We will be in Tortola for New Year's 2002. Any suggestions as to a good place to celebrate? We are staying at the Prospect Reef and not sure if their New Year package is where we want to be. There is a boat to Peter Island to their restaurant and a band. Any other experieces that might be a better plan?

I stayed at Prospect Reef in September, so feel free to ask any specific questions about the hotel. I do know that Bomba's shack in Apple Bay is supposed to be where many people go to celebrate New year's. they also hold a party every full moon. It's suposed to be quite crazy and fun (people drink mushroom tea, etc.). Prospect Reef is kind of far away from Bomba's. If you are interested in that party you should stay closer.<BR><BR>Another famous spot in the BVI's for New Year's is White Bay and the Soggy Dollar Bar. You can get there by ferry, but it stops running at about 5:00 PM, so you would have to pre-arrange how to get back by private boat.<BR><BR>Prospect Reef has bought a small bay located in Peter Island (the same island that Peter Island Resort is located in). They have a pretty neat restaurant there - a kitchen that is solar-powered, and you sit under a big "tent" right by the water. The staff is really nice and the food was great. If you are not the wild party type, I think it would make for a romantic and fun New Year's. If you want a big, wild party arrange to go to Bomba's or Soggy Dollar.

We have some mixed feelings in regards to Prospect Reef. We are in a travel club and they have booked us in the least expensive accommodations there. While I understand that none of the hotels on Tortola are the Ritz, what level of accommodations are they and what type of service can we expect from the hotel? Should I take candles and spray because the rooms are musty?<BR> <BR>We have heard from the Sugar Mill for New Year's and we are going to check out your recommendations. Thanks for the info.

Regarding accomodations, they vary because some room categories have been renovated and some haven't. We stayed in a Reef Studio which is the third cheapest category. The pros are that the room had a new A/C (absolutely essential) and we had an ocean view. The cons is that the room REALLY needed some updating. The two lower room categories are the Reef rooms and the Garden rooms. I think that most garden rooms have recently been renovated, but they don't face the ocean. Reef rooms are on the second floor and have ocean views, but I don't know how they are on the inside. Whether you will be satisfied with these accomodations depends on your expectations. I went knowing that the accomodations would not be up to other places that we have stayed, but we used Prospect Reef as a base to tour the BVI's and it was truly perfect for that. To sum up, the rooms are pretty shabby, if accomodations are a priority, this probaby is not the place.<BR><BR>However, the people that work in this place are really nice. The service at the restaurants was extremely friendly and for the most part, efficient. The food was great too. And because they have a marina, they offer various day trips, or you can arrange your own (we arranged a few, it was very easy). We did: <BR><BR>1) a day-sail from the marina to Norman Island and the Caves<BR>2) a day-trip from the marina to Jost Van Dyke (stopping at the cays around JVD, White Bay, and Foxy's)<BR>3) a day-trip by plane to Anegada<BR>4) we talked to one of the snorkeling trip operators that are at the marina and did a half-day private tour of the Rhone wreck and the reefs around Cooper Island<BR>5) we talked to a taxi driver and drove around Tortola, and stopped for a couple of hpurs at Smmuggler's Cove and Brewer's Bay<BR><BR>Overall, it wasn't a fancy vacation, but it was a fun vacation. Their small bay at Peter Island was a fun way to spend a couple of days - they have some water toys, and we did SNUBA, which was a lot of fun. The reefs around there are good for snorkeling. The beach is rocky in some areas, (but not in the water) so we were glad we brought our water shoes. Their tent restaurant at the island was very good, and the food we ate there was very fresh. I hope this helps, you may want to post a separate question on just the Sugar Mill and see if anyone has stayed there recently and can give you a report.

I had dinner a few years ago at the Sugar Mill and it was one of the best dinners I have ever eaten..And I am from NYC so to me that says a lot..

Just got back from a stay at Prospect Reef and we stayed in their cheapest room, the Reef Room.<BR><BR>Its a second floor simple bed & bath unit just like your typical holiday Inn only with a great balcony and killer views. The don't have A/C but our's faced east and sat out by the breakwall so the Trades kept us comfortable (building 10). In Spring/Summer it would be too hot.<BR><BR>It was clean, airy and comfortable. We too used PR primarily for sleeping as we were always on the go to this beach or that bar/restaurant plus a Day Sail and VG side-trip. PR is perfectly adequate for this.<BR><BR>Dave