Valley Trunk
Virgin Gorda, BVI; valleytrunk.com. $77,700 (U.S.) a week for up to six people. Includes meals, activities, Veuve Clicquot and the use of a crewed yacht.
For those with big-shot aspirations, (and a bank account to match), consider renting a billionaire family’s private compound of seaside villas for a sunny week in the Caribbean. It even comes with its own fully crewed yacht. That’s the deal at Valley Trunk on Virgin Gorda in the British Virgin Islands. The billionaire Wildenstein family, renowned art dealers (with an infamous circa-1990s divorce documented in Vanity Fair) has recently made it available to rent – and it’s a good place to live out your rich and famous fantasies. The property sits amidst pink and purple bougainvillea, mango, lime and cashew trees and lolling hills, and overlooks vast, sandy beaches abutting the crystalline waters of the Sir Francis Drake Channel.
LOCATION, LOCATION
Just east of Puerto Rico, the British overseas territory is comprised of 64 islands and cays, two-thirds of which are uninhabited. Virgin Gorda is one of the main islands, along with Anegada, Jost Van Dyke and Tortola, though even they are sparsely populated. Most of the 28,000 island dwellers live on Tortola. If you’re sailing, the journey to the BVI isn’t too arduous, making it a favourite haunt for American yachters, owing to its clear waters. If you’re flying in, it’s two flights (nine hours in the the air) and a short ferry – a bit of a haul. But if you leave in the morning from the east you’ll arrive in time for a late afternoon “painkiller” cocktail by the pool.
DESIGN
The more than seven hectares of tropical gardens have been cultivated for more than 30 years by six full-time gardeners, lending the grounds a tamed-jungle vibe with British amenities, such as a floodlight-lit Astroturf tennis court. Oddly, there’s even a bronze cannon in the outdoor dining area (left on the island years ago by the Dutch West India Company). The property’s retro-chic bamboo-themed bar is especially charming, as is the infinity swimming pool, which seamlessly blends into the azure waters and horizon, while impeccably maintained, spacious suites offer both privacy and panoramic vistas.
IF I COULD CHANGE ONE THING
Valley Trunk was designed in the 1980s by the patriarch of the family, whose favourite colour was apparently pink. This translates into suites with a design aesthetic that has not been updated in 30 years, meaning the tiled rooms and bathrooms are a mixed bag, ranging from awesome to awful. It’s a time warp that will appeal to some, but not all.
BEST AMENITY
Days spent on Xanadu, the property’s swish private yacht, are like a waking dream. You motor out, tour the beatific islands, lay anchor and lunch, swim, paddleboard, snorkel – but most of all, you chill out. With free-pouring Veuve Clicquot and the Caribbean at your disposal, it’s nothing but sunshine, smiles and the feeling that this could all turn into a rap video at any moment.
EAT IN OR EAT OUT?
A private chef is at your disposal for buffet breakfasts of French pastries and homemade yogurt, sushi lunches and multicourse tropical-leaning franco-inspired dinners. Fine wines and snacks on the beach during after-dark bonfires are especially memorable. Off-property, do be sure to take the drive up to Virgin Gorda Peak to Hog Heaven. The ribs are as incredible as the views overlooking North Sound and the islands.
WHOM YOU’LL MEET
How exclusive is the area? Homeowners include the Aga Khan, Google’s Larry Page, and we saw Sir Richard Branson kite-surfing off of his private island while we sailed by on the Xanadu. That said, roam the beaches, especially near the natural wonder, the Baths (massive granite boulders jutting into the water with sheltered lagoons and grottos), and you’ll befriend backpackers and vacationing retirees.
The writer, who is not a millionaire, was a guest of the property.