So last week I was lucky enough to escape this cold snap and head to St. Kitts in the Caribbean for four nights with the St. Kitts tourist board. It was the first trip I have done with a tourist board and honestly was one of the best ones EVER! We got to see so much so I am armed with really good recommendations for you all. So without further ado, lets get on with this, as this post is going to be quite a meaty one. There is also a little video at the bottom of this post from the trip, please do watch I am bloody chuffed with it.
The first three nights of the trip were spent at the Park Hyatt St.Kitts which was AMAZING. It was so luxurious, so chilled, just the most amazing place to relax. We had to tear ourselves away from the pools, where you could easily snooze the day away. All the rooms in this hotel are sea facing, so gorgeous views are guaranteed, and the rooms themselves were pretty impressive. The food was great here too, we had one evening mean and demolished a breakfast buffet every morning, so if you wanted a holiday where you really bunker down at your hotel and need everything in one place, this would tick all the boxes you needed for that too.
One thing the tourist board were keen for us to see was the brand new harbour in St Kitts; Christophe Harbour. With ample space for lots of veryyyyyy large and veryyyyyyy fancy boats, it brings new options for those lucky enough to spend life on the ocean in their super-yahct as a new place to park (do you park a boat? I think this is the wrong terminology, Anchor?) your big boat while touring the Caribbean islands, as one does. Just thought I would mentioned incase any of you have a super-yacht parked (sticking with parked) up somewhere. You lucky devil if you do.
The theme of the trip very quickly became ‘cut me and i’d bleed rum punch’ because it is just too good to say no to while you’re there. Aside from the amazing rum punch, which really was a treat at every stop we had it, we got to eat some great food too. As already mentioned, the food at Park Hyatt was great, but venturing out into local places it well worth the while. Reggae Beach Bar & Grill was, as the name suggests, this incredible beach side spot that served up some of the most amazing fresh fish (and rum punch). Salt Plage in the evening sits right on some decking out at the sea, offering the most incredible views and bar snacks (and also rum punch), this place would be an amazing laugh for a proper night out too. Aside from the rum punch we tried the Jumbie cocktail which is like a Zombie but more lethal, named after the ghosts in the area that haunt the rain forests. The Jumbie certainly haunted us all the next day. We also got to nosy around the Pavilion (rum punch on arrival, are you seeing a theme here) which is a place I would LOVE to stay at!! Almost like a private members club with a small but beautiful infinity pool and some very sexy outdoor showers, we all had to be really torn away from there after a full tour of the property.
One of my personal highlights of the trip, which really made me realise I am turning into my mother, was the St. Kitts Scenic Railway. It’s a 1hr30 train ride along the coast with a very well informed guide narrating the way. We were a little worse for wear after the Jumbie’s at Salt Plage the night before but thankfully the scenic railway was the perfect place for hair of the dog as they served up the most amazing cocktails (At 8:30am!!!). I never knew a Pina Colada could be so good so early on. You then embark on a tour around the island, with songs from the local choir to accompany you. I loved this so much, was the perfect day dreaming spot to an amazing way to learn a lot about the island.
You can’t visit St. Kitts without hopping over to Nevis, the neighbouring island, and vice versa. We got to spend half a day over in Nevis, where we managed to fit in a lot… including rum punch. We had one of the best meals of the trip here, in a place called Golden Rock, which is also a hotel I would love to stay at. Again, there was some incredible fresh fish involved, and the property is full of artwork by Helen and Brice Marden who have restored the property.
From there we had THE BEST rum punch of the trip, and as you can tell, we were connoisseurs in the stuff by this point. At Sunshine’s bar, right on the beach and adorned with photos of celebs who have stopped by in the past. Their rum punch is aptly named The Killer Bee - sat there in the sunshine drinking that would be the perfect holiday afternoon in my opinion!
Perhaps the ultimate highlight of the trip was the zipline. Linds and I love a theme park and big ride so were so excited about this, although we both completely underestimated what it was. After a moment of ‘no I can’t do this’ when we realised we were 300m above the ground, wayyy about the tree top canopy, we were both sent screaming down a zip line only to get to the bottom and proclaim ‘again again!!!’ like children. Thankfully for us, there are five different lines that send you back down the mountain, and an amazing team to help you down and encourage you the whole way. One of the most amazing experiences I have EVER had.
For our final night we headed up into the Kittian Mountains to Belle Mont Farm Hotel, which was a very different but equally amazing experience to the Park Hyatt. Here you are surrounded by the forest, with a private pool in every villa and a outdoor bathroom too, it’s the closest to nature I have ever been. You are almost guaranteed to see a monkey, and scream a lot about bugs if you are anything like me. The property was incredible, and had I not been of such a nervous disposition about bugs I would have been all over the outdoor bathtub. If you prefer to scream about bugs in a group setting, the main pool area is amazing. The views are honestly unlike anything I have experienced before, and it was such a pleasure to sunbathe there.
We had dinner there to and the farm to table dinner, set outside under fairy lights paired with some very lovely wine (so I am told by those who drink wine), and… you guessed it… rum punch! You are served up lots of courses to eat at leisure, making it one of the most magical dinners of the trip.
FYI, I am exaggerating the bug thing, I only screamed once and they really aren’t that bad.
I wanted to end this post with a huge thank you to the St. Kitts tourist board. I hope my excitement about this trip has been conveyed in this post. It’s a destination I whole heartedly recommend to you all. You can fly with BA direct from London, via Antigua, which means you stop off there while some passengers get off (I haven’t experienced this before and spent some time thinking we had managed to get on the wrong plane). Both hotels I recommend but very different experiences, mostly depending on your disposition to wildlife and how well you can sleep through the cacophony of crickets. PLEASE do the zipline if you go, unless you’re scared of heights. And order a Jumbie and Salt Plate, drink it slowly, and top yourself up the next morning on the railway with a Pina Colada. This has been the trip of a lifetime and I hope one you all feel like taking now too!!
Huge thank you to Nicole, the amazing PR with us on this trip, you were a dream to work and travel with!
