30 April 2025

 

British Virgin Islands

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The Oxo Mum’s island of dreams

Magazine October 2011

Lynda Bellingham is smitten by the tiny and remote Peter Island in the Caribbean – especially when she was being covered in yogurt, turmeric and caviar

British Virgin Islands - A view to infinity from the terrace British Virgin Islands - A private beach to relax on British Virgin Islands - Lynda's favourite beachfront bar and grill

1 A view to infinity from the terrace 2 A private beach to relax on 3 Lynda's favourite beachfront bar and grill

AS FAR AS I'M concerned, holidays are about luxury: not for me the dubious thrill of living out of a backpack or roughing it under canvas. In fact, I didn’t even go backpacking in my youth.

Although my early years as an actress involved plenty of ‘gaps’ - I rarely left the confines of the dole queue - I never took a proper gap year. Fortunately since those early years I have been lucky enough to travel extensively thanks to my career.

I recently acquired a new husband who adores travel as much as I do, and the two of us love to find new and exotic places to spend our time. So it was with great delight that we discovered Peter Island, a privately owned paradise in the British Virgin Islands.

After a nine-hour flight from London to Antigua, we had a five hour stopover before boarding another plane for the island of Tortola. But even the stopover was pleasant - we popped over from the airport to the nearby Blue Waters resort, where we spent an enjoyable three hours having English afternoon tea in a classic Caribbean hotel.

The next leg of the journey was great fun. We flew in a small plane, via the islands of St Kitts and St Maarten. I looked down on the azure and turquoise waters, but then night fell and most of the journey was in darkness. The plane was noisy and not very comfortable but it did give the whole trip a sense of adventure.

Our final landing was at Beef Island airport, which serves Tortola. I wondered if this was a joke. Did they know my connections with that famous Oxo cube? We were met by motor launch and we roared off across the sea.

Peter Island has a natural Caribbean feel

It was pitch black, so any hope of admiring the Caribbean scenery was out of the question. Thirty minutes later we reached our destination, Peter Island.

The staff were obviously used to their guests arriving tired after their journey and we were gently ushered up a winding path to our beachfront suite without any fuss.

In the morning, I opened the door on to a classic tropical scene. Palm trees and white sand and gently lapping sea. Heaven! Our room had a marvellous view and was easily big enough for a family of four, never mind just the two of us. Peter Island has a natural Caribbean feel with stone walls and orange rugs.


It was like being on a set for DirtyDancing. I expected a tannoy to burst into action and summon me to the gym for a class! We walked down to the restaurant for breakfast and admired the natural beauty of the resort.

There is wildness about the island with its flora and fauna. Every plant and shrub plays host to hundreds of butterflies. They fill the air. At night when we walked to the restaurant we would often encounter an iguana crossing our path. It added to the whole feeling of being part of the island and away from ‘real life’.

Butterflies fill the air

You can walk round the island in a day, and from its highest point you can marvel at the surrounding islands. I became territorial and almost resented the passing yachts moored in the bay while their owners dined on the island. My favourite place to eat was the beachfront restaurant rather than the fine dining option.

It had a lot of local fish and a tendency towards Caribbean-style cuisine. Several guests I talked to had been coming back to Peter Island for years and loved the fact that it was so relaxing, unsophisticated and natural. They were concerned that if the resort became too shiny and slick, it would end up like every other place. I agree up to a point, but a certain style and level of facilities are essential if you want to command a place among the world's truly memorable resorts.

Another highlight was the spa - a ‘must have’ on any holiday for me and, my, have they got that right! It is elegant and simple and very modern, but with a wonderful atmosphere that encapsulates the island’s charm and tranquillity.

There is a beautiful landscaped garden with an infinity pool and discreet hot tub with steps leading down to a deserted beach. It is on the windward of the island and therefore much wilder. Watching the sun go down from this vantage point was magical.

Peter Island Spa also has Ayurveda-inspired treatments. Ayurveda is a 5,000-year-old system of traditional medicine native to India, and practised in other parts of the world as a form of alternative medicine.


If I could have one luxury in my life, it would be someone on call day and night to give me a head massage. It is amazing. I also indulged in a body wrap. I felt like a very tasty takeout from Pret A Manger lying there covered in turmeric and yogurt. I can recommend this treatment to anyone who is feeling slightly warm from a day in the sun.

It left my skin feeling alive, soft and tingling. My husband Michael had a full body massage and reported that the masseuse was terrific because she was so thorough. There is nothing more frustrating than being given a massage from someone who has no strength in their hands and just pokes at one's screaming muscles. In the heat of the day, entering the spa was like going into a mysterious ancient temple.

It was cool and calm and rates among the best spas I have experienced. The treatment rooms are large and airy with fresh flowers and candles and windows that look out to the ocean. There are special massage rooms for couples where you can have a joint massage followed by a luxury lounge in a hot tub overlooking the sea.

The deserted beach is the perfect setting

The serenity pool is surrounded by flora and looks out over a long, deserted beach. It really is the perfect setting. The treatments are all second to none. They range from the usual choice of facials and body massage to manicures and pedicures. Every spa has favourite products and Peter Island promotes Ingrid Millet. It is a French company and most of the products are caviar-based.

Once I had recovered from the shock of wasting such a delicacy on my body, I really enjoyed my Thalasso-Caviar Hydrating facial. I also had a Peter Island Perle De Caviar manicure and pedicure.I was able to sit back and drift off. As well as suites, the island has three villas, the ultimate in elegance and luxury.

All come with their own chef and staff and are completely secluded. All the resort staff are exceptional and one gets the feeling that they have invested their hearts and souls into the life of the island. It’s this sense of a real community that makes it so special. Peter Island has its own exclusivity in its naturalness and seclusion.

When I told the guys at passport control in Antigua where I was going, they said: ‘Where's Peter Island?’ Now I can tell them it’s a secret place - my own paradise found.

This article was featured in the October 2011 DialAFlight magazine. All information was correct at time of going to print.

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