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The Best Beachfront Hotels and Resorts
on the British Virgin Islands
From luxurious and semi-formal to laid-back comfort and ease, your perfect BVI vacation is ripe for the picking!
The British Virgin Islands (BVI) are made up of over 50 sandy, hilly and serene islands, some of which are secluded or even deserted, and each has a unique beauty and character all its own. A casual ambiance, live steel band music, beach parties and fish fries can be found along the shores of the island. Bays and coves are ideal for snorkeling and diving. Beachside restaurants, bars and water sports businesses dot the coastline as tourists and residents alike indulge in fishing, snorkeling and surfing at Apple Bay, Brewer's Bay, Josiah's Bay Beach, Elizabeth Beach, Smuggler's Cove and Long Bay Beach. (For the best surf in the area, visit Apple Bay in January and February.) The laid-back ambiance and tropical splendor of the islands will take you far away from ordinary life to a world that will have you slipping off your sandals, sipping on a frosty cool drink and nestling your toes into the silky sun-warmed sand for some well deserved indulgence.
The glorious blend of landscape and seascape known as the British Virgin Islands is carefully protected by BVI rules and regulations that help ensure things will stay the way it was intended. BVI building height, for example, is strictly regulated - no structure can exceed the height of the island's palm trees. There are no direct flights from the mainland to the U.S. so the volume of tourists is purposely slowed. American influence is still strong on the islands, however, and the U.S. dollar is legal tender. You'll also find U.S. fast food as well as U.S. cable and satellite television and American, Hollywood movies. Lodging options range from camping to high-end luxury hotels. If you really want the full island experience, stay at one of these top-ranking beach hotels.
Tortola's Best
Tortola is the largest of the populated islands known for hospitable and welcoming people and a variety of places to stay from camping to fine resorts. The north side is fringed with palm trees and blanketed in soft white sand. Brandywine Bay, Cane Garden Bay, Hodge's Creek Marina Cay, Trellis Bay and Soper's Hole are ideal spots for boating and the sheltered harbors are often sprinkled with yachts. A mountain ridge runs through the island where visitors will find rain forests at the higher elevations of Sage Mountain National Park and rockier, volcanic terrain at Queen Elizabeth National Park and Mount Healthy National Park. The island is accessible by car although all-wheel drive vehicles will better traverse the bumpy, windy, rocky off-road paths to adventure.
The Sugar Mill Hotel
This beachside hotel is nestled in a lush tropical garden with white, sandy beaches on one side, a freshwater swimming pool on the other and a shady gazebo surrounded by beautiful flora and fauna. The 24 guest rooms rest among restored ruins of a 17th century sugar plantation. The beach is protected by a natural reef that also serves as a lush habitat for an underwater world of colorful creatures just waiting to impress and amaze snorkelers and divers. The award winning restaurant offers candlelight dinners with a menu that features the catch of the day and a selection of other delicacies that vary day to day. Breakfast is enjoyed on a terrace with a view of the other islands. Snorkeling, windsurfing, rental cars and gourmet picnics are among the many services that are offered.
Long Bay Beach Resort and Villas
The expansive 157-room resort and private villas are positioned on 52 acres of lush hillside and tropical beaches. Known for its tropical informality, the estate's colonial character is reminiscent of an old family-run plantation with the benefit of modern luxuries, blending history and luxury onto one remarkable vacation experience. Amenities include guestrooms that overlook the Caribbean Sea and villas that boast private balconies, full kitchens and even Jacuzzis. Other comforts and indulgences include a swimming pool, tennis courts, fitness room, scuba diving and water sports facility, full-service wellness spa and fitness center and a variety of delicious cuisine from grilled seafood to Italian favorites. Wedding and Honeymoon Packages are also available.
Sebastian's On The Beach
Perched upon a luxurious white-sand beach on Apple Bay, Tortola's northern shore is a charming 26-room hotel with unforgettable scenery and a very laid-back vibe. Cheerfully appointed beachfront guestrooms offer balconies and terraces with spectacular views while garden rooms offer another kind of tropical splendor. The friendly staff is eager to accommodate your every need and a wide range of activities such as horseback riding, hiking, tennis and a variety of water sports such as snorkeling, diving, sailing, surfing will help you work up a thirst for the beach bar's famous rum punch. But don't burn up all of your energy by day, because the scrumptious restaurant, live island music and dance floor beneath the stars will have you burning the midnight oil and coming back for more.
Fort Recovery Beach Villas
The southwestern part of Tortola is known as the calm end of the Caribbean Sea where cooling trade winds provide a constant tropical breeze and swaying palm trees, hibiscus and flowers and a 17th century Dutch Fort serve as the backdrop for these gorgeous villas. Each unit is comfortably furnished with air conditioning, television, a fully equipped kitchen, library, bedroom and bath. Snorkeling and diving are very popular here, especially at the site of the wreck of the RMS Rhone. World records for Marlin and Tuna fishing have also been achieved here which is why the resort's boat charters are also at the top of many visitors' to-do lists.
Pusser's Marina Cay Hotel
Marina Cay is a tiny island just minutes from Beef Island across Sir Francis Drake Channel from Virgin Gorda. Surrounded on two sides by a huge stretch of coral reef, Marina Cay offers postcard perfect scenery and scuba and diving sights equally as mesmerizing beneath the water's surface. American author Robb White and his wife Rodie purchased the island and built the large white house in 1936 and their house became the subject of his book "Our Virgin Island" which was made into a movie in the 1950s called "Two on the Isle" starring Sidney Poitier. The small and quaint seaside hotel was built on this site in the 1960s and the original house is open for viewing daily. The story of the home and author is told in Pusser's Restaurant. Two two-bedroom villas and four deluxe guestrooms provide an intimate setting while tile floors, ceiling fans and tropical décor contribute to the indulgent and relaxing island culture. The Sunset Bar on the White house's terrace sits at the highest point on Marina Cay and is the perfect spot to watch the sun set.
Best of Anegada
Anegada is the second largest of the islands though its 18-mile Horseshoe Reef is one of the world's largest. Located in the volcanic BVI chain, the Spanish name, Anegada, means Drowned Land. This long, flat island rises only 28 feet above sea level at its highest point. Sheltered by coconut palm and sea grape trees, the secluded beaches are covered with soft, white sand and protected by the surrounding reef. A coral bed supports an ecosystem of saltwater ponds, mangrove swamps, clear springs and mudflats and a plethora of tropical plants and wildlife. Flamingos can be spotted at Nutmeg Point and iguanas at Bones Bight. Beneath the water's surface, snorkelers and divers are amazed by the tunnels and caves that house rich marine life, sea turtles, angelfish, stingrays, parrotfish and more.
Neptune's Treasure
Simplicity at its best, this hotel located on the Southwestern shore of Anegada is also a family-operated hotel, restaurant and bar offering breathtaking views of the surrounding islands. Surrounded by coral reefs, 26 miles of beach and the Western Lagoon, there's plenty to see and explore. Water sports equipment and kayak rentals are also available. The guestrooms are 150 feet from the beach and rooms have either two double beds or one king sized bed with air conditioning, private baths and a friendly, accommodating staff that proudly keep every detail comfortable, clean and pristine. Known for serving the freshest swordfish, tuna, spearfish, shark, grouper, mahi mahi and conch which are all family caught and prepared at the resort's fine restaurant. Even the specialty house drinks served at the bar have earned a reputation with names like Pink Whoopie, Aneganda Sunset and Ben Jammin that hint at the fun and festive times to be had as well as their own specially prepared Pina Colada known as the best on the island!
Anegada Seaside Villas
These quaint one-bedroom villas on the western most point of Anegada are situated just steps away from the water and are decorated with wicker furniture and island flair. Huge windows and glass doors throughout each unit offer amazing views and large ceiling fans circulate a seemingly constant tropical breeze. A step above your usual hotel amenities, these units offer a dining area with seating for four, a kitchen equipped with stove, microwave, coffee maker, blender and refrigerator. The living room has a pull-out sofa, CD player and television. The bedrooms have queen size beds and every unit offers an oversized porch complete with your own barbeque.
Biras Creek Resort
Located on a 140-acre peninsula, this resort can only be reached by boat. The property is surrounded by three bodies of water, North Sound, the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Bay. A true paradise for snorkeling, swimming, sailing and beach combing, the resort offers non-motorized water toys such as Sunfish, windsurfers and sea kayaks plus water sports equipment and free lessons! There are miles of hiking trails with dramatic views throughout the gorgeous, hilly terrain. Each guest has their own bicycle for exploration of the spacious surroundings. Keep an eye out for the large iguanas who are so common and comfortable there that they've been named by the staff (don't let Godzilla's name fool you, he's really a big softy at heart…) A glorious swimming pool abuts the waves of the ocean. The art of hospitality is a way of life here with all the elegance you'd expect from a world class resort without the formality. Casual resort attire is the norm by day, although cover ups and shirts are required in the restaurants. By evening, men are asked to wear a collared shirt and shorts or trousers while women are welcome to wear appropriate resort attire. A fine restaurant boasts breathtaking views and an amazing menu of delicious fare without pretense. Wedding and Honeymoon Packages are available.
Whether you'd like to be pampered in the lap of luxury or chill out in casual island comfort, there truly is something for everyone here! The ideal vacation resort awaits on the British Virgin Islands!
For More BVI Information
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See you on the Island,
John "Big Hat" Walsh
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