Peter Island Trip Report 1/05
Feb 24th, 2005, 03:28 AM
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Peter Island Trip Report 1/05
This report is for a short two-day stay we had at Peter Island in January 2005. Due to the duration of our trip, we did not get to experience everything at this wonderful resort…but here goes:
THE PROPERTY: is just fabulous…the resort is lush and beautiful on a very scenic hilly island. There is nothing contrived about this place and guests can explore most of the island if they are so inclined. It truly is a tropical paradise.
THE ROOM: we had a beachfront room which was very nicely furnished and outfitted. I would call the style high end earthy Caribbean….not glitzy or Ritz Carltony…beautiful wood and stone walls. There was a glass enclosure between the bathroom and bedroom which housed a Jacuzzi and a two person shower. There were blinds on the bedroom side for privacy if required. There was a sitting area adjacent to the bed containing a sofa, chair, desk, bureau, smallish closet and mini-bar with a coffee maker. The best part of the room was the outdoor terrace (we were on the second floor) that overlooked Deadman’s Bay, a few islands, and some anchored sailboats……I can’t imagine a better view in a tropical setting. The terrace had two lounges and a small table and chairs.
FOOD: I should preface my “take” on the meals with the fact I do not care for buffets and I am very discriminating when it comes to food, much to my husbands annoyance. He says I don’t go out to dine, but to be a food critic. All food is included in the room rate and there were no restrictions or surcharges (which is a pet peeve of mine).
Breakfast is served every morning in the Tradewinds Restaurant which had another fabulous view…..this time of Drake’s Passage and Tortola. There is a buffet containing the standard fruits, yogurt, cereals, egg/omlet station, bacon, sausage and breakfast pastries. There is a menu with a large number of breakfast entrees. Coffee and fresh juices are served at the table. The croissants from the buffet were very good along with the homemade granola. From the menu we enjoyed Eggs Florentine and Coconut/Banana French Toast. We arrived at the end of the meal time the first day and the buffet was very picked over. You can also have continental breakfast delivered to you room to enjoy on the terrace.
Lunch is served each day at Deadman’s Beach Bar and Grill. It is a very relaxed atmosphere and it’s hard to take your eyes off the drop-dead view. Once again there was a buffet comprised of about 8 salads (seafood, tomato mozzarella, green with dressings), fruits and lots of desserts. The second day the buffet was very tired looking after about an hour from the start of lunch. But there is good news…there is a full menu with a very good selection of salads, sandwiches, pizzas and entrees. We enjoyed the pizzas which were prepared in their wood burning oven…excellent for anywhere - let alone the balmy Caribbean. My husband had a great filet mignon sandwich and we heard people raving over the ribs. I enjoyed a simple piece of grilled snapper one day…..it was so fresh and perfectly prepared. There is also a light lunch offered in the late afternoon which we didn’t experience.
Dinner on our first night was served in the Tradewinds Restaurant and it was their Sunday night buffet. There were no menu choices - just the buffet. The cold items were good including salads and seafood items. There were snow crab claws (not legs) which I had never had and they were delicious – sweet and succulent. I’m not one of those “quick take the picture Alice – the shrimp will be gone from the buffet” people but the shrimp were excellent. The hot items were another story…..a dry prime rib that was carved to order and some equally dry chicken and seafood items in chafing dishes. My husband had pasta from the pasta station and I thought it was poor, he thought it was OK. There was a nice selection of desserts but none were memorable.
Dinner on the second night was at Deadman’s. There was NO buffet that night just a full menu. I would recommend the coconut shrimp appetizer. I had jerk chicken for my entrée which was once again dry and my husband had tuna that was pretty good. The coconut crème brulee was a bit disappointing, it didn’t have the usually hard sugar top but the banana crumble was excellent.
When occupancy is high, dinner is offered at both restaurants.
TEA is served from 4:00 to 5:00 each day in the lobby.
BEVERAGES: are not included in the room rate. They had a good selection of tropical drinks, beers and wines by the glass. Tradewinds had a bigger wine list than Deadmans. The espresso was consistently good.
SERVICE: overall was excellent. There were a few staff members that did not look too happy but let’s face facts….the cost for one day at the resort is probably a staff member’s salary for one month. The majority of the staff were eager to please and very proud of the island.
THE SPA: which just opened in December, is the best I’ve ever been to. It is a distance from the rest of the resort but it is possible to walk there or the jitney will pick you up. I had a reflexology treatment in a beautiful treatment room with the door open to view gorgeous landscaping and the sea beyond it. I closed my eyes and listened to the surf during the treatment. The technicians were professional, friendly, and very experienced. You can spend the day at the spa if you have a treatment booked. There is a beautiful pool, outdoor waterfall “shower” and a Jacuzzi hidden in the rocks overlooking the beach. They will have food sent from Deadmans if you like. The day we were there I only saw two other people.
THE BEACHES: Due to the short duration of our trip we only experienced Deadman’s. There were plenty of lounge chairs and hammocks and the beach was never crowded. Once again I have the say the view from the beach is spectacular. White Bay seems to be the snorkeling beach and the hotel has transportation there every hour and they will pack a lunch for you. There are a few other beaches but these are the big ones.
ISLAND TOUR: is offered each day at 11:00 and 3:00. I would highly recommend the tour. We were taken by van and it was just the two of us. Our driver was very knowledgeable and interesting.
SUNSET: trip to THE LOOP is done each day at around 5:00. We didn’t experience this, but I’m sure it’s great. You are taken to a spot at the top of the island (with champagne or drinks if you like) where there are tables and chairs and you can enjoy the sunset..they pick you up in about an hour.
THE POOL: is near the lobby and Tradewinds Restaurant……it is a large infinity pool with a fabulous view of Drake’s Passage and Tortola…..just a great view…..there were plenty of lounge chairs and it was never anywhere near crowded.
TV: there are none in the rooms ….. there is one in the library which is right next to the pool and one in the gym. The only reason we needed a TV was for the football playoffs….my husband is a big Eagles fan and the game was a necessity. The library was full but everyone had a seat…..about half the viewers were from a chartered yacht…….they had phoned ahead to be sure they could watch the game.
NIGHTLIFE: forget it….there is none…..both evenings my husband and I were the only ones to even have a drink after dinner at the bar.
Let me know if you have any questions………I hope I wasn’t too critical…..it IS a great place.
THE PROPERTY: is just fabulous…the resort is lush and beautiful on a very scenic hilly island. There is nothing contrived about this place and guests can explore most of the island if they are so inclined. It truly is a tropical paradise.
THE ROOM: we had a beachfront room which was very nicely furnished and outfitted. I would call the style high end earthy Caribbean….not glitzy or Ritz Carltony…beautiful wood and stone walls. There was a glass enclosure between the bathroom and bedroom which housed a Jacuzzi and a two person shower. There were blinds on the bedroom side for privacy if required. There was a sitting area adjacent to the bed containing a sofa, chair, desk, bureau, smallish closet and mini-bar with a coffee maker. The best part of the room was the outdoor terrace (we were on the second floor) that overlooked Deadman’s Bay, a few islands, and some anchored sailboats……I can’t imagine a better view in a tropical setting. The terrace had two lounges and a small table and chairs.
FOOD: I should preface my “take” on the meals with the fact I do not care for buffets and I am very discriminating when it comes to food, much to my husbands annoyance. He says I don’t go out to dine, but to be a food critic. All food is included in the room rate and there were no restrictions or surcharges (which is a pet peeve of mine).
Breakfast is served every morning in the Tradewinds Restaurant which had another fabulous view…..this time of Drake’s Passage and Tortola. There is a buffet containing the standard fruits, yogurt, cereals, egg/omlet station, bacon, sausage and breakfast pastries. There is a menu with a large number of breakfast entrees. Coffee and fresh juices are served at the table. The croissants from the buffet were very good along with the homemade granola. From the menu we enjoyed Eggs Florentine and Coconut/Banana French Toast. We arrived at the end of the meal time the first day and the buffet was very picked over. You can also have continental breakfast delivered to you room to enjoy on the terrace.
Lunch is served each day at Deadman’s Beach Bar and Grill. It is a very relaxed atmosphere and it’s hard to take your eyes off the drop-dead view. Once again there was a buffet comprised of about 8 salads (seafood, tomato mozzarella, green with dressings), fruits and lots of desserts. The second day the buffet was very tired looking after about an hour from the start of lunch. But there is good news…there is a full menu with a very good selection of salads, sandwiches, pizzas and entrees. We enjoyed the pizzas which were prepared in their wood burning oven…excellent for anywhere - let alone the balmy Caribbean. My husband had a great filet mignon sandwich and we heard people raving over the ribs. I enjoyed a simple piece of grilled snapper one day…..it was so fresh and perfectly prepared. There is also a light lunch offered in the late afternoon which we didn’t experience.
Dinner on our first night was served in the Tradewinds Restaurant and it was their Sunday night buffet. There were no menu choices - just the buffet. The cold items were good including salads and seafood items. There were snow crab claws (not legs) which I had never had and they were delicious – sweet and succulent. I’m not one of those “quick take the picture Alice – the shrimp will be gone from the buffet” people but the shrimp were excellent. The hot items were another story…..a dry prime rib that was carved to order and some equally dry chicken and seafood items in chafing dishes. My husband had pasta from the pasta station and I thought it was poor, he thought it was OK. There was a nice selection of desserts but none were memorable.
Dinner on the second night was at Deadman’s. There was NO buffet that night just a full menu. I would recommend the coconut shrimp appetizer. I had jerk chicken for my entrée which was once again dry and my husband had tuna that was pretty good. The coconut crème brulee was a bit disappointing, it didn’t have the usually hard sugar top but the banana crumble was excellent.
When occupancy is high, dinner is offered at both restaurants.
TEA is served from 4:00 to 5:00 each day in the lobby.
BEVERAGES: are not included in the room rate. They had a good selection of tropical drinks, beers and wines by the glass. Tradewinds had a bigger wine list than Deadmans. The espresso was consistently good.
SERVICE: overall was excellent. There were a few staff members that did not look too happy but let’s face facts….the cost for one day at the resort is probably a staff member’s salary for one month. The majority of the staff were eager to please and very proud of the island.
THE SPA: which just opened in December, is the best I’ve ever been to. It is a distance from the rest of the resort but it is possible to walk there or the jitney will pick you up. I had a reflexology treatment in a beautiful treatment room with the door open to view gorgeous landscaping and the sea beyond it. I closed my eyes and listened to the surf during the treatment. The technicians were professional, friendly, and very experienced. You can spend the day at the spa if you have a treatment booked. There is a beautiful pool, outdoor waterfall “shower” and a Jacuzzi hidden in the rocks overlooking the beach. They will have food sent from Deadmans if you like. The day we were there I only saw two other people.
THE BEACHES: Due to the short duration of our trip we only experienced Deadman’s. There were plenty of lounge chairs and hammocks and the beach was never crowded. Once again I have the say the view from the beach is spectacular. White Bay seems to be the snorkeling beach and the hotel has transportation there every hour and they will pack a lunch for you. There are a few other beaches but these are the big ones.
ISLAND TOUR: is offered each day at 11:00 and 3:00. I would highly recommend the tour. We were taken by van and it was just the two of us. Our driver was very knowledgeable and interesting.
SUNSET: trip to THE LOOP is done each day at around 5:00. We didn’t experience this, but I’m sure it’s great. You are taken to a spot at the top of the island (with champagne or drinks if you like) where there are tables and chairs and you can enjoy the sunset..they pick you up in about an hour.
THE POOL: is near the lobby and Tradewinds Restaurant……it is a large infinity pool with a fabulous view of Drake’s Passage and Tortola…..just a great view…..there were plenty of lounge chairs and it was never anywhere near crowded.
TV: there are none in the rooms ….. there is one in the library which is right next to the pool and one in the gym. The only reason we needed a TV was for the football playoffs….my husband is a big Eagles fan and the game was a necessity. The library was full but everyone had a seat…..about half the viewers were from a chartered yacht…….they had phoned ahead to be sure they could watch the game.
NIGHTLIFE: forget it….there is none…..both evenings my husband and I were the only ones to even have a drink after dinner at the bar.
Let me know if you have any questions………I hope I wasn’t too critical…..it IS a great place.
Feb 24th, 2005, 09:14 AM
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To carib_ian......we have a home in St. Thomas ....so it was a quick ride on the Water Taxi, about 1 1/2 hours including the Immigration stop in Tortola.
I think three or four nights would be good for me....after that I would get antsy...but most people seem really happy there for a week.
I think three or four nights would be good for me....after that I would get antsy...but most people seem really happy there for a week.
Feb 24th, 2005, 12:24 PM
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skitravel: Thanks so much for the great trip report. We are scheduled for a week trip there in April and your positive report is much appreciated. I had been reading some not so positive reports on tripadvisor.com and was starting to worry. Now I feel we have made a good choice.
Feb 24th, 2005, 01:12 PM
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SOme of the negative reports on Trip Advisor are quite bizarre -- people complaining about the demographic mix of the other guests! The others were to do with service and how it was either indifferent or spotty. No one disputes the beauty of the resort.
Feb 24th, 2005, 01:23 PM
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When we were there it was mostly couples in their 40's and 50's, some younger and very few older....mostly Americans with a few British...and a couple of groups of women (great for a spa vacation).....everyone mostly kept to themselves.....
Mar 7th, 2005, 05:11 PM
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This is a wonderful retreat for any couple in search of refuge from day to day stress... sometimes when I read these reviews I wonder what everybody is looking for. It is a beautiful island - the locals are very accommodating. The views are the best in the BVI. Good food, Good company, even mocko jumbies on Wednesday night... can't wait to return someday...
Mar 8th, 2005, 12:29 PM
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Just a word about trip advisor...
I have not been to PI yet..going in November...but I have been to many other resorts. For the most part, the reports on trip advisor, I have found, to be overall negative. I always research here first and used to read TA. I have always found Fodors trip reports to be right on and extremely accurate. I have never experienced any of the negative reports that I have read on Trip Advisor in my personal travels.....I do not know why this is, it just seems as though the TA reports are so whiney and pickey and will go on and on if a person from hotel staff was not happy and smiley when asked to perform something over the top. I have read reports that have completely trashed a resort for a very minute thing.....needless to say, I no longer read trip advisor.
I have always found the combination of your own research and asking questions here to be extremely informative and everyone to be very kind and helpful.
I have not been to PI yet..going in November...but I have been to many other resorts. For the most part, the reports on trip advisor, I have found, to be overall negative. I always research here first and used to read TA. I have always found Fodors trip reports to be right on and extremely accurate. I have never experienced any of the negative reports that I have read on Trip Advisor in my personal travels.....I do not know why this is, it just seems as though the TA reports are so whiney and pickey and will go on and on if a person from hotel staff was not happy and smiley when asked to perform something over the top. I have read reports that have completely trashed a resort for a very minute thing.....needless to say, I no longer read trip advisor.
I have always found the combination of your own research and asking questions here to be extremely informative and everyone to be very kind and helpful.
Mar 8th, 2005, 01:10 PM
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I totally agree with about Trip Advisor. Some of the complaints I've read are extremely weak. I read one report where the person never even stayed at the place: they just didn't like the way the hotelier sounded on the phone.
Take Trip Advisor reports with a grain of (sea) salt.
Take Trip Advisor reports with a grain of (sea) salt.
Mar 8th, 2005, 01:48 PM
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I agree with the above posters about Trip Advisor reports. I do read with that grain of sea salt ;-)....and sometimes just read for the humor of it all. Some people will always find something that made their trip less than the *perfection* they were expecting;-)....I've had many good chuckles.
What I do find helpful on TA, is that usually the poster lists his/her state or country of residence.
Marion
What I do find helpful on TA, is that usually the poster lists his/her state or country of residence.
Marion
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