Marina Spotlight: Bitter End Yacht Club

Only accessible by boat, Bitter End Yacht Club’s family-owned destination has been in business for 50 years. As you cruise Virgin Gorda’s gorgeous coastal stretch along the British Virgin Islands, the yacht club is situated on a secluded island and feels like a tiny nautical town.

The property was decimated by Hurricane Irma in 2017 and took four years to rebuild, finally reopening in 2021. With help from the community, the marina worked meticulously to maintain the legacy and history of the yacht club. By chance, some signage and maritime artifacts were salvaged from the storm and now appear in art galleries in the property’s clubhouse.

The full-service facility offers deep-draft dockage for up to 26 vessels, accommodating yachts up to 240’. The marina also offers 72 mooring balls and catamaran slips to accommodate wide beams. A few charming cottages are available on-site for lodging, with plans to build more in the future.

Amenities include a fuel dock, complimentary Wi-Fi, free launch service from all shoreside activities and a second floor mariner’s lounge and library where guests can play cards, read books and enjoy family friendly activities. Recently opened this winter, The Quarterdeck lounge boasts a selection of curated rums from across the globe and a 180-degree view of the Caribbean.

Sailors can be found socializing at The Buoy Room, the on-site restaurant offering cocktails and shared small plates of Caribbean cuisine. The Reef Sampler beach bar, a sunken vessel that was the workforce of the club fleet for many years, is now transformed into a bar perched on Marina Beach. Recently revived this winter, the formal yacht club dining room, The Clubhouse, was founded in 1969 and was the first restaurant bar in the BVI’s North Sound.

The marina provides any provision or dry good you could imagine from fresh oven-baked pizzas to The Market’s pastas, produce and fish straight off the boat. For on-site retail, The Reeftique has become a premier BVI destination and fashion boutique with unique apparel, accessories, jewelry and gifts.

In tandem with Reeftique and help from the community, the marina launched Bitter End Foundation right after the hurricane, hosting fundraisers, events, auctions and environmental initiatives over the years. A percentage of retail profits continue to fund the foundation to help the community.

Watersports are the heart and soul of the marina, which offers everything from sailing and windsurfing lessons to regattas and other activities. The outdoor space along Marina Beach is a lively hub for games such as cornhole and giant Jenga, as well as Boston Whaler boat rentals.

Many guests feel that Bitter End is their home away from home. “We feel less like a resort hotel and more like a global community of kindred spirits with people who love and are called to the sea, are active and have a sense of adventure,” says President Kerri Jaffe.

The marina hosts activities such as party games, tug-of-war, hermit crab races and live local Caribbean music. Many regattas are held through the year, along with other events during the festive season, such as the lighted boat parade and exclusive dining experiences.

The third generation of the Hokin family currently owns the marina and maintains the longtime spirit and dedication to the community with what they now call “Bitter End 2.0.”

“It was a commitment to our global maritime community, many who are multi-generational,” says Jaffe. “Something really unique and special about Bitter End is the families — the grandfathers, the fathers and the grandchildren who have been introduced over the last 50 years and come back every year, and some even return more than once a year.”