By Alexander Britell
There are certain hotels in the Caribbean that manage to transcend the world of hospitality and enter a realm reserved for legends.
They’re hotels that become destinations, that become bucket-list stops, that become part of the tapestry of Caribbean history.
The Bitter End Yacht Club is one of them.
And for decades, this family-owned 64-acre outpost on the North Sound of Virgin Gorda in the BVI was precisely that, a Mecca for sailors, yachters and all those seeking to add the Bitter End to their own stories.
That was why when Hurricane Irma came and stole away the hotel, the Bitter End never left, tucked in the hearts and minds of those who worked there and those who made it their temporary home for a week or two every year.
The fate of the Bitter End has been top of mind for many Caribbean aficionados over the last few years, as travelers have wondered over the future of their beloved BVI outpost.
And now, two years later, the Bitter End is making its long-awaited comeback.
The Hokin family, which owns the resort, is calling it Bitter End 2.0.
And the reimagined Bitter End will begin with a focus on its heart and soul: yachts, yachtsmen and yachtswomen, the resort said in a statement to guests.
“We have been asked many times, ‘Is Bitter End going to be different?’ or ‘Is Bitter End going to be exactly as it was prior to the storm?’ Hurricane Irma didn’t leave us with an easy answer to either question,” the property said. “What Irma left us with was an unwavering commitment to Bitter End’s spirit and character.”
That means the moorings and docks will be back, along with a new marina lounge.
The Bitter End will also debut a new Clubhouse, this time as a waterfront restaurant and a beach bar, along with watersports, beach services and the Bitter End’s famous club fleet, a massive fleet of watercraft for guests that was always one of the hotel’s prized amenities.
The upcoming 2019-2020 season will see the relaunch of the General Store, along with the return of the Reeftique fashion store.
The centerpiece of the transformed marina will be a new two-story, open-air marina building, with enhanced Wi-Fi, shore power and a new kind of meeting and gathering space.
While it’s not yet clear when the Bitter End will relaunch any rooms or cottages, the Bitter End’s comeback is an essential part of what has been an inspiring tourism renaissance for the BVI in the last two years.
For more, visit the Bitter End Yacht Club.
— CJ