The smallest change can feel drastic on an island without even a single traffic light. But at the five-star Paradise Beach Nevis, the latest addition is true to form—and even with the debut of five brand-new Beach Houses, it’s still the smallest, most intimate resort on the entire island. Set on a private white-sand beach with views of Mount Nevis and the channel to St. Kitts, all five Beach Houses are actually pole houses—that is, raised on stilts, a first of their kind in the Caribbean. Usually found in the South Pacific (think Fiji and Bora Bora) but mostly unheard of in the Caribbean, these stilted, bungalow-type abodes strike a chord with the far-flung tone set by the resort’s original Balinese-style villas.
Constructed by local craftsmen with two bedrooms, two bathrooms, wraparound porches, and thatched roofs, every nook and knob in the new houses were custom-made. Inside, British designer Naomi Cleaver elevated the look with discreet, vintage glamour. Full kitchens and lofty living rooms face the water and are outfitted with rattan dining chairs, plush emerald-green seats, gold-tinged accent lights, and glints of marble and metallic finishes. Awash in wood grains and white linens, the largest of two bedrooms features a hand-carved four-poster king bed beneath high-beamed ceilings. The design itself is all atmosphere, soaking in the surrounds from every angle. (Cleaver even placed bespoke mirrors throughout to ensure the beach is framed at all times, from sunrise to sunset.) Living rooms open wide to wooden decks where copper plunge pools are cocooned by palm trees.
The 36-square-mile island isn’t entirely under the radar (Park Hyatt St. Kitts opened on its doorstep, and the Four Seasons Resort Nevis just announced a renovation), which is perhaps the reason why Paradise Beach Nevis is resolute on intimacy at all costs. Each of the Beach Houses comes complete with a private concierge, while private Nevisian chefs are available to make these standalone bookings stand out with a human touch. Taking it one step further, exclusivity is on demand; at the press of a button, a drawbridge staircase disappears, making the Beach House’s deck float high above the sand and well out of reach. Here lies your very own stairway to heaven.
