Trinidadian entrepreneur Val Kempadoo describes Kittitian Hill, his 400-acre sustainable resort and farm on the island of St. Kitts, as a “labour of love”. “I’m not a hotelier,” he says, “but a large part of my life has been about creating meaningful change. I’d worked in media and politics, and when I turned my attention to the hospitality business I discovered that the models being used across the Caribbean had very little regard for our social, economic or physical environment.”

Ten years in development, the resort’s 84 five-star guesthouses and seven five-star farmhouses are finally open to the public. Hotelier or not, there’s no doubt Kempadoo and his team have created something very special.

Perched on the northwest tip of the island, overlooking St. Barths, the resort is based in the heart of the old sugarcane-production area, although St. Kitts grew its final sugar crop back in 2005. To protect the natural surroundings very few trees were removed, and each building has been carefully positioned to slot into the existing landscape.

“The buildings are all completely handcrafted,” says Kempadoo, “which means they have a lot more character. We’re very proud of the fact that the development was built using small, local contractors.” It hasn’t all been plain sailing, however. “We had to buy tools and teach the craftsmen how to use them, so it took a bit longer than normal,” Kempadoo adds. “But there’s an enormous sense of pride among the local people.”