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20 Years of Rabot Estate: A Journey Rooted in Cacao
In 2006, we arrived at Rabot Estate Saint Lucia with one simple goal: to get closer to the ingredient we loved most – cacao.
Set within Saint Lucia’s lush rainforest landscape, Rabot Estate has since grown into far more than a cacao farm. Over the last 20 years, it has become a place where guests can stay amongst the cacao groves, discover chocolate at its source and experience the beauty of Saint Lucia through nature, food and cacao.
Surrounded by the dramatic beauty of the island’s iconic Pitons, Rabot Estate has evolved into a world of cacao-inspired experiences unlike anywhere else on earth. So how did a single cacao farm in the rainforest grow into all of this? Let’s go back to where it all began…
2006: The Beginning of Rabot Estate, a Cacao Farm in Saint Lucia
When we first arrived at Rabot Estate in 2006, the vision was simple: to better understand cacao by growing it ourselves.
What started as a cacao farm quickly became something much bigger…
Over the years, Rabot Estate became a place for learning, experimenting and understanding how cacao grows best alongside the rainforest around it. That journey would later help shape our Gentle Farming approach which is centred around working in harmony with nature and protecting the biodiversity of the estate.
Today, cacao continues to grow across the estate alongside a rich ecosystem of tropical plants and trees, helping preserve the natural beauty of the rainforest environment while supporting long-term cacao growing in Saint Lucia.
The estate has also become a source of inspiration across the wider Hotel Chocolat world: from cacao-inspired flavours and recipes to immersive experiences rooted in the story of cacao itself.
2011: The Opening of Rabot Hotel, a Rainforest Hotel in Saint Lucia
Then in 2011 came something new…
Rabot Hotel from Hotel Chocolat opened its doors, inviting guests to stay within the rainforest home of cacao itself.
Surrounded by cacao groves and views of Petit Piton, the hotel became an extension of the estate itself inviting guests to slow down, reconnect with nature and experience cacao beyond the chocolate bar.
Ever wondered what it’s like to wake up in the middle of a cacao grove? Today, guests can wake amongst the rainforest canopy, enjoy cacao-inspired cuisine at Rabot Restaurant and unwind through spa rituals inspired by the botanicals and cacao grown across the estate.
As a luxury eco hotel in Saint Lucia, Rabot Hotel continues to offer a deeper connection to the island’s rainforest landscape, cacao heritage and immersive hospitality.
2021: The Launch of Project Chocolat’s Chocolate Experiences
But cacao was never going to stop at the farm itself…
And in 2021, the story evolved again with the opening of Project Chocolat.
Ever wondered how a chocolate bar actually begins its life? Created to bring guests closer to the world of cacao, Project Chocolat invites visitors to craft their own chocolate, walk through cacao groves and discover how chocolate is made, from cacao pod to finished bar.
From the Bean to Bar experience to the Tree to Bar tour, it’s a hands-on way to experience the people, processes and flavours behind cacao growing in Saint Lucia.
Visitors can also discover cacao-inspired drinks, estate-grown flavours and the stories that continue to shape the Rabot Estate today.
20 Years Later: Chocolate, Hospitality and Cacao in Saint Lucia
Twenty years later, Rabot Estate has become far more than just a cacao farm.
It’s now a place where cacao, nature and hospitality come together to create a unique Saint Lucian experience; connecting guests and visitors on a deeper level to Hotel Chocolat’s mission and this special Caribbean island.
Our journey here on the Rabot Estate continues to be inspired by cacao, shaped by the people behind it – from the farmers who nurture the cacao trees to the chefs, guides and artisans who bring the estate to life each day – and it will always be rooted in the Saint Lucian rainforest-home where it all began.
Curious to experience the home of cacao for yourself? Plan your visit and come and discover where the next chapter of the story begins.
Rabot Estate is Hotel Chocolat’s cacao estate in Saint Lucia, set within the island’s lush rainforest landscape. Over the last 20 years, it has grown from a cacao farm into a place where guests can stay amongst cacao groves, discover chocolate at its source and experience Saint Lucia through nature, food and cacao.
Hotel Chocolat arrived at Rabot Estate in 2006 with the goal of getting closer to cacao by growing it directly in Saint Lucia. What began as a cacao farm has since evolved into a wider world of cacao-inspired hospitality, experiences and flavours.
Rabot Estate is more than a cacao farm because it brings together cacao growing, rainforest nature, hospitality, food, spa experiences and chocolate-making. It is home to Rabot Hotel, Rabot Restaurant and Project Chocolat, giving guests and visitors different ways to experience cacao at its source.
Rabot Hotel is Hotel Chocolat’s luxury eco hotel in Saint Lucia, located within the rainforest setting of Rabot Estate. Opened in 2011, the hotel allows guests to stay among cacao groves, wake up close to the rainforest canopy and enjoy cacao-inspired cuisine and spa rituals.
Project Chocolat is Rabot Estate’s hands-on chocolate experience, launched in 2021. It gives visitors the chance to craft their own chocolate, walk through cacao groves and learn how chocolate is made, from cacao pod to finished bar.
