Montpelier Plantation & Beach

From the moment my husband and I arrived at Montpelier, the place felt like home. The friendly staff, the lush tropical gardens and comfortable room all reinforced this feeling. The 6 days spent there were wonderfully relaxing! Each morning we enjoyed a fantastic and generous breakfast, with a special treat on Sundays with the brunch buffet offering lots of local delicacies. We would definitely recommend the Montpelier Hotel on Nevis and we look forward to our next visit!

A stellar experience: relaxed, venerable, and a staff who are genuinely friendly and accomodating. Idyllic, serene, and where time slows down. Superb culinary experience with romantic ambience. Highly recommended.

We have been visiting Nevis for a number of years, but always in August when the Inn is closed. We love walking around the grounds; it is a special place with a lot of history. This year when we returned to Nevis the Inn was open so we went for dinner. You begin with cocktails in the great room and then go through for dinner. Service is attentive and polite. The food quality was high, the menu is limited, but there were enough options for our party of 6. We were celebrating two birthdays and at the last minute, the chef whipped up a two layer cake with whipped cream frosting, chocolate squares and a sparkler instead of a candle. The cake was delicious! Make sure you arrive early enough to walk around the grounds before dining. It's a unique dining experience here.

My husband and I spent 8 days at Montpelier, from July 15-July 23, 2017. Our impressions... Some highlights of the resort - Beautiful, stone colonial Great House; well-appointed Great Room; unique, colonial sugar mill (the pool is right next to the mill); outdoor spa area for massages with a view of the grounds; a hammock with a hill and ocean view; lovely landscaping with brilliant, red Flamboyant trees (and at the foot of the entrance way, a large cactus with stunning white flowers that open only at night); ocean view as well as a view of Nevis Peak. Lots of interesting history - Alexander Hamilton was born in Nevis and Horatio Nelson married Fanny Nisbit under a tree about a short walk away from the resort. (More recently, in 1992, after she and Prince Charles announced their separation, then-Princess Diana escaped to Montpelier to avoid the media). Donkeys, goats, monkeys, hermit crabs and lizards roam on and around the property. (We could hear the donkeys braying throughout the day). Very small gift shop with a small selection of necessities (e.g., sunscreen), some clothing and some jewelry. Very quiet and safe to stroll around. Our room - We stayed in Room 12, one of the smaller rooms. We had a large-four poster bed, bathroom with double vanity and tub/shower combination, two wardrobes with ample room for clothing and sundries, and a small patio with two chairs that overlooked the grounds with an ocean view in the distance. The room's decor was not up-to-the-minute, but it was simple and clean with everything in good working order. The A/C was very effective. Ample electrical outlets to use/recharge devices and US current. Wi-fi was spotty at best in our room but consistent at the pool. Housekeeping was unobtrusive, efficient and thorough. We got a new arrangement of fresh flowers every day and turn-down service while we were at dinner. What else is in the room - The usual suspects - electric kettle with a selection of teas and instant coffee (creamers and sugar as well), mini bar (two complimentary bottles of water every day), small refrigerator, small safe, blow-dryer, ironing board and iron (laundry services are offered, but we did not need them), spray (DEET) insect repellent and two full-size umbrellas. And in the bathroom, there were full-size personal care products (shower gel, shampoo, conditioner and body lotion) of a decent quality, so you can skip bringing your own to save room in your luggage. Again, everything was in good working order. The power situation on the island - Nevis has frequent and significant (in scope and duration) power outages. The island is in the process of installing a new generator to ensure a reliable source of energy. Installation is scheduled for August 2017 and you can follow the story on the internet by reading local news reports. HOWEVER, Montpelier has its own integrated generator, so although the power went out frequently throughout our stay, the generator cycled on within seconds and we were never without power. Other locations on the island will be without power during these times (for example, the water features at the Botanical Gardens were not working due to a power outage), so locations outside the resort (e.g., restaurants) may have limited services and be unable to process credit cards, so you may want to take this into account. If the generator installation goes as planned, this may no longer be an issue by Fall/Winter 2017. The beach - The beach is an approximately 20-minute shuttle ride from the resort (too far and too unsafe - due to the narrow, winding roads and traffic - to walk). The beach is private, with a full-service bar and eating area, approximately six wooden cabanas to take a break from the sun or escape the rain (there are also lots of tree for shade) and an ample number of lounge chairs, beach chairs, and little tables. There is no food service at the bar, but Montpelier will provide you with a delicious picnic lunch in a cooler (sent down with you on the shuttle), which we highly recommend. Another couple walked down the beach and had lunch at a different resort. Because we traveled off-peak, we had the entire beach to ourselves one day; on the busiest day, there were only three other couples. NO noise, music, jet skis, vendors, etc., only the sound of the waves. Sand is volcanic (if you walk a short way down the beach, you'll reach a black-sand beach) and the coastline is a combination of rocky outcroppings and small stretches of sand. The water was warm and completely calm; great for swimming and wading (soft sand underfoot - no rocks). Walking along the beach, we saw a giant sea turtle, a sting ray, cows and goats grazing on the hills above and lots of local birds. I don't know if this was the result of the weather/season during which we traveled but there were ZERO bugs/insects at the beach, so our days on the beach were very pleasant! The food - We ate at the resort every day and LOVED the food. The continental breakfast was more than enough for us - every morning there was a selection of fruit juices, fresh fruit, cereal, bread and pastries and a selection of delicious home-made yogurts. The servers will bring coffee, tea, and toast to your table. Once we ordered from the menu and I really enjoyed the egg-white and goat cheese scrambled eggs. For lunch, we ordered picnic lunches for the beach or ate at the poolside restaurant. The pool restaurant (Indigo) had a wide variety of choices - a representative menu is on the website. My favorite was the conch stew while my husband loved the grilled shrimp wrap. For dinner, we ate at 750 and were extremely happy with the choices and all of our meals. Each meal was preceded (sometimes) by canapes and (always) an amuse bouche, something different every night. The menu, with accurate prices, is on the website. Dinner, with no appetizers, one drink each and no coffee/desserts cost about $120 per night. One evening, because there were so few guests, dinner was served in the Mill Privee (seating is in the sugar mill), with the 750 menu, so that was a lovely surprise. We did also eat (with only one other couple) in the MIll Privee, where a set, 5-course menu is served in the candle-lit sugar mill. While it's one of the more expensive meals we've eaten ($95 per person, not including drinks, plus an additional 24% tax/gratuity charge), it was a worthwhile and unique experience I'm glad we didn't miss. It was also lots of fun seeing the staff prepare the mill throughout the day, knowing it was (almost!) just for me. The service - The service was fine, and all of the servers were friendly, some more outgoing than others. However, anything you want, they will get for you. The pacing at dinner was LEISURELY, but, hey, where else did we have to be? :-) The Spa - Spa services were basic and good. We booked a couples hot-stone massage which was fun and relaxing. The therapists were friendly and competent. (We've had better, more luxurious services on other vacations, but this was fine). Recommendations - If you're looking to travel off-peak, you can get have a low-key, relaxing vacation here, and may even have the facilities almost completely to yourself for a few days. I'm calling this my "Princess Diana" vacation, as I'm sure she and her family had the resort pretty much to themselves as well!

Montpelier Plantation & Beach is such a spectacularly well-kept secret that I hesitate to even write this review, should word get out and the masses descend upon it. However, the world deserves to know, and owner Muffin Hoffman and her fabulous team at Montpelier deserve to be booked solid each and every day the hotel is open, so here goes: My husband and I decided to visit St. Kitts and Nevis for our honeymoon. With little prior knowledge of the islands and not much of an idea as to what we could expect there, we used the American Express Fine Hotels & Resorts catalog to book what we thought was going to be a luxurious adventure at a hot new resort on St. Kitts. After three sleepless (hot, buggy) nights in what was indeed a beautiful but lonely and largely unfinished development on a remote part of St. Kitts, we took to Google and TripAdvisor and, on a whim, booked the remainder of our honeymoon at Montpelier on Nevis. Two land taxis and one water taxi later, we arrived in paradise. In searching for a honeymoon destination and our accommodations, we wanted to find something not overly commercial, nothing cheesy or touristy, and a place without tons of families and children. The goal was to go somewhere quiet and relaxing, with beautiful scenery, delicious food and drink, enough activity to keep us occupied and interested (cultural and historical attractions, sightseeing, hiking, time at the beach and pool, activities onsite at our resort and in the surrounding community) with a helpful and informed staff. Montpelier hit and exceeded each of those marks. Arriving at Montpelier was like coming home and being greeted by long-lost friends. Front-of-the-house manager extraordinaire Jackie made us feel immediately at ease as she greeted us, offered us complimentary rum punch, gave us a tour of the property and quick rundown of the various activities, options for dining onsite, how to coordinate transportation for off-site exploring, beach shuttles, and the amenities available to us. Our tour concluded at the pool bar, where Jackie introduced us to the wonderful Kaddy and Leslie who oversee and operate the pool bar and restaurant, Indigo, and who welcomed us warmly and entertained us as Jackie readied our room. We placed a lunch order with them before quickly running to scope out our room, where we found champagne, flowers, and a card congratulating us on our honeymoon and welcoming us to the hotel, and our bags already up on luggage racks and ready for unpacking. We opted for one of the cheaper rooms on the property but found it very nice and comfortable with incredible, sweeping views of the ocean, lush tropical gardens, and a terraced lawn down to the edge of the property. A picture window on each side of the room allowed for a comfortable island cross-breeze, but the room also included blackout curtains and a stellar air conditioning system--we slept SO well every night we were there. The room was bright and clean with a high, vaulted ceiling; a large, comfortable bed with nice linens and no shortage of extra pillows; a minibar stocked with wine, beer, soft drinks and snacks, and a tea kettle with assorted teas; a little sitting area; and a bright vanity and two sizable closets. The bathroom was updated and of a nice size, and included nice toiletries. Although this may sound minor, the room also included a very helpful little compendium on the features and offerings of the hotel and islands--no subject left untouched. As first-timers to Nevis and to Montpelier eager to get acquainted and explore, we loved having a handy guide to reference when we had questions about the time the beach shuttle departed, how to occupy our time onsite, or how to organize a tour or activity offsite, though anyone on the property would have been willing to help us at any time, had we asked! Meals on the property are an event and not to be missed. The beautiful breakfast service (continental or from the menu) in the shadow of the historic mill and Mt. Nevis beyond offers a relaxing way to start the day. Lunch can be enjoyed poolside at Indigo, or as a lovely, upscale picnic on the beach. We loved the comfortable elegance of dinner at Restaurant 750 - the mingling for cocktails and canapés in the Great Room before moving onto the Dining Terrace for dinner, and the gracious hospitality of Muffin and her daughter Tonya, who took time to visit with each guest nightly. Montpelier's greatest strength lies with its people. The team assembled at Montpelier is outstanding and all serve as wonderful ambassadors for the property and the island. The practice of being introduced by name to almost everyone on the grounds creates an instant familiarity and rapport between guests and staff, which establishes a culture of community; we are not normally in the habit of meeting fellow guests while traveling, but Montpelier's intimate size and established daily routines create opportunities to become familiar with those staying on property as well. We so enjoyed the hotel's group of guests, representing a variety of ages and nationalities, and looked forward to saying hello to them each day. However, somehow none of this felt invasive or awkward or forced--I would not shy away from Montpelier if I were a quieter personality or wary of meeting new people. The staff took time each morning to check in with us and ask about our plans for the day, and how they might be of assistance in making recommendations, arranging activities or tours, or providing insider tips. By the time we departed, I'd become so fond of everyone there that I truly hated saying goodbye. When we did venture offsite, Jackie handled our taxi service and called upon Pedro, a former Montpelier employee who kindly took time to drive us around Charlestown, along the water's edge, and to identify points of interest as he drove. Similarly, the hotel-arranged transfer back to the airport on St. Kitts went off without a hitch and made what could have been a stressful, multi-leg transfer into a fun adventure. We look forward to our next visit to beautiful Montpelier and hope that it comes sooner rather than later. Special thanks to Muffin, Tonya, Jackie, Kaddy, Leslie, Venetta, LaToya, Romel, Steve, and everyone else who makes Montpelier the special place it is, and for making our honeymoon trip unforgettable.