Secret Bay

Ross Blvd Portsmouth, Portsmouth, Dominica

Why we love it: A stunning eco-resort where style meets sustainability

Highlights:
- Villas attendants who double as adventure concierges
- A treehouse-style spa
- A reputation for balancing nature and luxury

The Review:
An award-winning boutique resort, Secret Bay serves exquisite style, service, and seclusion just a 10-minute drive from Portsmouth on Dominica’s northwestern coast. The luxury property has no communal spaces, beyond the decks, beaches, a riverside yoga pavilion, and the Zing Zing restaurant. Instead, guests retreat to six elegant villas and bungalows, fully stocked with their choice of goodies. Conceptualized by Venezuelan architect Fruto Vivas, villas fuse high design, local craftsmanship, and sustainably sourced materials like Guyanese hardwood. Guests can look forward to plunge pools, gourmet kitchens, pillow hammocks, and furniture carved from red cedar, along with high-tech touches like Apple TVs and Sonos Bluetooth speakers.

Committed to sustainability, owner Gregor Nassief helped site Secret Bay’s villas to preserve the rainforest and oversaw construction of the entire resort without any heavy machinery. The property also plants vetiver to strengthen its cliff location and has applied to create a marine reserve in the waters below, where parrotfish flit among the coral. Explore them with the complimentary kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, snorkeling gear, dry bags, and GoPros on offer, or head to the treehouse-style spa, which gazes down on the cove and offers treatments like massages with custom-blended local oils. Guests can also opt to create their own culinary masterpieces or have the chef’s choice delivered by their attendant, who also serves as their housekeeper and adventure concierge.

Over the next few years, Secret Bay will slowly expand to 50 villas, hidden among the neighboring 27-acre valley and ridge. In the meantime, swim to the resort’s waterline cave or paddle a kayak to the soft, golden Secret Bay beach. Though open to the public, like all Dominica’s coast, the beach sees very few visitors, meaning you might very well be the only one there.

More Recommendations

Secret Bay Resort

This luxe West Indies hideaway skips communal spaces in favor of in-room pampering, from meals to massages and private jazz concerts! It’ll slowly expand from eight villas to 50, hidden among the adjacent valley and ridge: all available for sale. In the meantime, swim to its waterline cave or paddle a kayak to the soft, golden Secret Bay beach. Though open to the public, like all Dominica’s coast, you’ll rarely see another visitor there. This emphasis on nature and wellness pairs beautifully with its exquisite service. Small wonder Secret Bay topped the 2016 World Boutique Hotel Awards!

Family-friendly Bungalows at Secret Bay

Fulfill your Swiss Family Robinson fantasies when you book a bungalow or villa at Secret Bay. The two-bedroom zing-zing villa was designed for two couples or one couple with two kids (over the age of 12). There’s no restaurant. Instead, room kitchens can be stocked; a chef delivers meals of mahi mahi and creole shrimp; and guests can learn to make yam pie during cooking classes. Dominica’s topography makes it a hiker’s paradise. Tackle the six-hour trek to the world’s second-largest hot spring. For something less strenuous, take a boat tour of the Indian River, a nature reserve featured in the Pirates of the Caribbean films.

Information on this page, including website, location, and opening hours, is subject to have changed since this page was last published. If you would like to report anything that’s inaccurate, let us know at notification@afar.com.

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