Long Bay Beach Resort — Hotel in Tortola

LOCATION - about 45-60 minutes from the airport; about $100 for one-way transfer to resort so rented a car...far from airport but the location/beach are amazing||LOBBY/CHECK-In - there is no lobby; it's a small thatched 10 x 10 hut in an open area by the road. There are about 2-4 people who coordinate registration in/out and housekeeping. Depending on arrival time you may need to wait an hour or so till your room is available. But the check-in person offered a punch at the bar while waiting.||ROOM OPTIONS - we chose one of the 800 square feet ocean front suites on the beach. There are a few beachside villas along the beach with these suites. There are about 4 larger ones farther down. Then the hillside options are available; however, the incline is steep. We saw people 20-25 years younger than us struggling to climb the hill.||ROOM - one of the best we have ever had in our 30+ years of traveling, nice and white with tile floors, comfortable bed/pillows; charging stations on both sides of bet, large space armoire with safe, many hangars, four roomy drawers, large 50" TV controlled by FireStick needing your own Amazon/Netflix to log-in, writing desk by bed, nightstand on other side, live tropical greens in vases, sofa with coffee table in front and a driftwood console table behind the sofa||ROOM AMENITIES - snacks, beverages, and alcohol (for a fee), bottles of water with plenty available and re-stocked daily, tea-coffee-milk-sugar, French press and tea kettle. If you wish to stock your fridge, you can arrange before arrival for the staff to place the fridge items elsewhere. There is a well-stocked C&D grocery store about a 5-minute drive from the resort.||BATHROOM - separate toilet area with door, 2 stone oval sinks on vanity with ample lighting, water pressure is EXCELLENT, hot water is enough for ONE shower then there seems to be a time delay to re-heat the water for another person, rain shower head and wand, shower floor with embedded stones, shower faces patio and ocean with outside door access, window glazing wall-switch for privacy, many towels and 3 big bottles of body wash, conditioner, and shampoo||PATIO - about 50 feet from the water's edge, great relaxing view and sounds! 200 square feet patio if on first floor with a covered and secluded feel because of walls and low shrubbery, ceiling fan, long 10' cushioned sofa and 2 cushioned chairs and table, palapa with cushions and lounge chair(s) about 20 feet from patio and foot-washing faucet by patio edge||HOUSEKEEPING - again, one of the best services we have experienced in our resort stays. The staff was timely and pleasant. The room was very clean. The wall paint had occasional black spots probably from guests killing these small black flies. No idea where they come from, but we usually had 2 or 3 per day in the room to kill. At least, they didn't bite. Sheets are changed every 3 days.||SPA - The Cure is the name, family-owned and not run by hotel, not chargeable to room, numerous wellness and aesthetic options; we enjoyed several sessions there to relax, rejuvenate, and refresh, located by one of the stores and pool||GYM/YOGA ROOM - side by side; VERY NEW-looking facility and equipment; 2 treadmills, 2 ellipticals, 2 bikes, 5 to 50 lb barbells, 5 kettles, ab balls, mats, universal station, chest/shoulder station, showers and weekly yoga class (I think on Mondays?)||RESTAURANTS - 1748 restaurant and 1748 sushi bar options. The restaurant is open for 3 meals a day every day of the week. The restaurant has varied delicious choices from breakfast guacamole toast, egg options, pancakes, berries... The lunch and dinners were excellent as well. We enjoyed the waygu burgers, salads, red snapper, and lobster to name a few. Each day has specials, too. The sushi bar upstairs is closed on Mondays and has tasty sushin, sashimi, and maki. Some may say the options are limited, but we ate something different every day for every lunch and dinner for a week; all were good! The staff is always pleasant. Allot about 90 minutes to 2 hours for a meal if you are not there right at the beginning of the meal time. Embrace the concept of PATIENCE-reading-puzzles etc, or you may become frustrated while you wait for a drink, to place an order, to receive the food, or to get the check.||BEACH - lovely stretch to walk in both directions, there is quite a bit of coral for ~90% of the beach, there are two areas where you will not see coral to enter and enjoy the water - one at each end of Long Bay (West). Nice waves for a person who wants to beginner-surf. There are also some paddle boards/equipment. If you have a car, check out Long Bay East over by the airport for a great beach with much less coral and smooth water. If you are a surfer, Josiah's Bay is the best island option.||RETURN? While the room and view were amazing, we will most likely not return to Tortola for a few years. Great relaxation place though! Not really a resort/location for small children and teenagers based on what we experienced...

Stunning Location, But extremely Disappointing Service & Overpriced Extras

Our stay at the long bay was a mix of breathtaking scenery and frustrating service. The location is incredible—arguably one of the most beautiful spots on the island. However, the beach is not swimmable in most areas due to coral, except for a few small spots. This wasn’t a major issue for us, as we took frequent day trips to Smuggler’s Cove, which offers a great swimmable beach nearby.

Rooms & Amenities

The property itself is beautiful, but it’s missing key elements that would make it a true luxury resort experience. While beachfront rooms offer direct access to lounging areas, other guests struggle to find comfortable places to relax—most of the wooden lounge chairs are missing cushions, with only two or three available in a small section of the resort. There is no beachside service, which would have enhanced the experience significantly.

Food & Dining Experience

🚨 The biggest disappointment was the food. The menu is extremely overpriced for the quality offered. The selection is uninspired, lacking flavor, and has very few local options. After 10 days, the breakfast menu became repetitive, and service was inconsistent—some staff were friendly, while others seemed uninterested or annoyed.

On the last days of our stay, we discovered fantastic local restaurants that were much more affordable, had far better food, and a more international, lively ambiance compared to the resort. We strongly recommend skipping the food at Long Bay Beach altogether and exploring local restaurants instead. Great options include Sugar Mill, Omar’s Coffeehouse, Pusser’s in Roadtown, and several beachside spots at Smuggler’s Cove.

Service & Guest Experience

We also had issues with slow service and lack of staff availability. At one point, we tried ordering room service for 30 minutes with no answer, even after calling reception multiple times. This raised concerns about security—if guests can’t reach staff in an emergency, that’s a serious problem. The receptionist also doubles as the room service delivery person, leading to long wait times (20-30 minutes just to speak to someone).

Unreasonable Extra Charges & Lack of Hospitality

One of the most shocking experiences was an excessive £600 charge for sheets due to a small stain from a natural occurrence (that time of the month). Having traveled extensively across the world—from **one-star hotels to five-star resorts—I have never encountered a hotel charging this much for bedsheets.

This exorbitant fee speaks volumes about the hotel’s philosophy—rather than operating with hospitality and understanding, it seems more focused on squeezing out unnecessary charges from guests. When we questioned the cost, the response was that it was for “inventory management”—which felt like a poor excuse given the already high room prices.

Lack of Thoughtful Details

The resort seems like a real estate development turned into a hotel, rather than a place designed with hospitality in mind. Small but essential touches were missing, like high-quality toiletries, music in communal areas, and functional service flow.

Final Verdict: A Beautiful Setting, But Lacking in Service & Value

Would we come back? Maybe—but with different expectations. The natural beauty of the location is undeniable, but at this price point, the poor service, overpriced food, and lack of basic hospitality details make it hard to justify.

💡 If you stay here, we highly recommend avoiding the hotel food altogether and exploring local dining options for a much better experience. Also, be prepared for unexpected, excessive charges that you wouldn’t find even in the most luxurious...

My 15yo daughter and I stayed at Long Bay Beach Resort for 5 nights. We had a great experience and will definitely return! I booked Long Bay a week before our actual trip, so did not have a lot of planning involved.

Location: Hotel is very private, beautiful, relaxing with excellent staff. It is about 30-45 mins hilly drive from Road Town, about 15mins from West End. Not much to do from either Road Town or West End, but the ferries are at these locations. Cabs can be pricey, all CASH. Ferries will accept credit cards. Ferry companies run on different schedules so PLS be careful with making roundtrip purchases!

Beach is very surf-like, so if you are looking for calm waters, this is not the beach to swim, but a beach to surf. The ocean waves will lull you to sleep at night or during the day.! Hillside rooms are literally up the hills! If you can, stay at the beachfront rooms - ground or second floor are both awesome!

Notable staff: Akil - he is the man to speak to for anything at all! Great guy, always happy to see every guest. Will make sure you have a great experience at the hotel and whatever local recommendation you need. Karema - front desk, she is always happy to help, will arrange any requests/trip planning. Very nice and always willing to help. Miguel - always with a smile and willingness to make sure guests are taken cared of. GM - Ahmit, also pleasant and approachable. Akil, Karema, Miguel made our hotel stay so positive and memorable!

Room staff: You will need to request bottles of water and additional fresh towels. There is a water station you can refill your bottles with if you prefer. Restaurant staff: 1748 is delicious but a bit pricey. You will need to plan meals if you are with little ones. There are nearby restaurants that are cab ride away - just be sure to have cash! Restaurant Bar is awesome hangout after a hot day at the beach or day trip from island hopping in the BVI. Juice and coffee bar are good but can be slow in the morning due to limited staff and equipment when there are more than 3 people ordering. Juice bar menu is a bit limited but enough for simple smoothies and juice. The juice squeezer is done manually which is nice but can get slow. Marta and Alycia are super nice though!

Outside hotel activities: Smuggler's Cove: This is where my daughter and I hung out for 3 days. The hotel provides a courtesy service to drive you here. Bumpy drive but totally fine, about 10 mins. THE BEST PART is Patricia's Beach Bar (left side as you enter). She and her husband Bushman became our local family at Smugglers. Great food, drink and calm turquoise water! You can bring your own snorkels or Bush can also let you borrow. Definitely come here when you are at Long Beach!

Jost Van Dyke: We took the ferry to West End to Jost Van Dyke and hung out in White Bay where Soggy Dollar and Hendo's are. Great spot, beautiful water. Vibe is definitely boozy and busy! A lot of yachts docking and going. Some can get too close to shore. Not much of area that can be quiet. Mid afternoon will be definitely busy & crowded. Locals are very friendly and pleasant. Soggy Dollar is more affordable in terms of drinks and food, Hendo's is more upscale and so is the vibe.

Other BVI islands worth visiting are Virgin Gorda and Anegada. Make sure you have enough cash when you visit. I'd say allocate $100/pp at least, but more if you are taking the ferry and taxis.

Overall a great trip! Long Bay is definitely a beautiful hotel and they...