I didn’t want to leave St. Kitts without visiting some of the venerable plantation inns and small guesthouses that have been the cornerstone of the island’s reputation.

So yesterday, I hired a cab and went up to the Golden Lemon, an old-school Caribbean B&B that has garnered favorable reviews from travel media for years, from Bon Appetit to Gourmet to Conde Nast Traveler. The inn has been the life project of Arthur Leaman, a former editor for House & Garden, who opened it in 1963 with the slogan “For those or enjoy doing nothing – or everything – with style.” It’s the type of place that has earned the name “grande dame.”

St. Kitts tourism minister Richard Skerritt had warned me that these charming inns, which lack amenities many travelers demand now such as air conditioning, TVs and in-room internet, were struggling. But I wasn’t prepared to see how empty the Golden Lemon was. The week before Christmas, and there were no guests. None.

(As way of comparison, the St. Kitts Marriott had an occupancy rate of 30 percent. So numbers on the island are down everywhere. But the Marriott draws locals and students to its bars and restaurants, so it never felt completely dead).

 Staffers were preparing the still-elegant dining room for lunch, so I took a tour. The rooms in both the great house and the villas, all with their individual plunge pools, still seemed clean and expertly decorated (this is Arthur Leaman, after all).

I could picture myself lounging on the great house deck, a pile of books beside me, reading and looking out across the Caribbean to Saba. Yet an aura of sadness pervaded the place; an inn without people feels awkward instead of homey.

I went upstairs to talk to Leaman, who still looks soigne even as health problems have worsened (“it’s the good life here,” he explained. At 85, he doesn’t mince words, and why should he?  He’s been trying to sell the inn and found a buyer but the deal has run into problems (he blames the government). After all those years as an honorary St. Kittian, he’s ready to retire to Puerto Rico and enjoy his hobbies, such as watching the Met operas on the big screen.

He admitted times were tough, and that everyone – including his higher-end clients – are looking for deals. The inn is offering spring and fall rates through the winter  (that’s $245 a night for two people in the great house, $600 for two people all inclusive) – and Leaman is offering free upgrades to the villas. Two sets of guests are coming for Christmas and January and February are looking better, he said.

Still, “most of the people who have been coming here for years have died,” he said.

Leaman has noticed that the relaxation habits of his customers have changed – as in, they aren’t. Some guests will spend the entire day on their computer, ignoring the beckoning Caribbean in front of them, he says. “The wives hate it,” he said. “They ask, ‘Arthur, can’t you do something?’”

Incidentally, Leaman doesn’t mind the newer hotels popping up on the island. His take on the Marriott (which, full disclosure, paid my way down here): “They bring a lot of people here,” he said. “I don’t know how the island would survive without them now.” The Lemon serves brunches, lunches and dinners, and gets quite a few customers from the Marriott, some of whom decide to come back and stay a night or two, Leaman said. It sounds like “a rising tide lifts all boats” situation.

I left the Golden Lemon with mixed emotions. It was so cute that I want to come back for a night or two, just to step back in time and enjoy the Old Caribbean vibe. And I’m sure Leaman is the consummate host. I could spend an entire evening asking him discussing decor and architecture, over rum punch or champange cocktails, or course).

But then, I do like air conditioning and in-room Internet (I almost never watch TV on the road). And I also like to have other travelers around me, as meeting people on the road is half of the fun. I hope someone acquires the Golden Lemon who will love it like Leaman did, and perhaps make the changes to attract younger guests without destroying its charm. It deserves to be a grande dame again – and Leaman deserves his rest.

Read what the Marriott in St. Kitts is doing in response to TripAdvisor feedback here.