Ottley's Plantation Inn, St Kitts
Where is it? Ottley's Plantation Inn (right), once a 17th-century Caribbean sugar-cane plantation and now a luxurious retreat, is 8km from St Kitts' capital, Basseterre. Set on the slope of an extinct volcano, the hideaway is bordered by rainforest on one side and luxuriant sugar-cane fields on the other.
What's so different about it? While most Caribbean properties flaunt their beachside profiles, Ottley's enjoys the tranquillity of the mountains and stunning views of the ocean. One moment you can be settling into a lounge chair in the inn's six hectares of perfectly manicured lawn and the next hiking in a pristine rainforest.
Who should visit? Ottley's is upmarket but not snooty. The people who choose the inn are attracted by the sense of history that resonates in the old stone walls of the Plantation Great House. 'Our guests like to read,' owner Marty Lowell explains. 'This is a place to sit under a banyan tree with a book.' Ottley's is a hideout for individual travellers and people who like to pump up the silence, not the volume.
Luxurious or basic? The views are so breathtaking, guests would probably be prepared to stay in tents just for the pleasure of soaking up the vistas. Fortunately, the inn has more substantial accommodation. There are seven stone cottages with wood-shingled roofs and yellow shutters. Each is furnished with West Indian antiques and reproductions, and some have private plunge pools. Service is impeccable but informal: the inn claims to choose its employees for their warmth and sense of humour. This is service with a chuckle as well as a smile. Ottley's is posh, not pompous.
What's the ambience? The inn has retained the look and feel of a plantation: the colonial architecture of the main house, the brick ruins of a sugar boiler and an old wind-mill are juxtaposed with 21st-century amenities such as discreet Wi-fi hotspots, air conditioning and plunge pools. The inn is family run with an easy intimacy.
What's on the menu? The Royal Palm, the inn's outdoor restaurant, flanked by stone archways from the boiler house, serves Caribbean fusion meals. The menu changes every night and guests can count on dishes made with local pumpkins, mangos from the property's trees and greens from its vegetable garden. Don't miss the coconut cream cheesecake.
What else is there to do? St Kitts is a tiny island so all activities are within easy reach. Ottley's organises catamaran trips, guided volcano hikes, transport to the popular Frigate Bay golf course and visits to the crafts market in Basseterre. Or guests can take up the local pastime, 'limin': doing nothing much except swimming in the spring-fed swimming pool, lying in a hammock or lazily knocking a croquet ball across the lawn.
What's the bottom line? Standard rooms cost from HK$2,500 a night, suites HK$6,000 and cottages HK$12,000. See www.ottleys.com for more information.ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tK%2FMqWWcp51krrPAyJyjnmdlboRyf5Bopq2snJrGtHnPpZinrJGptrC6jKKlp2WjqXqstdOtqg%3D%3D