St. Kitts and Nevis

 

Kittitian Hill in St. Kitts
Most cottages at Kittitian Hill in St. Kitts have their own private plunge pool.

 

From major hotel developments in St. Kitts to a new facility that will cater to medical tourists in Nevis, these sister Caribbean islands are preparing for a strong fall and an even stronger 2013.

Hotel News

In St. Kitts, new resort projects are popping up, with Christophe Harbour, a luxury resort community, now in phase two of construction, and Kittitian Hill, an 85-room boutique cottage hotel, underway. 

As far as Kittitian Hill goes, some 40 one-bedroom cottages and three villas are in various stages of completion as well as the Kittitian Hill’s Terrace Complex, which includes the lobby, lounge, bar, the main swimming pool, all-day dining and fitness center. The 18-hole golf course is about 50 percent completed and the driving range is now 90 percent completed. Construction of Phase 1B, which comprises the spa, fine dining restaurant, golf clubhouse, the artist village and more villas, is scheduled to begin in 2013.

Meanwhile, an agreement for the development of the Park Hyatt St. Kitts, slated to open in the winter of 2014/15 was signed on July 10. Upon completion, the hotel will include 200 guest rooms and 50 branded residential condominiums set within Christophe Harbour. Phase one will include the completion of 125 guest rooms, two food and beverage outlets, a fitness center, a 12-treatment room spa, and more than 7,000 square feet of meeting and banquet space. The second phase will see the completion of the 75 remaining guest rooms and a third food and beverage outlet. 

At Ocean’s Edge, poolside residences blocks five and six were slated for completion last month, adding another 20 units to the resort’s 60 finished units in the heart of Frigate Bay. Currently, the area is being cleared where the pool, hotel reception building, and beachfront restaurant and bar will be constructed, making Ocean’s Edge an extraordinary luxury destination in St. Kitts. Some completed villas have been handed over to the owners, including Villa 12.

Premier Room at Nisbet Plantation Beach Club
A Premier Room at Nisbet Plantation Beach Club in Nevis.

 

Phase one of construction on the luxury residential development Silver Reef, which began in April 2011 and consists of 36 one- and two-bedroom apartments, is now complete. Almost complete, phase two consists of another 36 apartments with only 12 units currently remaining unsold of this 72-unit development. Phase three will push forward in 2013. Set in the Frigate Bay area of St. Kitts adjacent to the Royal St. Kitts Golf Course and 10 minutes outside capital city Basseterre, this $30 million development will have 62 villas and apartments in one- and two-bedroom configurations with spectacular views of both the Caribbean and Atlantic

The St. Kitts Marriott Resort & The Royal Beach Casino has also undergone changes, with newly enhanced amenities and a $3 million renovation. The hotel has new lobby furniture, renovated suites and an expanded Bohemia Beach Bar.

Meanwhile in Nevis, Nisbet Plantation Beach Club recently hired Andrew and Lori Hall as the resort’s new general managers. They will oversee the day-to-day operations, service excellence, staff training, sales and marketing efforts of the 36-room resort. Andrew has more than 30 years of experience in the hotel industry, and most recently was a regional director of resort operations with RCI Resort Management. Lori is a Certified Hospitality Marketing Executive (CHME) and has more than 25 years’ experience in sales, marketing, and meeting and event planning, including 13 years with hotels. 

Also in Nevis, Tamarind Cove Nevis, a small hotel development with 72 units as well as a marina with 80 to 100 slips, has recently begun construction on phase one of the project.

Medical Tourism Push in Nevis

The New River Medical Center will boost medical tourism in Nevis. The $15 million project is slated for completion in late 2013 and will offer a wide range of medical procedures and recuperative services in Nevis’ pristine atmosphere. The center, a joint project by the Nevis Island Administration and Atlanta-based Princeton Healthcare, will focus on selective non-complicated bariatric surgery as well as plastic, orthopedic and dental surgery. There will also be a wing of rehabilitation suites. It will be the first such facility for St. Kitts and Nevis.

New St. Kitts Attractions

St. Kitts also has new excursions this year. The Amazing Grace Experience is a new attraction in Sandy Point, which tells the story behind the famous hymn, Amazing Grace and explains its connection to St. Kitts, including a timeline from 1725 to 1748. Kantours has a new “Rail, Fortress and Great House Excursion,” including a journey to the top of Brimstone Hill Fortress, a ride on the St. Kitts Scenic Railway, and a visit to the Fairview Great House & Botanical Garden. Travelers can purchase a day pass to Fairview Great House & Botanical Garden for $20 per adult or $10 per child. 

“Fall in Love” With Free Nights

St. Kitts Tourism Authority has introduced a new promotion, “Fall in Love with St. Kitts & Nevis.” Clients traveling to St. Kitts now through December can take advantage of free nights—either seven nights for the price of five, or four nights for the price of three at participating hotels. Guests will also receive complimentary continental breakfast daily or a food and beverage credit along with a special discount card that provides savings at various island shops, restaurants, tours and more. This offer is valid for new bookings made now through December 14 for travel between now and December 18. For more details visit www.stkittstourism.kn.