Your Own Private Island
Suzanne Russo
Hold the phones-you’ve just reached paradise
Oprah Winfrey, Daniel Craig and Tony Blair all love to retreat in Petit St. Vincent. Here’s what makes this ultraprivate Caribbean destination so luxurious. – by Suzanne Russo
In today’s world, bigger tends to be better and more is … well, more. In vacation terms, that means a luxury resort with six pools trumps a measly single-pool resort, and its rooms had best have flat screens, right?
At Petit St. Vincent, a private resort island in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, the answer is an emphatic “no” that resounds from the jewel-toned Caribbean Sea on one side of the island to the electric blue Atlantic-visible from each of the 22 well-appointed cottages-on the other. This favorite retreat of the worldwide elite, including Daniel Craig, is proof that less also can be more, especially when you already have it all and are simply looking to get away from it.
YOUR WISH IS THEIR COMMAND
Aside from the quiet it affords, the tiny size of Petit St. Vincent allows staff to cater to the whims of its visitors. Whether that means moving furniture to meet the specifications of repeat guests (some have been spending months at a time here for decades) or setting up a romantic dinner in a thatched gazebo at the edge of a dock, no request is too large on this tiny island. Even more gratifying than the fulfillment of these desires, however, is the act of asking for them, conducted by filling out a scroll, inserting it in the whimsical flagpole in front of one’s cottage and raising the yellow flag that signals assistance needed.
PRIVACY TO THE EXTREME
Equally rewarding, and perhaps of more importance, is the raising of the red flag that ensures absolute privacy. It’s often possible to roam the entire 113 acres without seeing any other guests, and the good folks at Petit St. Vincent work hard to cultivate the idea that each group has the island entirely to itself. If an exclusive stone cottage and private stretch of beach is not enough, one can always do as U2 did and rent the entire island. Free rein of Petit St. Vincent and all its activities, from paddling in a glass-bottomed kayak to a workout in the halcyon yoga hut, can be yours for the low, low price of $45,000.
Instead of going this extravagant route, Oprah Winfrey and Bill Gates stay on their yachts, while Gates has held evening parties at the nearby sandbar that is also a great spot for lounging or snorkeling during the day. As for Tony Blair, he’s less concerned with parties and more with well-being. When visiting the island, Blair enjoys stress management sessions with massage therapist and yoga teacher Lisa Williams. In keeping with the minimalist theme, there is no fancy spa where guests feel they have to tiptoe and speak in whispers. Instead, Williams comes directly to the cottage and sets up shop wherever guests choose. I took my massage on the deck-there was certainly something liberating about the combination of massage with the placating sound of the ocean and the tickle of breeze on the skin. Who would have thought the basics could be so luxurious?
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