Happy Travel News 2020: Post-Hurricane Comeback In The Caribbean’s British Virgin Islands

Looking for an idyllic tropical hideaway, a resort steeped in legendary history yet exuberantly refreshed and reimagined? In the celebrated annals of luxurious, nature-loving Caribbean retreats that brim with who’s-who lore, the British Virgin Islands is home to iconic Rosewood Little Dix Bay, newly reopened on Virgin Gorda this month after a four-year, at times tumultuous, closure. Secluded on 500 acres with a half-mile, powdery white sand beach, landmark Rosewood Little Dix Bay will undoubtedly be the happy talk of the turquoise sea during 2020 and beyond.

Founded more than a half-century ago by businessman and ardent conservationist Laurance Rockefeller (grandson of oil tycoon John D. Rockefeller), Little Dix Bay sparkled as an eco-conscious haven, a gem of his RockResorts properties, which were embraced by environment-attentive, well-heeled, privacy-preferring travelers, such as Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip and Prince Charles, as well as film stars and financial titans. Little Dix Bay changed ownership in 1993, joining Rosewood Hotel Group. In 2016, a planned renovation commenced. But a few months before its reopening, Rosewood Little Dix Bay’s future dramatically shifted. Fueled by nearly 200 mile-per-hour winds, Hurricane Irma, in 2017, centered its Category 5 eye directly over the property—devastating it and much of the neighboring community. The catastrophic result required a total rethink, a major and deep-breath rebuilding.

Rosewood Little Dix Bay’s much-longed-for rebirth this month feels like a baptism of sorts, a recognition of commitment and fortitude, realized hopes and dreams. It deserves a resounding high-five to everyone who came together—management and the people of Virgin Gorda and the British Virgin Islands—to transform upheaval into uplift. Their can-do spirit is a graceful affirmation of the power of renewal.

Masterful architecture company OBMI and New York-based design team Meyer Davis unfolded the metamorphosis. Eighty all-new guest rooms—one- and two-bedroom suites and villas with unobstructed water views—incorporate the latest modern amenities into an earth-appreciating aesthetic, showcasing natural materials, such as stone and wood, in artistic and fashion-savvy ways. Nodding to Rockefeller’s earlier era, Meyer Davis had fun paying tribute to the jet-set 1960s (with Jacqueline Kennedy as muse) by designing mid-century modern furnishings and integrating artwork and sculptural elements that exude playfulness: retro photographs of women wearing bathing caps; a cabinet of curiosities in the Great Room. Colored in soft earth-and-sea hues, guest rooms feature fantastical outdoor showers; some suites have their own plunge pools. Lushly replanted, floral gardens and palm trees are eye-catching and eye-soothing.

“Little Dix Bay has been such a darling of Caribbean travelers for 56 years,” says managing director Andreas Pade in an exclusive interview. “So from a Rosewood perspective, we are very proud of how we have been able to keep the resort’s identity and character intact, yet give the food and beverage as well as the service experiences a much more sophisticated feel—along with a distinct barefoot luxury approach.”

In addition to Little Dix Bay’s verdant beauty, its architectural and engineering advancements, such as protective shuttering, hurricane-proof windows and hurricane-minded construction, are fortified. “This project has had its share of trials,” continues Pade. “The process has been very long. What personally gives me the most joy is seeing the resort open again—and all the positive reactions from new and legacy guests alike. [To paraphrase Theodore Roosevelt] ‘Nothing easy is ever worthwhile doing.’”

Little Dix Bay’s historical pledge to sustainability has grown stronger and smarter. No more single-use plastics. It composts, of course. A sustainable farm, on property, grows veggies and fruit—such as bananas, mango, papaya, spinach, watermelon—to be served at its four restaurants. Organic eggs come from its on-site chicken coop. Seafood is sourced from local fisher-people in offshore waters where the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean meet.

“The quality, variety and creativity of the food and beverage offerings will positively surprise guests coming to Rosewood Little Dix Bay for the first time, as well as the stunning manner in which the resort co-exists in its environment, allowing the natural setting to take first row,” explains Pade.

Its Pavilion is the heart-of-the-resort foodie favorite. Reef House rotates daily farm-to-fork dishes. Sugar Mill serves Caribbean tapas and a raw bar. And the Rum Room boasts more than 100 aged and rare spirits, garnered globally. Its house specialty cocktail is the same one as Rockefeller’s famous 1964 libation: Pelican Smash—a heady concoction of bourbon, guava berry, orange, pineapple, rum and whisky. Classic decanter cocktails, popular in the 1960s and ‘70s, such as Banana Rum Manhattan and Rum Old Fashioned, are back. Executive chef Francisco Crespo (who has worked at Michelin-star establishments), as well as food and beverage director Maximilian Deickert, orchestrate all the palate pleasers.

At a hotel of this caliber, it’s no surprise that each guest room is assigned a butler, although that word sounds more la-de-da suited-up formal than what actually appears. Consider instead well-trained male and female staff, dressed in polo shirts and resort-wear attire, as on-call helpmates, consummate concierges ever in motion, poised to seamlessly check travelers into their accommodations, make dinner reservations, book excursions, advise on spa treatments, offer island-wide tips and attend to anticipated needs, as well as unexpected niceties.

Little considerations add up to big appreciations. For example, every guest room has assigned beach loungers so there is no rush to “save” chairs in the early morning; shade-arranged umbrellas hide service buttons for quick and easy drink requests. Near the free-form main pool, sunscreen in ample pump dispensers is complimentary.

Cliffside above Little Dix Bay is perched Sense, a Rosewood Spa. It harbors an indulgent two-tier infinity pool, hilltop yoga and meditation platform, plus eight treatment rooms and a couples’ suite.

Feeling sporty? A resident tennis pro is primed for private lessons and competitions. Seven complimentary courts offer varied surfaces: hard clay, natural grass and artificial grass. The 24-hour fitness facility houses cardiovascular equipment—such as Lifecycle, StairMaster and Cybex—plus free weights. Boxing and kickboxing equipment promises to be the rage. Hike the grounds’ two nature trails. And take a spin on complimentary bicycles.

Family-friendly, Rosewood Little Dix Bay spotlights the brand’s complimentary Explorers Club, which supervises a range of half- and full-day group activities—such as Caribbean folk arts and crafts, jewelry designing, painting, storytelling, cooking classes and West Indian music making—for youngsters. Private babysitting can be arranged. Counselors encourages outdoor pursuits, engaging children’s growing inquisitiveness via sandcastle building, shell collecting and treasure hunting. Don’t miss the petting zoo, too. And there is a shallow pool for parents and guardians to splash with little ones.

What does Pade cherish most about Virgin Gorda? “The amazing sense of community here, the people and the stunning vistas.”

Virgin Gorda’s Nurturing Nature

Named by Christopher Columbus, who thought that the isle’s mountain-scape resembled a reclining voluptuous woman, Virgin Gorda (fat virgin in Spanish) offers an abundance of natural splendors across its 8.5 square miles. It is the third largest of the British Virgin Islands.

At seven-acre The Baths National Park, massive granite boulders—some measuring 40 feet in diameter; created millions of years ago from cooling and erosion processes after volcanic eruption—line a zigzag hiking trail and dot an immaculate beach, as though otherworldly giants had tossed scores of rocky balls around during rambunctious play and then ran away. This jumbled geological marvel, called batholiths, is a must-see for Virgin Gorda visitors. Crystal-clear water is pooled into sheltered grottos. Delve into the labyrinth of sun-dappled stretches and dark caverns. Nearby is horseshoe-shape Devil’s Bay—a heavenly expanse of picturesque sand and aquamarine water. On the horizon, sailboats and soaring birds glide by.

Hike Virgin Gorda’s 260-acre Gorda Peak National Park for the highest island views at 1,370 feet. Amid the desert-like arid terrain, with scrubs and cacti, delight in watching Zebra butterflies and Antillean crested hummingbirds. As one of the few surviving Caribbean dry forests, this national park is of particular interest to international conservation scientists. Spy lizards and hermit crabs. At the summit, be wowed by a glorious 360-degree view. Understand that this is a pinch-yourself moment.

For more info about the British Virgin Islands, which encompass more than 50 islands, islets and cays, go here.