The Frangipani, Bequia

My base in Bequia for five nights was the charming Frangipani Hotel, known locally as the Frangi.

Located on the waterfront, it's the sort of place where you could sit on deck chairs for hours on end and watch the slow pace of life go by in Admiralty Bay. Fishermen and children would walk past, by the water's edge. Yachties would tie up their inflatable boats on the pier and then come to the Frangi for a beer and to catch up on news of home from their netbooks. Almost everyone who visits Bequia ends up going at least once to this island meeting place. Even Harrison Ford has been seen propping up the bar, casually dressed in shorts and tshirt and talking to locals.

The Frangi has an al-fresco dining area, where, amongst other things, they serve a great traditional English fry-up and strong pots of coffee for breakfast. There is also very good seafood and on Thursday night, a barbeque and a steel band attracts yachties and locals alike.

The Frangi has a fascinating history.

In 1897, this strip of land along the waterfront was bought by James "Harry" Mitchell, a descendant of Scottish immigrants and African slaves, for his wife as a wedding gift. For this boat-building family, the land was used for constructing wooden schooners and fishing boats. Then, after a devastating hurricane in 1927, the two-storey stone and wood house, with its steep roof (as protection against strong winds) was built in 1931. It still stands to this day, with many of the original features and materials in place.

Over the next thirty years, the downstairs section was used as a chandlery and storage area, while the upstairs, with a view over the bay, was the living quarters.

In 1939, the Gloria Colita, largest of all the wooden schooners ever built on Bequia, was launched from the property. A year later, while transporting trade goods, it was found drifting and battered in the Bermuda Triangle, with all crew missing, including Reginald Mitchell (Harry's son).

Twenty-something years later, in 1967, the Frangipani was opened as a hotel, by James "Son" Mitchell (Reginald's son). He had returned to his birthplace from agricultural studies and work in Trinidad, Canada and Europe, at a time when tourism in the Caribbean was begining to take off.

In the following years, while running the hotel and bringing up a family, James became a political representative in the Grenadine islands. This was the start of his political career, which took him on to becoming a Premier in the 70s (before independence in 1979), setting up the NDP party and then serving as Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines, for four consecutive terms from 1984 to 2001.

James and his siblings were delivered by the island's only midwife in what is now room number 1 at the front of the original house. It happened to be the room I was staying in and I think it's the first time I've slept in a Prime Minister's birthplace. I felt quite honoured.

James is now retired and lives again on Bequia, back in his house in the grounds of the Frangipani. Casually-dressed in his shorts and shirt and blending in with the yachties, no guest would ever think he was an ex-PM.

I loved staying in the 1930s house, with its original woodwork, simple furnishings and veranda overlooking the sea. This, for me, felt like the quintessential Caribbean.

For those wanting a bit more luxury and larger rooms, the Frangipani also has garden cottages, built from local stone and hardwoods, and located on a low rise in the grounds of the property.

Graded into Garden, Deluxe Hillside and Air Con Deluxe, all ensuite rooms are super comfortable and cool, with stone and wood interiors.

From their terraces, the view of Admiralty Bay is superb.

Rooms at the Frangipani vary from US$50 for single use of a Standard room in the original house in low season, to US$250 for the Air Con Deluxe in high season. A 10% service charge is not included.

The Frangi, with its unbeatable seafront location, charm, relaxed atmosphere, interesting local history and friendly family-run atmosphere is a recommendation for anyone coming to Bequia.

For further information, please visit www.frangipanibequia.com

To Port Elizabeth, Bequia island

Bequia "island of clouds" in the Carib language, is the northernmost of the idyllic-sounding Grenadine islands, which dot shallow turquoise seas between St Vincent and Grenada.

It lay entincingly close on the near-horizon from St Vincent and, in the last few days, I had been looking forward to making my way there. There are several ferries a day leaving from Kingstown and I caught the four o'clock out of the harbour, joining a few local families, who had bag-loads of shopping. It was an hour's journey across the strait, and as we crossed the sea an eight year-old Bequian boy kept us amused with his stories of crab and lobster-catching with his father.

The ferry made its way into the sheltered Admiralty Bay, filled with yachts and fishing boats and surrounded by a crescent of low pale-green hills. The capital of Bequia, more a village than a town, is called Port Elizabeth, named after the Queen Mother, Elizabeth Bowes Lyon, who visited in 1937.

Just outside the ferry dock, people sat in the shade of Indian almond trees. This was was also the stop for the one-dollar (1 East Caribbean Dollar, equivalent to 25 Euro cents) minibuses which headed off to villages across the island. Here, I tried a cup of spinachy Callalou soup from a vendor. Later, I found out that this gathering spot under the trees is known as the Houses of Parliament. I guess on an island with only 6000 inhabitants, much of the news, gossip, networking and decision-making happens here.

Along the waterfront, there is a pedestrian path and small road, lined by a few shops and bars. Occasionally an old landrover or scooter would pass.

 

Here was the Bequia Pizza Hut.

And there was a little (or lickle, as the islanders say) wooden cottage, where sailing trips around the island could be organised.

 

The Green Boley, one of several bars overlooking the bay.

This was along the Belmont walkway, built a few inches above sea-level.

Which also took me to the charming and historic Frangipani Hotel, my home for the next five days.

The setting was idyllic, on the edge of the water, with a pier where yachties and fishermen would disembark.

On the other side of the ferry dock in Port Elizabeth, there are more shops, with a fair proportion specialising in boating equipment, sail-mending, boat-building, traditional main-stays of this island.

I loved this old abandoned Land Rover on the beach. I asked the boy how long it had been there. He shrugged his shoulders. Longer than he's been alive, maybe.

All village services and shops were marked with the VHF 68 sign, so that yachties and locals could put in orders more easily. You could be on your yacht and VHF Miranda's Laundry or the Bequia Pizza Hut and they would come out and deliver.

At the entrance to the bay, high on a promontory, stands Fort Hamilton (named after Alexander Hamilton, who was born on Nevis and went on to become one of the founding fathers of the US constitution and the country's first treasurer). The fort was built in the late 1700s to protect the island against French raiders and, ironically, American privateers.

At the end of a day on Bequia, sunset across Admiralty Bay was almost always like this.

Beachcombers, from beachside cottage to boutique hotel

Five kilometres east of Kingstown, St Vincent's capital,  is a stretch of coastline with white sand beaches, turquoise waters and shallow reefs. Bequia island in the distance marks the start of the Grenadines.

I arrived there mid-morning, and headed straight for the pier, from where I looked down onto inviting transparent waters. A twenty-something woman was having her lunch-break, feet dangling over the edge, joined by a young guy with a radio.

Along Villa beach, the view was out over a shallow channel to Young Island.

I went in to see Beachcombers, a family-owned hotel, now managed by the third generation. It started off as a weekend seaside cottage in a garden of mango and guava trees, where the current managers spent their childhood holidays. Slowly, it turned into a small bed and breakfast. On the veranda, breakfast was served from antique mahogany trays, originally shipped out from Scotland, when the family emigrated to St Vincent.

In the early 90s, more cottages were built, along with a beachside pool and open dining area, turning the bed and breakfast into a boutique hotel.

The family has purposefully limited the number of rooms, to maintain the peaceful nature of Beachcombers, with its gardens leading down to the sea.

Within the gardens, there is a wooden cottage, built in a traditional island style, which houses the Standard Rooms.

Recently, a luxury two-storey Caribbean-style house has been completed. Overlooking the sea, each of these rooms has a large terrace.

Downstairs are the Deluxe Rooms, fit for any distinguished traveller.

Upstairs are the even more luxurious Suites and Super Deluxe Rooms, with marvellous four-poster beds, cool wooden floors, modern kitchenettes, dining areas and large private terraces.

If you're wanting to treat yourself (you don't need to be a visiting head of state or owner of a successful company), you may choose to stay in the Presidential Suite, which feels like a house in its own right. A huge bed, tasteful dark wooden furnishings, luxurious bathroom, fully-equipped kitchen, dining table for six, lounge and terrace all come included. 

Beachcombers recently had a group of Caribbean Prime Ministers staying here. I would love to find out which country's leader had the fortune of staying in the Presidential Suite, and whether the decision was made on the toss of a coin or a high-powered negotiation between island states. Would the lucky one have been Anguilla, St Vincent, Grenada or Trinidad?

In any case, Carlita who works behind the bar, later told me that the Prime Ministers were all very charming, approachable and down-to-earth. Maybe they decided it would be unfair for one person to get the best room.

Then, chatty smiley Carlita wanted to serve me a local fruit juice. I tried something I never had or even heard of before- golden apple. Very refreshing, the fruit (as in the photo) was picked from a tree in the hotel garden. She laughed, as she told me that each country had a different name for it- golden apple here, plum in Jamaica and pomme-sette in Trinidad.

All the staff I met at Beachcombers were super friendly. Carlita at the bar, Alex in the kitchen, Karen who showed me around, the smiling receptionists and Beverley, third generation joint-manager. The place has skillfully managed to maintain the relaxed, friendly and happy feel of a family's beachside house.

Apart from Prime Ministers and Canadian musicians, Beachcombers is popular with those wanting a quiet, natural place to stay on the island. Guests include businessmen, mountain hikers and explorers, divers, beach-lovers, honeymooners and yachties on the way to the Grenadines. 

With superb value for money, prices range from US$65 for a single occupancy of a Standard Room in low season to US$275 for double occupancy of the Presidential Suite in high season. Prices are for room only and exclude 20% taxes. For further information, please visit www.beachcombershotel.com