We just completed our 3rd trip to the VIs in the last 5 years, but this is the first time we have stayed on a BVI, choosing Tortola as our home base for the week. In order to fully appreciate the BVIs, and Fort Recovery in particular, you need to have the right expectations. If you are looking for a party atmosphere with waitresses pushing drinks, then this place is not for you. Fort Recovery is very laid back, and any drinks you get are made in your own kitchen. However, this works out great because your villa will probably be no more than 50 ft from the ocean. Our 3 BR unit with 3 baths was no more than 10-15 feet from the water. Also, if you are looking for a perfectly manicured lawn and giant pool, look elsewhere too. The resort is small and the pool is an afterthought. We are "beach people" though, and could hardly care about these items.

The beach at Fort Recovery is very nice. There are break walls strategically positioned to make the water very calm. There is also complimentary snorkeling equipment to use. While the fish life offshore is not spectacular, doing some free snorkeling is a good source of exercise and a fun way to pass the time. One turn off for some people may be the sea grass about 30' offshore. However, it was quite easy to swim over it if you are easily squeamish about those things.

We explored other beaches on the West End of the island and each had issues. I found the beach at Frenchman's Cay to be very lacking, and it was a complete turn off for me. The Long Bay beach did have way too many rocks on its floor as others have written about the resort, but if you walk west from the resort, the ocean bottom is all sand. This beach is also the only one we found with big waves, which children love, but adults may find a bit noisy. The beach at Smugglers Cove was nice, but nothing special either. All things considered, I appreciated the Fort Recovery beach and set-up more after visiting these locales.

The villa itself served its purpose perfectly. It was not luxurious, but it was very comfortable, and we all slept well. Given the 4 adults are difficult sleepers, that is saying something. I do wish though each bedroom had its own TV.

Even though Fort Recovery is very nice, do make it a point to plan some day trips. Our trips to Virgin Gorda's "Baths" and White Bay on Jost Van Dyke were wonderful. Also, plan at least one day of snorkeling to the Caves and the Indians off Norman Island. I have written reviews on each. Also, you should get a rental car even though the roads on Tortola are awful.

Our room rate included 1 free filet mignon dinner, and a 1/2 day of snorkeling. Given that the villa is the equivalent of 3 hotel rooms, the rate was pretty fair - especially for being right on the ocean. Whether on the front porch or resting in bed, you will be serenaded by the gentle surf hitting the shoreline - very nice.

You will notice I gave the property the highest rating. In truth, it probably is more like a 4.5 star resort in my book, but as the week went on, I appreciated it more for what it was and minimized its few areas to improve. Unless you are a very pampered traveller, you should enjoy yourself here.

I am quoting our daughter when I say Best Wedding Ever but I definitely agree. Our daughter got married on November 6th surrounded by family and friends at this absolutely beautiful resort on the beach with beautiful flowers, music, weather and to the most fabulous accommodations. We had her reception on the porch of the beach house with cocktails inside and e band playing steel drums outside. The table set wasnsomthing out of a magazine!!!!! Flowers, candles and the most beautiful linen napkins with crocheted tatting trim. Oh it was spectacular. When planning this you can only hope it turns out as well as you can imagine....imagine it being ever better because it was. Everyone at Fort Recovery was eager to make this day as special as we wanted it to be. No detail was left unattended to. Anita, Pamelah, Doug, Rita, Ivette and Anne all made sure it happened as planned. And the others Perfecto and Risky were there in the background quietly attending to all the little details. We did yoga in the am right there on the waters edge, had massages to relax us beforehand. The rehearsal island barbecue was delicious as well as the filet mignon dinner at the wedding. Oh it was a wedding and a trip of a lifetime and I can't thank the owner, Anita, to making sure our little girl had a wedding she only dreamed of but actually she was able to give her. The memories will be imbedded forever and words cannot express the gratitude for everyone there to make this dream a reality. Thank you all from the bottom of our hearts. If anyone is planning a destination wedding this is the place to make hour dream a reality. Once I figure out how to post the pictures I will. Thanks to everyone again....it was the best dream of our life! Donna and Eddie.

I must preface this review by saying we stayed only one night, but it was a stay that made the most positive impression I've ever had in a smaller family-run Caribbean beach hotel. My wife and I (late 50's) needed a place to relax after a week of chartering a boat around the BVI. Choosing Fort Recovery for the job of winding us down turned out to be one of the best decisions we made for the entire vacation. Apparently sailors have been coming there to rest for about 400 years, so we were unknowingly following a very traditional activity in this part of the islands. My first impression was that the grounds were spotlessly clean. After being greeted on the front steps by Doug the manager (his Hawaiian shirt and flip-flops clued us in to the casual atmosphere, but did not reveal his very focused attention toward everything else), he walked us over to an astonishingly beautiful suite, on the beach with an awesome view across the channel to St. John in the USVI (the view later had us gazing upon a perfect Caribbean sunset). After having stayed in several upscale and less than ideal hotels in the Caribbean and elsewhere, I have to say that this was the most beautifully decorated, spotlessly clean, and and comfortable room I've been in with the possible exception of my own home. In fact, with the bookcases full of books, art objects on the walls and horizontal surfaces, perfectly functioning appliances (A/C, mini-fridge, TV, bar sink, bath and toilette), I felt like I was in someone's home -- someone with superb taste and attention to detail. Even the marble tiles on the bathroom wall had their vein pattern matching and the grout was laid to the construction standards of a very high-end hotel. Stepping out the back door onto the deck led to steps down to the beach. A walk around the property revealed more attention to detail -- every structure was freshly painted and workers were busily servicing rooms and attending to landscaping. I felt like I had stepped out of the typical tropic attitude of "no problem, mon...been like dat for months..." and into the first class, "yes sir, I will address that immediately" universe, but somehow located on a gorgeous tropical beachfront -- except that someone who really knew what they were doing had already addressed every potential concern before I arrived. This is a place to completely unwind -- a large freshwater swimming pool sits between the ancient fort ruin and the restaurant, and the sound of waves on the beach is gradually replaced with the tradewinds in the palm fronds and one walks though the compound. They had simple one bedroom suites, to units with kitchenettes, to large villas for big groups or families (Doug graciously allowed us to inspect them since we indicated our intent to return as soon as we could), all uniquely decorated, and all with views great and small of the beautiful water and islands. A 35 foot motor yacht is available for charter at the dock, and the on-site restaurant serves a small but delicious dinner menu to hotel guests only, that one orders in advance. The resort is not particularly close to other eating, shopping or entertainment sources (probably intentional to keep things calm and quiet), so a very short, inexpensive cab ride (the biggest surprise in the BVI was the low cost cab fares -- everything else is quite pricey) would be needed for those not choosing to walk the mile or so over to West End/Soper's Hole. If you need a getaway sort of stay at a place that is relaxed, quiet, and more clean and comfortable than expected, this is an exceptional choice and worth every penny.
Alan Jorgensen

Stayed at Fort Recovery for 4 nights in November. Room was beautifully decorated, large, clean and very comfortable. We were in a Superior 1BR suite. A/C in bedroom worked great and cooled the living room a little bit too (enough to be comfortable). Kitchen area was small and mini fridge was a little hard to access because of the way the door opened. Beautiful view from our balcony. Staff (Doug and Rita) were friendly and helpful. Ivette took very good care of us at breakfast. When we booked, our package had a continental breakfast included (which they no longer offer), but they accommodated us when we asked about it. We thought it was a very convenient place to stay on the West End and would definitely stay there again.