Formerly known as Boucan, Rabot Hotel (from Hotel Chocolat) is a cacao-themed, open-air boutique resort in Saint Lucia's stunning southwest town of Soufriere. The property features 25 luxury lodges, a cacao-themed bar and restaurant, an infinity pool, and a spa. Located 15 minutes from Saint Lucia's UNESCO World Heritage site, the famous Petit and Gros Piton mountains are the backdrop to this stunning region and resort.
Luxury
($462 -$748)
$471-$623 (USD)
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Pros & Cons: The Rabot Hotel from Hotel Chocolat
- The open-air concept immerses you in the natural rainforest environment.
- Stunning views of both Pitons from the Luxe lodges and the infinity pool.
- An adults-only environment ensures a peaceful, romantic atmosphere.
- Exceptional breakfast featuring fresh estate-grown ingredients.
- Unique hands-on chocolate-making workshops to experience.
- Cacao-infused spa treatments using estate-grown ingredients.
- No air conditioning or televisions in rooms, only ceiling fans.
- Remote hillside location requires expensive taxi rides to explore other areas.
- A single restaurant limits dining variety compared to larger resorts.
- Steep terrain makes walking around the property challenging.
- Higher prices than comparable Caribbean boutique hotels.
Accommodations & Amenities
Rabot's 25 eco-lodges, set amid a lush, tropical rainforest, include the Standard and Luxe Lodges. Most rooms have views of the infinity pool, rainforest surroundings, and the Pitons. All accommodations are open-air and do not include AC (there's a ceiling fan).
The Luxe Lodge includes all of the previous Standard Lodge's amenities, except for Garden courtyard views. However, the Luxe Lodge has this additional perk:
Direct Petit Piton views from The Rabot Hotel
Food & Dining
As a boutique resort, Rabot's dining is centered on its flagship restaurant, Rabot Restaurant. The restaurant serves daily breakfast, lunch, and dinner and uniquely incorporates the cacao theme, from savory spices to the dessert centerpieces.
Rabot Restaurant
Rabot's signature restaurant serves three meals daily on an open-air terrace overlooking the mountains. Breakfast typically includes fresh tropical fruits from the estate, signature chocolate pancakes, and made-to-order options rather than a buffet setup. The lunch menu comprises lighter fare options, like salads and sandwiches. Dinner focuses on Caribbean cuisines with UK influences—think cacao-braised pork, cacao linguine, and fresh local seafood with chocolate-based sauces.
The Cacao Bar
The Cacao Bar specializes in creative cocktails using cacao pulp and chocolate elements. Popular drinks include mango, chili, white chocolate margarita, and traditional rum cocktails with cacao twists. The bar is open for lunch and dinner, with sunset cocktails being a highlight.
Room service
Room service is available during limited hours for guests who prefer dining privately on their lodge terraces. The service includes selections from the main restaurant menu with a smaller range of options.
The biggest dining limitation is variety—with only one restaurant, you'll eat the same cacao-forward menu for your stay. Some guests find the chocolate theme overwhelming by the third or fourth meal, especially at dinner, where even savory dishes incorporate cacao elements.
Also, be aware that the restaurant requires reservations for dinner. The food quality is generally good; the prices reflect the resort's luxury positioning and remote location.
Activities & Experiences
St. Lucia is known for its natural beauty, exquisite beaches, and lush rainforests. However, the island's most famous attraction is the Gros and Petit Piton volcanic twin peaks. The UNESCO volcanic peaks are conveniently located in Soufrière, the nearest town. Other highly recommended activities and attractions off-resort include:
- Gros Piton Hike ($)—If you're up for it, this one's a challenge. The hike up the Gros Piton takes about 4-6 hours and costs around $45, including a guide. The views from the top are incredible, and there's a halfway point if you're not up for the whole trek.
- Diamond Falls Botanical Gardens ($)—Pretty gardens with a colorful waterfall that changes hues throughout the day due to minerals in the water. Entry is $7, plus another $6 if you want to soak in the historic mineral baths French soldiers used in 1784. It's a nice way to spend a morning, only 10 minutes from the hotel.
- Sulphur Springs ($)—You can drive into this wild, active volcano (Saint Lucia's only drive-through volcano!) The mud baths are the main event here – the mineral-rich mud is meant to be great for your skin. Tours are $10-15 per person—fair warning, though: you'll smell like sulfur after.
- Tet Paul Nature Trail ($)—This is your spot for Piton views without the hardcore hiking. It's a 45-minute walk that costs only $10. The guides are a wealth of knowledge about the area's local plants, biodiversity, and history.
For activities and things to do on-site:
- Rabot's Project Chocolat Experience—Each guest receives a complimentary introductory chocolate tour. They'll take you through the cacao groves and explain how they make chocolate from scratch. It's a genuinely enjoyable and educational experience, especially if you're a chocolate lover!
- Bean-to-Bar workshop—Guests staying four nights or more get an added discount on their hands-on chocolate-making seminars, where you'll create chocolate bars from roasted cacao beans.
- Cacao spa treatments—The spa uses cacao for massages and body treatments. It sounds gimmicky, but the treatments are quite relaxing, and the rainforest setting is idyllic.
- Explore the Rabot estate—wander the 140-acre property, which includes intertwining, self-guided nature trails. Discover great yoga or meditation spots, and enjoy getting lost in the St. Lucian rainforest (but don't wander too far!)
- Head to the beach—The nearest beach is Malgretoute Beach, just a ten-minute drive away. Rabot offers its guests a complimentary, twice-daily shuttle to the beach.
- Infinity pool—The infinity pool is one of the resort's highlights. It's lined with black stone, which gives a rich, dramatic aesthetic. It's also probably where you'll spend most of your downtime.
Special Offers & Packages
Most deals and packages require a minimum stay of 5 nights and bundle all meals and services into a single vacation package.
Summer discounts: They offer up to 30% off during summer, which is probably your best shot at making this place more affordable. Even with the discount, it's on the expensive side.
Couples packages: A couples/honeymoon deal includes a sunset boat trip and a picnic in the rainforest. It requires a stay of 5 nights, and your meals will be bundled into the package.
Adventure packages: If you plan to spend most of your time hiking and exploring, this package includes the Gros Piton hike and a volcano trip. Adventure packages likewise require a minimum of 5 nights; everything is bundled into one vacation package.
Longer stay perks: If you stay 4+ nights, you get a discount on the chocolate-making class and a free 30-minute spa treatment per couple. This is useful since both typically cost extra.
Honest Opinions from Real Guests
The Rabot Hotel has 864 TripAdvisor reviews and a 4-out-of-5-star rating. Some recurring comments are that the chocolate theme may be taken too far, as apparently, they put chocolate in most (if not all) the dishes. The open-air concept works, but a few mention that AC would be appreciated in the summer.
The biggest qualm people have is the price. Several reviews feel that the accommodation rates are what you'd pay at a luxury resort, but you don't get the same premium service and amenities. With that in mind, if you want high value and typical resort amenities, Rabot is probably not the best option.
FAQs
No. The hotel is on a mountain cacao farm, so they are not a beachfront resort. Shuttles run regularly to nearby beaches like Anse Chastanet, but you're looking at a 15-20 minute ride each way. If having a beach outside your door is essential, consider one of the many other places in St. Lucia.
Yes, Rabot Hotel is adults only. Guests must be over 18 to stay here. It's more of a romantic couples retreat than a family vacation spot.
If you love chocolate, want something unique, and don't mind paying premium prices for the premium experience, then yes. However, you might be disappointed if you're expecting the traditional resort amenities and experience.
Go for the Luxe lodges if you can afford it. They're bigger and have direct views of Petit Piton, which is the whole point of staying here. The standard lodges face the garden courtyard, which is nice but less dramatic. The Luxe rooms can be worth the extra money, depending on your budget.
There is no AC anywhere—just ceiling fans and natural ventilation. This freaks some people out, but most guests say it's comfortable with the mountain breeze. However, if you need air conditioning to sleep, Rabot is not the place for you.
It's expensive and kind of a pain. The hotel is on a mountain, so you'll have to take a taxi. A ride to Soufriere town costs about $25 each way, and longer trips get pricey quickly. Some people rent cars, but the roads are relatively steep and winding. If exploring the island is on your activity list, try to factor transportation costs into your budget beforehand.
Yes. Hotel Chocolat has operated the Rabot Estate as a working cacao farm since 2006. They use it as a luxury hotel and a place to learn about sustainable cacao farming, so they're legitimate chocolate makers. It's not just gimmicks.
