Coulibri Ridge resort in Dominica has reopened after the deaths of Canadian hoteliers Daniel Langlois and Dominique Marchand, who spent decades building luxury eco-resort.Dominica Coulibri Ridge/Supplied
Almost a year after the deaths of Canadian hoteliers Daniel Langlois and Dominique Marchand in Dominica, where they spent decades building luxury eco-resort Coulibri Ridge, the property is on track to reopen after a three-month seasonal closure.
Daniel’s youngest brother, Normand Langlois, said it was never in question to carry on the couple’s legacy of sustainability at the heart of the resort, where rainwater is harvested for use by guests, and electricity is powered by on-site wind turbines and solar-panelled roofs, among other initiatives.
In December, 2023, within hours of the discovery of Daniel’s and Marchand’s bodies in a burned vehicle, staff at Coulibri Ridge were welcoming new guests while dealing with their own shock and grief.
The couple’s neighbour, American Jonathan Lehrer, and an alleged accomplice, Robert Thomas Snider, were arrested and charged and are awaiting trial, expected to begin in December.
Chef Damien Mason prepares meals at the resort. The estate grows its own organic crops, including avocado, mango and coconut.Dominica Coulibri Ridge/Supplied
General manager Maleva Blanchard said those initial conversations with guests were difficult but forthright. “We have not been compromised in any way, and we’re still willing to give you as much excellent service as we can,” she recalls saying. The resort – perched on a lush mountain ridge on the southern side of the island, never closed. Despite the headline news about the murders, there were also few cancellations in what turned out to be a strong season. “It was really heartbreaking, but we had to manage,” Blanchard said.
Normand lived in Dominica between 2005 and 2021 and helped oversee the resort’s construction ahead of its opening in 2022. He was also the family member first on scene after the tragedy and heads the estate’s efforts today. Normand admits that for the last year the team of 40 local staff has been in “survival mode,” but credits Marchand’s good friend and former general manager Céline Caissie with helping the team set the groundwork for the current season.
Standing at sunset on any volcanic stone-walled suite deck at Coulibri Ridge has to be one of the most beautiful experiences in the Caribbean. In front of you, the island’s lush green hills; in the distance, the island of Martinique. And just behind you, one of only 14 luxurious suites, each a guilt-free oasis of self-sufficient sustainability. From the food harvested from the estate’s organically grown crops (including avocado, mango and coconut), to the six on-site pools, which are cleaned with copper ionizers to attack algae and fungi without chlorine – Normand is determined to protect the couple’s legacy and continue the resort’s sustainability commitments at its heart.
The transformation of what was once an 18th century aloe vera plantation into an eco-resort was a labour of love, taking 20 years to plan and build, and dream come true for its Canadian creators.
The estate has six on-site pools, which are all cleaned with copper ionizers to attack algae and fungi without using chlorine.Dominica Coulibri Ridge/Supplied
Daniel (a special-effects genius known for his company Softimage’s work on Jurassic Park, The Matrix and Titanic) and Marchand (his partner in life and work), were philanthropists and entrepreneurs who arrived on the island in 1997. They became beloved members of the community, helping to rebuild the island after tropical cyclone Maria’s devastation in 2017.
The couple and island residents had been in a years-long dispute with neighbours Lehrer and his wife, Victoria, who own a cocoa plantation next door, which offers chocolate tours and real estate investment opportunities. The Lehrers believed users of Morne Rouge Road, a public thoroughfare that leads to Coulibri Ridge via their property, were trespassing, although a court ruling this summer disagreed.
Normand is happy that most of the staff hired and trained by Langlois and Marchand when the resort opened have stayed on. He and Blanchard say they couldn’t imagine continuing without them.
“They’re the ones who received that direct knowledge from Daniel, on how the operation should be done, how the procedures should be handled, why we do what we do,” Blanchard said.
Reservations haven’t slowed at the property, where room rates start at US$700 a night. With a court declaration earlier this year reinforcing public access to the road, reaching the resort is not an issue, Blanchard notes. “People can access the resort freely, without having any negative impact from the next-door neighbour,” she said.
Once an 18th century aloe vera plantation, the estate was transformed into an eco-resort, a process that took 20 years to plan and build.Dominica Coulibri Ridge/Supplied
“Safety has never been a concern for anyone here immediately after the incident,” Normand adds. “The country is a safe country to travel, the location is safe and your safety is not compromised in any way because of that incident.”
The hotel now technically belongs to Daniel’s estate, which covers maintenance and upkeep costs.
As for Coulibri Ridge itself, “the story has not changed,” Blanchard said. “For travellers coming to Dominica, it’s still the only option in terms of a 100 per cent clean, sustainable stay, and not just Dominica, but the Caribbean as a whole. Dominique and Daniel’s legacy will continue. There’s no question about it.”
Special to The Globe and Mail