Fort Recovery, Tortola

Author: Marksman
Date of Trip: August 2007

I’ve visited the Virgin Islands on many occasions. Mostly however, I was sailing around them instead of staying on land. This year I decided to make the leap and stay in a resort. I looked at some of the hotels in West End. I was looking for something not to commercial, nor to low-key for myself. I looked around at potential hotels online. I compared, weighed, and thought hard about which hotel would suit me best. So I went with a resort called Fort Recovery. I booked on their website, which let me save a little because they give 5% off there. They also had WI-FI in the room, which really clinched it. So I was booked, ready, and waiting for the day to come for my Caribbean Excursion.

When I got to Fort Recovery I was very impressed with their grounds. It was raked, trimmed, and beautifully lush. I was greeted at the door of the office by Pamelah, and showed around the property. After we got back to the office, I was given a cell phone. They told me that it was a lot cheaper to call locally with it on that phone (which it was, and saved me a ton of money). Also, the phone was pre-programmed with Taxi, Restaurant, and Emergency numbers if I ever needed help.

The Room was great. I got a 1-bedroom villa on the first floor right near the beach. I could literally take a few steps off my patio and step right onto the beach. It’s absolutely fantastic that you could wake up in the morning, and step out to feel the cool sand between your toes. I also had the chance to snorkel off their beach. There’s a small reef down the shoreline, which offers a beautiful view of all the coral and fish.

Fort Recovery also handles some extra activities. Such as a Snorkel trip that goes out to Virgin Gorda, Jost Van Dyke, and Norman Island. Also Yoga classes at sunset out on the dock.

I really wanted to go to Virgin Gorda but couldn’t decide how to get there. After discussing it with the front desk, I decided to take a round trip ferry special to the baths including lunch for just $40. It was a great day. The Baths proved to be as spectacular as expected and the people were very friendly.

Renting a car on the island was easy enough. At first driving on the left is a bit disorientating, but once you get use to it it’s a blast. If you are an experienced hiker you can easily traverse the Tortola mountainside. My favorite beach was Smugglers Cove as it was extremely private and the water was shallow and delicious.

My villa had a fully equipped kitchen so I prepared most of my meals by myself, however, the nights I went to Fort Recovery Restaurant the food was very good. My other favorite restaurant was Jolly Rogers. They always had fun interesting people hanging around, and I loved the nachos.

I’ve already told my friends about Tortola and Fort Recovery. Now I feel I should tell my experience to the rest of the world. I’ve had a fantastic time, and I’m definitely staying on land again. Thanks everyone for a great vacation!