Review: Virgin Gorda’s ultimate cliffside retreat Oil Nut Bay

Location: Accessible only by boat or helicopter, the expansive Oil Nut Bay resort lies on the eastern tip of Virgin Gorda. The hotel’s plot takes in 160-plus hectares of glorious greenery, where footpaths weave through rolling hills and azure waters graze the white strip of sand that crowns the site.

First impressions: I’m bowled over by the sheer size of the property as we make our way from the jetty to The Dugout, where we enjoy a seamless check-in and rum cocktail, as is customary in the Caribbean. Although Oil Nut Bay is undeniably vast, it doesn’t feel congested or overcrowded. The villas are spread out enough to feel secluded – something that’s enhanced by the hotel’s light tread on the environment, which ensures buildings are tucked away behind shrouds of vegetation or hidden in the cliffside.

The facts: A mix of holiday rentals and real-estate properties, Oil Nut Bay’s villas and suites are set across eight ‘neighbourhoods’. These are interspersed with the hotel’s spa, beach club, tennis courts and Marina Village, where guests will find oceanfront dining spot Nova, a handful of boutiques and a watersports centre. The amenities are fairly spread out, but getting around the resort is easy, as each villa comes with an electric golf buggy for guests to use – there are also drivers on site to take you where you need to go. The property has been rebuilt since it was hit by hurricane Irma in 2017 and has a low-density approach to building, with just 180 villas and roughly 50% of the site left as open space.