4S or Nisbet?
 

We have narrowed down our choice to 4S and Nisbet Plantation, no kids, traveling in July.....

Me? Nisbet, we've been there twice and chose it to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary.

A very nice small resort (36? rooms) which enables the staff to remember your names and welcome you as an individual. Very nice restaurant.

Four Seasons is just to 'Stepford' for me but I have a friend who stayed there on her honeymoon and loved it - horses for courses :-)

Thanks for the reply alya. My husband is leaning towards four seasons because of the tennis facility. I know they have a tennis court at Nisbet, but since there are no photos of it on their site I'm wondering what condition it might be in. How was the snorkeling? I would like to do some of that, doesn't have to be the best in the world, but available...

The appearance of the FS is like a dream - cloaked in lush green and surrounded by deep blue water. The a/c works very well in the rooms(important in July) and the rooms are very nice. At the end of the night, it is so wonderful to climb into the most comfortable beds in the world! BTW, the staff does an amazing job of knowing your name right from the start.

I didn't notice the tennis courts when we visited Nisbet, but I'd bet they're fine.

Where to stay all depends on your preferences in lodgings. For July, I'd consider staying at Nisbet. Because it faces the Atlantic, it has a much better chance at cooling breezes. The off-beach snorkling (if the water isn't too wavy) can also be interesting at Nisbet. The staff consistently gets high reviews.

No matter where you stay, be sure to explore the island, and have some lunches and dinners out. The Nevisians are lovely people.

CW

It is really hard to go wrong with a Four Seasons! The Four Seasons is a luxury resort and simply gorgeous with the beach and Nevis Peak overlooking. However, the Four Seasons is a family-friendly resort, so you might see more kids than you would at the Nisbet. The Nisbet is quiet, romantic with flowers and tropical gardens and no televisions or radios. But, the Nisbet isn't as upscale as the Four Seasons.

Best Regards,
Julia
Blog: http://personaltouchtravel.wordpress.com

It all depends on what you are looking for. If you want a resort that is smaller and has an island feel to it, Nisbet is the right choice. We stayed there a couple of years ago and loved every minute of it.

The FS is corporate, but has a great beach, tennis courts, golf course and multiple pools. The spa is wonderful. It's pricier than anything else on the island and unless you get "off the reservation", I don't think you'll get a true sense of Nevis.

As for snorkeling, you'll want to take a boat over to St. Kitt's, maybe to Shitten's Bay, for any really decent snorkeling.

You'll love Nevis. It is the only island my wife and I have returned (nine trips to the Caribbean).

Dave

Wow, thanks for all the helpful replies! Sounds like we can't really go wrong with either.

DavefromCA, if I remember correctly, you had planned a trip to Nevis for this past December. Did you end up going and, if so, how was your vacation?

My votes for Nisbet.

Nisbet has a single grass tennis court located near the Great House. Four Seasons has a state of the art tennis facility wioth several courts.

As others have said, if you want a smaller resort with an "Old World Caribbean" charm choose Nisbet. If you prefer a more pampared upscale "full Service" resort experience stay at the Four Season.

Both are great places.

Laby,

Good memory! You're absolutely right, we did go to Nevis in December, after a week on Anguilla.

I did a trip on report on the Anguilla week, but never got around to the Nevis week.

Shoot, now I'm going to have to do that. The short story is...Nevis was wonderful. Montpelier was just as we remembered, only better. They've upgraded their bathrooms. Kaddy remembered us, TC drove us around to the restaurants and it was very relaxing. Anguilla was more "hectic" just because we wanted to see the island more. Hectic is a little over the top...we laid on beaches a lot!

Anyway, I promise to post the Nevis trip soon.

Dave

Laby,

Checkk out the new trip report. Thanks for the kick start.

Dave

This is a question often asked on this forum, and as other people have indicated, it's a question purely of your preference and vacation style. Of these two, my money would go to Nisbet for lots of reasons--it's smaller, it's more authentic Caribbean charm, and it's a locally owned establishment and thus more meaningful ties in the Nevis community.

However, I don't golf and I don't have kids, two aspects that would otherwise make me consider the 4S.

Both places get great reviews and both places apparently excel for what they are.

We just stayed at Nisbet and also checked out the 4S. Both are great yet very different. Biggest difference is location on the beach.
Nisbet is quainter and on the breezy side of the island which we welcomed after visiting 4S side since it was very hot without a breeze. 4S water was still and flat and more swimmable, if kids are involved, etc. however Nisbet's pool was right on the beach. At night, mosquitoes were very apparent on the 4S side, yet we experienced none at Nisbet(likely due to the constant breeze).
Nisbet is colorful and 4S is more like a hideaway. 4S had a large marbled entryway that was much like larger resorts and Nisbet was more quaint, quiet and less of a "hotel" feel. 4S resort was more glamorous to Nisbets quaint, Caribbean-infused cottages. Did not see the 4S accomodations, but likely were fancier than Nisbet.
Whichever your preference- ritzier or more quaint, either is a great place to stay.

Hi Lura
We stayed at Nisbet last year & loved it, but they were having to inject all the palm trees against some sort of disease. Are they still OK?

Diane

The disease is called Lethal Yellow and it affects Coconut Palms as well as several other varieties of Palms. The disease itself has been around for 100+ years but has only recently become widespread in the Caribbean.

Right now there is no known cure, however, trees that are injected with tetracycline every 3 months appear to be more resistant to the disease although it is difficult to predict if the injections will become a preventative or mearly a way of prolonging the inevitable.

Regardless, Nevis has been hit pretty bad with the disease which was brought to the island when some infected plams were imported from Florida about 3 years ago. Since that time 1,000's of Coconut Palms have been lost as the disease spreads very quickly and by the time a tree exhibits symtoms it's too late to treat them with tetracycline.

There are a number of palm tree varieties which are not affected by Lethal Yellow and these are now being planted as replacement trees.

Oh, I neglected to DianeC's actual question. At present, the Coconut Palms at Nisbet are "holding their own".

Two different experiences. Nisbet, as noted, is smaller and less corporate. No TV in the rooms (if that matters). Service at both is impeccable. The decor at Nisbet is more island. The 4S rooms are, strangely enough, similar to the 4S in Carlsbad, CA. with a caribbean overlay. The 4S has both clay and surfaced tennis courts, Spa, and the golf course. If you know 4S quality then you will not be disappointed with the Nevis resort. If you want a little more local experience then Nisbet is a good bet. FYI: The 4S has a closed rental (the whole place is taken by one group) during the first two weeks in July. It may not be available.