Final approvals just received from the Saint Lucian government for our bean to bar manufactory – it’s been a long and careful process because it is set within the Unesco World Heritage environment of the Pitons in Saint Lucia.

Our ‘renaissance man’ country head, Phil Buckley, has been working on the design plans for 3 years and they are amazing – it will be the world’s greenest chocolate manufactory, architecturally beautiful, focussed uniquely on rare and vintage cocoa and designed from the outset for visitors to fully engage in each sensorial stage.

Being sited amongst the cocoa groves on our own estate means that we will be able to make micro batches and fully release the unique terroir of Rabot Estate and Saint Lucia. Physically linking the growing and fermentation of cocoa with roasting and chocolate making means that our chocolatiers will have all the variables of flavour at their disposal – like a winemaker with his own winery set amongst the vineyards.

Here is the press release from the Saint Lucia government.

Day one was enjoyable sharing the speaking platform with Mark Constantine, Co-Founder & Managing Director of Lush, Ben Phillips, Managing Director of Steamer Trading Cookshop, Tom Joule, CEO of Joules and chaired by Luke Johnson, Chairman of Risk Capital Partners & Columnist Financial Times.

We enjoyed an open discussion about ‘Releasing the retail entrepreneurial spirit’; something which I’m very passionate about and feel has been key to the success of Hotel Chocolat to date! The thing I remember most clearly, however, was Mark asking what time we got up that morning to prove how hard working entrepreneurs are. Slightly embarrassing to have to admit to 9am thanks to a late night of arguing and Pinotage with Fredik Ahlin, our Creative Director.

It was also amazing to see the power of social media with live tweets being projected onto a huge screen at the conference!

Thanks to everyone who attended our session and who tweeted.

The success of our Boucan Restaurant has drawn the attention of Saint Lucia tourism Minster, Senator Allen Chastanet. He dropped by for a meal with me and Phil Buckley, parking his jeep with the keys in. Mid forkful, we watched in astonishment as our cacao cuisine development chef, David Demaison, got behind the wheel and drove away in the ministers car!

Thankfully he realised after a while that he had got into the wrong jeep when he spotted Senator Chastanet’s personal effects dotted around the car.

I have a lingering thought that he was trying to flee the island after 4 weeks chained to the kitchen, getting Boucan launched!

The cooling infinity pool is waiting, the cocktail list has been tested, the dishes have been tasted and the crisp bed linen has been pressed – the countdown is over and our boutique hotel on the island of Saint Lucia is now open! It’s a place dedicated to barefoot luxury in naturally relaxing surroundings with awe-inspiring views from 1,000 feet above sea level.

Situated in a courtyard around an old Shak-Shak tree, our Cocoa Cottages are designed with plenty of Hotel Chocolat’s contemporary style with a dash of West Indian charm.  Thoughtfully completed with luxurious finishing touches, they make a stylish and comfortable retreat. For a few of the best shots from around the Hotel and Boucan Restaurant take a look at the album on our Facebook page.