Peter Island Resort

Peter Island Resort & Spa occupies Peter Island, the largest private island in the British Virgin Islands, with the resort standing as the island's only complex. The property reopened in 2024 after a complete transformation, with 52 redesigned accommodations spread across an island covering 1,800 acres. You come here for space, sea views and a stay that keeps the practical comforts close at hand rather than for a busy resort strip.

The mood changes with the hour. You can take breakfast on a terrace, move to a beach or pool, and finish the day with a drink at the yacht club. A private beach area, gardens, sun terraces and outdoor seating give you room to choose your own pace. Families are welcome, while couples have quieter options such as Honeymoon Beach and private dining under the stars.

The resort is in Anderson, British Virgin Islands, on the island of Peter Island, directly beside the sea. The island lies 4 miles south of Tortola, with views towards Deadman's Bay, the Sir Francis Drake Channel and Norman Island. You are not booking a base in town and travelling out to the coast; the coast is the setting.

Deadman's Beach is a crescent of white sand around a mile long, with loungers, parasols and cabanas. Little Deadman's Beach, White Bay Beach, Honeymoon Beach and Big Reef Bay add different corners to explore, from a sheltered cove beside the spa to a secluded beach facing Norman Island. The Baths geological formation on Virgin Gorda is 4 miles away, while Road Town Ferry Terminal is 1 mile away.

For two, the sea-view king room or the king room with spa bath keeps things straightforward, with a super-king bed and air conditioning for the part of the day when salt, sun and a few hours on a boat have done their work. The junior suite adds more room for a third guest and suits a couple who would rather have space to spread out than squeeze every dry bag into one corner.

Beachfront accommodation is the choice when stepping towards the sand matters more than being near the main facilities. The villas make more sense for families or groups: the three-bedroom villa has three bathrooms, while the larger villas include outdoor hot tubs and private exterior space. Some Beachfront Junior Suites can connect, which is useful when you want family nearby without sharing every square metre.

Balconies and terraces extend the living space, and daily housekeeping keeps the room in order while you are out. You also have a private bathroom, toiletries, bathrobes, a desk, tea and coffee-making facilities and free WiFi throughout the resort. Non-smoking rooms and air conditioning are standard practical details; the island views do the decorative work.

Two restaurants cover the main meals. The Drake Steakhouse serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, combining American steakhouse cooking with Caribbean flavours, seafood and cocktails. Breakfast is continental and includes vegetarian and American choices, with à la carte dishes alongside it. At lunch, the terrace and poolside setting bring Caribbean-inspired plates into the day; dinner moves towards steaks, seafood, wine and cocktails, with a relaxed dress code by day and a smarter one in the evening.

The Drunken Pelican is the more casual option, beside the yacht club and waterfront, serving lunch and dinner in a livelier setting shaped by tropical influences and the spirit of J'ouvert. Bocce and pickleball courts sit nearby, so you can move from a game to the table without turning it into an expedition. The breakfast-inclusive package also includes the daily continental breakfast at The Drake Steakhouse.

There are two named bars. The Drake Steakhouse Bar focuses on cocktails and wine, while the Drunken Pelican Bar, at the yacht club, serves handcrafted cocktails. The resort also offers daily Caribbean tea with homemade pastries, themed dinner evenings and private meals, including beach picnics and candlelit dinners under the stars.

Three outdoor pools give you a choice after the sea: the elevated infinity pool at The Spa, the Yacht Club Pool beside the Drunken Pelican and The Lodge Pool, with tropical surroundings and views. Sun loungers, umbrellas and beach cabanas are available when the correct post-dive activity is doing absolutely nothing for a while.

The Spa at Peter Island covers 10,000 square feet and includes seven treatment rooms, an ocean-side jacuzzi, a relaxation garden, a hair salon and its own infinity pool. Treatments include massages, facials, manicures, pedicures and hair treatments. You can also use the fitness centre, set in two seafront bohios overlooking Big Reef Bay, or join fitness and yoga classes listed among the resort's wellness facilities.

For a more active afternoon, you have kayaking, paddleboarding, non-motorised water sports, boat excursions, snorkelling and equipment hire. On land, the resort provides hiking, a 5-mile trail, the Sunset Loop Tour, tennis equipment, basketball, bocce, pickleball and lawn games. Weekly entertainment takes place at the Drunken Pelican, with live music and evening entertainment adding a little noise to an otherwise easygoing island routine.

Arrival is part of the island logistics. From Terrance B. Lettsome International Airport on Tortola, the route is a 20-minute taxi journey to the Peter Island ferry launch followed by a 30-minute private ferry. The airport is 6 miles from the resort in a straight-line listing. Transfers from Tortola are available several times a day, and private water taxis, public ferry services and taxis are also available. From St Thomas, you can arrange a private water taxi taking 1 hour 15 minutes, while helicopter transfers can also be organised.

Check-in starts at 15:00 and check-out runs until 12:00. You need photo identification and a credit card at check-in, and the resort needs your expected arrival time in advance. Cancellation and prepayment conditions vary by accommodation category, with different arrangements for festive periods and villas, so read the terms attached to the room you choose.

Free WiFi is available throughout the resort, with luggage storage, a tour desk, private and express check-in and check-out, a concierge, laundry and dry-cleaning services. The on-site minimarket and Sea Chest marina shop are useful when island logistics have beaten you to the punch. US dollars are used, cash is not accepted, and there is no cash machine on the island. Electricity is 110V/60Hz; European guests can use adapters available at the resort, although these do not convert voltage.

Only 300 of Peter Island's 1,800 acres have been developed, leaving the resort within a much larger island landscape. Its water system uses reverse-osmosis purification and desalination, with rainwater collection and grey water used for irrigation. That matters on an island, where water is not something to take for granted.

The resort also runs an extended recycling programme and uses wind power, including the first wind turbines in the British Virgin Islands. Its environmental work received the Condé Nast Johansens Award for Excellence in Meetings and Events for Best Green Hotel in 2017.