'I thought this island was just for cruise ships – I was wrong'
Aaron Petty, personal travel consultant with Hays Travel, visited the twin destinations of St Kitts and Nevis on an educational last November – here are his takeaways
I’d never been to either St Kitts or Nevis before, but there’s no better way to learn about the richness of a destination than to visit it. I’ve sold many Caribbean holidays but I tended to think about St Kitts and Nevis as a cruise ship port of call, rather than a standalone holiday. It purely came down to not knowing enough about the destination, but after this fam trip, I can now sell this island just as easily as any other I’ve visited. When you take into account the culture of the islands, the lifestyle and the food offering, your clients are in for a real treat when they choose St Kitts and Nevis.
The trip started on a high when we accessed the Kayanjet Lounge on arrival. There were white Porsche cars parked alongside the plane, waiting to escort us to the lounge where we were greeted by staff bearing champagne and cold towels. Our immigration was completed in the lounge, and our baggage taken care of. I’m 21 years old… and this private jet-style luxury was a real pinch-me moment!
The hotels we experienced were full of character, and many oozed with luxury. The attention to detail was so impressive at Sunset Reef in St Kitts, a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World. It has a stunning pool scene, sea views that stop you in your tracks and the service was really efficient.
As you drive up to Park Hyatt St Kitts, you know you are in for something good. You walk through the grounds, koi carp swimming in ponds beside you, and you can see the Caribbean Sea in the background – it was so inviting. We were taken by golf buggy to our rooms, which had their own plunge pools, and the service levels were so high. Definitely my kind of hotel – it was exquisite.
However, the icing on the cake was Four Seasons Resort Nevis – this was easily one of the best hotels I’ve visited in my travel career. The standards of the food and beverage outlets were some of the highest of the trip. It has the best villas I have ever seen in my life, which come with your own golf cart to transport you around the resort, there’s also a beautiful infinity pool, and a private jetty to take a catamaran to and from St Kitts…just wow.
My favourite culinary experiences had to be the meals I had at Four Seasons Nevis, Mount Nevis Hotel and Belle Mont Farm in St Kitts. I’d recommend all these hotels / restaurants for clients to try, and all for very different reasons. They all had a different feel to suit a range of clients. If I knew clients wanted an amazing home-style hotel with a high-quality chef, I would recommend Mount Nevis with ease, but if they wanted a high-end hotel with award-winning global chefs, then I would suggest the Four Seasons.
A stand-out meal away outside of a hotel was Sunshine’s Beach Bar and Grill in Nevis, which is famous for its Killer Bee cocktail. I’ll never forget the meal we had there – amazing jerk chicken, fresh salad, lobster and a few cocktails to wash it down – while enjoying the stunning beach views from the restaurant.
The thing that surprised me most about St Kitts and Nevis was how diverse the islands could be. You can do as much as you want or as little as you like. Whether you’re looking for the finest restaurants with award-winning chefs in the best hotels through to the charismatic beach huts offering the fresh seafood dishes on the beach in central locations, there’s a place for you on the islands. If you want to go out and appreciate the buzz of island life, head down to the bars and shops on Frigate Bay.
Adventurous clients can take an off-road ATV tour around St Kitts, there’s ziplining and volcano hiking, and there are gentler rainforest nature trails. It’s the kind of place that clients can turn their phone off, switch off and appreciate island life and the luxury the hotels can provide. My lasting impression about St Kitts and Nevis is that there’s way more to the islands than being a quick call for cruise passengers, and it’s far too easy to fall in love with them, just like I did.
Book it: St. Kitts can be reached from the UK via twice-weekly flights from Gatwick with British Airways; ba.com, visitstkitts.com; nevisisland.com
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