We don't call our villas an "experience" to be cute. Until you actually see, and hopefully stay, in one of our three amazing villas you just won't understand. But when you do "experience" their private-home atmosphere and meet our dedicated (in both senses of the term) villa manager, you will see that no other word will do.

2007 was a big year for our villa program. In May, we officially unveiled Falcon's Nest -- the biggest and most ambitious villa to date -- and immediately it was recognized as one of the Caribbean's finest properties. In its October 2007 issue, Luxury Travel Advisor said "we were awestruck. The ultra-exclusive, six-bedroom villa, which sits 350 feet above the Caribbean on a bluff, is so private it's easy to forget the rest of the resort exists." A month later Departures added "not long after I arrived at the new Falcon’s Nest Villa Estate, I thought of that line from Charade, Stanley Donen’s chic romantic thriller set in Sixties Paris. “Do you know what’s wrong with you?” Audrey Hepburn says to Cary Grant, teetering between falling in love and utter disdain. “Absolutely nothing.”

If Departures thinks Falcon's Nest is perfect, who are we to disagree? We certainly put a lot of effort (and money) into creating 21,645 square-feet of pure luxury. The classic-Caribbean villa estate comes complete with a two-story great room, gallery-quality art and beautiful furnishings. There are six spacious bedroom-suites, an infinity-edge pool, a media room, a gallery dining room for entertaining and even an ocean-view spa room. Looking after you and your party (up to 12 guests) are a villa manager, valet, chef, housekeeper and groundsman. There is also a chauffeur-driven car. Prices range from $9,100 to $20,000 Full American Plan (breakfast, lunch and dinner) per night.

There are two other villa estates apart from Falcon's Nest, both equally impressive in their own distinctive ways. Designed in the British colonial coastal style, Crow's Nest (6,500/5,200 square feet interior/exterior) accommodates up to eight guests in four bedrooms all with secluded verandahs and private entrances. Prices range from $6,000 to $10,500 FAP per night.

Slightly smaller, Hawk's Nest (3,626/2,100 square feet interior/exterior) is designed for up to six guests in the main house with room for four more in the separate pool quarters. Designed in the Caribbean-villa style, it looks over Deadman's Bay and the yacht-filled harbor below. Prices range from $3,000 to $5,580 FAP per night.

For specially designed villa experiences, go to Packages & Deals.

Unlike a tennis court or a swimming pool, a great spa reacts with a guest on a personal and subliminal level, evoking both trust and surrender. In the same way, a great treatment goes far deeper than mere physical pleasure to touch the soul and mind. If customer feedback is anything to go by, The Spa at Peter Island has got it just right.

Perhaps the Atlanta Journal-Constitution newspaper described it best when one of its columnists wrote in a January 2008 edition, "Savvy resort guests save one entire day for The Spa at Peter Island, 10,000 square-feet of utter peace. The doors on its 12 treatment rooms open on to the sea. Its furniture is teak, its relaxation lounge calming, its whirlpools and meditation areas private, its infinity pool tranquil and welcoming."

Just steps from the waves on its own stretch of white sand, the spa melds with its surroundings. Guests are met with fresh flowers and aromatherapy candles in the reception area. Our soft-spoken and highly trained staff leads you to changing areas and into the relaxation lounge. After your treatment, you can relax further in the infinity lounge pool, the oceanfront Jacuzzi, the Tranquility Garden or walking on the secluded beach.

The comprehensive menu of treatments draws similarly from nature. The Fresh Coconut Rub (45/75 minutes, $115/$155) is a gentle cleansing body polish made with freshly shredded coconut, turmeric and other aromatic spices. The West Indian Honey & Sesame Seed Glow (45/75 minutes, $115/$155) gently exfoliates your skin then moisturizes and encourages new cell growth. The Caribbean Coffee Polish (45/75 minutes, $115/$155) uses finely ground Caribbean coffee, vanilla and spice oil to stimulate, smooth and refine your skin.

When a single treatment isn't enough, surrender to the "Soak Away the Day" package (5 hours, $525) that starts with a custom kur -- an aromatherapy body scrub, an aromatic hydrotherapy soak with sea salts and botanical essences, and a 75-minute massage. After a refreshing spa lunch, comes a custom facial and pampering pedicure. Or choose one of the "Seaside Bohio" packages in which you and your partner get the privacy of a water-edge, thatched hut complete with Jacuzzi, outdoor shower, bathroom and sunning terrace. The “Seaside Escape” (3 hours, $300/$320 per person) includes a tropical hand & foot facial and your choice of a 75- or 90-minute massage.

Looking at Peter Island today it's hard to think of it as anything else but a quiet sanctuary, yet it has packed a disproportionate amount of history into the 516 years since Columbus sailed through what is now the Sir Francis Drake Channel.

As Columbus went on to stake his claim to the New World, the British Virgin Islands were claimed by Spain but largely ignored. The conquistadors and colonists settled on other islands more suited to plantations and defense like the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico. Given its hilly terrain, Peter Island wasn't an obvious place for cane fields, but it made an excellent hideout for marauding pirates, a place to rest in between attacking Spanish ships laden with riches. Blackbeard, Henry Morgan, Sir John Hawkins and the privateer Sir Francis Drake all anchored in our sheltered bays.

In the late 17th Century, a group of slave traders from Brandenburg, a small German state containing Berlin, settled on Peter Island and built forts to protect themselves from the Danes, who controlled nearby St. Thomas. When the Germans were uprooted, the island was adopted by planters from Tortola, who managed to produce cotton with help from hard-working slaves.

When slavery was abolished, agriculture became unviable and, in 1855, a depot was built on the island's Great Harbour Bay to supply coal to steam packets. The coaling station on St. Thomas -- the largest in the Caribbean -- had been abandoned due to an epidemic of yellow fever. One of these steam ships, the R.M.S Rhone, opted to wait out the hurricane of 1867 in Great Harbour Bay but, at the last moment, the captain changed his mind and, leaving his anchor behind, set off to weather the storm in the open sea. As today's divers can attest, it was a poor decision. The Rhone is now one of the BVI's most famous dive sites, resting in shallow water off the edge of nearby Salt Island.

In 1916 Peter Island became a tobacco plantation but that chapter closed 10 years later when British diplomat John Brudenell-Bruce chose the island as the perfect place to live out his retirement with his family. In the late '60s, Norwegian millionaire Torolf Smedvig fell in love with Peter Island and purchased most of the land. He shipped a set of luxury A-frame chalets over from Norway and assembled them on Sprat Bay along with a clubhouse and marina. This was the seed that ultimately grew into Peter Island Resort. Smedvig operated the resort until his death in the late 1970s. Peter Island is now privately owned by VA Enterprises.

The world can be complicated, especially when it comes to booking a Caribbean vacation. To make it easier we have gathered together our unique attractions into a handful of creative and affordable packages aimed at both our resort and villa guests. Following are some examples (a full list can be found on the Web site). All packages are subject to blackout dates and availability.

Villas

Keep in mind our Villa Program is all about customization and personalization. Therefore, while we recommend the best-suited villa for a designated package, most of these offerings are interchangeable for the villa of your choice. Similarly, the package inclusions can simply serve as building blocks to get your creative juices flowing towards designing your tailored experience.

Depending on the season, the price starts ranges from $71,170 to $112,470.

Depending on the season, the price starts ranges from $37,000 to $54,500.

Depending on the season, the price starts ranges from $35,220 to $52,720.

Depending on the season, the price starts ranges from $39,120 to $56,890

Depending on the season, the price starts ranges from $21,080 to $26,080

Ask any one of our staff and they will tell you he/she works in the finest resort in the islands. And that's just what we want to hear. But when our loyal guests and key members of the travel media agree with that assessment, that's when we really know we're doing a great job. Read on for a selection of the recent high praise Peter Island has received.

Also remember to share your best Peter Island moments/memories with us for a chance to win a 5-night stay in our corner of paradise. Go to ‘Share Your Experience’ on our web site to submit.

Guests

(It's) the most romantic place to spend a honeymoon. This island is such a magical place that we plan to return every year on our anniversary. Tropical, relaxing and great service. There is no other island this private to enjoy. We will be back in November and cannot wait!
Wendy Harp -- Grand Rapids. MI

We arrived home only 15 hours ago, but I had to log on and thank you all again! We had such an amazing time that I have been telling my friends and family that Peter Island Resort was the best beach vacation of my life!
Sarah Zeigler -- Austin, TX

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you! I wanted to surprise my wife with something a bit special after two weeks of sailing around the BVI for our honeymoon. I booked us in for four nights at your resort and I can't tell you how much we enjoyed our stay. We both work in the mega-yacht industry and so we know about high standards but we were amazed at the level of service we received.
Simon & Cynthia Always -- Nice, France

I had the most fabulous experience (at the spa). (It's) one of the best I've encountered in many years of traveling. I enjoyed it so much that I've rearranged my next trip so that I can spend another afternoon in the beautiful surroundings while being pampered.
Kelly Schmidt -- Belleair Shore

Of the world's preferred destinations, only one place reflects the tranquility and beauty of the Caribbean: Peter Island. At this Caribbean resort, guests are immersed in relaxed elegance - an experience enhanced by highly attentive yet unobtrusive personal service.
Coastal Style, February 2008

Here, in this island nation of pirate history, carefree sailing and absolutely world-class diving, Peter Island adds another level: a private island resort with levels of service unprecedented in the BVI.
Sport Diver, Jan 2008

What's better than vacationing on a private island? Checking into an ultra-luxurious private villa on that private island. The newest addition to Peter Island's Villa Program, the stunning 21,645 square-foot six-bedroom Falcon's Nest sits perched 350 feet above the Caribbean Sea with views stretching in every direction.
Celebrated Living, Winter 2007

The word "exclusive" understates Peter Island, the fifth largest of the BVI...The Caribbean is full of beautiful islands, but at Peter Island, you'll feel like you won the place.
Atlanta Life, November 2007

Geographically, Peter Island is the stuff of fairy tales. Behind the beaches, a rugged, mountainous terrain rises up in shades of olive green to enclose the beaches and other living areas like walls of a house. The effect is a world of intimate spaces.
Austin Monthly, September 2007