Sandpiper

In Depth

Sandpiper is in the best Nevisian style, a modern building using traditional methods which is both attractive and has a lovely seaside atmosphere. It has cut-stone foundations, timber frame walls and large full length doors and windows that open the house onto the veranda and the open air of the garden. It is familiar and has a lovely barefoot feel, which goes so well with the location within spitting distance of the beach in this lively end of the island.

You arrive at the house from the rear. A track off the coast road skirts the house behind a hedge and turns into a small car park. Cut stone steps lead down to the front door where there is a small portico either side of which palms stand sentry. Across the threshold you come into a small hall, which then opens out into the large main room. You are right at the heart of the house already.

The room is very open, with large windows and three sets of full length doors that open out onto the veranda ahead of you. The floor is laid with terracotta tiles and the colour scheme is bright and tropical, with a nice use of avocado green set against the white of the trim, the ceiling and the balustrades outside. And the traditional Caribbean design is clear to see, too. The timber beams are exposed in the walls and pitched ceiling. There are also louvers in the doors and windows. It is a very pleasant, liveable room.

It contains both the living and dining areas of the house. On the left as you enter is the sitting area, with a sofa facing forward over a table and a television set in the corner. On the right is the dining area, with a round teak table for four and wicker armchairs. And at the rear of the room on the right side is the kitchen, which is separated off slightly by a breakfast bar with a tiled counter containing the sink and drawers and cupboards for kitchenware. The rear wall has louvered cupboards and other kitchen equipment including the fridge, cooker and toaster.

The veranda at the front of the house is covered overhead to give some shade and bordered at the front by a white wooden balustrade. There is also some gingerbread trim, which contributes to the house’s pretty Caribbean style. It is set a storey above ground level here and it looks forward over the garden hedge to the sea and St Kitts in the distance - an exceptionally pretty view as the southern part of the island rises dramatically out of the water. The veranda outside reflects the use of the living room inside, with a wooden bench and armchairs for seating on the left hand side and a dining table for six on the right outside the dining area.

There are three bedrooms on this ground floor. The master bedroom is actually at the rear of the house to the left. It has the same exposed beams and louvered windows and unlike the man room the floor here is wooden. The colour scheme is blue and it has wooden furniture including a free-standing mirror and chest of drawers. There are light touches to go with the easy spirit of the place - the holder for the lavatory paper in the bathroom is a brightly painted house in Haitian style. The second bedroom is at the front of the house, leading off the veranda. It has a rusty red colour scheme and a rug on the wooden floor.

A third bedroom is at the rear of the house, leading off the kitchen. It contains three single beds and so it is ideal for children. The colour is the same jade as the first bedroom, with which it shares a bathroom. The fourth bedroom is on the storey below, at the front of the house. The room has a tiled floor but it has a similar rug to the bedrooms upstairs and large windows that look out onto the small lawn and gardens. It is accessed via steps leading off the veranda to the lower level.

Set in the front left corner of the garden is the swimming pool, which sits on a deck in the sloping land. It is a good size for a dip. The gardens are surrounded by a hedge of tropical greenery that provides seclusion from the properties next door and the views look back onto the island rather than out to sea. Scattered around the lawns you will find some very pretty varieties of palms - fishtail and foxtail palms among them – and of course tropical flowers, sprays of brightly coloured ixora and bougainvillea.

Sandpiper fits the spirit of many Nevis villas, which are stylishly if relatively simple - only a few places have that aseptic universal condominium style – where life is best lived barefoot. It is a very attractive villa in a natural Nevisian way and of course it has the great advantage of being very close to Oualie Beach, which is probably the liveliest on the island.

Beach & Swimming

It takes just two minutes to walk down the hill and across the road across to Oualie Beach. There you will find a nice stretch of mid-brown sand, very calm water and some palms under which you can shade yourself. Watersports are available and there is a beach bar to which you can retire in the heat of the day for a drink or a light meal.

There is a nice pool at Sandpiper, 12 by 24 feet in size, which is set in its own platform secluded by greenery. As the pool is enclosed in the front corner of the gardens, the view actually stretches back inland, so there is a nice view of the mountains.

Sports & Recreation

Watersports are available on Oualie Beach. Windsurf Nevis has kayaks and windsurfers and they also offer mountain biking, so you can explore the high roads and off-road tracks around the island. Scuba diving is available there too and Under the Sea Nevis takes out snorkelling expeditions. Horse riding is available for rides up in the hills and down along Pinney's Beach.

There is an excellent golf course at the Four Seasons Resort, where there is also a spa to which outside visitors are allowed. However, if you wish, a massage therapist can come to Sandpiper.

Locality

Sandpiper is situated in the north-west of Nevis about two miles from the airport at Newcastle and four or five from Charlestown. Across the road is Oualie Beach, which has a beach bar and restaurant that can be lively in the evenings. As you head south there are other beaches and bars an easy drive or ride away, including the Gallipot on Tamarind Bay and Pinneys Beach, where you will find Sunshine's and other bars. Charlestown is a very pretty town and is enjoyable to look around for a while.

There are some fun places to eat out around the island. For an atmospheric evening dining try Bananas at Cliffdwellers, Coconut Grove on Pinney's Beach or one of the lovely plantation inns on the south side of the island, Montpelier, the Hermitage or Golden Rock. Just close to Sandpiper is Miss June's, which serves a never-ending volley of excellent West Indian dishes, many of which originate in Trinidad. It is always a fun night out.

Useful Hints

Vervet monkeys often roam freely around the property. They may provide some entertainment, but be aware that they are wild animals and so you should not attempt to approach them or feed them.

The first night's meal, essential breakfast provisions and some beverages are offered complimentary with all complete house bookings. Additional shopping with no service charge is also offered. Rental rates for villas do not include 'tips', about which you will find advice in the guest information book at the villa.

Sandpiper is all about open-air living and is designed so that you fling open the full length doors and let in the natural air, which is then whipped up by ceiling fans to keep you cool. The property is not air-conditioned. It can be hot down by the beach.

Airport Meet & Greet

The managing agent will arrange for a taxi to meet you at your arrival point (either the airport or the ferry dock from St Kitts) and the agent will meet you personally at the house. We advise that rental cars be left at the house for your arrival, and not at the airport. This should be arranged at the time of booking your vehicle.

Getting Around

A hire car is strongly recommended for all private villa holidays. You will need it for exploring the island and visiting the beaches by day and the restaurants in the evenings. You can ask the rental agent to arrange a car for you. It can be delivered to the property and the rental company will issue your Nevisian driving licence (price US$25) at the same time. Alternatively we can recommend TDC Thrifty Car Rentals. For a small fee vehicles can be returned at the airport or be collected from the property at a pre-arranged time on your departure day. Be aware that over Christmas, February and even in August there can be a shortage of cars on Nevis, so you are advised to book well in advance.