Babymoon, Caribbean, Travel

Our Babymoon Getaway to Fond Doux Plantation and Resort in St Lucia

The sky was the kind of blue you only find in the Caribbean.

The few clouds in the horizon seemed to hurry on by as if knowing they were an intrusion on my perfect day. I sipped my fresh squeezed fruit punch made with estate-grown fruit as a welcome drink to our babymoon getaway at Fond Doux Plantation and Resort in St Lucia. I looked over at my Mr. G. as he enjoyed his rum punch, not even jealous that my drink was alcohol free (Okay, maybe a little). It was nice to have a break from months of water.

I closed my eyes and leaned back in the chair on the front porch of the 19th century French colonial estate house that serves as Fond Doux’s reception. The wind rustled the lush foliage of the surrounding rainforest. Wait? What’s that I smell? Chocolate? Did I mention that the resort was also a working cocoa plantation? This was exactly what I needed for my babymoon.

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After the welcome drinks, Katrina escorted us through the winding rainforest paths, past the pool, to our private cabin.

She took care to make sure we were acclimated with the property and our home for the next four nights, Banana Tree Cottage. Like all cottages at Fond Doux, ours was a standalone 18th century colonial structure moved onto the property from elsewhere on the island and restored to retrofit 21st century luxury accommodations.

Home is what it felt like more so than any other hotel or resort that I’ve stayed at. Perhaps that’s because it was a freestanding house, secluded from the rest of the resort. There were no disturbances from noisy neighbors, no coldness felt from the industrial feel of larger resort hotel rooms, and no loud music drifting in from nearby nightclubs or pool bars. It was our own private piece of paradise, individually designed and decorated with the artist touch of local paintings picked especially for that cottage.

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Opening up from the bedroom was an expansive private balcony suited with two wicker chairs, a coffee table, and a view of the rainforest. It was here where we would spend countless hours reflecting on what life would look like once our son arrived, what values we wanted to instill in him, and what lessons we would carry forth from our own upbringing to our philosophy on parenting.

It was also a spot where we would retreat to escape an afternoon rain shower, watch a humming bird eat from a banana tree five feet in front of us, read a leisurely book, or soak in the evening orchestra of the surrounding rain forest. In other words, it was peaceful. Even now, when I’m in the midst of the craziness of my pregnancy, I close my eyes and envision myself back on the balcony, and I’m at ease for a moment or two.

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“Are you from Banana Tree?” asked Stanford, one of the grounds men.

“Yes,” I said, looking up from my book as I sat poolside enjoying the seclusion of one of Fond Doux’s three pools.

“I left coconuts on your porch. Let me get them.” He returned moments later carrying two green coconuts and a machete, immediately going to work opening up the coconuts so we could sip on fresh coconut water. “Do you like?” he asked with his broad smile as I took my first sip.

“Very much.”

“And mango?”

“It’s my favorite fruit.”

“Be right back.” And he was off again, climbing up a tree to cut down some fresh mangos to snack on, delivering them to us with the same bright, welcoming smile. I ate so many mangos that week that Mr. G. has been referring to our son as Baby Mango. I couldn’t resist though. These were the freshest, juiciest mangos that I’ve ever eaten. When I ran out, Stanford would climb a tree and fetch me some more. What a way to spoil a pregnant lady!

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The pool became our second home for the week. It was a short walk from our cabin and felt like our own private oasis. Since many of the cottages at Fond Doux had private pools, we mostly had the pool all to ourselves. While normally I prefer a tad more human interaction on vacation, I didn’t on this one. I enjoyed sitting undisturbed for hours with a book and the view of the greens and blues of nature before me from our perch above the rainforest canopy. When we needed a beverage or something to eat, we called down to the restaurant, and they delivered it. I drank my weight in Scorpions, a mocktail of bananas, milk, and coconut cream, while Mr. G. indulged in a few Piton Lagers.

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And then there was chocolate.

I admit that I’ve been blessed with an easy pregnancy. I haven’t had morning sickness or experienced crazy mood swings (Mr. G. jokes that I’m nicer than normal…). I haven’t even had any cravings other than the occasional cheese splurge during the first trimester.

But what woman doesn’t crave chocolate on a regular basis?

With so many things that you have to cut out of your diet during pregnancy, it was great to have an abundance of fresh chocolate. Throughout the day, cocoa beans were drying on racks in the main courtyard inviting an even further craving, teasing you with its sweet, seductive aroma. Some of that chocolate wound its way into Fond Doux’s cuisine. I’m proud to admit, I indulged just a bit in this chocolate paradise.

I started the mornings off with a chocolate tea (think hot chocolate but with a touch more savory). The afternoons were filled with a mocktail or two that had some infusion of chocolate and fruit from the resort’s organic gardens. Dinner was then capped off with a dessert of chocolate while Mr. G. sipped a nightcap. My favorite was the mango crumble topped with vanilla ice cream and a chocolate sauce. It was light, rich, fresh, and decadent all at once, and it combined two of my favorite things (three if you count the ice cream).

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Fond Doux Plantation and Resort was exactly what I was looking for in a babymoon.

It was secluded and tropical with plenty of plantation fresh organic food at our beckon call (prefect nourishment for that growing baby). The location within the rainforest between the Pitons provided the right amount of adventure. St Lucia’s top natural attractions were a short drive away (the Pitons, Sugar Beach, and the drive-in volcano). We took advantage of some of that adventure. But this trip wasn’t about adventure. It was about the relaxation that’s needed on a babymoon, which Fond Doux excels at.

The beds were comfortable and the cabins were roomy. Each night, the chorus of the rainforest below our open balcony doors sang us to sleep. I don’t think I’ve ever slept a deeper sleep. The natural, secluded environment gave us time to stop and reflect on how our life was going to change over the months. Even though we were only halfway through our pregnancy, the babymoon allowed us to rest and recharge our batteries before returning home to our lingering to do list. I don’t think any other resort would have suited us better for our babymoon getaway.

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Babymoon Highlights

  • The seclusion of the cottages lends a sense of privacy and tranquility to relax and reconnect with each other and our thoughts. It’s perfect for those who practice mindfulness and enjoy being in nature.
  • The pool is like a private oasis. It’s built on three tiers. Each tier had only a handful of chairs surrounding it. I always felt that I had the pool to myself.
  • As organic eaters, we didn’t have to question what we were eating. The food served at Fond Doux is either fresh from the organic gardens or sourced from nearby organic farms. We’ve been especially picky during our pregnancy about the foods we eat.
  • Chocolate + Pregnancy = Bliss
  • The fresh fruit mocktails and juices are a huge plus and the perfect, healthy indulgence for a pregnant woman. Most resorts serve processed, sugared drinks. At Fond Doux, the juices are all fresh squeezed from organic fruit grown on premise.

Special Considerations

  • There is no air conditioning on the resort, which helps Fond Doux emit a low carbon footprint for its Green Globe certification. While I never felt overheated because there was plenty of breeze (I actually used the comforter at night), some pregnant women may be uncomfortable during the summer months.
  • There is a decent amount of walking from the cabins to the pools and restaurants. While it wasn’t a lot of walking, women babymooning later in their pregnancy might have difficulty with some of the steeper paths. None of the walks were longer than anything you’d encounter at a sprawling megaresort
  • The rooms did not have televisions. While some may count this is a negative, I counted it as a positive. A television would have ruined the peacefulness of our cottage and our time together with a disruptive distraction. We were truly able to connect with each other.

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What would be your perfect babymoon getaway?

Disclosure – Muchas gracias to Fond Doux Plantation and Resort for hosting us on our babymoon. Sometimes resorts host us, and sometimes, we go on my own accord anonymously. Regardless, readers receive my honest feedback as my opinions are not for sale.