Long Bay Beach Club

Arriving at Long Bay Beach Club can be slightly confusing, since the lobby isn’t exactly near the entrance. Arriving guests must first walk through an open-air restaurant with all of their luggage to find the lobby, which is towards the interior of the property. The restaurant staff — whose surly attitude nearly every guest complains about — is typically unaccommodating during this process. During our visit, we watched multiple groups arrive with confused expressions, only to be stared at unhelpfully by staff members. Once found, the lobby is a charming little room with original stone walls and whitewashed ceilings. There are a few cozy seating areas, a single check-in desk, and a take-a-book-leave-a-book library. Care for a cup of coffee? There’s a Keurig on the far wall, but pouring yourself a cup of joe will cost a pretty penny.  

Guests at Long Bay Beach Club are a mixed bag. The hotel sees predominantly American families, young and middle-aged couples, and friend groups. Most choose to stay for a few days before heading to another part of Tortola, or an entirely different island.  

Not surprisingly, Long Bay Beach Club is located on Long Bay Beach, an aptly named stretch of sand that extends for miles across Tortola’s northwestern coast. It’s one of the island’s most beautiful beaches, with soft white sand and stunning views of neighboring Jost Van Dyke. It’s also the perfect spot to watch the sunset. The area around Long Bay Beach Club is filled with other hotels, bars, and restaurants. Guests can easily walk to neighboring Sebastian’s on the Beach, as well as a few local hot spots like the Bomba Shack and D’Coal Pot. Long Bay Beach Club is about a 45-minute drive from the airport, a 30-minute drive from Road Town, and about a 10-minute drive from the West End Ferry Terminal. 

Rooms at the Long Bay Beach Club are in serious need of some TLC. In the Beachfront Cabana we visited, the tile floors felt grimy, the worn bedding with shiny polyester pillows looked cheap, and the once white wicker furniture was tinged with gray. Flat-screen TVs and mini-fridges are nice perks, but the substantial wet bar in the corner of the room seemed like a waste of space. Bathrooms are no prettier, with their beat-up vanities and pealing green plastic countertops. To top it all off, temperature control was iffy in the tiny shower stalls. The Beach Cabanas’ outdoor spaces were surprisingly nicer than their interiors. Though still pretty shabby looking, the large outdoor decks and hammocks are literally steps from the beach.  

Beachfront Cabanas are Long Bay Beach Club’s entry-level rooms, but guests looking to upgrade should be wary. Beachfront Deluxe Rooms are larger than their entry-level counterparts, but decor and upkeep are no better. Beachfront Suites have separate living rooms and full kitchens, but only one bedroom. Guests can request extra rollaway beds for an additional nightly fee.  

Long Bay Beach Club’s best feature is surely the beach it’s named after. This gorgeous stretch of sand is one of Tortola’s best, and is visited by guests, non-guests, and locals alike. The nice thing about Long Bay Beach, though, is that no matter how crowded it gets, beachgoers can easily find secluded spots for peace and quiet. The water is slightly rough, and some parts just beyond the shore can be pretty rocky, but past the wave-break swimmers can find great snorkeling conditions. Long Bay Beach Club provides lounge chairs for guests along the perimeter of the property, but there’s no drink or towel service. 

Just off the beach, the hotel has a small freeform pool surrounded by lounge chairs. For the size of the hotel, the pool feels tiny — like it would be better suited for a backyard than a hotel. But despite its size, plenty of guests use the pool throughout the day, especially those traveling with young children. 

There are two restaurants at Long Bay Beach Club, The Verandah and 1748 Restaurant. The Verandah is the hotel’s fine-dining option, and is located on an upper terrace. The Verandah has beautiful ocean views and serves mediocre (and generally overpriced) Caribbean-fusion cuisine. The hotel’s website claims that reservations are necessary, but during our visit, we didn’t see anyone busting down the doors to get a table. 1748 Restaurant sits beneath The Verandah on the ground floor. It’s also the restaurant that guests must walk through in order to reach the lobby — the one with the surly staff. During our visit, we spoke with multiple guests who all had the same complaint — the restaurant staff has a severe attitude that dissuades many patrons from dining there. 1748 Bar is adjacent to the restaurant. Its outdoor setting is casual and relaxed, and is an ideal spot for sunset cocktails. 

Long Bay Beach Club’s free Wi-Fi works well throughout the hotel, including around the pool and near the beach.