Peter Island Resort, British Virgin Islands, Resort Assessment

My boyfriend and I arrived at Peter Island Resort by boat, smiling and already salty-skinned after the trip over from St. Thomas. Often, it takes a day or two for me to slide into trip mode; right here, the glowing Caribbean sea and recent ginger lemonade handed to us upon arrival immediately made actual life appear a world, or no less than a physique of water, away. Employees waved from the shoreline, silhouetted by inexperienced hills and swaying palms.

Peter Island, the most important non-public island resort within the BVIs, was purchased by Amway founders Jay Van Andel and Richard DeVos within the Seventies, although the island’s historical past will be traced again to a Dutch settlement within the 1600s. The beloved resort underwent a seven-year renovation after destruction attributable to 2017’s Hurricane Irma, and it reopened in December 2024.

“A key consider reimagining the resort was our unwavering dedication to preserving what has made Peter Island a beloved Caribbean gem for many years: our household of colleagues, the island’s pure magnificence, and our uniquely intimate ambiance,” says Ed Linsley, Peter Island Resort’s normal supervisor, in an interview with Journey + Leisure.

Gone are the charming-but-outdated A-frames, with many of the 52 rooms, suites, and villas now relocated to the sheltered crescent of Deadman’s Seashore. Our sprawling two-room villa opened proper onto the white sand and our personal non-public sizzling tub, the place my boyfriend and I spent every evening stargazing earlier than mattress. We slept with our home windows and curtains open, waking to the pinch-me paradise of lapping waves and aromatic frangipani blooming beside our villa.

“Everybody falls in love with Peter Island,” one of many longtime employees members informed me as we walked collectively by tamarind bushes and child goats. “It’s the panorama,” he continued. “It’s in contrast to anyplace else right here.”

Solely 300 of the island’s 1,800 acres are developed; there are secluded corners and intimate coves at each flip, and the employees, whereas all the time available, is completely happy to depart you in whole privateness. On Valentine’s Day, we spent an idyllic afternoon cuddled up in a cabana on Honeymoon Seashore, sipping potent Painkiller contacts and dipping out and in of the crystalline water.

And whereas we cherished our alone time, it was a pleasure to fulfill among the company who’ve been coming to the resort for many years. On our final evening, we sat within the Adirondack chairs at Sundown Loop, chatting with our neighbors because the sky glazed pink. The longtime mates informed us they’d first found Peter Island, fairly actually, by crusing across the BVI; they’d noticed it from the water, stayed over, and all the time deliberate to come back again. Now, they’d come to have a good time certainly one of their seventieth birthdays. They informed me that whereas the reimagined resort felt distinctly extra luxurious than its earlier iteration, they discovered that the heat of the employees and the island’s breathtaking pure magnificence hadn’t modified a bit.

Right here, every thing you might want to find out about newly redone Peter Island Resort. 

The Rooms

Almost all of Peter Island’s 52 visitor rooms have been relocated to the crescent of Deadman’s Seashore, now the center of the resort. “Our imaginative and prescient was to raise the resort’s luxurious non-public island expertise by introducing a mix of newly constructed and absolutely renovated lodging designed with modern model and performance in thoughts,” Linsley says.

The reimagined areas cater to solo vacationers, {couples}, and households or teams of various sizes, with Seashore Entrance Rooms, Junior Suites, and Seashore Entrance Villas all tucked simply steps away from the turquoise waves—some with their very own non-public out of doors sizzling tub and out of doors bathe. The one actual motive to spend time inside is the cloudlike mattress, custom-made for Peter Island Resort by Woman Americana Midwest.

The panorama is a part of the design right here, with sliding glass doorways opening onto the sand for maximal indoor-outdoor residing; rooms mirror the pure hues and textures of the island, from sea-blue blackout curtains and cupboards to driftwood tables, raffia lighting fixtures, and palm-printed throw pillows. Some rooms have a completely geared up kitchen, together with a blender, espresso maker, electrical kettle, and tender drinks which might be replenished each day. Company are capable of pre-order gadgets that they want stocked of their kitchen previous to arrival (and personal cooks can be found upon request).

For these looking for a bit more room, the resort’s most luxurious lodging are the Hawk’s Nest and Falcon’s Nest Villas, which might sleep eight and 12 folks, respectively; the latter spans 22,000 sq. ft and boasts its personal non-public infinity pool, swim-up bar, and waterfall. 

Meals and Drink

The island has two eating places: The Drake, a steakhouse with a prolonged wine checklist and inventive cocktail pairings, and The Drunken Pelican, an informal, open-air seafood restaurant with a give attention to Carribean dishes like jerk hen wings and conch chowder.

Breakfast is served every morning at The Drake, with the choice to select from a buffet of lighter fare (recent fruit, pastries, yogurt and granola, plus meat and cheese), or the à la carte menu, which gives acquainted classics like eggs Benedict, avocado toast, and a full English breakfast. I extremely suggest beginning your day with the fried plantains and habanero-flecked sizzling sauce (be warned, it’s sizzling), in addition to the signature thick-cut Jean Kelly French toast, served with a facet of candy tamarind sauce by its namesake, a girl who’s been working on the resort for many years.

At lunch and dinner, it’s the steak and seafood that stand out—assume buttery lobster tail and Japanese A5 Wagyu beef. The roasted vegetable sides and salads have been nonetheless discovering their footing throughout our go to—most have been introduced out sans salt or dressing.

Regardless of the number of freshly caught native seafood introduced in each day, it’s simple to exhaust the menus after per week on the island. Culinary vacationers searching for a bit extra native taste will love that the concierge is ready to arrange excursions like visits to an natural farm on neighboring Tortola and deep-sea fishing journeys with native fishermen.

The Spa

I might return to Peter Island Resort for the Signature Celestial Black Diamond Life Facial alone—the opulent 90-minute mixture of facial therapeutic massage and top-tier merchandise from 111Skin supplied a much-needed enhance of radiance and hydration after just a few days within the solar.

Spa Director Ana Magro designed the therapy menu with native elements in thoughts: a sea salt scrub is sourced from close by Salt Island, whereas the signature therapeutic massage makes use of pure parts like lava shells and sizzling stones full of minerals, algae, and important oils.

The spa itself is hanging, with 10,000 sq. ft of light-filled area unfold over seven therapy rooms, every with its personal out of doors patio. Remember to arrive in your therapy early to reap the benefits of the steam room and the serene infinity pool, in addition to the cliffside sizzling tub overlooking the water.

Household-friendly Choices

There’s lots to maintain households completely happy whereas on trip at Peter Island, together with discounted group charges and spacious multi-bedroom villas. Whereas the resort welcomes company of all ages, the vibe is refined and peaceable; it’s not a spot you’d count on to see younger youngsters working round or yelling.

That being stated, the ethereal Seashore Entrance 2 Bed room Villas are good for fogeys touring with youngsters, as the 2 rooms, every with an ensuite rest room, are on reverse sides of the villa with a connecting out of doors patio.

Actions and Facilities

Staying on a personal island means there’s no scarcity of locations to swim and sunbathe. 5 dreamy, white-sand seashores sew collectively the island’s shoreline, together with secluded Honeymoon Seashore (which you’ll be able to reserve fully) and Deadman’s Seashore, the place you possibly can reap the benefits of complimentary kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, and snorkeling gear.

Choose the pool? You’ve received a trio of choices (plus a secret fourth, unique to the luxurious Falcon’s Nest Villa). You’ll discover the primary upon arrival, tucked over by The Drunken Pelican and The Yacht Membership; this one tends to be the busiest, as of us who’ve docked their yachts are welcome to take pleasure in it as effectively. On the coronary heart of the lodge is the lagoon-style pool beside The Drake, the place you possibly can sip Painkillers beneath the swaying palm bushes. For true privateness, ebook in on the spa, the place there’s a secluded infinity pool and sizzling tub overlooking the Atlantic.

Simply up the hill, the newly renovated health middle—housed in two glass-front buildings—gives a hanging view over Massive Reef Bay that makes working on a treadmill or lifting weights infinitely extra pleasurable.

Given the hilly terrain and 1,800-acre sprawl of the island, the lodge supplies shuttles (presently through golf cart or van; electrical autos are coming down the road) to farther-flung seashores like White Bay Seashore, or to the spectacular Sundown Loop, which extra adventurous vacationers might decide to hike as a substitute.

And whereas there’s lots to maintain you occupied on the island, the concierge is completely happy to prepare particular excursions tailor-made to your pursuits, from sundown sails and visits to the enduring Baths of Virgin Gorda to a tour of Anegada’s flamingo reserve or a snorkeling journey within the famed caves of Norman Island.

Accessibility and Sustainability

Whereas non-public islands might hardly be referred to as simply accessible, Peter Island Resort gives two ADA-compliant beachfront rooms and ensures golf carts and vans can be found to assist escort all company across the island.

Sustainability is a significant precedence on the resort, which was one of many first within the BVI to implement wind generators. You may verify them out your self throughout a hike on the Sundown Loop, a path that goes across the island. The pair of generators can generate as much as 75 p.c of the island’s energy. In the case of the water, an on-island water purification plant is used to up-cycle the provision; whereas our rooms have been stocked with bottled water, we drank the filtered water on the restaurant, which tasted nice. Within the coming months, the resort will open a brand new water bottling plant on the island as effectively, which can present clear consuming water for company and employees in reusable glass bottles.

Location

It doesn’t get significantly better than your personal non-public island—notably when that island is nestled within the Caribbean Sea. Set on 1,800-acres of inexperienced, hilly terrain—solely 300 of which have been developed—the island is residence to a wealth of native wildlife: assume sculptural cacti and tamarind bouquets dangling from bushes, and an lovable herd of child goats you can spot on a stroll alongside Sundown Loop.

Whereas the island seems like a secluded sanctuary, it’s solely a 30-minute ferry trip from the bustle of neighboring Tortola. There are private and non-private ferries to Tortola, and luxurious water taxi providers, just like the one we took from St. Thomas on to Peter Island. Choose to journey by air? There’s a helipad on the island.

Find out how to Get the Most Worth Out of Your Keep

The resort is a part of Most popular Inns & Resorts’ I Choose rewards program, which earns members unique charges and the possibility for room upgrades and early check-ins at Peter Island Resort. Doubles from $1,000.