May 19th, 2019
For those who know and love the Biras Creek Resort information about what is happening with the rebuild and when the resort be operational has been extremely hard to come by. Here are six things we know or have heard to date:
1 – No Website Infomation: The www.biras.com website only features their logo with an invitation to sign up for future updates via email.
2 – No Communication: They last posted on Facebook on June 18, 2015 when the resort ceased operations.
3 – Plans for the Resort: It appears that architect Mario Bellini has been commissioned to provide the vision and plans for the new Biras Creek Resort & Marina. According to an article in Wallpaper.com, “The project will include several hospitality structures across the island, including a complex with 103 rooms, a marina and a bay with a further 56 rooms. There will be several restaurants and bars, a leisure and sports centre, swimming pools and a spa, as well as 10 luxury villas. The marina will be the first structure built as part of the new development, ‘to give life back to the island,’ explains Bellini. The other elements of the project will be added slowly over a period of a few years.”
4 – A Unique Addition to the Resort: According to the Wallpaper.com article, “During his explorations, Bellini also found an ancient architectural structure which locals called ‘the castle’; an old fort of which only the foundation remained. ‘We decided to recover it,’ says Bellini, ‘we thought of it as something noble to save.’ The castle will become a public structure featuring a staircase, inviting visitors and locals alike to climb up and discover the incredible panorama; the architect’s ultimate tribute to Virgin Gorda’s incredible, wild beauty.” See photo above.
5 – Projected Opening Date: According to a December 24, 2018 article in the BVI News Biras Creek Resort & Marina on Virgin Gorda is set to re-enter the market for the 2019/2020 tourist season. In the article, Premier Dr D Orlando Smith was quoted as saying, “I am pleased to report the Biras Creek Resort will rebuild to an even higher level with current plans calling for the first phase to be reopened by winter 2019/2020.”
6 – The Not So Good News: Signs of rebuilding progress where not readily evident as destruction can been clearly seen in the photo below taken in late March 2019.
BVI Traveller will continue to keep you updated as more news becomes available.
Top photo: Courtesy Mario Bellini Architects
Bottom photo: Courtesy John Fischetti
BVI Traveller was created in September of 2017 to help tourism in the British Virgin Islands recover from the devastation wrought by Hurricane Irma.
To that end, we met our goals. In the past 7 years there have been over 1.2 million visits to the website and over 3 million pages have been viewed. There are over 1,000 pages on the site featuring news posts and detailed listings on all hotels, villas, restaurants and sailing charters located in the BVI. The BVI Government and many business, hotels, villas and sailing charters have all agreed that the site “moved the needle on tourism” after Irma.
The site, however, has run its course. It has served its purpose by bringing visitors and local businesses together to rebuild the tourist industry and it is now time to shut down operations for good.
I want to thank everyone for your help and support.
Chuck Metter