The rich man’s playground, as the beatific island of Mustique is more playfully known, has remained relatively unchanged over the years. A far cry from the ‘here-to-be-seen’ atmosphere of St Tropez, Mustique remains charmingly low-key and friendly.
The island, roughly the size of Hyde Park, is situated amongst the Caribbean paradise of the Grenadines Islands yet holds the coveted status of being a rustic paradise. It’s only in the past couple of years have people begun to exchange their standard issue golf buggies for jeeps.
The island seemingly only has one etiquette requirement, that gentlemen must wear shirts inside the Correas General Store. Take note, a box of Weetabix will set you back 30 US dollars. Elsewhere, the island’s occupants stroll barefoot along sandy beaches, with little if any interest in star-spotting. The island retains a friendly first-name-basis atmosphere and the only time I’ve ever seen people take a second glance was when Paul McCartney came into Basil’s Bar -one of the island’s two beach side bars -accompanied by a leggy brunette, but we cannot begrudge a stare or two for a musical legend.
It is this lack of development which lends Mustique its charm. Aside from the general store, and two clothing stores adjoining it, you’ll find little more than a hotel, school and library in the way of non-residential structures, of which there are roughly sixty for rent.
There’s horse-riding and scuba diving for the more adventurous and every Wednesday, the scuba instructor Jan and her husband Louis play the blues on sax and piano respectively at Basil’s to the delight of adults and toddlers alike, who dance in circles around the rickety bar. In fact the island is so democratically inclined that it is impossible to reserve a tennis court more than two days in advance, so that everyone gets a chance. Weekly drinks parties are held to welcome new guests in the epicurean Cotton House Hotel, where one can indulge on a wine-tasting course with a world-class sommelier in the Organza draped living room-just one of the hotel’s many luxuries.
Villas start from £4,000 per week, and rooms in the Cotton House Hotel, from £400 per night.
For more information, see http://www.mustique-island.com/
