In June, I had the privilege of visiting St Kitts and Nevis in the Caribbean, courtesy of St. Kitts Tourism Authority, in partnership with sister island, Nevis. I took one of the two direct weekly flights to St. Kitts with British Airways from Gatwick. It was a destination I’d been keen to explore because I’d heard it offered a different, much quieter side of the Caribbean and that’s why it was a favourite with Princess Diana, Beyonce and the likes of the Obamas.
Following our easy arrival, we had a short 10 minute transfer to the St. Kitts Marriott Beach Resort, our home for two nights. The Marriott is one of the largest hotels on the island and its structure dominates the area of Frigate Bay. With almost 400 rooms, the Marriott is a good 4* property with plenty of pool space and a beach to relax on.
The following day was filled with a mix of activities available on the island and hotel site inspections. Starting with the Old Road Rum tour, an opportunity to see the oldest rum distillery in the world. Whilst now mainly ruins, the guide gave us a very real and detailed explanation of how their rum was created, you can’t help but be amazed at the feat of the engineering involved.
Next door to the rum distillery are two other activities for visitors to try, the first is a batik workshop where you can learn to create your own piece to take home, and a zip lining course for the more adventurous.
Just a short 15 minute drive further down the coast, gave us the opportunity to take in the Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park. An incredible old building perched high above the towns and offering breathtaking views of the sea and lush, green countryside. Encourage your customers to stop and have a bit of lunch at the new restaurant there, it’s somewhere they won’t forget.
Our afternoon was then taken up with another hotel inspection, this time the romantic and authentic Belle Mont Sanctuary Resort. This hotel is the perfect retreat for guests who really want to switch off and relax. Each room is in the style of a ‘colonial cottage’ and beautifully decorated. Most come with their own pool and several can be grouped together for friends and multi-generational stays.
For dinner, our hosts wanted us to experience the local cuisine so we had a lovely meat and fish extravaganza at Sprat Net Bar and Grille. We dined on lobster and danced to live music, under the strawberry moon before taking our weary heads to bed.
Our second day was more focused on hotel visits which included the Royal St Kitts, a great 4* resort with plenty of variety in room types. The Sunset Reef Hotel, part of the Small Luxury Hotels in the world, with only 11 bedrooms and catering for 25 guests. It’s small, modern and very private – perfect for honeymooners or couples who want to focus on one another.
In the afternoon we moved to our second hotel the KOI Resort St. Kitts, which is part of the Curio Collection by Hilton. Another beautiful 4* property with great facilities and well appointed rooms. It’s in a great spot too, only a few miles outside of Frigate Bay and surrounded by a great golf course. Plus their Thai pumpkin soup is worth going back for seconds on.
It’s never a trip to the Caribbean if you don’t partake in one of their infamous Sunset Cruises, it sounds romantic but this is a glorious few hours, taking in the scenery, drinking rum punch and learning how to groove, Caribbean-style. A must for any Caribbean itinerary.
Breakfast on our final full day was at perhaps the most premium resort on St Kitts, the Park Hyatt St. Kitts. With over 77 rooms and 47 suites, this hotel will really make you say, wow. The food, the interiors and their incredible sound bath room, to name a few highlights, it’s a hotel I can’t wait to return to.
Then it was just a seven-minute transfer over to the sister island of Nevis. An island named after the almost permanent cloud over the top of her mountain. I say, almost, because on our day here we were lucky enough to see the summit, a rare and special occurrence.
Arriving on the beach of the Four Seasons’ first ever Caribbean resort, it’s not hard to see why it was also one of the owner’s favourites. Each room and suite, oozes luxury and charm. Plus, there is so much to do here from tennis, pickle, golf and a spa plus a few pools to explore. This hotel really takes your breath away.
Finally, we had a whistle-stop tour of the main sites including the house where Alexander Hamilton was born and a local craft centre, before heading to one of the most exciting stops, the infamous beach bar, Sunshine’s.
To this day no one knows what Sunshine puts into his rum punch, aptly named the Killer Bee, but I can confirm that it is delicious. However, you are warned everywhere you go to have no more than one or two, or you may not remember how you got home…
With a final swim in the Caribbean sea our trip was drawing to a close but it’s an island I have definitely only said bye to, for now.
What surprised me:
- How varied the hotels were, there really is something for every budget and taste
- How proud and passionate the people were, your guests will be very well looked after
- How close the two islands are but how different they feel.
My top tips for people selling St Kitts:
- I’d highly recommend considering a two centre destination with nights on Nevis and St Kitts, the private transfers between the two are only around $15 dollars each way or you could even look at a twin stay between Antigua and St. Kitts, with only a twenty minute flight between them.
- Not all the hotels have beaches or beaches where you can swim, so make sure you take that into consideration for your customers
- The island is really safe to move around on, so encourage guests to eat out and explore the local cuisines and culture. They won’t be disappointed.
- Reach out to the tourist board if you want help planning activities and excursions, they are fantastically helpful.
