Our Trip to St. Kitts

Hosted by Belle Mont Farm

When I was first researching locations for our 2018 Trek without Kids choice, I asked my hubby what he wanted to achieve on this trip. “Relax!” he said, confidently. And so I began my search for a hidden treasure in the Caribbean, a gem, where we could disconnect, relax, talk and enjoy God’s creation in tranquility. All of that (and more!) was achieved by visiting Belle Mont Farm, a hidden treasure in St. Kitts.
Belle Mont Farm, a boutique hotel located on Kittitian Hill located just over thirty minutes from the St. Kitts beaches and downtown Basseterre, promotes sustainable living. Set on 400 acres of organic tropical farmland, Belle Mont Farmprovided a paradise for foodies, couples, families, world travelers and golfers alike.
There were five aspects of Belle Mont Farm that made our visit there one of the most memorable traveling experiences of our lives: the property, the cottage, the staff, the Farm Table experience, and the difficulty of leaving the property (although we did – once!)

The Property

We arrived off the plane right onto the tarmac and didn’t think it could get much better. We were immediately greeted by the cool, Caribbean breeze. But we were wrong! Located just under forty minutes from the airport awaited paradise at Belle Mont Farm.

As we checked into the hotel, we were greeted with smiling faces, some island fruit punch and stunning views from one of their most impressive buildings, The Lookout.

As the days went by, we realized that the beauty of the actual property at Belle Mont Farm could not be found elsewhere. We soaked in every architectural detail and took pictures of all farmhouse-styled decor promising we’d plan the same styles for our home.

We spent many afternoons, lounging by their pool bar, with their signature cocktail, Belle Mont Breeze, in hand. And every single day, we were joined by the same hotel guests: green monkeys! These adorable critters were literally all over the hotel grounds and every sight of one made us smile.

If we weren’t by the pool, you could pretty much sure-fire find us at one of the other Belle Mont Farm hang-outs: The Kitchen, Mill Bar, on their golf course or taking a brisk walk to The Potting Shed.

Belle Mont Farm‘s signature restaurant, The Kitchen, offered up delicious breakfasts and dinners, with the pool bar offering lighter lunches and cocktails in the pool. The Mill Bar, designed similar to a sugar mill, had impressive ceilings and stonework while maintaining the farmhouse feel.

The food was absolutely amazing – every single meal had us begging for more! We counted down the hours until the next meal and knew that we would be more than satisfied by whatever we chose. My hands-down favorite every day were the gluten-free cinnamon pancakes topped with local honey and cold fruit compote. Mouthwatering!

We also loved walking down to The Potting Shed, a sweet way to sign in for the resort to remember your stay: on a leaf, of course!

The Cottage

An aspect of Belle Mont Farm that really made this hotel stand out was its accommodation options. We stayed in a Mustique cottage, an open-aired, high-ceilinged Caribbean paradise equipped with our own private plunge pool, a reading nook and an outdoor shower and bathtub.

The exterior of this cottage, equipped with overstuffed chairs for lounging and relaxing, made for the ultimate cozy quarters.

Inside the Mustique cottage, comfort was key, with turndown evening bed service and the Caribbean breeze entering through the open folding doors. And before bed, we loved the retracting movie projector screen which provided night-time entertainment.

Need to freshen up before dinner? Belle Mont Farm‘s outdoor shower, bathtub and vanity were a dreamy way to experience nature all while getting ready to explore the property at St. Kitts itself.

The Mustique cottage offered stunning views of neighboring island, St. Eustasius, as well as a way to watch the sunset.  We even caught a double rainbow!

Visiting at Belle Mont Farm with a large group? In addition to the Mustique cottages, the hotel also offers group housing called Luxury Villas that accommodate multiple families for one visit.

If you’re planning an elaborate affair needing private housing for an event, you can upgrade to an expansive (and extremely impressive!) Farmhouse.

The Staff

We had been to other resorts where we just didn’t feel fully welcome. If we asked for something, we irritated the staff. Our stay at Belle Mont Farm could not have been more opposite.

The staff members, all with different personalities and backgrounds, were accommodating, relaxed and always happy to see us. We had several wonderful conversations with the staff working there, sometimes for up to thirty minutes at a time.

The Farm Table Experience

One of the reasons that we selected Belle Mont Farm for our Trek without Kids was because of their unique farm table dining experience. Set in the middle of an organic garden on-property, this intimate dinner setting welcomes sixteen guests to a sit-down dinner of 12-courses. A private chef, our own servers and constant wine refills and laughter made this experience unique.

We were seated at the table, our names identified by leaves from the gardens, and sat amongst complete strangers who by the end of the night became friends.

This remarkable experience was a true culinary delight as we enjoyed dishes from pumpkin butter and homemade rolls to trying a new food for the James family: rabbit stew. (It was delicious!) Farm table guests were from countries ranging from the U.S., Austria, Canada and St. Lucia. We loved learning about everyones’ unique cultures.

The Farm Table provided us with everlasting memories but it was this photographic evidence of the night that will always make a frame in our home:

The (Only) Excursion

Before we left for St. Kitts, I made a long list of places we should visit. Neighboring island, Nevis, as well as Saba and St. Eustasius also made the list. Maybe we’d do water sports? Maybe we could hike the volcano?
Once we stepped foot on the property of Belle Mont Farm, we couldn’t even think about leaving. Set 45-minutes away from the more tourist-filled area of St. Kitts, Belle Mont Farm felt like a mini-heaven-on-Earth. We were so relaxed we could barely muster the strength to hail a cab to take the trek into town!

So proud of us (ha) as we decided to finally visit a different part of St. Kitts for our one and only excursion: South Friars Bay – St. Kitt’s beach.

Upon arrival, we were overwhelmed by the number of tourists from a docked cruise ship that were also visiting the beach. We decided to take a short walk down to a popular restaurant Shipwreck Beach Bar to find some sand to call our own.

Minutes later, we were thrilled to stumble upon friends that we had met at Belle Mont Farm‘s Farm Table dinner just the night prior and our conversations continued! We so enjoyed spending time with this sweet family and will be continuing these friendships long after our trek.

One of the cool aspects of this beach was the black sand – something that has formed from volcanic activity on the island decades ago.

And the water temperature and color were stunning, reminding us that a day trip to the Caribbean Sea was so worth it after all.

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