The Best Hotels to Book in Saint Kitts and Nevis

Slick enough to be the lair of a Bond villain, this art-filled former plantation claims 40ha (100 acres) of the verdant slopes of Nevis Peak, making it one of the best spots for a sundowner by the pond with views towards Antigua and Montserrat. New York artists Helen and Brice Marden have transformed the 19th-century sugar mill into one of the more eccentric rooms, while the vaulted outbuildings have become a bar and restaurant with neon and jewel-hued furniture. Explore the ponds, pool and botanical gardens. And whatever you do, order the lobster.

A break in the countryside in the foothills of Nevis Peak, with an option to head to the hotel’s own beach club, means guests at the Montpelier may have the best of both worlds. The once-crumbling 300-year-old sugar plantation has been breezily converted into 19 rooms, with the pool overlooked by the restored sugar mill. Elemis bath products are a luxury touch. Every hotel in Nevis claims to have the best rum punch – and closely guard their recipes – but the Montpelier might actually take the prize.

Pelicans diving for fish in Christophe Harbour make entertaining viewing while doing laps in the pool. The Park Hyatt is somewhat out on its own at the southern tip of Saint Kitts, but there is the lively Reggae Beach within walking distance, where the beach bars and rum shacks make a great place to lime (local speak for “hang out”). Alternatively, catch the ferry to Nevis in less than 10 minutes. All rooms face the sea and feature spa-inspired baths. Upgrade to the three-bedroom Presidential Villa for a private sundeck and rooftop infinity pool – not something you’ll find at all hotels in Saint Kitts and Nevis.

Bearing all the formal poise you’d expect from a Four Seasons, there’s plenty to do on the extensive grounds besides taking to the spa, lounging by the pool or swimming in the luminous bay. The 18-hole championship golf course and 10 tennis courts are fine; but with six on-site bars and restaurants, where’s the real sport to be had, eh? Off-resort, Sunshines, a local liming spot on Pinney’s beach, serves an infamous rum punch and according to the barman is open “until the last person leaves.”

You’ll see the Hamilton name a lot around the island. There’s even a museum in capital Charlestown dedicated to the island’s world-changing son – and Hamilton Beach resort is no exception. The water on this side of the island is mill-pond calm, so swimming is a treat, and the beach is almost always empty. But really, it’s about the amenities. Arrive from Saint Kitts on the private pier. Cook for yourself with a pre-stocked full kitchen. Swim in the 37m (121ft) pool. Visit the spa. Plus enjoy a washer, dryer and two full baths in each unit.

Not an ecohotel, but an eco-community, the mission of Belle Mont Farm is to benefit everyone. Part of Kittitian Hill, a 162ha (400-acre) former sugar plantation, the resort is surrounded by an organic farm that supplies the property, features an edible golf course, and employs local artisans to share culture through film, spoken and written word and music festivals. The mission is to allow visitors to explore the land in a new, tactile way. This extends to the luxury cottages and villas too, which are surrounded by banana plants, have daybeds on breezy wrap-around balconies and Victorian-style outdoor bathrooms with roll-top baths.

Long-serving staff impressively remember your name straight away at Nisbet’s, making you immediately feel like family. Driver Calvin runs a weekly rum bar crawl around small villages you’d never otherwise find, while former groundsman Hollywood leads a twice weekly morning walk into the hills. Rooms in semi-detached cottages are dotted around the grounds of the only historic plantation hotel in the Caribbean situated directly on the beach. Green vervet monkeys inhabit the property, along with hummingbirds, finches and the occasional local wild donkey. Dinner is served at the well-preserved main house, or there’s snacks at the beach bar.

Eco-focused and straightforward, what started as a simple beach bar in 1980, is today a 32-room retreat bordering the calm waters of Oualie Beach. Wheel your bags just a skip from the Saint Kitts ferry and you’re ready to holiday. The hotel supports local agriculture by using local vegetables, fruits, meat and fish wherever possible and growing its own fresh herbs, flowers and orchids. The resort also sponsors around 100 eye operations annually for the local community. The beach bar itself is still there, and draws a crowd to its weekly live music nights.