Tortola-Sugar Mill Hotel
Jul 16th, 1998, 01:42 AM
#2
Guest
Posts: n/a
I was there in April, 1998. The rooms are nice, some overlook the beach. The food is good. The beach is small, but it is one of the best in Tortola. I rented a car and toured the island. I found The Sugar Mill to be the best Hotel in Tortola. It is a short ride from the West End ferry <BR>dock where you can catch ferries to Jost Van Dyke <BR>($15.00 RT) and St. John ($35.00 RT). You can also catch a ferry in Road Town to Virgin Gorda to see The Baths ($15.00 RT)
Jul 21st, 1998, 01:27 PM
#3
Guest
Posts: n/a
While I did not stay there - I wished we had. For the quaintness and cost compared to others hotels on the island, this would be a good choice. The only downside was the beach is super small, but the fun of the BVI's is checking out the other beaches. I must say, however, that dinner at the Sugar Mill was by far the most beautiful and best food I had during my stay. Enjoy your stay! <BR> <BR>P.S. Renting a jeep and driving around the island for a few days is a must! <BR>
Jul 21st, 1998, 02:09 PM
#4
Guest
Posts: n/a
Hi Ron, <BR>My wife and I vacation every year on Tortola. On the side I do some travel writing and have gotten to the point where Tortola is a second home. On one occasion within the last few years I did a write-up on Sugar Mill and in so doing had the opportunity to talk with the manager in some depth. She gave me a tour of their different rooms and facilities and I gained a good I feel I for the place. I was looking at Sugar Mill with, I think, an open mind with the intention to tell others about it in an article in which I was also featuring Fort Recovery, Frenchman's Cay, and Long Bay resort. Each is very different from the rest, all are upper end for Tortola and all are within 5 miles or less from each other. To be fair, let me say that I stay at Frenchman's Cay and have never found a reason to switch, but with resorts I've learned that it all depends on what you're looking for. <BR>Here's the facts as I know them. First, there are two remarkable things about Sugar Mill: the quality of the food which, I agree with another writer, is the best on Tortola; and the fact that its focus is the ruins of an actual sugar mill. My wife and I ate dinner there one night and it was quite an experience. We have both lived in France for years and we think we can comment on good food. The experience that was memorable, however, was the fact that the restaurant is in the open main room of the mill. It is no stretch of the imagination to envision the slaves being worked to death in the same room in which you are now sipping from your wine glass in a tasteful decor that preserves the power and presence of the enormously thick and ominous mill walls. I said the food was the best on the island and it is, but, the New Zealand mussels were a bit past prime and the compromises that a chef has to make in the islands with respect to ingredients did not result in a meal that I regarded as special. Dinner for two with a bottle of wine cost a bit over $100. <BR>As reported the beach is teenie-tiny. The manager considered it their weak spot. On Tortola the resorts tend toward those that are luxury (use of marble in the bathrooms, etc.) and those that provide the same functionalities and space but rely on terra cotta. Sugar Mill is more on the luxury side in its rooms. They are very comfortable. On the other hand, there is little or no view. The premises are in what I would describe as a densely treed location. You do have a somewhat restricted view of the Carrot Bay, but compared to most other hotel in any price range it's not a good view. I found service and amenities to be excellent. I believe they have the best trained staff on the island. Note, for example, that a large number of the restaurant staff were trained in New York. The general locale of Sugar Mill is, I think, one of the most trainquil parts of the island. It's a quiet spot with a relaxed ambiance. On the other hand, with its orientation to the trade winds and the dense vegetation there, you do not get much in the way of a breeze. The air conditioning is a necessity. The manager told me that they somewhat specialize in New Yorkers who want to get away from the office for a weekend or a week. The solitude and restful atmosphere would promote that. <BR>I've read quite a few reviews of Sugar Mill and none of them have been bad. If you want to know about other resorts please feel free to write, but I'd prefer you write direct rather than posting on Fodor's. <BR>JD <BR>
