-room hotel and 50 villas.

Most of the resorts' owners are professionals from Britain and Canada.

"Those who buy a villa will see a healthy return in three to four years. The rental pool will cover maintenance costs, but it won't pay the mortgage," says John Hughes, director, of sales. "But they're still a great investment. The price of a two-bedroom villa has gone up by $USI00,000 in just over two years."

Celebrities who have stayed at the Windjammer include actress Kim Basinger, actor Lou Gosset Jr. and former Pakistani prime minister Benazir Bhutto.