Island Hilltop Resort Overlooking Caribbean Sea

The Leeward Islands, the northernmost cluster of isles in the Lesser Antilles archipelago, were named after the prevailing trade winds that blow in their direction. For the most part, though, the breezes are balmy on the 36-square-mile island of Nevis, which has an average temperature that hovers around 78 degrees Fahrenheit. The cozy resort of Mount Nevis Hotel and Beach Club commands a sweeping view of the Caribbean Sea and the surrounding Leeward Islands, as it resides at a high elevation near Nevis Peak—a volcano that sits 3,232 feet above sea level. The 32-room hotel is situated on the site of a former lime plantation, amid 17 acres of lush palm trees.

Overwhelming positive reviews on the website TripAdvisor helped earn Mount Nevis Hotel the TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence for 2011. Inside the resort's two-story pavilions, each of the 665-square-foot superior suites come equipped with kitchens, and guests can howl at the moon on balconies or patios. Inside, the colorful, floral curtains, wooden vaulted ceilings, and white wicker furniture contribute to a laid-back, tropical vibe. For beach-goers, the hotel provides a complimentary shuttle ride to nearby beaches, where lodgers relax on swaths of sand.

At the onsite Mount Nevis Hotel Restaurant, the kitchen whips up Caribbean-American fusion fare such as blackened Nevis red-snapper fillet and grilled strip-loin steak. The menu gets spiced up with weekly theme nights such as Gourmet Flambé Night, when chefs prepare inventive dishes, douse them in spirits, and then light them ablaze. The restaurant's patio overlooks the hotel’s 60-foot freshwater pool.

Nevis, West Indies: Colonial Roots and Unfettered Caribbean Scenery

European ships frequented the West Indies—and Nevis in particular—in the centuries after Christopher Columbus made his overseas voyage. The isle became known as the “Queen of the Caribbees” due to the influx of wealth created from sugar plantations. Though Nevis officially became an independent nation in 1983, remnants of European colonization still dot the area, from the Georgian-style architecture in Charlestown to the sugar-plantation ruins scattered across the island. At the edge of the hotel’s property are the historic remains of the nearly 200-year-old Cottle Church, constructed by former President of Nevis and plantation owner John Cottle in 1824.

At the Botanical Gardens of Nevis, visitors can lose themselves in the 5-acre collection of tropical plants, which range from palms to exotic blooming orchids to water lilies. There's also an enclosed rainforest conservatory, where resident tropical parrots gossip about who's wearing feather extensions.