Montpelier Plantation & Beach

We had a barbecue dinner at this hotel and were extremely disappointed. Without knowing we booked a buffet we arrived at the hotel and were not greeted in the dining area. We had no idea where to sit and it took a few minutes for someone to greet us. We were handed a plate at the buffet line and we were offered soup which we were told to eat while on line. The woman actually told us to have the soup from the bowl with no utensil. We thought that was a little odd considering we had a plate in our other hand. When sitting down we needed the phone flashlight to see what we were eating as bugs were landing all over our tables ( not their fault) . I would also like to note that there was a selection of ribs, lobster and mahi-mahi . When the bill came it was close to $500 for five people. I’m not quite sure how they charge this amount when you are not being properly served and the service is terrible. It took us forever to get the attention of a waiter for a check . We were extremely unhappy. Perhaps if it was not a buffet bbq we would have had a different experience.

We first went to Montpelier on our honeymoon in 1987. It has a special place in our hearts, and we go back whenever we can. I can't imagine the logistical issues involved delivering what Montpelier does; it's a small miracle. The staff are exceptional and I could talk about the rooms or the pool, the views or the restaurant, the beach or the gardens - that's not really the point. It's just a lovely authentic experience.

This a wordy review but the information can be helpful for your stay. I couldn’t find a way to review the restaurants separately, so I included them here. We arrived in Nevis at Long Point ferry dock with our Jeep on the IConnect ferry from St. Kitts. We were there for a three-night stay. Montpelier was close to the dock, which was convenient. Signs directed us to the car park, and it was not hard to find our way to check-in. The staff greeted us warmly and we had lunch at Indigo by the pool while waiting for our room to be ready. Kaddy behind the bar was lovely, and our lunch of Tuna Tataki, Sticky Corn Ribs, and the Blackened Fish Tacos was the best meal we had while we were there. The property and grounds are absolutely gorgeous and well cared for. We had room 16, which had the most spectacular views at sunset! The bed was comfortable, but even though there were six pillows, they were all so squishy we had to use the decorative pillows under our heads as well to get any support at all. My advice would be to ask for different pillows. The bathroom was adequate, but could use updating for sure, and we appreciated the magnifying mirror on the wall (we have the exact same one at home). There was only one outlet with 120v and it was on the desk area, so an adapter would be helpful if you are from the US. The lamps are small, so the room was pretty dark at night. The internet is also very spotty and there is no TV. We were there in February, so it got dark at 6pm, so we opted to get a VPN to be able to watch streaming to watch something to pass the time at night. We liked the pitcher of ice water that they filled every day, as ice and water seeking seemed to be the bane of our existence on our whole trip. There is no way to get ice except to ask the bartender for a bucket, which we did every night, sometimes more than once. Maid service is twice daily. If you do not notify a staff member, they will call you by 10am to see if you are eating breakfast (included, and good, but we only had once), or if you are dining in their restaurant that night. We had a few calls because apparently, we didn’t know we had to tell the staff of our plans every day. Let me explain the beach situation: They do have a private beach, which is nice, but we were on our own to find it because we had our own car and didn’t take the transport they offer at 10:30am. I guess I should have asked the staff more details of how to get there. We floundered around for 30 minutes to realize you turn left into the Yachtsman Grill and turn left onto a dirt road that then leads you to an open gate with a tiny sign that says Montpelier. Once there, you park anywhere, and there are some chairs, shelters, and a bar with a guy that was surely so bored. He makes drinks with a cooler of ice that were welcomed. We went twice and were the only people there both times. The beach is small, but exploring the rocky area to the left was very cool. It was too windy while we were there to snorkel. But the water temperature was lovely to take a swim. Our big disappointment came when we had dinner at Mill Privee on Saturday night. I made reservations early (months ahead) for 7pm on a Saturday. We were escorted into the main dining area where Muffin greeted us and said “enjoy a complimentary cocktail on the house while you wait for your table”. Then they gave us a very yummy appetizer to enjoy with our wine. We got escorted to our seats at 7:30, and it was slow service from then on. The atmosphere was fantastic. A dimly lit space in an old sugar mill that was very unique. But, OMG we waited, and waited for our dinner. It seemed that only one server was taking care of everyone (one four-top, three two-tops) and she was in no hurry. There was only the 3-course dinner offered, so we both chose different items from the menu to taste everything. The soup was great, the salad was good if you like goat cheese, but our mains were not to our liking. The tiger prawns were fishy, and the steak was so gamey and chewy that we couldn’t even eat it. The desert was interesting in that it was so hard to cut through that you could hear everyone in the room slamming their forks down on the plate. When our check arrived, we noticed that the wine we had that was supposed to be complementary was not. Our meal was $300 US and was not worth it. And, the tap water in Nevis is so good that there is no need to pay $7 a bottle for the bottled water. But they don’t give you the option. We aren’t at all cheap people, and have plenty of money, but paying for water in a place that could offer tap just makes no sense. Montpelier is a beautiful property. The pool area is lovely if you just want to hang there. It is very peaceful. The staff is accommodating and friendly. If you have a car, the parking lot is close. From the place, it is easy to navigate anywhere else on the island. We would recommend it with the caveats I explained.

We stayed for 5 nights at this lovely hotel. All of the staff are handpicked and all long- serving - the lovely owner Muffin is very warm and loves to have an unhurried chat! Rooms are beautiful and the private beach is to die for! When I say ‘private’ I mean there could be you and one other couple with a fully stocked bar and barman/Mixologist all to yourself! Heaven! I will warn you to have just one glass of Kaddy’s rum punch on arrival - I had two and had to sleep it off for the rest of the day! The Mill Privee is very special and the food there was delicious! Very elegant all round without a hint of pretentiousness, the wonderful manager is very hands on and present.

We prefer small islands and boutique accommodation Montpellier lived up to all expectations Friendly and efficient staff Comfortable accommodation with sea views Beautiful secluded private Beach Good Food Excellent wine list and great cocktails served by Kaddy and Akim We will definitely return next year