Travel Diaries: Mustique
The Cotton House
We decided to go to Mustique for spring break fairly last minute, so the villa options were slim, which is why we ended up back at The Cotton House. When Matthew and I first started going to Mustique about fifteen years ago, we always stayed at The Cotton House because it was just the two of us and it’s such a unique island experience. We would stay in a room perfect for the two of us. We fell in love with Mustique and in love with the Cotton House. Once Caroline was born, we started staying in villas with another family we love to travel with (funny enough we met pre-children on Mustique, but that’s a story for another day because meeting them on an island does not do our friendship justice), all that to say… we had not been back to The Cotton House in quite some time. We were a little nervous to be going back to the hotel, afraid it would not be as enjoyable as in a villa; however, we absolutely loved it! To be on this quirky island is such a treat in and of itself, it did not matter to us if we were in a villa or the hotel. Our Cotton House stay brought back memories and we loved it so much, we decided to book another last minute stay in a few weeks for the four of us.
Mustique has a unique sense of island life that is definitely not for everyone. It has a friendly vibe, where you see the same people over and over and get to know their story over breakfast or the Tuesday night cocktail party, but it’s not a see and be seen place. With snorkeling, paddle boarding, tennis, hiking, a playground and the occasional movie night on the lawn for families, it has just enough action for us, but needless to say, it’s super quiet and understated. The natural beauty creates the perfect place to recharge as a family.
Next, our favorite beach . . . .Gelliceaux, “the secret beach”
MUSTIQUE beaches
In Town on Mustique . . . pink house, purple house, corea’s market, fruit stand, & sweetie pie’s bakery
The girls love a trip to “town” everyday, which should be said loosely because town consists of Corea’s (the grocery), The Pink House, The Purple House, and Sweetie Pie Bakery. Along the ocean you can pick out fresh seafood from a little fish hut and fresh produce from the Mustique vegetable stand. Oh, and there is a liquor store open only when they feel like opening it, no actual business hours.
The best mode of transportation on the island is a mule. Mules usually come with a villa rental, but they’re also available for rent if you’re staying at the Cotton House. I can’t imagine being on the island and not having a mule….some of the best beaches are found by traveling down on a dirt road. Mustique charm and authentic island feel is found most when exploring on a mule. It’s one of our favorite things to do on the island, just get out, drive around and explore.
basil’s bar
Basil’s Bar is a great place for a casual night on the island or a perfect lunch overlooking Britannia Bay. Basil’s serves classic bar food with a twist and the menu can be found here. Matthew, the girls, and I love listening to the local bands play and dancing at Basil’s. Happy hour (shirley temples and champagne) is also fun at Basil’s, or we love a low key atmosphere for a family beach dinner. Though any night is fun at Basil’s, it’s important not to miss “Jump Up” night, which was our best night on the island over spring break! The famous Basil himself is seen below in the second picture with Caroline and her friend we brought over spring break.
out & about around the cotton house
Dinner at the cotton house: the veranda, friday night at the beach club, & most importantly, the tuesday night cocktail party for the whole island
lunch at the beach cafe
I love not having to really think about where we’re going to eat on the island. If not in a villa with a chef, there are only a few options to chose from. The Veranda Restaurant at the hotel has come a long way with an a la carte menu and a staff ready to accommodate. The Beach Club is yummy for lunch, with a laid back vibe and fun bar overlooking the ocean. The Saturday night BBQ at The Beach Club is also not to be missed. Then, lastly off property, your only option is Basil’s, most enjoyed on Wednesday night for Jump Up to enjoy the sunset jazz, drinks, and upscale bar food.
Every Tuesday night, The Mustique Company hosts a cocktail party at The Veranda. Everyone on the island is invited and everyone usually goes. They set up a movie on the lawn for all children on the island with snacks, or children are welcome to attend the cocktail party. Everything is incredibly laid back and in fact children are not just welcome to attend, but encouraged to go, which makes this is perfect party for our family. We love having the girls with us when we meet new and interesting people, and the Mustique Cocktail party is definitely the place for some good stories and interesting people.
mustique tennis center
mustique equestrian
nighttime in our cottage
packing for tracy
packing for sarah
packing for caroline
(You can read more about the island here. This blog post is not sponsored by Mustique and all opinions are my own. Some items in the shop section are affiliate links)