Bitter End Yacht Club

This low-key resort on Virgin Gorda is known for its excellent sailing instruction and has been revamped after the destruction caused by Hurricane Irma.

• US Sailing-accredited school with excellent instructors
• The dedication to it's past, with items salvaged from it's pre-Hurricane Irma state dotting the property
• Fun, summer camp atmosphere great for bonding as well as making new friends

Bitter End Yacht Club has a long and established history as a renowned marina and watering hole for the robust sailing and yachting scene in the BVIs. The same remains true after Irma destroyed the property in 2017 and everything had to be rebuilt from scratch. Bitter End Yacht “2.0” pays homage to its storied past with items salvaged from the hurricane everywhere: old negatives from decades ago, boat lights, porthole windows, cleats, ropes and mooring buoys. Even the old Bitter End ferry Reef Sampler, which divers found after the hurricane and were able to raise and clean, is now a central feature of the property’s shoreline as the sunken beach bar. The open air and multi-level communal buildings have a nautical theme and are composed of wood and other sustainable materials, and the flora planted throughout the property is native to Virgin Gorda and was carefully transported and cultivated.

First and foremost, the property caters to its marina guests, with twenty slips and more than eighty moorings. It offers bathrooms and showers, two dining outlets (the more casual Buoy Room and upscale Clubhouse), a fully stocked market and a boutique. There are two marina lofts on property where guests can stay on land, and there are plans to build additional accommodations.

Bitter End Yacht Club has always been known for its watersports program, as marina guests and visitors are able to rent sail boats, kayaks, SUPs and snorkel and other gear to enjoy on their own or with an instructor (reserved by the hour or day). The property also has plans to re-establish the well-known youth sailing program in future years.

There’s a convivial and communal attitude here—bordering on a party scene, depending on the time of day—that extends to the warmth of the staff. Bitter End Yacht Club purposefully offers an upscale, but still lighthearted meeting place for sailors to celebrate the boating culture the area has long been known for.

As there are currently only two rooms for guests on property, this is best for couples or groups of adults who require a night or two over the course of a yacht trip or require accommodations for an event elsewhere on island.