peter island or guana island
 

Forget about my previous question regarding oceanview or beach-front accommodations at peter island. I decided that you only turn 40 once, so you may as well live it up. Here's my next question - Peter Island or Guana Island? Again, I will be travelling solo to celebrate a milestone bday and WANT privay, quiet and excellent service. Which resort will definetely not dissapoint?

Guana will afford you more quiet and privacy. The service there isn't what most people would call excellent, I don't think. The staff really tend to be non intrusive to the guests. The moment you approach someone and mention that you'd like to take a hike, or go on an excursion, or an unscheduled ride down to the beach, they will be immediately helpful and do everything they can to fulfill your request. So I guess it depends on what you mean by excellent service. I've never stayed at Peter Island, but I suspect the service there is more solicitous than at Guana.

Guana's service suits me just fine--in fact, I've got my return trip planned for next month and I'm counting down the days until I get there! For a variety of reasons, Peter Island doesn't really appeal to me, so the few times I would ever be able to splurge for that kind of pricetag, I choose Guana every time. It's like staying at some fabulously secluded house in the country, where you might occasionally see the other guests during the day, but where you can come together for the evening meal to share your day's adventures. For me, it's just the right blend of privacy and sociability. And utterly lacking in those pretentions found in other resorts in the same price bracket.

They are really nothing alike.

On the one hand, Guana is a complete getaway and back to nature experience. Simplistic, but comfortable accommodations, gorgeous views, good food but limited selections. You might be there with up to 30 guests but you'll probably feel like you have the whole island to yourself at times since it is so large.

On the other hand, Peter Island is a full service resort with up to 100 guests. Two restaurants, several room selections (if I were going alone, I'd probably chose an Ocean View room since it is near the main resort area), lots of watersports including an on site dive and snorkeling shop.

You can read my reviews at www.scubamom.com/bvi/ and perhaps get a feel for the difference in these two outstanding resorts.

Thank you scubamom! I read your reviews of PI, Guana and LDB and decided to go with PI. Although Guana sounded like paradise,I was concerned that I would be one of only a handful of guests during late August and would feel too isolated. I had a chance to visit LDB many years ago and thought it was lovely but not quite right for this trip, this time. PI has the right blend of elements that I hope will make my trip a success. I decided to take an oceanview room as opposed to a beachfront suite since I don't plan to spend that much time in my room other that to sleep. Scubamom, your website was a great help with making this decision!

Glad my reviews were helpful and I think you will enjoy Peter Island!

Let us all know how your trip went when you return. Have fun!

Scubamom:

I also find your reviews very helpful. Thanks

Scubamom; I have been absent from the forum for quite some time and just saw your website. It is extremely well done. But, I could not in good understand how you only found the good at almost every resort. Young Island for us and several other friends that visited there the past few years were very disappointed in the food as well as the lack of decent snorkeling anywhere off St. Vincent. When we went to Togago Caye it was paradise but that is 1 day in a stay of 6 or 7 days. We tried as did 3 other couples to find good to very good food, not gourmet, at the resort or on the mainland within a 10-15 minute cab ride and only found 1 place that we all thought was good. If you really believe all you say about Young Island I wonder if we should consider Guana Island the one place we have not yet visited. When were you at Young Island and how would you compare it to Peter Island? I would be curious? Thanks.

Stan, I fear that Guana will not live up to your snorkeling standards, although Monkey Point is nice. If you just want a low-key place to relax, though, it certainly fits the bill. I am a big, big, fan... It is my favorite when considered against the following: Peter Island, Biras Creek, Little Dix Bay, Palm Island, and Caneel (which, by the way, had the best snorkeling, in my opinion).

Stan, I agree with Liesl that the snorkeling around Guana probably isn't up to your standards. The last time I was there, which was April 08, I was there right after a bad storm and visibility was practically nil, but even remembering back to previous visits I'd say it's on par with the snorkeling I saw around Tortola in 2005, not as good as the snorkeling around VG in 2007.

As for Scubamom...I'm not sure if it's still accurate or not, but at one time, her husband was the web designer for most, if not all, of the resorts she reviews on her own website. I suspect that has something to do with her overwhelmingly positive reviews on her site.

I'll throw out a few more Guana comments...

It's a great place if you like isolation and nature. Good food, good service, few guests (in April) and nice hiking trails.

As for the snorkeling, we had a really good time. Just off the main beach we saw tons of 'common' fish plus a good number of tarpon, turtles, nurse sharks, squid, shrimp, eels, etc. The added bonus is that you can hike to a number of isolated beaches and have entire bays to yourself for snorkeling.