The Cottage Club: Saba's Ridge-Top Gingerbread Retreat
Ten hillside cottages, Mount Scenery views, and the only Saban-owned hotel on the island.
Why Go
Perched on a Windwardside ridge like a jewel in the palms, The Cottage Club trades resort polish for real Saban characterΓÇöten gingerbread cottages linked by brick paths, a pool deck that doubles as an airport-runway lookout, and a colonial stone plantation house at reception that feels more like a family estate than a hotel lobby.
The Experience
You arrive at a natural-stone great house filled with antiques, then wind down brick pathways through night-blooming tropical gardens to your own gingerbread-trimmed cottage. Each is spacious enough to actually live in for a week: full kitchen, dining nook, queen bed, modern bath, a desk, andΓÇöcruciallyΓÇöa private balcony framing the deep-blue Caribbean, English Quarter, and the green shoulders of Mount Scenery. Mornings start with free coffee on the porch and the distant hum of Winair prop planes threading in over the shortest commercial runway on Earth; afternoons drift to the pool deck, where the sun terrace lines up with that same runway for one of Saba's best free spectacles. Because the property is Saban-owned and staffed, the pace is unhurried and personalΓÇöhousekeeping learns your name, and recommendations for dive shops, trailheads, and dinner come straight from people who grew up on the rock.
What to Try
Book a cottage with a sea-facing balcony rather than a garden-view unitΓÇöthe sunrise over the Caribbean is the whole point. Add the $25 breakfast at least once so you can linger on the terrace before hiking. Time an afternoon swim to catch a Winair landing from the pool deck. Walk (don't drive) into Windwardside village for dinner: it's a two-minute stroll to shops, the Saba Museum, and dive operators. If you're staying more than two nights, the Penthouse is worth the upgrade for the extra light and elevated view.
Insider Tip
The Cottage Club is the only Saban-owned hotel on the island, and that shows up in ways you won't see on a booking pageΓÇöstaff will happily arrange taxis to Fort Bay for morning dives, tip you off to which trails are freshly cleared, and steer you to whichever local kitchen is cooking that night. Ask at reception before you make any dinner reservation; opening hours in Windwardside shift with the season and the ferry schedule.
The Practical Stuff
Location: on the ridge in Windwardside village, steps from restaurants, dive shops, and the trailhead network. Rooms: 10 cottages plus penthouse suites, all with full kitchens, private balconies, and daily housekeeping. Rates: roughly $160ΓÇô$200 low season and $200ΓÇô$300 high season, with penthouses up to $300; short 1ΓÇô2 night stays priced higher. Amenities: swimming pool with sun deck, free Wi-Fi, free coffee/tea, optional $25 breakfast. Contact: +599 416-2486, info@cottage-club.com, cottage-club.com. Getting there: fly Winair from St. Maarten (SXM) to Saba (SAB)ΓÇöabout 15 dramatic minutesΓÇöthen a short taxi up the Road to Windwardside.
Pair It With
- Mount Scenery Hike — The 1,064-step climb to Saba's 887-meter summit starts a short walk from the cottagesΓÇödo it early, then reward yourself at the pool.
- Amonhana — A nearby Windwardside restaurant that's an easy after-dark stroll from your cottage, no taxi needed.
- Angelina's Saba By OwAiChie — Casual local food and drinks within walking distanceΓÇöperfect for a low-key first night before you find your bearings.
- Saba Marine Park diving — Book a morning boat out of Fort Bay through a Windwardside dive shop; the front desk can line it up while you sleep in.
- Saba Museum — A five-minute walk from the property and the best quick primer on the island's Saban-cottage architecture you're actually sleeping in.