smartin

We will be visiting Tortola for 5 nights in April after visiting St John for 5 nights- any suggestions on where to stay? I have looked into Sugar Mill Hotel- looks great but concerned about the small beach there? Long Bay Resort- seems a little "big" for us? Sebastions- how is the beach and area? Any suggestions would greatly be appreciated!We tend to like the smaller hotels on a nice beach with a restaurant and nice amenities...Thank you! Susan

StanKase

To be frank none of the hotels are first-rate and I am not realating them to CaneelBay or the Ritz Charlton on St. Thomas. We passsed the Sugar Mill and were not impressed other than it was small and private but not that nice. Long Bay though considered the "best" on the island is not that nice (we had lunch there). On the normal star system I would give Long Bay a 2 1/2. There are many nice homes and some very nice condos but they may require a week's stay.I am not sure where you are on St. John but I did not see a place as nice as Gallows Point for instance.

mah1980

I agree with Stan. We ate lunch at Long Bay and used the beach, and drove by Sugar Mill. I didn't really like the area, and there were not very many amenities as far as I could tell.

I was particularly surprised by Sugar Mill because their website looks upscale, but the property definitely did not.

ejcrowe

well, I'll give a differeing opinion. I stayed at the Sugar Mill in 2005 and the rooms were very pleasant, freshly renovated, and spacious. The property was intimate, the grounds nicely kept, the main restaurant on site very good, and the outdoor gazebo adjacent to the bar a great place to relax after dinner with a cocktail. The pool area is small but pleasant, with two hammocks hanging there.

I agree, however, that you wouldn't necessarily appreciate its better qualities simply by driving by the property, as others have seen it. If I had only seen it from the road I wouldn't be especially impressed, either. But I should stress that the Sugar Mill isn't necessarily "impressive" per se, but more a charming small property with all of the essential comforts--good food, good service, nice rooms, a/c, and all on a small property that blends in nicely with its surroundings instead of overwhelms them.

I only saw the restaurant at Sebastian's, not the rooms. The beach was small, smaller than the Sugar Mill's. If the beach is really important, stay at Long Bay, which has a beautiful beach. If you're going to visit various beaches during your stay, then I'd suggest that what you have at either Sebastian's or the Sugar Mill will be fine for the little daytime spent on property. (It was for us--we came "home" at the end of the day and it was perfect for a late afternoon swim and lazing on the sand, enjoying a drink.)

lovethecape

We stayed at Long Bay. It has the nicest beach. We enjoyed our stay but the furniture and bedding in most rooms seem a bit worn. We chose it because it's on a nice, long beach. We ate breakfast mornings at Sebastians. The beach is small but Long Bay Beach or Smugglers Cove (where we spent most of our beach time) are a short drive away. The Sugar Mill's beach is also small and across the road. However, the restaurant is very good and the grounds are charming. All three options are close to each other.

greenie

While we didnt stay at a resort, we stayed at Coconut Point apts, we loved the Long Bay resort for drinks, breafast, lunch, and the beach. I'd stay there in a heart beat.

Peace, Greenie

StanKase

Another yacht charter, though not inexpensive, is The Morrings. You can charter it for 5 ights with a catain & cook on a 40 ft. boat. They only use 2-4 yr. old boats that are privately owned and kept in pristine condition by the Moorings for the owners and the owners get part of the rental fee you pay. We did it 2 times. Once in the Virgin Islands and 1 time in the Grenadines. It was great. You can stop at little islands with uninhabitated beaches for a few hours and relax and snorkel. I do not suggest you go sharing the boat with another couple that wants to go to reduce the cost. You loose the ulimate relaxation.
I believe they are the largest charter organization inthe Virgins if not the Caibbeans.

tewels

I stayed at sebastians(we had one that had a tv and small kitchen) 2 years ago and loved it. From there, you can get just about anywhere, the beach is fine, but small. It would also be fun to rent one of those beach houses on long bay. They are RIGHT ON the beach.

beachplum

Indeed the beach at Long Bay looks wonderful but the water can be very rough and only at one end and one little spot can you get into the water over the rocks. Tortola, when compared to many of the other VI's, doesn't really have a lot of long wonderful beaches. You will probably choose to spend time on day trips to some of the other islands - or I hope you do - to explore their great beaches anyhow. The Sugar Mill has a lovely restaurant on site, a wonderful couple as host and hostess and is really quite pleasant. It certainly has more of the "island charm" than the "mega-resort" (for Tortola) Long Bay. Lambert Beach used to get good reviews (stayed there one nite in transit years back when it first opened). It is a newer property on a wonderful beach but have no idea of the situation there since it has changed hands several times and has had its ups and downs - you might want to check out recent reviews.

beachplum

Whoops! Just read that you made up your mind! Think you'll be pleased with the Sugar Mill.