Two of My Primary 2023 Resolutions in One Photo
It’s a view we’ve shared in the past, but also one that informs our future. Well, at least it informs my future, my 2023 resolutions, and where you’ll find me at some point next year. The scene, of course, is Belle Mont Farm in Saint Kitts. In the earliest days of Uncommon Caribbean, Patrick was lucky enough to check-in here. What he discovered was, in many ways, the quintessential place to stay for uncommon travelers.
The vision here was 180-degrees from typical luxury resort development across the Caribbean. Instead of providing visitors with a gilded cage-style fantasy escape removed from the local scene and largely benefitting offshore interests, Belle Mont Farm was purpose-built to ensconce travelers in the local scene. It was all about sustainability, with direct and very tangible economic linkages created to benefit local Kittitians.
As Patrick noted way back then, it was less luxury resort than an organic farm with guesthouses.
So, what is Belle Mont Farm now? Has it lived up to its altruistic vision?
We’ve heard varying answers to these questions in recent years, the majority of them skewing negative. One of my top 2023 resolutions is to finally visit Belle Mont Farm myself to find the truth. In the process, I’m also hoping to visit the tiny island pictured off on the horizon.
That, of course, is Sint Eustatius, better known as Statia. The Dutch Caribbean enclave has been on my New Year’s travel resolutions list for as long as I can remember. Somehow, I’ve never managed to pay Statia a visit.
This time, though, things will be different. Reason: Golden Rock Resort.
The hottest new resort in the Caribbean, at least according to me, Golden Rock seems cut from similar cloths as Belle Mont Farm. Sustainability is a big emphasis here as well. The resort takes great pains to limit any strain on local resources. It has also invested heavily in technologies that limit the resort’s carbon footprint without compromising elegance and comfort.
Sounds perfect, though I wonder if the “gilded cage” aesthetic is in effect here..?
These and other questions inspire my 2023 resolutions. What travel questions are you hoping to answer in the coming year? Share them with us here and let’s see if we can answer them together!