Leaving a cold and wet England behind, hoping for sunnier climates, we departed on our trip to check out some of our existing hotels, and also some new (and very lovely) ones. After what seemed a really short flight to St Kitts followed by a speedboat and taxi ride, we reached Nevis, Nisbet Plantation… and a much needed cocktail!
Not even the clouds dampened our spirits and Mark was able to enjoy a little pre-dinner air conditioning! We are pleased to say that the cuisine here is still as fab as always, as was the Manager’s cocktail and BBQ beach party, which was fantastic! Next stop was Oualie Beach Resort – a great value resort, family owned and ideal for anyone looking for a really laid back holiday with simple accommodation and facilities, on a really picturesque, pretty beach.
By contrast Montpelier Plantation is an oasis in the hills, where a rum tasting by Kaddy (the Montpelier lunchtime barman, and Nisbet evening barman!) included sampling around 10 different rums… very enjoyable and it would have been rude to say no…! The food here is truly gourmet – the breakfast in particular is spectacular, with a whole range of beautiful home made spreads and jams! Talking of food, we decided to take a drive, stopping at ‘The Ole House Café’ for a lunch of fish, rice & peas, breadfruit pudding and vegetables – really delicious and well worth a visit if you want to get out and explore some of the fab local eateries!
Alternatively, it is so easy to explore this lovely island – we would recommend hiring a car (which you can do for around US$50 a day) if you want to go out and eat at, or visit a beach bar for a rum punch, you can pay a driver for the round trip fare, they drive you, wait for you in the car, and drive you back – a double bonus of having someone sober to keep an eye on you as well as get you home safely on the Nevitian roads! The ‘Killerbee’ is a local drink to be enjoyed with caution!
After a small disaster involving some lost luggage and a 12 hour delay – and luckily being rescued by Ottley’s Plantation Inn who kindly looked after us for those 12 hours – we arrived in Antigua. Waking up at Nonsuch Bay was a joy. This resort boasts oversized rooms which are perfect for couples or families, and the resort would suit keen sailors that could really take advantage of the great sailing facilities and impressive fleet, as well as kite boarding facilities and instructors for both! Dining here is fantastic and it could definitely be recommended as a foodie destination.
After our short visit here and an unsuccessful search for a shirt for Mark, we headed to Curtain Bluff, where fortunately he was excused from the shirt at dinner rule! We ate at the Sea Grape Restaurant on the beach – lovely food, fantastic backdrop and the sound of the lapping waves was magical.
The next day we pottered over to Cocos, one of our favourite little Caribbean gems, to meet with old friend and resort owner Andrew Michelin. We made our way around the little resort, accompanied by several dogs, and were delighted with all the improvements that have been made here, it is looking fantastic. As always, the colour of the sea here defies belief… simply stunning!
Our final destination was Blue Waters, where we were wowed by the recent refurbishments! It looks completely fresh, and the attention to detail is fantastic. Although we arrived too late to enjoy any pampering, there is a beautiful new spa here, and we were shown the brand new Turtle Cottage, which can only be described as sumptuous and stunning!
Next stop – Barbados, and back in cloudy weather! Driving off the beaten track along the East coast, particularly interesting – especially if your man needs a mechanical fix – was stumbling upon some sugar cane being processed at the factory! We stopped at ‘The Round House’ in Bathsheba for lunch, wanting to sample its famous flying fish pate and rum baked brie – both were absolutely delicious! It was great to see ‘real life’ happening – for those that want to see the less commercial side of Barbados it is so worth coming away from the beach and really exploring.
On the South coast, Ocean Two is a fairly new and very contemporary resort which is a great base for those that prefer a room only holiday – and great trying out different restaurants or self catering, as facilities here are superb, and a short drive meant that we could walk along the fantastic boardwalk and dine at the Tapas Restaurant – it’s a real treat for foodies and fans of people watching! A morning stroll through the waves over to Southern Palms gives you a little glimpse at everyday life here, mothers and children on the beach, men fishing, the relaxed atmosphere, and when the tide is out you can walk quite a distance!
We stopped briefly at Sea Breeze, a new, small, affordable all inclusive hotel that we will be selling from August 2013! The views from here are just lovely, with beautiful turquoise seas that you just don’t get on the West coast.
Heading to the more sophisticated West coast we met regular Tropic Breeze clients Pete & Mave on the last day of their holiday at Cobblers Cove, where we treated them to a departing ‘Cobblers Cooler’ cocktail (not for the fainthearted) and we hear that Mave flew home in all respects! From here we reached Fairmont Royal Pavilion, whose major asset is that all rooms face the beautiful beach, with amazing views – arriving in time for Jo to join the sea turtle trip and for Mark to enjoy a superb afternoon tea.
And so we reached the last day of the trip, and wanting to delay our departure we popped in to one of our favourite boutique properties – the lovely Little Arches. This sweet hotel is very intimate and they also now offer complementary bike hire, which offers a fantastic opportunity to adventure a little further and find some of your own hidden gems in this beautiful location.
Author JoCategories Reviews