Petit St. Vincent, known locally as PSV, is an island 40 statute miles (60 km) south of St. Vincent in the Grenadine islands. It consists of softly rolling hills spread over 113 acres (46 ha) surrounded mostly by two miles (3 km) of white sand beaches.
The island is privately owned. In 1963 Haze Richardson and Doug Terman chartered their yacht, JACINTA, to Mr. H.W. Nichols, Jr. and family. During this three-week cruise, Mr. Nichols expressed interest in purchasing an island and building a small hotel. Haze and Doug helped Mr. Nichols find and purchase PSV from a woman on the neighboring island of Petit Martinique. Haze and Doug oversaw the building of PSV on behalf of Mr. Nichols who asked Haze to stay on as manager temporarily. Haze did and never left, becoming owner of Petit St. Vincent resort after Mr. Nichols' death in 1985.
PSV consists of 22 cottages and a central dining room, with staff housing and other support structures. It is a resort for a particular kind of person; the cottages are not air-conditioned, and have neither televisions nor telephones. However, the food, service, and other amenities are of a very high quality. Guests can take all meals in their cottages, and are otherwise guaranteed total privacy should they wish it.
Owner Haze Richardson died in a swimming accident in Costa Rica on Saturday February 2, 2008. His wife, Lynn Richardson, continued managing the resort until November 1, 2010 at which time it was announced that she had sold the island/resort to business partners Phil Stephenson and Robin Paterson. They plan to add a beach restaurant, a children's tree house centre, and a spa pavilion with six treatment rooms. Their refurbishment theme is natural simplicity. The new changes will debut November 1, 2011.