Thank you BVI Holidays and particularly, Joyce Kinniburgh, for relentlessly searching for a place in the BVI to meet the needs of our large family vacation.  She certainly met every need we had! We are most grateful for her finding these two lovely homes for us to enjoy.

Blue Lagoon and Beachcomber houses in Mahoe Bay Virgin Gorda are an amazing combination of homes for a large family gathering.  Over Thanksgiving of 2018 we took our five children, their spouses and their children to Virgin Gorda for a week. Our group made up 12 adults and 12 children under the age of 10.  The accommodations could not have been better. 3 couples and four children stayed in Blue Lagoon and the rest stayed at Beachcomber. Every bedroom was comfortable with air conditioning, adjoining bathrooms and plenty of beds to accommodate our needs.  All of our requests were waiting for us which included groceries, high chairs and porta cribs. We took advantage of a chef coming to prepare one meal for us which was a huge hit. The guys in our group held non stop ping pong matches at the provided game table as well as putting competitions on the lovely green at Blue Lagoon.  Both homes provided modern kitchens with all updated appliances including extra sharp cutlery. Being that we had serious cooks among us, that was quite a welcome bonus! Being able to have laundry handled for a crowd this size made packing lighter for all. Our housekeeper, who came daily, helped keep everything tidy as well. As far as swimming is concerned,  we were able to protect the more fair skinned little ones from the hottest sun in the shaded pool area of Blue Lagoon whilst enjoying the beautiful view. The two homes are merely a concrete road distance between each other so the children ran safely back and forth throughout our stay. Both homes are equipped for larger numbers to socialize. We also appreciated that we never felt on top of one another and that there was always space for the introverted to escape the energy of 12 children.

There are no words to describe the beauty of the landscaping of both homes but Beachcomber is beyond words. It is a tropical paradise. The Beachcomber pool is easily accessible with outdoor dining space for large crowds both near the house and additional space near the ocean. The beach is smooth beautiful white sand with calm enough waves to enjoy paddle boarding and snorkeling. I appreciated the shower and faucet near the beach for easy clean up of sand covered children as well as the placement of the hammock in the tree to be able to view everything going on both at the beach and the house.  Of course, all the children and the adults enjoyed the outdoor shower experience in most of the bedrooms. We felt like special guests of the owner as he sent someone to check on any maintenance issues (of which there were none) or any questions we might have.

We have traveled extensively in the BVI over the years.  This is by far the most beautiful and welcoming place we have stayed.  I highly recommend it. Sandy Thoms/ Athen, Georgia, USA

Thank you Sandy for this amazing and wonderful review.

If you would like to stay at either Beachcomber or Blue Lagoon, please do call and I will be delighted to arrange this for you.

Here are a few suggestions for fabulous but reasonably priced holidays in the beautiful BVI.

7 nights at Sebastian’s on the Beach Hotel, Tortola in a Beachfront room followed by 4 nights at the Anegada Beach Club in a Palapas Retreat – from £1290.00 per person based on 2 people sharing.

7 nights at Limeberry House on Tortola followed by 7 nights at Tamar Villa on Virgin Gorda – based on 6 people sharing – from £1550.00 per person.

If you would like to combine a few nights ashore with some time afloat……

Pay for 7 nights sailing and get 3 free!  6 guests sharing this Nautitech Open 40 Catamaran for 10 nights followed by 3 nights at the Sugar Mill Hotel on Tortola in 3 Deluxe rooms with breakfast – from £1140.00 per person.

Flights additional.

Call us now to book an amazing BVI holiday!

Yes the British Virgin Islands comprises beautiful islands, stunning white sand beaches and amazing scenery but sometimes, it’s not just all about lazing in a hammock in the warm sunshine, sipping a cocktail and today I would like to introduce you to one of the essential emergency response services without which, in the past, lives would surely have been lost.

As with so many of the BVI’s volunteer groups, the members of VISAR – Virgin Islands Search and Rescue, come from all walks of life:  they’re lawyers, doctors, people from the marine industry and the hospitality industry. But this is no ordinary group of volunteers. Instead, these folks are saving lives at sea.

The work sounds more like a demanding career than a volunteer endeavour, but for the past 30 years, this is precisely how VISAR has functioned, 24 hours a day, every single day of the year.  Some volunteers stay on dry land focusing on fundraising, maintenance or other necessities for an organisation running two bases, two fully equipped rescue vessels, and a 24/7 emergency rescue phone line. Other volunteers, however, are literal lifesavers, and receive intensive training to qualify to respond in person to stranded vessels, injured boaters, and basically any other emergency at sea.

Operations manager Julie Schneider tells me that VISAR has two primary functions: search and rescue (which, as the name implies, has been the focus since the founding) and, more recently, medical response.

So how does it work? It begins with a call from a boater in distress, usually to VISAR’s emergency telephone line -767. The volunteer on duty takes as much information as he or she can, then puts out a text to all qualified crew:  “Report to base.”

When they arrive, the crew has no idea what they may be walking into. “What have we got?” they ask as they rush in the door. The coordinator will share all the details and any other pertinent information, and once enough crew have arrived, (there needs to be a qualified VISAR captain, or helmsmen, plus at least three other crew members before the vessel can head out) they rush away.

This all happens within minutes. Personally – I’ve witnessed it twice – a shout has come out during dinnertime. The fork is promptly dropped on the plate, the shoes found, followed by a mad dash out the door, with a “I’ll call you or see you later.”

During the response, the crew displays empathy for the family or others involved, especially if a death has occurred, says Duncan Muirhead, one of VISAR’s founding volunteers. He describes the crew as selfless in these scenarios, which often involve meeting an ambulance back on land with an injured person who needs to be transported to the hospital.

Royal Navy helicopter on a training mission with VISAR.

Once the emergency is over and the crew returns to base, there’s a debriefing to review the emergency, and if necessary, any information that needs to be shared with other volunteers to improve responses in the future. While the BVI is generally considered a very safe place to sail and boat, such shouts are common and people can get into trouble: 2016 saw rescue vessels launched 82 times, nearly twice a week.

Today, the VISAR vessels and crew are so well equipped it is mind boggling. They do not call themselves an ambulance at sea, but to the untrained eye, they are precisely that. As the shouts (calls for assistance) are often medical in nature, the boats are equipped with all manner of emergency medical gear. The crew frequently goes through a regular checklist, making sure all the items are in proper working order. The boats – Virgin Gorda’s Gorda Peak and Tortola’s Spirit have engines powerful enough to right themselves (with lift bags) if a capsize at sea occurs. The current boats have served VISAR well but are reaching retirement. Happily, one new search and rescue vessel with updated features recently arrived.

Despite this broad scope, VISAR operates almost entirely on donations, following the pattern of the UK’s Royal National Lifeboat Institution. Support comes from a range of backers, from shoppers dropping spare change in VISAR’s bright orange cans at the supermarket, to VISAR members who pay from $150 per year, to the higher-dollar corporate sponsors and those who attend or donate prizes at annual fundraisers.

I hope you have found this interesting and thought provoking.

Fort Recovery Resort on Tortola was built by the Dutch sometime around 1620 and may have been used for a barracks for wounded and ill soldiers hence the name “Fort Recovery”.

Fast forward to 1968 when Broadway actress and producer Anita McShane holidayed on Tortola in the BVI.  Anita decided she had found paradise when she stumbled across Fort Recovery and was totally enamoured by the location and stunning views.

“There was only palm trees, this extraordinary view and a fort,” explains Anita, a gregarious New Yorker with a penchant for meeting new people. “I instantly fell in love. I felt like I could go back to New York and tell my fellow actors that I owned a slice of heaven.” Anita bought the property in 1969 and built four units and a bar where the locals used to hang out, sometimes until 3a.m..

“Running an hotel wasn’t that different from staging a Broadway show”, explains Anita. “As a producer I had to know about budgets, building sets and managing people – the actors and back stage crew. These are all skills that I needed here on Tortola, plus I had the most magnificent stage scenery ever – what Mother Nature provided for us.”

Anita soon became adept at balancing both careers, commuting back and forth between her two beloved islands – Manhattan and Tortola. In her absence, Sonny Cottoy, a young Vincentian, kept the hotel running smoothly. “It ran more smoothly than I thought it would. I spoke to Sonny on the phone every day. He took care of the hotel’s maintenance and garden, he was the contractor and the bartender. I couldn’t have done it without him,” says Anita, adding, “It was a perfect life. Whether I was in New York, or at Fort Recovery, each morning when I woke up, I couldn’t wait to go to work.”

Anita and Sonny married in 2000 inaugurating a period that she says was her “real love story.” Sonny, who sadly died unexpectedly in 2016 was both an integral part of her life and the fabric of Fort Recovery. “I really feel I found a special type of companionship, that we shared so many interests. There was a rhythm and passion between us. It was a perfect love story for us.”

Anita expanded Fort Recovery and now offers a selection of one, two and three bedroom suites and villas and also a magnificent 8 bedroom villa which has to be seen to be believed.  It is truly amazing and the views are still stunning.

Fort Recovery also has its own Sunseeker yacht available for charter and upon which a trip around the BVI is included in a 7 night stay.

It has been just over five decades since Anita first set eyes on Fort Recovery, and she has not regretted her decision for a minute. “Being involved in what you love to do, I believe, is the answer to what keeps you going. It doesn’t seem like work because you are creating every day.”

Wise words indeed.

View from the 8 bedroom villa at Fort Recovery, BVI.

Another year draws to a close and I’ll bet I am not the only one saying “my goodness – where has 2018 gone?”

‘Tis the season to be jolly – the season for planning a fun-in-the-sun Christmas holiday in the British Virgin Islands! This is your chance to swap snow, onesies and slippers for sun, flip-flops and swimsuits. Too often, the hustle and bustle of the holiday season takes its toll. During the month of December, time gets away, stress runs high, and energy levels dip. To escape all of this, consider a Christmas on island time in the beautiful BVI.

Walking in a White Sand Wonderland

Not many places can boast beautiful weather throughout the holiday season, but the BVI most definitely can. This time of year, the temperatures are just right, and the sun shines effortlessly. Ocean breezes, warm afternoons, and balmy evenings – the kind of weather we only wish for, reigns supreme during the month of December all the way into the new year!

This time of year brings not only gorgeous weather, but also the clearest waters for a Christmas morning dive that’s nothing short of breath-taking, especially at The Indians and the Caves at Norman Island and for those not interested in diving, there are many other ways to appreciate the abundantly clear waters during the month of December – snorkelling, kayaking and stand-up paddle boarding conditions at the world-famous Baths, never cease to amaze.

A New Year’s Party in Paradise

Ring in the New Year with the biggest, most renowned beach celebration in the world – Old Year’s Night at Foxy’s Tamarind Bar & Restaurant. Guests that attend this annual beach bash in Great Harbour are guaranteed a great time complete with live local music, delicious food, and a Caribbean style countdown. Sailors arriving by boat are advised to anchor early for the turn-of-year festivities.

Obviously too late for this year but….perhaps you would like to consider booking the BVI for next year. You will be guaranteed a Christmas and New Year to remember!

Call me early in 2019 and I will be delighted to assist in arranging this for you.

The Sugar Mill Hotel on Tortola opened its doors again in October 2018.  If it is possible – the hotel is better than ever.  The rooms have been completely re-modelled, the pool looks stunning with the Apple Cabanas surrounding it offering complete relaxation, Tramonti, the new beach restaurant, is open for business and serving dinner on selected evenings, as well as lunch and in the Sugar Mill restaurant, the food is as delicious as ever.  The All Inclusive package at the Sugar Mill is probably the best I have seen anywhere, with so many quality ingredients!

Guana Island has been open for a few months and is even more special than before.  With only 16 rooms and 3 villas, you can be sure of excellent service and first class cuisine.  The chef on Guana will cater to your every dietary requirement.  Guana also has its own orchard so the bananas that you eat and the coconut water you drink are likely to have been picked that morning.  Guana Island truly is a one-off upscale Caribbean retreat.

Sebastian’s on the Beach at Little Apple Bay on Tortola has had a complete makeover and looks fabulous!  Absolutely everything has been renewed and you can watch the surfers between October and March riding the waves and having loads of fun.  Sebastian’s has been welcoming guests back since July.

A brand new hotel at Cane Garden Bay on Tortola is nearing completion and should open it’s doors in January.  The owner is Quito Rymer and the name of the hotel is Quito’s Inn.  It’s in a stunning location only steps from the white sand beach.  Watch this space for more information!

You will be pleased to hear that Guavaberry Spring Bay on Virgin Gorda is back!  Tina and her team have been diligently working for months restoring and rebuilding and the fruits of their labour have well and truly paid off!  The property looks amazing and the beach is of course…..to die for!

Sailing in the BVI is second to none and the British Virgin Islands offers probably the best sailing in the world as you are always in sight of land.  If you don’t sail, we can arrange a skipper for you, or you can spend a week on one of our charter-by-the-cabin catamarans.  Most of the beach bars are brand new, offering great food, and drinks to cool you down.

We have dozens of beautiful villas and apartments, some on the beach and some on the hillside offering spectacular views all over the BVI.

Come, visit the beautiful BVI and enjoy paradise….it can’t get any better than this…..

Hot Off the Press…

I just received this major announcement from Val Rhymer, owner of Myett’s in Cane Garden Bay, Tortola. She has formed a partnership with the owners of Pusser’s to open a new Pusser’s Restaurant and Company Store at Myett’s Hotel.

Pusser’s at Myett’s

The new restaurant to be called, Pusser’s at Myett’s, will replace the current Myett’s Restaurant. It’s due to open around the end of November.

A Combined Menu

The menu will feature the best of Myett’s and Pusser’s selections offering a diverse combination of the best and most popular dishes from the two kitchens. A Pusser’s Rum Bar will also be opened on the beach. The Rum Bar will not only serve the obligatory Painkillers but a wide selection of frozen drinks and popular tropical cocktails.

The newly refurbished Myett’s Hotel re-opens in November and is quickly filling up for the season.

The good and positive news from the BVI just gets better and better!

Don’t miss out – call me to book your holiday to the beautiful British Virgin Islands and sample your own Painkiller!

From the pen of Alexander Britell and Guy Britton…..

A little more than a year ago, the leisure boats and charter yachts pulled away from Jost Van Dyke on an afternoon not unlike this one, sipping their last painkillers, their last Firewater, savoring their last conch fritters for what would be a very long goodbye.

“Adios to Jost,” wrote the Virgin Islands’ most famous musical ambassador, Kenny Chesney, in “It’s That Time of Day,” singing years ago of the late afternoon departure ritual on White Bay.

But this was not a goodbye.

Because now, after months of struggle, grief, rebuild and recovery, Jost Van Dyke is back again.

The hills are green, the turquoise shimmering, the trees rising. The white of White Bay is just as blindingly bright.

And, yes, the dollars are soggy again.

Thursday marks one year since the savage storm bent the British Virgin Islands, but this chain of infinitely strong islands did not break.  Read more here and please read right to the end – it’s a wonderful story so full of positivity and determination.

I would just like to quash the myth that there is not a lot to do in the BVI except lie on the beautiful beaches and swim in the turqouise waters.  In fact, there is a lot to do and this is only a small example of what you can do in the British Virgin Islands.

For the active water sports people, there is a wide choice of activities such as kite-boarding, kayaking, snorkelling, diving, snuba, stand up paddle-boarding, windsurfing and surfing (yes surfing between October and April, small boat sailing on a variety of dinghies and Hobie-cats, fly-boarding to give you that adrenaline rush or just a relaxing day sail on a catamaran or monohull with lunch included.

If you are a confirmed land-lubber you can hike up Sage Mountain on Tortola, visit the Botanical Gardens, take the “Original Virgin Canopy Tour” which is similar to a zipline but safer and much quieter affording spectacular views over Road Town, take an island tour of Tortola or Virgin Gorda, hike to the top of Gorda Peak or simply relax on one of the many beautiful and stunning white sand beaches.

The BVI is welcoming back the tourists and would love to see YOU!

Call me to book your next holiday to the British Virgin Islands.