nisbetplantation.com best by far for me I always head there.

I believe Timothy Beach is on St. Kitts; beyond that, I know little about it. Nisbet is a destination like no other on the prettiest beach on Nevis. It is luxurious, but not in the marble-and-crystal sense; more like the comfortable and warm and welcoming sense. As nice as the beach and accomodations are, the staff are the plantation's greatest asset.

I wonder if you're thinking of Oualie Beach on Nevis? We split our trip between there and Timothy Beach on St. Kitts.

Loved both of them. Neither is high end luxury, but, both were clean and pleasant.

Nisbet just plain isn't in my budget, but, we had a drink there and it's beautiful.

JeanH, you're right I was thinking Oualie Beach. Both that and Timothy are within our budget. However, on Expedia I can get Nisbet for $164 a night (in June). That doesn't include any meals. On their website I don't even see an option to book with no meal plan and it's quite a bit more expensive. We usually rent a villa where we can save money by eating some of our meals in, (although I have read groceries are very pricey on Nevis.) I'm having trouble finding an beachfront villa within our budget there, so that's why I'm looking into other options. One thing I read about Nisbet is that is can be windy and the water can be choppy. I think Oualie and Timothy are both on the calm side, is that right?

Yes, both Timothy Beach Resort and Oualie Beach Resort are on the calmer Caribbean sides of their respective islands.

You're in an apples and oranges situation here. Nisbet is by far the nicer accommodation, while Oualie is more budget friendly. I personally liked the beach better at Nisbet over Oualie--the water had rolling waves, but not big breakers when we were there. And the beach restaurant at Nisbet was quite good without being terribly pricey. Our meal at Oualie, on the other hand, left much to be desired. However, our visit was a few years ago and the situation could just as well be opposite these days, since restaurants can vary so wildly in a few years.

If you're looking for cooking facilities, what about the Hurricane Cove bungalows, which are on the cliff about Oualie? Not beachfront, but just imagine the views! Ever since I had my first villa vacation many years ago, it's my preference for traveling, and while it's nice to be beachfront, it's easy-peasy to drive to a different beach day for the maximum experience in enjoying an island. Nevis is so easy to get around and so small that it's not a hardship not to be directly on a beach.

I think the reason there are not a lot of villas on the sea in Nevis is because people take advantage of the cooling breezes and build their homes on the hillside. More breeze, fewer insects, and less need for a/c. In June I think that would be a consideration.

Nisbet can be windy but it all depends on the weather.

Thanks all for your replies. EJcrowe, we are villa enthusiasts as well. I've found one, call the Lazy Turtle, right next to Nisbet with resort privileges there. The cost of the whole house is less than one room would be at the inn. I'm close to booking that.

Maggi, that sounds like an ideal situation. I wonder if Lazy Turtle is the one that my hysband and I commented on while walking the beach one day--it looked like having the best of both worlds.

EJ, so far I'm very impressed. The price is right, no additional taxes AND they pick you up in St. Kitts and bring you back on the fast shuttle, no extra charge. They have an arrangement with the plantation next door so we can run a tab there. It's nine months away and I'm itching to go NOW!

Maggi,
I can't wait to hear all about it. The house looks very appealing to us- location and all. We have never been to Nevis. I was thinking that the airfare would be really high but a quick check on Delta just now showed that we could fly to Nevis for less $ than we are spending to fly to the Exumas in the spring (from Florida!)so I was pleasantly surprised. Have you found airfare and which airline seems to have the best deals (although the schedule and price I pulled up on Delta seemed very good). I would love to hear more about your plans!!
For those who know- what is the best month of the year in your opinion to travel to Nevis?

maggi, this place sounds *perfect* and I can't wait to hear all about it. Yay!