We just returned from 2 weeks at the Cotton House on the island of Mustique in the Grenadines.

The island is a fantasy, and the resort is wonderful. The attention to detail is obvious from the moment you arrive until you depart.

The staff is absolutely wonderful, from the marvelous manager, Pippa, who not only greets you, but also personally bids you farewell. From housekeeping to food service, you could not ask for better staff. They are charming, friendly and very good at what they do.

We had breakfast in our room every day on the patio (very special), lunch at the Beach Cafe or at Firefly and wonderful dinners at the Verandah on the Cotton House property. The food was wonderful. After eating at the same place for 2 weeks, you'd think we'd get tired of it, but not so, the selection was wonderful with daily specials for dinner. The fish was fabulous, from Barracuda to Tuna.

The Island is beyond description. We swam, snorkeled and hiked every inch of the Island. The spa and gym were absolutely perfect.

If you are looking for a spectacular island to chill, this is the place for you.

I needed a break ! A friend suggested Mustique and the Cotton House so I checked it out & liked what I read here and also their website - booking wigth Simonique was such a pleasure - the gentle suggestions of which room type would suit best and then offering to book our flights from Barbados - all so easy but making one feel so royal.

As the rest of the aircraft stampeded to customs and immigration in Barbados, we are gently escorted to the transfer area a more private feeling and luggage tags taken as the staff head off to find our luggage - all we do is complete the immigration forms and sip chilled water and read the welcome letter from Pipp ( the hotel general manager) and then go though to the departures area and await our 40 minute flight to magic - I felt great already, even if my body clock was telling me I should be asleep!

Mustique grew larger though the window of the plane & I knew we had made the right choice - it looked magical with pristine white beaches and villas camouflaged into the hillsides.

After a warm welcome at the airport from Pippa and then the quick ride ( in ac car) to the hotel to be met on the steps of the Great Room by the famous Simonique - a rum punch ( lime squash for those who wish to abstain till dinner time) was offered as we sank into big white sofas, ceiling fans gently turning above us - oh yes we were here for a reason - registration, but it is a very small formality. This moment is more for the welcome and the hospitality of Pippa and her team and was a taste of what was lavished upon us for the remainder of the week. During this time Bobsen has already delivered our bags to the room - no waiting for luggage to arrive once you are in the room - they even offered to unpack and press all our clothes - I though this was our VIP treatment but it is actually the norm at the Cotton House.

Our room was a Duplex Suite overlooking the Atlantic side and the gentle sounds of the waves was audible on the balcony - large plunge pool and two loungers and big umbrella - our private sanctuary - heaven. The living room was upstairs and our bedroom downstairs and opened straight onto the deck of the pool so we often had breakfast by the pool - other option was down at Great Room Verandah

We were on half board and the daily dinner menu was Italian or local Caribbean dishes - the highlight and we hope they do it more often ( next time ) was themed buffet and BBQ night down at the Beach café - super location - Michael the wine sommelier knew his wines and helped us with some nice choices for dinner and lunch - he also does a little wine tasting course on Monday which is fun and gave us opportunity to meet other hotel guests

Beach café was where we had lunch most days apart from one picnic at lagoon beach, caribbean side of island - Basils Bar is great for drinks on Sunday evening as jazz as well as dinner on Wednesday and live music - not over full when we were there but good atmosphere.

There was a small selection of shops ( at the hotel spa ) and in the vilalge to find a few souvenirs and nice clothes - so not devoid of shopping and don't hold your breath to shop in Barbados Duty Free (the airport shopping is limited) .

Our week went by far too quick, lots of lazing at the hotel beach ( only serviced beach on island) but do get to Macaroni for the waves and sand - and there was no one there even though hotel & island was full - or so we learned at the Tuesday cocktail party when everyone on island (not just the hotel) is invited !

The snorkelling at the hotel beach is brill and the equipment is included in your room charge

We passed on using the hotels mountain bikes and rented a mule to get around the island ( golf cart) - do remember your internaitonal driving licence to get your St Vincent one ( will frame that I think)

All in all a super holiday and we are hooked - Mustique captures you immediately and is the perfect destination to chill out and be zen ( those who want action can get it but we prefered to watch the tennis players and divers as that seemed far too much activity for us ) we kept saying we would do it but suddenly it was time to be dropped back to the airport and the trip home - ah well we know why we have to come back - to play tennis of course !

We returned to The Cotton House for a week in September after spending most of our Honeymoon there in 2006 and vowed to return. Mustique itself is a special place and a must for any traveller seeking the perfect Caribbean getaway without the crowds and trouble. You can only arrive by propeller plane (from Barbados) or boat...When you land at the divine airport - you know you've arrived in a very special place. The Cotton House will come and meet you with cold towels and water (perfect after the long haul flight) and whisk you to the hotel. You are shown to the terrace of The Great Room and offered a drink to help you unwind and soak up the atmosphere. We stayed in a Grenadine Suite for our honeymoon - these are truly amazing. We opted for a Cottage this year - they are very cute and the hotel Manager (Pippa) then kindly upgraded us to a Seaview Room (with plunge pool) as we had stayed before - these rooms are highly recommended and in the old Messel style.

Pool - very tranquil and perfect for a morning dip before the sun reaches your private terrace and you can swim in your own plunge pool (they are a great size).

Breakfast - can be taken in your room (lovely) or on the terrace of The Great Room (very leisurely).

Lunch - either take room service or wander down to the Beach Cafe - the view is stunning. Only slight problem is the birds that are very interested in your food - this is a shame. Great selection of international wines as well

Supper - again, either room service, The Great Room or occasional BBQ/buffet at The Beach House (assuming you don't venture out to Basils or Firefly).

The food at the hotel is not 5*quality, but perfectly acceptable - we did notice the prices had jumped up quite significantly since 2006 and the bills for supper are very expensive for the quality of food. Food at Basils and Firefly is similar in quality and price, so you are fairly restricted.

Spa - is very good and has a great boutique shop. The gym is good as well.

The staff are great and very friendly - you will be all on first name terms within a day or two.

The only method of transport around the island is the infamous Mule - you can hire these directly from the hotel for around $50/day. A must - you can ask the hotel to organise you a picnic that can either be setup by your own butler, or taken with you in your mule - all wrapped up in a large cool box - Lagoon and Macaroni are the beaches to head for.

The Mustique Company host a cocktail party every Monday in The Great Room (or the Beach Restaurant), serving free canapés and champagne. The invite is extended to all villa owners and guests, so this is a great opportunity to meet new friends and you may be fortunate enough to be invited to one of the villas for a long lunch or supper.

As it was low season, we asked if we could have a look at some of the villas. After being let down by the Rental Manager, Pippa managed to pull out all the stops and arranged for the hotel chauffer to take us. A lot of people visit Mustique for the first time (typically as newly weds) and stay in The Cotton House - after falling in love with the place, they often return with friends and take one of the gorgeous villas for a week or two.

Watersports - you can borrow snorkelling equipment form the hotel and there is a diving centre. You can arrange sailing/fishing trips as well..

For those of you who don't truly switch off - there is now free wifi everywhere - it works on the beach, by the pool and all over the hotel...

It doesn't get much better than Mustique and The Cotton House...

We had a great week at The Cotton House. The property is very elegant and comfortable and the staff is very good and well trained. They go out of their way to look after you and add little touches to make your stay even more enjoyable.

We were there at the start of the low season and the hotel was quiet -- which was ideal for us. We were given a better room than we had booked, without asking and without the hotel even mentioning it: it was just done, graciously and thoughtfully. That was typical of the place and its excellent manager, Pippa Ona Williamson.

The beach is beautiful, with good service from the nearby Beach Cafe. There is a scuba diving centre on site, and also kayaks, sailing boats, etc.

The housekeeping is excellent: our room was kept beautifully by a delightful member of staff.

The food is good, but not great; perhaps not surprising for an island like Mustique where all supplies are imported. Breakfast and dinner are served on the airy and elegant verandah: a delightful setting. Thankfully, unlike so many hotels these days (even first class ones), breakfast is ordered from a menu, instead of a buffet.