2 Best Hotels in Nevis, St. Kitts and Nevis

A snug 1670 greathouse (reputedly the Caribbean's oldest surviving wooden building) forms the heart of this hillside hideaway, run by two (going on three) generations of charmingly "loopy" Lupinaccis, who keep things lively, down to earth, and family friendly—rare for such a refined, smart-set retreat. Painstakingly restored or meticulously re-created stone-and-gingerbread cottages have hardwood floors, four-poster canopy beds, and hammock-slung patios or balconies. Families and honeymooners adore the two-story Blue Cottage. The Loft, Pink House, and Goosepen Cottage are equally sybaritic, and the three-bedroom Manor House has a 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 Blue Iguana is arguably the island's most interesting boutique. A renovated motor yacht offers sailing, fishing, and St. Kitts transfers.

Acclaimed artists Brice Marden and wife Helen Harrington have imparted a chic, modernist sensibility to this 18th-century estate property while respecting its storied past: the old cistern is now the spring-fed swimming pool; the sugar mill has become a honeymoon retreat; and the vividly hued gingerbread cottages (each holding two rooms) contrast pristine white floors, curtains, and bedspreads with hardwood or bamboo furnishings, pineapple friezes, and colorful Berber throw rugs. Many surfaces—from decks to shutters—are splashed in reds and greens; the pool addition resembles a contemporary-art installation, the restaurant a dazzling tiered sculpture garden with waterfalls. Service is unobtrusive yet warm, in fine counterpoint to the hip cool ambience and buzz imparted by the cosmopolitan clientele.