Where to Stay

Staying in St. Kitts runs the gamut: from in-town guest homes to standard tourist-style hotels to the crème de la crème, lavish plantation inns. St. Kitts as well as sister island Nevis are well-known for their plantation inns, restored historic properties that have been upgraded to provide elegant accommodations. Like the plantations they inhabit, each is unique, providing comfortable rooms, wonderful food, and loads of history. Because they are plantations, most are not located on beaches, but instead, they are set amidst trees or fields and have swimming pools, hammocks, and fabulous tropical gardens. Even if visitors don't stay, they often visit or tour the inns because of their historic significance. The elegant dining rooms and old gracious buildings offer insights into the plantation era's heyday.

On St. Kitts, one of the most renowned inns is Ottley's Plantation Inn, a hillside estate with a spring-fed pool, conveniently located near the rain forest, as well. The inn occupies 35 acres and overlooks the sea towards the east (though a long way from the beach). Like most plantations on St. Kitts, this property dates back to the 18th century. The 24 rooms are charming, with old-fashioned prints and décor fitting its time. The main part of the hotel is located in the original great house. Many enjoy visiting Ottley's for a meal at the well-regarded Royal Palm Restaurant. Others visit to kick off a rain forest walk.

Farther along, around the island is the Golden Lemon, which is on the beach. Owned by Arthur Leaman, once an editor with House and Garden magazine—pretty much says it all. This delightful yellow and white inn is smaller than Ottley's with only eight rooms, all decorated with cheerfully colorful fabrics and canopied beds.

A wonderfully romantic inn is Rawlins Plantation Inn, which was built of stone. It has many outbuildings, all surrounded by lovely gardens and miles and miles of fields of sugar cane. Though somewhat pricey, the meals are delicious. Rawlins is truly a place to get away from all of it; stay in any one of ten rooms.

Though the plantation inns provide the most atmosphere, there are many other hotels that offer traditional beach front holiday accommodations. On an idyllic beach with beautiful southern views of Nevis is the Timothy Beach Hotel, large townhouse style homes which you can rent in their entirety with fully-equipped kitchens, large living rooms, and outdoor dining areas. Or, you can rent just a bedroom in house, with a separate entrance. The full-service hotel is comfortable and well located with a nice alfresco restaurant.

One of the loveliest hotels on the island is the Frigate Bay Beach Hotel, located on a hill overlooking the sea and the Royal St. Kitts Golf Club (formally called the Frigate Bay Golf Course). This small, sophisticated hotel, popular with business along with leisure travelers, has 64 units of various types, surrounded by lovely gardens and a beautiful pool.

Not far from the airport or downtown is the Bird Rock Beach Resort, with 38 units, this friendly spot has comfortable, Caribbean-style rooms on its own small beach with good snorkeling.

Probably the most well-known hotel on the island is the OTI, nickname of the Ocean Terrace Inn, conveniently located in town and popular with both holiday and business travelers. Refurbished a couple years ago, OTI overlooks the sea facing Nevis, and is in walking distance of Basseterre.

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