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T E XQ U I S I T E H OT E L S MONTPELIER PLANTATION & BEACH ST JOHNS PARISH MONTPELIER ESTATE NEVIS, WEST INDIES 869-469-3462 The Sweet Life A new pool offers guests modern luxury in the shadow of a 17thcentury sugar refinery. MONTPELIER PLANTATION & BEACH, NEVIS, WEST INDIES BY Heidi Williams MONTPELIERNEVIS.COM There are many reasons to seek out Saint Kitts and Nevis, sister islands in the West Indies: the clear, utterly diveable ocean waters, lush rain forests within easy reach, and rich historical sites peppered with ancient architecture. • And at the heart of Nevis, sits Montpelier Plantation & Beach a painstakingly restored nineteen-room hotel that is as intriguing a spot to stay as the islands are a destination to explore. Montpelier has earned a reputation as one of the top resort hotels in the Caribbean, with its fve-star service and accommodations. It was converted to a hotel in 1960, shortly after the estate was purchased. It persevered, but in 2002, it was sold to the Hoffman family and since then, it has been transformed into a frst-class hotel. The inn features the exception- An ancient tree occupies a courtyard outside the Great House of Montpelier Plantation. 116 ally modern, including a 60-foot mosaic tiled pool overlooking Nevis Peak and a contemporary art gallery featuring the work of renowned Canadian artist Kirk Mechar. But it also remains steeped in tradition, including sourcing local food for its gourmet restaurant, which is housed in a historic three-hundred-year-old sugar mill that boasts a variety of architectural details including original steps, foors, and cutstone walls. The inn itself dates back to 1687, long before the island gained prominence for its sugarcane plantations, much less its tourist industry. The story goes that a man by the name of Sir Hans Sloane, then Secretary of the Royal Society of England and a doctor, discovered the location—750 feet above the sea. Despite its beauty, a hundred years would pass, and many battles would be waged from the estate, before the plantation gained prominence as a destination for relaxation. The niece of a Nevis president was Tempus-Magazine.com . Summer 2013 married on the property. And later its sugarcane plantations positioned it to become known as of the richest places on earth. History is evident all around. Cannons that date back to 1696 fank the door of the original sugar refnery that still sits on the property. Many reminders of the inn's ancient and recent history remain amid the sixty-