Fodor's Expert Review Hermitage Plantation Inn

A snug 1670 great house—reputedly the Caribbean's oldest surviving wooden building—forms the heart of this breeze-swept hillside hideaway. Lively and laid-back, it attracts a smart set while remaining down-to-earth and family-friendly—rare for such a refined retreat. The owners' passion for all things Caribbean, from heirloom antiques to vernacular architecture, is apparent. Stone-and-gingerbread cottages are either painstakingly restored originals or meticulous re-creations, with hardwood floors, four-poster canopy beds, and hammock-slung patios or balconies. Families and honeymooners adore the two-story Blue Cottage, but the Loft, Pink House, and Goosepen Cottage are equally sybaritic; the three-bedroom Manor House has its own pool and wraparound porches. In genuine plantation fashion, the inn has its own stable and livestock, as well as English Romantic–style gardens (pluck your own fruit, or ask the kitchen to prepare a homeopathic bush tea). The Arthouse is arguably the island's most interesting boutique. A renovated motor yacht offers sailing, fishing, and St. Kitts transfers.