Why go?
For a scrumptious taste of colourful island life, where you can mix with locals and soak up the relaxed vibes of Bequia. Bequia Beach Hotel has old school Caribbean charm in droves and spills onto one of the island’s most beautiful beaches.
Honeymoon style
For couples keen to dodge the cookie cutter Caribbean island formula and veer a little off the beaten track, without losing the luxury touches. This is where to go for authentic Caribbean character, scratching behind the tourist screen and offering couples a meaningful experience. The classic honeymoon thrills are still there – the Champagne on ice and rose petals, private beach dinners, romantic boat trips to nearby islands for lunch – but it feels more ‘real,’ and perhaps less contrived than the larger resorts. Ultimately, the true essence of this hotel is to switch off and lean into go-slow island life.
Set the scene
Not many people have heard of Bequia, it’s often referred to as Mustique’s shy little sister. A visit to this island allows you to step back in time and experience the Caribbean’s unsullied spirit, which is often hard to find with many of the nearby islands being so popular with tourists. What’s more, the hotel’s own airline, Bequia Air, with connections from Barbados means couples can arrive in style. The short flight is a thrilling way to begin your honeymoon – under 30 minutes – with the runway rather euphorically adjacent to the Caribbean sea and surrounding lush mountains. Having touched down and whizzed through the small private airport, couples are warmly welcomed by the hotel’s staff and transported in open-topped 4×4 land rovers which can easily navigate the island’s mountainous terrain.
On arrival, long-standing staff fix a signature rum punch or fresh coconut – we noticed many checking were loyalists, almost being welcomed home. Reception is located inside a pale-pink old world Caribbean building with a wrap around veranda. Adjoining reception is the Reading Room which forms the heart of the hotel. The open sided pavilion room has an old school feel, adorned with Egyptian tapestries, ship models (built in Bequia) and board games galore – the eclectic collection of an intrepid traveller. Couples who packed in a post-wedding haze can upgrade their wardrobe for island life at the boutique, Beach Bums.
Outside, the mature tropical gardens house soaring palms, and are plated with hibiscus and native flowers such as ixora (which staff often use to make necklaces). Shells line the walkways, which invariably lead towards two swimming pools, one with its own poolside cabanas and the other with postcard-worthy views towards Mustique.
Bequia Beach Hotel’s trump card has to be its location on Friendship Bay – one of those unspoilt, wild Caribbean beaches that are now a rarity. Birds flock the beach, thanks to the leafy palms, almond and fruit trees that line the shore. Honeymooners can dock themselves here for the day, soaking up the views from squishy sunbeds located amongst the greenery for utmost privacy, and watching the coconuts gently wash up along the shore.
Rooms
The hotel is home to 58 rooms, across spacious suites and villas and a handful of pastel-painted one-bed cottages, all dotted around the mature palms. Interiors are quirky, with old world architecture, antique furniture and an injection of Caribbean flair. Eye-catching artworks line the walls, thanks to the hotel owner Mr Bent’s ever growing collection. For honeymooners, the Beach Front Suites provide a romantic island hideaway, one that feels deeply connected with the rhythms of the sea and peers over the horizon. Each suite features a super king, four poster bed, which face onto French doors openings onto private balconies for sundowners. You won’t find a TV in the suites, allowing couples to fully switch off and sink into island life. Nearby, the hotel has just opened three state-of-the-art hilltop villas – perfect for couples with children in tow, or those hosting larger groups.
Food and drink
A destination in its own right, Bagatelle is the main restaurant serving up refined dishes with the freshest of ingredients. The breezy beachfront restaurant has two large verandas overlooking Friendship Bay. Try the catch of the day or regular lobster special, though all the dishes burst with flavour, from ginger-infused tuna tartar to Grenadine shellfish cakes with papaya salad and spicy peanuts. Here, live music often fills the air, with a steel drum band taking to the bandstand on a Sunday afternoon. The atmospheric adjoining bar is lit by colourful lights that swing gently in the breeze, its walls lined with eccentric signs and leafy palm lanterns. Rum punches flow and there’s an extensive cocktail list for couples to work their way through. A little further up the hill lies Blue Tropic, a romantic Italian restaurant where honeymooners can sample lobster ravioli and classic dishes such as Tiramisu while a piano tinkles in the background.
Jack’s Bar on Princess Margaret Beach, is where to head for a relaxed, drawn out lunch, where couples can mingle with locals and get a real taste of island life. The form here tends to be a sunbed to digest lunch on, before dipping into the water to cool off and oscillating between the bar and sunbed until it’s time to go home. Couples can also boat out to Bar 1 at sunset – a floating bar serving up the best Passion fruit rum punch on the island.
The story
Since first opening its doors in 2006, the hotel has organically expanded and built a glowing reputation, with many guests returning again and again for its singular charm. The proprietor of the hotel, Bengt Mortstedt, and his son and daughter-in-law offer a family-owned welcome that’s now a rarity in the Caribbean. They share responsibilities from meeting and greeting guests, hosting cocktail evenings to designing very tasteful swim and beachwear sold in the hotel’s boutique. Bequia Beach Hotel has consolidated itself as the largest and most luxurious hotel on the island, making it the go-to place for many discerning travellers.
Family-friendly
Little ones are made to feel very welcome by warm staff from the moment they arrive. Many suites have a second bedroom or couples with children can opt for a cottage or villa to house the family. The hotel will provide a cot and all the amenities you require for a stress-free stay. There is a kids club open daily, where staff will ensure kids are having as much fun as the adults, taking them to the beach and the swimming pool, or focusing on arts and crafts, or playing music.
Eco-friendly
Mr Bent, the hotel owner and his family, have been very mindful of the environment whilst creating and building this hotel over 17 years. For the get go, the suites and cottages have been built around the mature palms and plants, ensuring the greenery has been allowed to continue flourishing. They use local tradesmen, feeding back into the island community, and have installed solar power into the villas, plus preserve rain water and recycle. The hotel is growing fresh vegetables on site and herbs which the restaurant uses in their dishes, keeping things seasonal and local where possible. Fresh local produce includes carrots, peepers, passion fruit, star fruit and of course, coconuts.
Location
Just 30 minutes from Barbados, yet is worlds away from the glitz and noisy tourism, the hotel is located on the wildly pretty Friendship Beach, surrounded by pastel houses lining the bay. To get a real sense of what’s on offer on the island, the hotel can arrange an island tour which includes the vibrant town of Port Elizabeth, a turtle sanctuary, and one of the highest points on the island. Bequia is famed for crafting model boats (many can be seen in the hotel’s Reading Room) so make a stop at the renowned model boat shop where you will meet the craftsmen behind the island’s signature ornaments. The nearby Jack’s Bar is a must, located on Princess Margaret beach, the hotel provides daily transfers.
For more information visit: www.bequiabeachhotel.com/
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