Rosewood Little Dix Bay

Virgin Gorda retreat Rosewood Little Dix Bay has some pedigree: it was built by Laurance Rockefeller (of the billionaire oil dynasty) and was a favourite holidaying spot for no less than Queen Elizabeth and family. But true to the nature of its Caribbean locale, it’s more laidback than lah-di-dah, just as Rockerfeller intended. He wanted somewhere that felt like a fishing village, one that ran on pioneering eco-principles that benefited the community; and he stayed true to course, creating stilted hexagonal huts and coastal-cool villas, nearly all right by the beach, and pavilions that blend in with the tropical background, looking like wild jagged peaks. Under the Rosewood aegis (fully rebuilt after Hurricane Irma) it has an added hilltop spa, upscale Caribbean dining, cultured kids’ club and rum-focused bar, but neither its moral compass nor unpretentious approach have been swayed.