Insider’s Guide: A Decade of Visiting Mustique

For this interview, I spoke with an individual who has rented a house in Mustique with her family once a year over the past decade. Want expert advice on visiting the island? Look no further. We discuss what to book in advance, the best spots for a beachside lunch, and the features that make Mustique perfect for families.

What brought you to Mustique?

We were looking for a destination where the whole family (ten of us, two couples with three young children each) could stay in the same house. We had heard about Mustique and knew it had large houses with full staff, chefs, and everything you could need.

How do you get to Mustique? Once there, is it a lengthy trip to the house itself? 

It is a long travel day to reach Mustique. There are direct flights from cities like Philadelphia and Miami into Saint Lucia and Barbados, and from there you take a connecting flight to Mustique. They also have a new airport in Saint Vincent with direct flights from New York; it is a ten-minute plane ride from Saint Vincent to Mustique. If you want to fly private, check out flying through Canouan. No private planes are allowed at the Mustique airport. You land at the island’s tiny airport, and members of your house staff are there to greet you. They’re dressed up in tuxedos, giving you the warmest welcome you will ever receive. They take your luggage and bring you to the house in Gators. The rest of the staff welcomes you there with drinks and appetizers. The arrival once on the island is great. 

How many days do you usually spend in Mustique?

We usually go for ten days. You can easily stay for just a week, but, with two lengthy travel days, we find it best to stay longer and get the most out of the trip.

What is the weather like in the different months you’ve visited? The crowds? Any time of year you recommend for a trip? 

We have been in June, November, and during spring break – all phenomenal. June and November are noticeably less crowded than spring break. In November, it rains once a day for an hour or two in the afternoon. But, if you don’t mind that (we don’t, as it's a nice time to relax), November is perfect. During spring break and June, it’s tropical weather with stronger breezes – it gets very windy. 

The ideal time to go is November to July. I wouldn’t recommend going in September and October, as everything is a little quiet and shut down.

So, people stay primarily in rental houses on the island, but there is one hotel called Cotton House. Can you tell me about it? Do you ever go for meals?

I have never stayed at Cotton House, but all the houses have a ‘membership’ to Cotton House – so you go to use the beach, eat meals, attend happy hours. They have a beach bar, a restaurant on the beach, and a beach set up. We often eat at the beach, and you can charge your meal to the house. 

The weekly happy hours hosted at Cotton House are a must-go. You meet other guests on the island, and during your stay, you can host or attend cocktail parties with them, all set up by the staff at your respective houses – they do an unbelievable job organizing these.  

How many staff members work in each of the houses?

The staff size depends on the size of the house. So if you rent a two-bedroom house, you may only have a house manager and chef. If you rent a ten-bedroom house, you will have more staff.

How many houses are there in Mustique? Who should someone reach out to regarding renting a home on the island?

There are about 120 - 150 houses on the island, and they are all privately owned. There are only a few houses in Mustique that do not rent. If you are interested in renting, contact Shelley McLaughlin at the Mustique Company. She works out of New York and can book everything for you. Their website is excellent, full of helpful information and pictures. 

Any houses you recommend?

One day a week, they offer tours of all the houses for sale, so I have seen many of them. There is not a bad house on the island. They come in all shapes/sizes: small, medium, large – old school or renovated. Houses with theaters, houses with a nanny suite. 

Do you always rent the same house, or have you stayed in different houses?

We’ve rented two houses in our time there. We stayed at Sleeping Dragon on our first visit, which was great. It was far from the main town area and Cotton House. When staying at Sleeping Dragon and other houses up on the mountain, you need a Gator to bring you everywhere. Blackstone, where we stay now, is within walking distance to Cotton House, town, tennis courts, etc.

What are the beaches like? How far are they from your house? 

There are several beach options, all a five to ten-minute drive by Gator. The staff brings a beach setup for you and can arrange picnics with incredible food.

Do you book these picnics/beach spots in advance?

We set up everything weeks before. Several beaches are available, each offering numerous options for a lunch setup. We make reservations in advance because of the high demand for specific locations.

What are your favorites? Best lunch spot?

My favorite is Lagoon Beach, which has two sides. Macaroni Beach is one of the best as well. It has great hikes leading to and from. Blacksand Beach is near Les Jolies Eaux, Princess Margaret’s House, and it is my favorite spot. There is only one picnic spot there, which is newer and harder to get to. You need to make that reservation ahead of time. 

All the spots are good, depending on the party size. At one picnic spot, they have this tradition where you brand your name in charcoal on the pavilion, and when we return each year, we can find our names and the date we ate there. For booking these beachside lunches, ask your house manager. They take care of all the arrangements and can recommend their favorite locations.

Do people eat at the hotel as well?

Yes, you can eat at Cotton House during the day. If it's not busy, a reservation may not be needed, but definitely make one during the holiday season.

What about dinners? Do you eat at Cotton House or go to restaurants? 

In Mustique, you don’t really go out to dinner. Cotton House might host a few buffets, but you mostly eat at the house because your chef is amazing. People might go to Basil’s at nine or ten PM for drinks, live music, and dancing. Mustique has no nightclub, so this is the ‘going-out’ spot. 

You mentioned the cocktail parties and socializing with other guests earlier, which kind of qualifies as ‘going out.’ Do you get to know a ton of new people? 

You meet people from around the world, many of whom are repeat guests you have met in previous years. People host cocktail hours and dinners at their houses throughout the week – the staff is so phenomenal that they can set up anything you want. 

What is the attire at these parties?

Anything goes. There is no dress code. I would be in my bathing suit and cover-up for dinner. The Cotton House cocktail party on Tuesdays is when people dress up. If you want to wear something nice, that is the night to do it.

What are the day-to-day activities like?

Hiking is really big in Mustique. There are several to do around the island, and they are easy enough to navigate that you can go without a guide. They have a swim around the island and typical water sports, like kayaking and snorkeling. 

Mustique also has this phenomenal scuba certification program led by Keon. He and his team are excellent teachers. They gave my son a love of scuba diving. There is also an effort to rebuild the reef and cultivate all the different species; people come from around the world to work on that. 

There are boats available – but not many – to visit different islands. We’ve taken a boat to Canouan, but I wouldn’t recommend it to someone who gets seasick. The waters can get a little choppy. 

If you are into shopping, there are a few boutiques, such as Pink House, Purple House, and the spa shop. They are really cute, and you can find bathing suits, cover-ups, and items like that. 

I’ve heard they have a great tennis program at Mustique. Is that something you book in advance? Is there a pro shop on-site? 

The tennis is amazing. Richard, the head of the program, is excellent. He brings pros in from Saint Vincent, who are the best teachers. They have clinics and host tournaments, which is another way to get to know other guests. You can reserve courts or lessons ahead of time. I make sure we have Yanic, our favorite pro, for a morning session while we are there. For the clinics in the afternoon, you can drop in. There is a pro shop where you can purchase gear (even tennis shoes) and rent equipment.

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Horseback riding is offered as well? 

The equestrian program is top-notch. The staff is from England and Mexico, and they are wonderful. You can take lessons, and the kids often ride the horses to the ice cream shop in town. They also do water rides, and you don’t have to be experienced to participate. The feeling of being on the horse while it’s swimming is phenomenal. Book horseback riding ahead of time, as it fills up immediately. 

I don't remember hearing about a golf course on Mustique. Is there an island nearby that has golf?

My family isn’t really into golf, but Mustique offers a flight to Canouan for guests who want to play. The golf there is great, and it is easy to get in and out. Again, I recommend contacting The Mustique Company or your house manager to set that up. 

Is there a spa? What is offered?

Cotton House has a spa. You can always get appointments there, but I would reserve in advance if you want a premiere time, such as in the morning. The treatments are simple and good: facial, massage, manicure, or pedicure. Basic but enjoyable. 

There are so many amazing activities available for kids and adults. How does payment work? Is there a fee?

All of the activities are a la carte. You can charge them to your house, but they add on a 10% surcharge fee. I recommend putting your credit card down instead.

I assume there isn't a Kids Club per se, but what about babysitters on the island?

Part of the reason we love going to Mustique is the childcare. We have little kids, and we want childcare that will do activities with them and keep them busy. We brought two babysitters the first time we visited, which was a mistake. They didn’t know how to drive the gator, so they couldn’t take the children out of the house.  

So you want to hire Mustique nannies for the week ahead of time. It is cheaper to hire for the week rather than hourly. You either pay minimal costs for their staff housing or, if you have space for them, they stay with you – that just depends on what kind of house you rent. 

The nannies have a network and will organize playdates with the children in other houses so that your kids can meet others their age. We still get a nanny even though our kids are a bit older now, as the nanny can take them to activities. The nannies are top-notch – they will be in the waves swimming with the kids. Guests hire them to come back to the US. That’s how good they are. 

Also, the doctor on the island is amazing. We’ve had some medical issues, and the hospital there can treat you or your children for anything.

It sounds like the service is phenomenal. How do you handle tipping?

The service is phenomenal. The staff is the same every year – very stable employment, as working there is a well-respected and highly sought-after job in the islands. You get to know everyone very well; it’s like a big family. 

Tipping-wise, we tip ten percent of the cost of the house for the week. Five to ten percent is the suggested amount, as it is European tipping. I am sure Americans come and tip twenty percent, but we do something different: shipping certain products to Mustique is difficult, so we ask the staff for any orders from Amazon. We bring presents to the island for them as a thank-you gift. 

You’ve been going back for ten years – Mustique obviously has a special place in your heart.  Any negatives you can think of? 

One thing I would say is that some of the houses need a bit of a touch-up or renovation. Ours needs new linens and towels, and structurally it has some wear and tear because of the salt and the wind. The water pressure and piping could use some modernization – the staff housing floods a little when it rains. The owner is currently renovating actually. It isn’t rentable until spring break this year.  

The same thing applies to other houses; they need upkeep and renovation. Mustique is so remote that renovation can be difficult. Many houses are modern and state of the art, so it is just a difference to be aware of. That being said, definitely do not discount the older houses. They are beautiful but do require more care and upkeep.