Bay Gardens Honors Saint Lucian's at Independence

In celebration  of St. Lucia's 40th anniversary of independence on Friday, February 22, 2019, Bay Gardens Resorts in St. Lucia is offering St. Lucian residents 40 percent off food and beverage all day long on Independence Day.

Sanovnik Destang, Executive Director of the St. Lucian family-owned and  -operated group of hotels, said Bay Gardens' award-winning culinary team was gearing up to roll out the red carpet to treat their fellow nationals to "an authentic St. Lucian dining experience which reflects the island's diverse cultural and Creole influences."

At its five distinct properties - Bay Gardens Inn, Bay Gardens Hotel,  Bay Gardens Beach Resort & Spa, Bay Gardens Marina Haven and the new Waters Edge Villas - the restaurants pay homage to authentic Caribbean food while incorporating an international twist in signature dishes.

SeaGrapes Beach Bar & Restaurant at Bay Gardens Beach Resort specializes  in fresh seafood prepared utilizing mini coal pots. Hi Tide, Bay Gardens Beach Resort's main restaurant, is famed for elevating Caribbean fusion to lofty levels. At Bay Gardens Hotel, Spices restaurant features cuisine from around the region, while Anchor Restaurant  at Marina Haven is popular for its Creole breakfast, three-course lunch and vegetarian dishes.

"We are thankful for the past 40 years and look forward to our continued  progress as a nation," reflected the resort group's Managing Director, Joyce Destang, who distinctly remembers the joyous day when St. Lucia received its independence from Great Britain.

"We were all excited - whether you were for or against, whether you were  pro-government or anti-government, Independence meant so much to all of us," she recalled. "And on that day, I remember we went down to the wharf ... everyone was jostling to get to the front row so that they can see Premier John Compton and Princess Alexandra  who came from England to represent the Queen. ... we were all excited and anxious ... it felt like a teenager turning 18 ... and what I recall the most was when John Compton came out with this booklet and held it up to us and everybody applauded .. and it was like shivers going down our spine."  

Sanovnik Destang said that as both a private and corporate entity, Bay Gardens  feels privileged to give back to the people of St. Lucia, and the reduced food and drink pricing was only a small gesture to celebrate four decades of independence with fellow nationals.

Dr. Tanya Destang-Beaubrun, a member of the Bay Gardens Resorts Board of Directors, remembers the pride that permeated the entire island when independence was declared: "There was a sense of pride of being St. Lucian and it was something that I had never felt before."

She recalled the feeling growing in the days and weeks ahead: "There we were in 1979 with our own national anthem and our flag being raised, and being told that we were in charge and we were St. Lucians in charge of our future, in charge of the way forward for our little island."

Executive Director Destang noted that after Independence Day and for the remainder of 2019, the "Proudly St. Lucian" brand of hotels will offer St. Lucian nationals 20 percent off food and beverage at all Bay Gardens properties with proof of residence.

For more information about the variety of dining options at Bay Gardens Resorts, visit https://www.baygardensresorts.com/dining-bgr.

Bay Gardens Resorts
Bay Gardens Resorts is a group of locally owned and operated award-winning hotels all located within, or near, Rodney Bay Village, St. Lucia's entertainment capital. All five of Bay Gardens Resorts' properties - Bay Gardens Inn, Bay Gardens Hotel, Bay Gardens Beach Resort & Spa, Bay Gardens Marina Haven and Bay Gardens Waters Edge Villas - are close to more than 40 restaurants, entertainment venues, duty-free shopping malls, Treasure Bay Casino and Rodney Bay Marina. All properties offer comfortable accommodations, traditional Caribbean cuisine, and warm Caribbean service and hospitality. Bay Gardens' Splash Island Water Park, the first open-water sports park in the nation, is a popular attraction off St. Lucia's Reduit Beach.

For further information, visit  www.baygardensresorts.com.

ENDS