Guana Island
Guana Island is one of those places guests struggle to describe to anyone who hasn't been. It is a privately owned 850-acre island in the British Virgin Islands, run as a hotel since 1934 on the foundations of an 18th-century Quaker estate and in the same family for 50 years. There are 18 rooms and villas for a handful of guests, seven beaches, a five-acre organic orchard, 12 miles of trails and a flock of flamingos, and only registered guests are allowed on the island. There is no public bar, marina or commercial facility, and no over-programmed activity schedule, just the setting, good food and as much or as little to do as you want.
Things to Know
- Max 3 per Room
Traveler Insights
Pros
- +Genuine private island: 850 acres, only registered guests allowed ashore, and just 18 rooms and villas for about 35 guests, with many weeks running well below that
- +Twelve miles of trails past the Quaker sugar plantation ruins to the 806-foot summit of Sugarloaf Mountain, plus a resident flock of flamingos and seven beaches, several reached only by the island's boat
- +Farm-to-table cooking from a five-acre organic orchard with over 40 varieties of fruit, vegetables and flowers, eggs from the island's own free-range chickens, and bread baked on site
- +All meals and beverages are included, wine and spirits too, with only champagne and reserve bottles charged extra, which is more generous than many luxury all-inclusives
- +Snorkel gear is available at any time without booking, and the island's northern tip is a Protected Fisheries Area, with Muskmelon Beach and Crab Cove good for snorkeling and shelling
- +An included fleet of stand-up paddleboards, paddle boats, kayaks, a sunfish and a hobie cat, plus tennis, croquet (with the annual Calabash Cup), badminton, volleyball, bocce and lawn bowling
- +Free Wi-Fi across the rooms and public spaces and working cell service, with a gentle house rule that keeps phones out of earshot of other guests
Cons
- −There is no resort swimming pool: only the three villas and two of the Sea View Cottages have private pools, so everyone else swims at the beaches
- −An 18% tax and resort fee is added to every charge, which at these rates adds up to hundreds of dollars a night
- −Spa treatments at the Hibiscus Spa are extra, from $90 for a 30-minute foot or scalp treatment to $260 for an 80-minute hot stone massage, and motorized water sports, scuba, fishing and boat excursions are all paid add-ons
- −The rooms and clubhouse sit on a hilltop ridge while the beach and spa are at the bottom; the walk is 10-15 minutes and strenuous one way, so many guests rely on the on-demand golf cart
- −Meals run to a fixed schedule (breakfast 8-10 am, lunch at 1 pm, dinner at 7:30 pm) in one clubhouse, with room service carrying a $50 surcharge, so there is no choice of restaurants
- −No nightlife, gym or doctor on the island: evenings are cocktails in the Living Room and a candlelit dinner, and medical care is a 24/7 consulting doctor by phone
- −Rooms are deliberately simple, built of native stone and coral, and can feel rustic to travelers expecting glossy luxury finishes for the price
The all-inclusive is unusually complete for a luxury property: breakfast, lunch and dinner from the orchard and the island's own ovens, snacks through the day, and wine and spirits, with only champagne and reserve bottles charged. Meals are served on the clubhouse's dining terraces at fixed times, with cocktails and hors d'oeuvres in the Living Room beforehand. Days fill with snorkeling (gear is always available, and the northern tip is a Protected Fisheries Area), kayaks, paddleboards and small sailboats off White Bay Beach, tennis and croquet, and the hike up Sugarloaf Mountain. The Hibiscus Spa sits steps from White Bay Beach and uses orchard ingredients, but treatments are extra, as are scuba (the dive partner collects guests from Guana's dock), fishing and boat trips. There is no communal pool, and an 18% tax and resort fee applies to everything.
Guana suits couples, small groups and nature-loving families who want complete privacy and don't need a resort to entertain them. Families should know the island limits the number of children in winter, sets aside a separate beach for them and serves an earlier 6:30 pm dinner for those with under-12s. It sits firmly in the ultra-luxury private-island tier of the BVI, yet unlike some of its neighbors it can be booked room by room as well as bought out whole. Day or half-day boat trips run to sister island Norman Island, Robert Louis Stevenson's original Treasure Island, and to the Baths at Virgin Gorda.
Common Questions
How do you get to Guana Island?
Can you really book the entire island?
Is there a pool, a spa or a gym?
How good is the snorkeling, and what can you see?
Is Guana Island right for families with children?
What is not included in the rate?
Amenities
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Style & Rooms
Atmosphere
Room upgrades
Google Reviews★ 4.8 · 16 reviews
“Guana Island is one of those niche little hideaway places that has been an open secret for years. It may not suit everyone's tastes. It could even be challenging, with its walkways and stairs that lead to some rooms. But this is made up for with its...”
“Stayed 5 days in Feb 2022. What an amazing experience! THE place for ultimate relaxation. Food was great. Buffet breakfast every morning with options of the daily special or custom standards, plus toast/bagels/croissants/yogurt/cereal. Lunch als...”
“Stayed here some years ago, what a great Island. Very secluded Amazing beach and sea life. The hotel was nice and the staff very helpful.”
