I just returned from my honeymoon at the Montpelier Plantation Inn. Since full trip reports on TripAdvisor were most helpful to me when I was planning my honeymoon, I have written a short novel to give you some information about the hotel and the island - email me if you still have any questions.

Travel Day: We arrived at Montpelier at 6 pm, and were greeted at the door by Janelle, the guest manager. She gave us a tour of the property, passing the pool bar where we were given ice cold rum punch, and ending at our room. Our bags followed just a few minutes behind. Dinner at the hotel the first night was excellent, with several choices for each course so you can find exactly what you want. Although we are not normally social people, we also enjoyed the cocktail hour in the Great Room before dinner.

Day 1: We did nothing but lay at the hotel. Our room had such wonderful views, the pool area was quiet and relaxing, and we couldn’t bring ourselves to do anything other than read and relax. In the evening, we each had a one-hour massage as part of the package that we booked. The massages were excellent, and the only time it rained for the entire week was during the massages. The sound of the rainfall only made the experience more relaxing. All in all, it was a wonderful way to work the stress out of our system to begin the vacation. We ate at the hotel again this night, and the food was just as excellent as the night before. We also enjoyed the Owner’s Reception before dinner, where we were served complimentary cocktails and had a chance to meet the owners of the hotel and the other guests.

Day 2: The morning was again given over to reading and relaxation, but in the afternoon we went on a nature hike with Jim Johnson of Top to Bottom tours. The hike was extremely interesting, with Jim explaining many of the local plants and their uses for medicine, food, and other things, as well as giving us quite a bit of information about the history of the island and life on the island. We picked up mangos off the ground to eat, and Jim described the different types and how they taste different. Who would have thought that this little island contained over fifty types of mango!? We also ate fresh coconut that Jim broke open for us and several other snacks that he had brought with him. Although our hike was rather short (~2 hours) we were rather tired at the end of it. This evening, we chose to eat at Le Bistro, a small restaurant in Charlestown. Although the restaurant itself was slightly less than elegant, with battered lawn furniture as tables and chairs and the menu written on a piece of posterboard on the wall, the food was excellent and the service good, and the place had a charm all its own. I would recommend that you check Le Bistro out for the great food, but don’t expect fine china and silver.

Day 3: Our third day was our day at the beach! We took Montpelier’s 10:30 beach shuttle to their private beach, which is about twenty minutes from the hotel. The beach is gorgeous, with a nice gentle slope into the crystal-clear blue water from the fine golden sand. There are also a number of gazebo/cabana structures that give a lot of shade, so we were able to escape from the sun during the hottest part of the day. Much of the property is grass rather than sand, which my wife loved, since she dislikes sand getting on everything. The beach, of course, has sand, but if you want to escape from it a little you can. Montpelier packed us a picnic lunch which was absolutely fabulous, and they even included china plates and real silverware for us to eat with! After lounging, playing in the water, and getting some sun for most of the day, we walked up the beach to Sunshine’s beach bar (which is a nice walk but quite a hike, be warned if you want to try it). Sunshine’s didn’t seem to be serving any food and we couldn’t find a menu or anything, so we continued on a little further to Chevy’s Beach Bar. I highly recommend you check this place out, as it was much less chaotic than Sunshine’s and had good drinks and cold beer. Their buffet dinner looked very good, but we were too tired to stay out any longer and caught a cab back to the hotel. On the way, we picked up some Chinese food from the Tea House restaurant in Charlestown. It was good food and just what we needed after three nights of fine dining. We ate it in the room, and fell asleep early.

Day 4: The fourth day we spent the morning again at the hotel and went snorkeling with the Under The Sea company in the afternoon. Barbara Whitman, who normally does the trips, was not feeling well, so one of her associates helped us, and I unfortunately did not get his name. He was wonderful, and the Touch and Go trip is something every diving novice should try. First, they take you into the aquarium and explain what you are going to see, which animals to look for, how they act, and other information. You can actually look at and hold many of the animals, and they give you a good basis for comparison for when you actually are in the water. Then they take you to a wonderful snorkeling location with lots of coral, fish, and other sea life. I even got a quick look at an octopus! Definitely give this a try if you have time, and try to go with Under the Sea if you can. We ate at the hotel again this night and got a pleasant surprise: since there was a wedding that day and the party was in the dining room, we were seated in the Sugar Mill, which is Montpelier’s exclusive, very romantic dining facility. We didn’t get the full VIP treatment that normally comes with the Mill since it was only a normal dinner, but having the opportunity to eat up there was really wonderful.

Day 5: We spent most of this day exploring Charlestown, looking at the museums and shops, and picking up some souvenirs and gifts. The Horatio Nelson museum was very interesting, giving visitors not only facts about the sea admiral but also a great deal of information about Nevis history. From there we walked through the center of town, looking at the shops and small businesses. We tried to visit the Alexander Hamilton museum, but it was closed for some reason, we couldn’t figure out why. We did visit the Café des Arts next door, which had some wonderful local art (although out of our price range). We didn’t eat there, but the food they were serving did look very good. For shopping, we spent most of our time at the Island Hopper store in the middle of town. They have a great selection of souvenirs and gifts, and you won’t find many other stores in town that can match the variety that they have. We did look at several other places, but couldn’t beat the Island Hopper. For dinner, we ate at the Double Deuce, which is an excellent restaurant owned and run by a man who was the executive chef at Montpelier for a number of years. The food was great, the view fabulous, and the prices not bad at all. For some wonderful chicken wings, the best barbecued chicken and ribs I’ve had in a long time, ice cream and drinks it was just about fifty dollars for the two of us. Check this restaurant out as well if you get a chance.

Day 6: I had tried to schedule a second snorkeling trip for this day, but it was cancelled because of hazy weather, so we simply laid around the hotel to relax for our last day there. I must say, lounging by the pool while Kaddy brings you drinks and Calypso tries to convince you to play fetch is not a bad way to spend an afternoon. We ate in the Sugar Mill again this night, alone this time. What was supposed to be a four-course dinner turned into a seven-course bonanza, complete with complimentary champagne, sorbet before the main course, and Columbian Supreme coffee and petits fours to finish the meal. It was one of the best dining experiences I have ever had, and probably the most romantic as well. If you have any chance at all to have this experience, do so. You will not regret it.

About the hotel in general: Breakfast each morning was just as good as the other posters have described. A huge bowl of fruit, a large basket of bread with local preserves and honey to put on it, and then an excellent menu to order from. I recommend the saltfish omelet - it sounds a little weird but tastes excellent. We usually didn’t need to eat again until afternoon tea, which is served by the pool bar with cake and fresh scones. Just tell the barman what you want, and it will appear in a few minutes. Housekeeping was excellent, cleaning the room twice a day and turning down the bed in the evening. There is a wonderful view and sitting area down near the croquet court which we didn’t discover until our last day. When you need to get somewhere, ask for TC as your cabdriver. She is a great driver and a wonderful tour guide who knows nearly everyone on the island. When we wanted to go to a restaurant that didn’t take credit cards and we didn’t have enough cash, TC personally called the owner of the restaurant and got him to charge the bill to the hotel, so that it would go on our room bill. By the way, Montpelier will give you cash advances on your credit card with a five percent surcharge for handling.

The Island: A wonderful place where everyone knows everyone else and crime is almost nonexistent. We walked everywhere we wanted to go in perfect safety with never even a worry about anyone bothering us. Although many of the buildings look cobbled-together or run-down, they have their own charm and the people more than make up for it. Everyone is friendly and willing to help with whatever you need, so don’t be afraid to ask. This is not like the States (or Europe for that matter). Car rental may be useful, since cabs are expensive and it’s difficult to walk anywhere from Montpelier. Remember to drive on the left and GO SLOW. The roads are not good and there are frequently pedestrians or animals on the road. I don’t think any driver we had all week exceeded forty-five MPH. If you do take cabs and you think the fare is high, ask to see a rate sheet. Fares are determined by the government, and all drivers must carry a sheet with them. If they can’t show you one to prove their fare, don’t pay until you get back to your hotel, and then ask the HOTEL for a rate sheet to see what the fare should be. When you go to the beach or out in the sun, sunscreen, sunscreen, sunscreen. You can get horribly burned in a very short time. Don’t forget to sunscreen your back and the backs of your knees when you go snorkeling. Don’t come to Nevis if you want to dance till dawn and drink yourself silly, because there isn’t anywhere on the island to do those things. DO come to Nevis if you want complete relaxation with a couple of activities just for spice. It’s a great place and we’ll be going back as soon as we can!