I’m at a place in my life where I can really appreciate the beauty of an island that emerged as the result of volcanic eruption and scorched earth. So what better backdrop for my first travel blog adventure than a resort on the side of a volcano.
The journey from Chicago to St. Kitts was not without drama. Upon arriving at O’Hare, we realized we left a bag at home. A bag Tim had to retrieve. Fortunately, he found an Uber driver committed to the cause and was able to get back home, snag the bag, race through airport security (don’t try this at home kids – he is a pilot so has expedited security screening!), and arrived at the gate in order for us to board mere seconds before they closed the door. Crisis averted (or so we thought).
Once in Miami, we posted up at the Trump Resort in Doral – they placed us in the Arnold Palmer wing. Our president is better at hotels than politics. I’d give the resort 4.5 stars. The kids enjoyed a quick dip in the pool the next morning and then back to the airport we went for the second leg of our journey. At the airport, we realized the kids’ passports expire in 5 months and 3 weeks. Apparently, you need 6 months on your passport for St. Kitts & Nevis. Each step of airport check-in and security was excruciating as we waited for someone to notice (or care of) this fact. Fortunately for us – they didn’t. Lessons learned: (1) do a bag count prior to leaving and (2) always verify passport expiration guidelines. I’m not a rookie traveler so I was kicking myself for being too cavalier.
Finally, we land in St. Kitts and our journey up the side of Mount Liamuiga to our hotel began. We stayed at the beautiful Belle Mont Farm – billed for pioneering sustainable, luxury living. You can never be too sure if the pictures on line are a true representation of a property, but in this case they were. The main building is a restored sugar mill and the entire resort feels as if it just naturally emerged from the side of the luscious green volcano. Donkeys, chickens and monkeys were abound on the road to the main check in. Every person we met was warmer than the previous, and the immediate greeting with complimentary rum punch was just what a weary mom and dad needed.
Our room was so dreamy – a little bungalow with two queen beds, an elevated day bed, and a wall of window-filled doors that looked out over a private infinity pool set within the jungle. But the bathroom was the real kicker. I showed the kids pictures of the outdoor bathroom leading up to our trip because I knew they’d find it fun. We raced outside to see it live, and I almost shrieked with joy. The claw foot tub had these beautiful candle pillars on either side. The vanities looked so darling – the juxtaposition of the high-end finishes with the weather worn wood-slatted floors just worked somehow. And billowing privacy drapes wafted in the breeze. Later I realized the not-so-glamorous side of this type of bathroom is the lizard who lives in the toilet nook and has seen enough people on the shitter he isn’t afraid to pop out and say hello as you relieve yourself.
Our cottage was so convenient to the main resort 
Cozy Day Bed for Napping 
Ugh – miss this view 
Felt like I was in a dream taking a bath in this tub 
Our first day was spent simply enjoying the property – the absolutely breathtaking view from the pool and hot tub was almost exclusively reserved for us as only a handful of others were on site during our stay. Dinner in The Kitchen was delicious, and we retired to our rooms with a stiff dirty martini to watch Home Alone with the kids. This giant screen pulled down over the french doors, turning our cottage into a movie theater. A movie theater with Netflix and Amazon Prime no less – the kids finally believed we were in paradise – haha.
Day two we really settled into vacation mode – leisurely breakfast, workout in the surprisingly well-appointed gym, pool-food-nap-bar-repeat, and then another delicious meal before turning in for the second half of Home Alone. Spoiler – Kevin makes it out alive.
Breathtaking infinity pool views 
What a vista! 
Gorgeous check in cottage 
The Kitchen – where we ate most meals 
Exterior of The Mill Bar – converted sugar mill 
The Mill Bar 
Nice workout facility 
Views for days 
Bird’s Eye view of the property
Day three we journeyed into Basseterre and the Port Zante Marina. Two massive cruise ships were letting travelers off to explore St. Kitts for the day. We dodged them as best we could, seeking sunscreen and souvenirs. Then we boarded a boat to head out on the water for some snorkeling. Blue Water Safari was the company we used – and they were amazing. Inside the boat was spacious, but it didn’t really matter as everyone preferred to be on the nets in the warm sun. We cruised around a fair bit and then pulled up to a shipwreck at a place called Shitten Bay (charming, right?). The kids seemed genuinely enthusiastic about snorkeling…and then Caroline got in the water. She had a full.blown.meltdown. Shrieking and nearly drowning Tim trying to crawl on his shoulders. There was no calming her down in that water. I thought for sure Will would take his cues from her, but the little guy gave it a try. He wouldn’t go without holding on to me so we took a noodle and floated over it together as we snorkeled. He got half way to the shipwreck and did okay – and then we saw some jelly fish down below and he calmly expressed a desire to go back to the boat. I could tell he wanted to freak out but was trying so hard to stay cool. It was the sweetest thing. Once he was back on the boat I headed out to the shipwreck to meet up with Tim who I was able to find among the other snorkelers thanks to his bright white hair – haha. The fish were beautiful, and I spotted the friendliest looking sting ray. There were even some weird creatures one of the guides drudged up from the ocean floor which we got to hold and check out. Back on the boat Caroline had made fast friends with some older women, and Will was hanging on one of the boat staff member’s every word. St. Clair was the gentleman’s name, and Will said he wished St. Clair was his brother. He promised he’d come back this summer to meet St. Clair’s 6 year old son 🙂
Lunch on the boat was exceptional and, having completed the snorkeling, we started throwing back something the bartender called “Ting with a Sting.” We must have had 10 of them. Eek. Ting is sort of like Squirt but better. The Sting is vodka.
Another couple on the boat was staying at our resort so we gave them a lift home in our van and enjoyed chatting with some other adults.
Back at the resort, we took a quick dip in the pool and then went to get ready for our dinner at The Farm Table. It’s a 30 ft table in a beautiful, long hut that looks out over the garden. The table was filled with other guests, and we sat next to a nice older couple from the UK who gave us many hints and tips for our next adventure in their neck of the woods. The dinner must have been a 10 course meal, but after too many Tings with a Sting earlier that day and then wine flowing at the table all night – I honestly can’t tell you what we ate and whether I liked it. Ooops. At one point I took Caroline to the bathroom and we got lost which, of course, freaked her out because we’re on the side of a volcano and it’s dark. #momoftheyear
Miraculously, we found our way back to the table and decided the Fritts family needed to retire before dessert. I think the kids may have put us to bed that night.
Our final day at Belle Mont Farm was relaxing as we bounced between the pool and our cottage – only venturing off property to check out a restaurant on a Black Sand beach called Arthur’s. The kids had fun looking for shells, and mom had fun consuming the best Strawberry Mojito I’ve ever had in my life. Later that afternoon we saw a beautiful rainbow after our pool session turned into a rain shower. The way it rained there was special – it would be sunny the whole time and the raindrops felt warm. We almost looked forward to the mini afternoon storms we could see rolling in off the volcano each day. It really did feel like the volcano had its own weather system.
We closed out our final night in St. Kitts with a rum tasting. I’m not a huge rum fan but they do rum right in the Caribbean! My favorite kind we tried was called CSR – deemed the “Spirit of St. Kitts.” Our host mixed up a drink called a Rusty – made with CSR, Angostura bitters and – you guess it – Ting! I foolishly assumed we’d be able to get CSR in the States – alas, I was wrong. Anyone headed to the Caribbean keeps your eyes peeled and bring me back a case 🙂
The day we were set to leave St. Kitts for Nevis, we were woken by the sounds of monkeys running along the rooftop. Earlier in the week during a rain shower, a monkey had taken up residence under a little alcove in the cottage’s roof – he just sat there eating a banana and throwing the peels down on the deck where Tim and I were enjoying a bottle of champagne. Besides the monkeys and the toilet lizard, we did have a salamander sighting earlier in the week. We asked the staff to try and get it out, and we’d assumed they had – until Tim went to pack up his suitcase where the salamander had been camping out. It raced up Tim’s arm and over his neck before Tim shot 10 ft in the air screaming like someone had just stuck a hot poker in his eye. I’m not sure Tim’s heart will ever recover from that experience. The remaining bags were checked to ensure they were not also serving as a temporary residence for a reptile. Needless to say – between the monkeys waking us up and the salamander encounter, Tim and I both agreed we were ready to leave this beautiful, but rugged, locale and get to a hotel with indoor plumbing!
Before leaving, we had one last chance to experience the character of the resort with a farm tour and an outdoor breakfast made with everything fresh from Belle Mont Farm. It was completely charming.
We were sad to go, and Will made sure we checked in with his favorite concierge, James. He seemed genuinely sad to say goodbye to him as James was so sweet with Will all week long – always popping his head out the window and calling out to Will to say hello.
As we made our way from the north end of St. Kitts to the southern most tip to board our boat to Nevis, I couldn’t help but feel sad as we passed horribly run down villages. As tourists, often resorts do not expose you to what a place is really like for those who live there. Because we opted for a resort with character that was off the beaten path, we saw a side of St. Kitts I’m guessing most folks heading straight to the Park Hyatt don’t see. I feel bad saying this as it’s not as if anyone in St. Kitts looked unhappy to be living on that beautiful island – but it was a reminder of how much I have. It’s easy to forget, but driving through those pockets of poverty from one tourist paradise to another, I silently acknowledged the privilege of it all and promised to not just have gratitude, but to figure out a way to give back to each of the countries we visit on this upcoming year of travel.
Go Big And Come Home 