Featured, Real Estate, Rentals, Travel

The Island of Mustique

If you’re in search of a seaside home without the hassle of Hamptons traffic or Florida’s populated shores, perhaps it’s time to look a little farther afield to the tiny, privately owned Caribbean island of Mustique. By Lindsay Lambert.

Beginning with the late Princess Margaret, who received 10 acres of land on Mustique as a wedding gift in 1960 from her friend and the island’s then owner Colin Tennant (the present-day Lord Glenconner), members of the international elite have taken up residence here to enjoy a respite from their everyday lives. And while insiders will only identify prominent island dwellers as “captains of industry, fashion designers, architects,

financiers” and the like, one can with little effort unearth names of

several A-list inhabitants: Mick Jagger, Raquel Welch, David Bowie, and the late Paul Newman are among purported past and present homeowners here. An exciting recent development is that a trio of magnificent homes has emerged on the market in Mustique, meaning this little slice of paradise could be your very own home away from home.

Difficult at best to pinpoint on a map, Mustique is a speck of an island just 18 miles south of St. Vincent in the Grenadines in the southern Caribbean. And although just 1.9 square miles, what this tiny, exclusive islet offers in terms of luxurious living is anything but small. In fact, a controlled development plan devised by the island’s current owners—shareholders of The Mustique Company—ensures that Mustique is preserved in both its environment and its exclusivity. Thus, accommodations consist only of a 19-room boutique hotel, a four-bedroom guesthouse, and 100 privately owned villas, carefully situated throughout the island’s 1,400 acres. Whether you’re a resident or guest here, it’s virtually impossible to impose on your neighbors’ space, an idea that potential buyers find particularly appealing.

Homes in Mustique’s Villa Collection range in size from two to nine bedrooms and are strategically placed in various settings to provide optimum privacy and a range of price points. An eclectic blend of architectural styles includes those described by islanders as Caribbean Gingerbread, Tuscan, Balinese, French Chateau, Contemporary, Moroccan, and Palladian, among others. Each villa has been individually designed with the owner’s taste and style in mind, from classic Japanese to contemporary Mexican. Of particular historical significance are the 13 villas designed by Oliver Messel, the British theatrical set designer. Messel moved to Barbados in the 1950s, whereupon he took to designing and modifying residences. Messel later lent his talents to the island of Mustique, where he arrived in 1969 to begin restorative work on its now-sought-after Cotton House hotel. Ultimately, his collection of villas will remain among the island’s most popular residences.

Styles might vary, but some luxuries and amenities remain consistent throughout the entire villa collection—think spacious, landscaped grounds, private terraces, freshwater swimming pools, and yes, those ubiquitous breathtaking views. In addition to such creature comforts, villas are tended to by dedicated staffs, which are employed by each respective villa’s owner and managed by The Mustique Company. To ensure that every stay is completely hassle-free, a minimum of three staffers—most often including a butler and/or house manager—oversee each home, but insiders at The Mustique Company say that number tends to increase along with acreage, square footage, and, of course, the owners’ individual needs.

Approximately 1,300 people inhabit the island during peak season, and residents pride themselves on their discretion and respect for each other’s privacy. Anonymity is, after all, what draws so many owners and guests here to begin with. Yet unavoidable is the fact that so many notables make Mustique their home for at least part of every year. Among them is fashion designer Tommy Hilfiger. Hilfiger is said to have repeatedly visited Mustique for more than a decade before commissioning his own sprawling, six-bedroom villa (complete with five surrounding guest cottages) named Palm Beach, which was completed in 1999. Ten years later, he still calls Mustique “the ultimate private paradise.”

So also say Tatiana and Gerret Copeland, who own the island’s Toucan Hill villa: “Mustique is a place where dreams become reality. We have always found Mustique the closest thing to paradise in our lives,” the Copelands say. “And we love our home, with its amazing views, warm and friendly staff, delicious food, drinks at sunset overlooking the infinite water—life is good!”

Here’s good news for anyone who’d like to own a corner of this private paradise: The Mustique Company at press time reported three villas available for sale. On-the-market manses include Seascape, a three-bedroom villa situated on 8.7 acres of beachfront, affording views of Bequia and St. Vincent. Seascape’s residents can laze in one of two freshwater pools or enjoy a film in its media room for a mere $18 million. In a very different setting, the four-bedroom Rutland Hill occupies a hilltop lot spanning 20 acres overlooking the ocean. A centralized swimming pool gives way to panoramas of the beach and sea, which residents can also absorb from private balconies off each bedroom. Five staffers manage Rutland Hill, the asking price for which is $15 million.

A third and final property for sale, the contemporary Iguana, occupies 4.47 acres on a promontory offering 180-degree views including the popular Macaroni Beach to the east, St. Vincent to the north, and Britannia Bay to the west. Iguana actually comprises two parallel main structures—principal living areas in the westward-facing first building and bedrooms in the other eastward-facing building—yielding a courtyard that is open at one end, lest those breathtaking views be obstructed. A lower level, reachable by an external staircase, is dedicated to guest accommodations, a fitness room, and an infinity-edge pool; the asking price is $17.8 million. A 4.8-acre lot on Brittania Bay is also available for a cool $7.5 million—a far cry from the $67,500 Tennant first paid in 1958 to call the entire island his own—and is the perfect foundation on which to build the ultimate beachfront dream home.

Of course, those who aren’t quite ready to buy can still try their hand at island life, with villas like Sapphire and Hibiscus at the ready for rental. The three-bedroom open-air Sapphire recently was reintroduced into the rental program with weekly rates beginning at $12,000. Although Hibiscus’s arched doorways and windows evoke images of the Tuscan countryside, its 270-degree ocean and island views—perhaps best appreciated while afloat in the infinity-edge pool—are unmistakably Mustique. Rates for Hibiscus begin at $16,000.

Homeowners here are among the first to admit there’s much more to Mustique than its real estate. “We fell in love with Mustique in the early 1980s and have never found a place to equal it in all our travels throughout the world,” says Tatiana Copeland. “The island has a magical combination of fantasy, serenity, intriguing houses (and owners), and privacy, as well as perfect parties.”

Perhaps between parties, then, residents and guests alike revel in the island’s unspoiled environment, which, combined with a tropical climate that sees an average yearly temperature of 81 degrees, is conducive to more than a dozen recreational activities tailored to nearly every imaginable pace.

Facilities for sports staples like basketball, tennis, volleyball, soccer, and cricket are found throughout the island. For duffers, a dedicated Activities Department can easily arrange a round of golf at Trump International Golf Course on neighboring Canouan Island, a 10-minute flight or 45-minute ride by boat. Boating enthusiasts can take to the sea surrounding Mustique on a number of privately chartered excursions, be it a sunset cruise, a powerboat day trip, or a leisurely sail aboard a luxury yacht to nearby islands like Petit St. Vincent, Canouan, Tobago Cays, Palm Island, Mayreau, and Bequia.

Islanders who prefer to rely on the land for leisure won’t want for options, either. Mustique’s latticework of trails—designed to be traversed by foot or on horseback—has proved to be popular means by which to explore the island’s brilliant flora, sneak a peek at wildlife, and learn about its history firsthand. A 2.2-mile fitness trail is punctuated with 14 exercise stations, beckoning the fitness-focused to test their might. Jeeps, motorcycles, and mountain bikes are available for rent through Mustique Mechanical Services, meaning adrenaline junkies can enjoy the island at an even more heart-pounding pace. Without a doubt, Mustique’s most popular natural draw is the nine beaches that abut the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, which ably play host to leisurely picnics and, simply, sunbathing.

Mustique’s intimate size and community spirit are perhaps best exemplified in its restaurant and entertainment offerings. At Basil’s Beach Bar & Restaurant, proprietor and longtime resident Basil Charles welcomes guests, day visitors, and villa owners 365 days a year for casual fare in a beachfront setting. The stilted, seaside establishment is a favorite for its sunset views and is the scene each Wednesday of “Jump Up & Barbecue,” a festive night set to live music. Even for residents of this little island, reservations at the popular hangout come strongly recommended.

Another popular gathering spot in Mustique is the Firefly Guest House, from which cocktail bar guests enjoy sunset views over Britannia Bay that are said to be nothing short of legendary. Then, after the sun goes down, guests head to Firefly’s infamous Mustique Martini Club. The club’s martini menu reads like a nature guide, touting concoctions like the Jitterbug, Termite, Dragon Fly, and Bumble Bee. Not to be missed is the Mustique Champagne Club, whose menu boasts cocktails of Champagne blended with everything from Crème de Cassis to Cointreau and light, fruity flavors. Guests who want simply to sate a five-star appetite can enjoy breakfast, lunch, and dinner at Firefly as well, with a candlelit dinner on its balcony reportedly one of the most romantic experiences imaginable on the island.

The crowning jewel, however, is the island’s 19-room boutique hotel, the Cotton House. The hotel began as an 18th century cotton warehouse and sugar mill, but today, thanks largely to Messel’s restorative work in the 1960s, it is the social centerpiece of Mustique. Widely known as one of the Caribbean’s most exclusive and romantic inns, the Colonial-style Cotton House attracts guests with its beachy-yet-elegant atmosphere. Accommodations, which consist of a series of bedrooms, suites, and cottages, as well as the Cotton Hill Residence, feature understated, fuss-free décor—a basic, earthy palette is punctuated with pops of brilliant color, and dreamy details like frothy mosquito nets hung from four-poster beds—that allows panoramic island and ocean views to take center stage.

Happily for island residents, owning or renting a villa here also means having access to the hotel’s top-notch amenities. The Veranda restaurant serves breakfast and dinner daily from a menu of fresh, local offerings, while the Beach Café Restaurant & Bar is a more casual stop where beachgoers can break for items like fried seafood, pizza, lobster, and entrees hot off the grill. But no stay on Mustique would be complete without a visit to the Cotton House Spa. The intimate ESPA facility offers an impressive variety of massages, facials, specialized body and signature treatments, and other beauty services, nearly all of which feature natural, if not locally produced, ingredients. Most treatments can also be enjoyed in the privacy of a guest’s room at the Cotton House or in their very own villa—just one more perk of living life in paradise.

Mustique by the Numbers

$67,500 - Price paid by Colin Tennant to purchase Mustique in 1958.

1,300 - Average number of residents on island during peak season.

100 - The number of private residences on Mustique.

72 - Villas available to rent through the island’s rental program.

17 - Countries represented by shareholders of The Mustique Company, which owns the island of Mustique.

3 - Minimum number of staffers dedicated to each particular villa.

81 - Average temperature on island.

1,400 - Size of Mustique in acres.

3,180 - Length in feet of Mustique’s private airstrip.

19 - Guest accommodations in the Cotton House hotel.

4 - Bedrooms at Firefly Guest House.

65 - Percentage of repeat visitors to Mustique.

Buyer Facts and Figures

Properties for Sale by Name:
Iguana: 4.47 acres; $17.8 million (hilltop/promontory)
Seascape: 8.7 acres; $18 million (oceanfront)
Rutland Hill: 20 acres; $15 million (hilltop/promontory)
Lot 1 (Britannia Bay): 4.8 acres; $7.5 million

Contact for Ownership Opportunities
Roger Pritchard, Managing Director: 784-488-8402;
Cordelia@mustique.vc
Rental inquiries should be sent to: villarentals@mustique.vc
General information: mustique-island.com