St. Lucia Villa Rental - Blog

Good news for the tourist industry and all St Lucia lovers in the UK. Virgin Atlantic recently announced that they will be increasing the number of flights from the UK to St Lucia.

It is reported that as part of their 2013/14 schedule Virgin Atlantic will increase the number of flights from 3 to 5 per week. This is a big increase and a big vote of confidence in the island and everything it offers. It demonstrates that Virgin Atlantic believe more people from the UK want to come and stay in paradise. Furthermore, that more tourist from the UK are waking up to everything St Lucia has to for families, couples and honeymooners.

Visitors will also be pleased to know that they will be flown in the new Airbus A330-300 aircraft rather than some of the older aircraft Virgin Atlantic use on the route.

It is not all good news for the Caribbean as at the same time Virgin Atlantic announced they will be decreasing the number of flights to Barbados from the UK despite upgrading the aircraft that fly the route.

To improve your visit to Akasha, St Lucia’s Best Villa rental we recommend taking the helicopter transfer option from Hewannora (UVF) to George Charles (SLU) where you will be met by our driver and transferred to the villa. This is not only more relaxing than the car journey but also gives you an instant view of the beauty of the island. Once you are at the villa our local team will ensure that you and your party are looked after in style.

Speculation is doing the rounds in St Lucia. Apparently, it will host one of the weddings (or at least renewal of wedding vows) of the year. Someone has let it be known that one superstar – Matt Damon, who has starred in numerous block busters, is coming to St Lucia to renew his wedding vows.

We do not know if it is true but if it is, it’s a big plus for the island. Reports in the Daily Mail from UK also say that other super stars will be there. The big names include “George Clooney, Brad Pitt and his fiancee Angelina Jolie, and his latest co-star, Michael Douglas and his Oscar-winning wife Catherine Zeta-Jones”.

Imagine all the press hounds that will be on the island – looking for the great angle to snap the big stars.

If the reports are true Matt Damon has rented out the whole resort for a week long party.

Surprising that someone connected to the resort should let this slip into the media – Akasha values it’s guests’ privacy and would never let slip who is coming to stay at the villa.

So even if you are not a superstar but want to go where the stars go then Akasha, St Lucia’s best luxury villa rental is waiting to welcome you.

Akasha, St Lucia’s most exclusive and prestigious villa available for rent is to feature in the March 2013 Condé Nast Bridal Magazine. It is the only villa in St Lucia to be featured – high praise indeed.

St Lucia is well recognized as the Caribbean’s best destination for honeymooners and couples looking to getting married. The travel industry has over the last ten years awarded it numerous awards so St Lucia must be getting something right. If you are thinking of getting married then why not check out why St Lucia might be right for your wedding or honeymoon.

We are proud to say we have already, in our short history, had several small weddings take place at the villa. This year we have Honeymooner staying in the rental villa.

As part of our celebration of being selected by Condé Nast to feature in the Bridal Magazine we are offering special packages for Honeymoon couples and Wedding parties.

Honeymoon couples booking a 7 night stay or more at Akasha will given a free honeymoon package consisting of; spa treatments, champagne, romantic boat cruise, dinner at a top restaurant and a personal chef for one evening.

Couples who book the villa to get wed and stay for 7 nights or more will be offered; the same package as Honeymooners plus flowers to decorate the villa and there is no venue charge.

We can also offer to make your stay at Akasha all inclusive for your honeymoon or wedding.

Akasha, St Lucia’s most luxurious villa rental welcomes inquiries from all couples looking to get married in an exclusive setting and honeymooners looking to stay in paradise. Come and see why Condé Nast recommends Akasha for your honeymoon and wedding.

The tourism industry in St Lucia and the Caribbean have for a long time been trying to get the Airport Passenger Duty (APD) abolished in the UK. Now they have some support from the major airlines.

Virgin and British Airways (who both fly to St Lucia) and other airlines are trying to lobby the UK Chancellor to scrap the APD as they believe it affects jobs and the industry. George Osborne, the Chancellor, is putting together his budget for the year and is coming under extensive pressure to avoid a triple dip.

The UK was placed last (out of 139 countries) in the World Economic Forum report on ticket tax and airport charges. So this is cannot be good. The airlines hope to convince the Chancellor that by removing the APD the economy would be boosted with an extra 60000 jobs and the UK GDP would grow by 16billion pounds. These figures were calculated by PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PWC) using the UK Treasury’s own economic model – so there must be some truth in it.

It has to be remembered that this year that the APD will raise 2.9billion pounds – not a sum the Chancellor will want to give away easily.

As Caribbean’s premier luxury villa rental we are keen to support anything which increases tourism for the region and hope the airlines are successful in their lobbing. This will help to increase jobs in the UK and the Caribbean.

If you would like to book your holiday in St Lucia then just complete the form on the site for your quote from the owners of the villa.

The islands in the Caribbean are well known for their hospitality and hosting some of the most welcoming parties for visitors including Carnivals, Street Parties and Music Festivals. St Lucia has many events happening all year round. For those seeking out the best around the Caribbean here is a sample of what’s happening in the next few months;

St Lucia Independence Day Celebrations – 22nd February. During this week the island is a buzz with music, parades and parties official and un-official.

Bequia Easter Regatta – 28th March – 1st April. Local and international boats compete for the 32nd time over Easter. The sailing takes place between the islands of St Vincent and Grenadines. At the end of each day there is music and fun for all the family.

Festival Del Mare, Anguilla – 7/8th April. For the 6th year Boat racing, Steel Bands, Volleyball, Crab races, Swimming races and Cooking all taking place on the beaches. Lobster, Crayfish and so much more to enjoy. This all takes places at Island Harbour.

Agricultural and Food Fair, St Croix – 16 – 18th February. More than an Agricultural show. Here there are not only kallaloo dishes but also exotic drinks and local crafts for sale and to enjoy. The Calypso show includes horse riding.

For more information contact us at Akasha, St Lucia’s most famous villa with celebrities and let us give you a more detailed list of events of what’s happening in St Lucia and which are best for your tastes during your vacation in St Lucia.

St Lucia once again will host it’s annual festival from 30th April to 12th May 2013. As always the line up is looking to hit some high points. St Lucia organisers have just published this year’s initial line up. This year the line up includes; R Kelly, The Jacksons, Ojays, Tito Puente Jr., Akon. We expect some more top artists to be announced at a later date.

R Kelly (Robert Kelly) is a Grammy award winning R&B singer, producer and writer having written many hits for others. Some would call him the father of R&B – high praise indeed. He is certainly the all time most successful R&B artist.

Akon, to give him his full name Aliaune Damala Badara Akon Thiam was born in the US but grew up in Senegal. Such a great voice.

Who has not heard of The Jacksons – their family has contributed so much to the music industry. So many hits its difficult to pick one as a favorite.

The Ojays, a group that’s been around for while and they have so many hits which baby boomers will remember. Who can forget “Love Train” in the 70s.

Akasha hopes to host some lucky guests who will have the opportunity to go and see these artists. They will be performing at Pigeon Island which is only a 4 minute car drive away. So make St Lucia’s best luxury villa your base for the St Lucia Jazz festival and your vacation of a lifetime in paradise. As a bonus we will throw in tickets for the whole party to go and see these artists.

Where ever you go for that vacation of a lifetime it’s important that you have a safe trip. Help yourself by taking some simple steps which are outlined below by Akasha, St Lucia’s Best Known Villa.

Traveler’s Checks.

Many people think these are no longer in use but you would be surprised how many banks, hotels and other establishments will still cash them. They are also more secure than your credit card and cash as ID is always required to cash them along with a signature.

Stay safe.

When you are somewhere new it’s not always easy to know where the safer places are to visit. So consult the locals – ask the hotel staff, check out websites like Tripadvisor for feedback. Also, do not do things you would not do at home like walking on a “deserted beach” in the middle of the night. At St Lucia’s most exclusive villa rental Akasha, our local team will provide you with local knowledge so you can stay safe. The villa is also equipped with a remote monitoring security system.

Carrying Cash.

Only carry enough cash for what you need that day. If you carry too much cash and the wrong people see it when you open your wallet then you could become a target for unsavory characters. Leave the remainder of your cash locked up in the safe back at your villa or hotel. Akasha has several safes for you to use.

Akasha is available all year round for renting. As always we look to provide all our guests with a safe vacation and accordingly incorporated a number of features into the villa which are designed to make your holiday safe as possible. These include, safes, alarm system, remote monitoring, fully fenced premises, electronic gates and security cameras.

So when you book your luxury vacation at Akasha you can be sure we have taken all reasonable steps and more to make it as safe as your own home. Luxury vacations do not have to be unsafe.

Continuing with our travel tips we look at the journey and how you can make the best of what is part of your adventure to paradise otherwise known as St Lucia. Here you will also want the best villa rental and Akasha fits that bill.

Book a Window Seat.

The view is usually the best if you get the window seat and this is defiantly true when you fly to the Caribbean. Marvel at the small islands, beaches and clear turquoise sea. When you fly to St Lucia book a seat on the left hand side of the plane – almost guarantees you a view of the world famous Pitons. If you know where to look it also means you can see your future home, Akasha for the vacation of a lifetime.

Freshen Up.

On overnight flights take a face towel and a ziplock bag on the plane with you. Shortly before landing ask the flight attendant for a cup of warm water. Put the warm water in the bag and then the face towel – so it gets warm. Then use the towel to freshen up. This is what they do in the First Class cabin.

Quick Visas.

If you need a visa to visit a country call the consulate of that country and ask if you can get a visa on arrival at the airport. Not only is this quicker than all the paperwork at the consulate but also a lot cheaper, make sure you have US dollars or local currency as credit cards may not be accepted. You will not be even required to get photos for the visa at the border.

Passport Check.

Before flying to a foreign country check that you have at least two blank pages in your passport and at least 6 months before it expires. Many countries require you to have the blank pages to stamp on arrival and also that it is valid for six months before entry.

Consider these tips and your holiday of a lifetime will get off to a great start. On such a trip you will clearly want to stay at the most luxurious villa in St Lucia and also home to celebrities and that’s what Akasha is.

Everyone likes to get the most value for their money so why would you turn down the chance to get free flights from the UK to St Lucia.

If you fancy the chance of getting a free flight then get down to Victoria Station on Monday 28th January 2013. For 7 days you can enter the British Airways competition to win free flights. From 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. you can enter the BA Ticket Giveaway. Play their flight simulator game and the best score every 15 minutes wins. Tickets are going to be available for flights to a host of places including St Lucia,Barbados, St Kitts, Tobago, Sri Lanka and Orlando. Every winner will get a pair of tickets.

The destination may vary every day but you can check on London Evening Standard and Metro where the tickets on offer are for.

The flight simulator is B777 so go and get some practice in first if you are serious about this.

If you cannot get to Victoria then all is not lost. Take a look at British Airways Facebook for details and the chance to win your free tickets.

As an extra bonus the Owners of Akasha, St Lucia’s best known villa will give you a discount of 25% if you go and play, that’s right you don’t have to win the free flight, just enter. We just need to see the entry ticket. That’s 25% off your booking to Akasha.

So if you fancy a luxury holiday in St Lucia staying at the island’s most luxurious villa then get yourself down to Victoria and book Akasha.

Today we bring you more travel tips. Here are our suggestions for when you are actually on the journey to your luxury vacation.

Let the Luggage Find You.

Lost luggage can be a real pain so why not put your details inside the checked luggage. Include where you are going and your home phone number but not your address. That way if the luggage tag falls off when officials open it – they can easily find you and then forward to your destination or home.

Keep the Brain Working.

If you like doing crosswords, Sudoku or other puzzles then start cutting them out of the papers a month or two before you depart and put them in a folder. Saves on buying those thick books and you can discard then easily. They also pack easily into your pocket and or hand luggage.

Say Yes to the Free Treats.

On long haul flights your airline may offer you drinks at what can be odd times – peanuts for breakfast. Take them and put them away for a time when you do feel peckish, a free treat rather than an expensive one from an airport shop always wins.

Want to Sleep on the Flight.

If you want to sleep on your flight then you are more likely to nod off if you are tired. A good way to get tired is to work out before you travel to the airport.

Jump the Queue.

No one likes to queue least of all when your flight is delayed. So if your flight is cancelled or is suffering a long delay and there is a long queue at the service counter why not call the 800 free phone for the airline. Make sure you have a note of it before you leave home if you do not have a smartphone. They will answer your call quicker than getting to the front of the queue and should be able to rearrange your travel more quickly.

So there you have some suggestions of how to travel on your dream vacation to paradise in St Lucia. Where better to stay than the best luxury family villa rental in St Lucia – Akasha.