TRANSCENDENTAL EDIFICATION – Virgin Gorda is a veritable treasure chest when it comes to superlative architectural form. The drive from the Spanish Town Ferry Dock along the Island’s spine and down the west coast road to the much-lauded Nail Bay Luxury Community Resort is testimony to this. 

Scattered sparingly across the gently rolling hillsides, overlooking gleaming, virtually deserted beaches and cyan seas, are luxuriant, stylistic edifices paying homage to virtually every one of the BVI’s great architects.  To name but a few, there’s Katiche Great Point, an award winning Michael Helm masterpiece; Mango Bay Villa from Italian-born Paolo Asti; and Little Dix Resort is a thoroughbred from the Downing stable.

At Nail Bay, the concentration of these diverse and luxurious dwellings intensifies very slightly.  Here, in this fully serviced 147-acre community resort, where every home has an underground electricity supply backed up by state-of-the-art generators, a reliable central water supply, access via newly paved roads and high-speed internet access in the not too distant future, the covenants encourage architects and owners to quite literally build their dreams.

Mystic Water, occupying the 0.67 acre plot #55, on the lower slopes of Gorda Peak with magnificent views across Nail Bay to the Dogs and Tortola, is the delightful result of allowing such practice.  Ed Jones, a senior architect with OBM International, BVI, was given virtually free rein when it came to designing this superb home, this fantasy habitation in its enchanting location.  His criteria as set by the owners?  Merely to ensure that he design a holiday home with enough room for a growing family and its friends. 

The three units that make up the villa are all about simplicity, symmetry, angles and space, in almost complete contrast to their setting: richly planted gardens comprising sweeping lawns atop curved terraces and verdant beds overflowing with exotic blooms.

The main house offers three bedrooms, two bathrooms and an open plan living area rising up to a mezzanine kitchen and dining area.  This, in turn, spills out into a charming little grotto, complete with a water feature incorporating one or two of the magnificent boulders that adorn the property.  In a flash of creative whimsy the water takes a course back into the house, down an 'indoor river' and over a long glass window before cascading into the two-tiered pool sunk into the spacious terracotta-tiled patio at the front of the property.

The living area concentrates on space and light, with creamy tints and warm yellow tones adorning the towering walls that support a whitewashed pinewood ceiling extending right into the apex of the pitched roof.  The roof is suspended above the main walls allowing daylight to fill the room.  Of course, this suspension is illusory, in reality the gap is filled with thick glass to prevent unwanted visitation from passing raindrops and nocturnal opportunists.

There are two king-sized bedrooms with en suite bathrooms on the ground floor.  Their western aspects allow for sea and sunset views, and the sliding glass doors that complete their enclosure ensure direct access to the pool patio.  A communal bathroom fills the space between the two rooms, and the rear room provides external ablution opportunities with its outdoor shower.  Upstairs, under the rafters, is a well-proportioned third bedroom ideal for children and with plenty of storage space to accommodate their (growing) needs.

There are two studio-style guest villas on the property. Their situation makes them perfectly private – think “honeymoon suite” if you are purchasing with intent to rent.  Mirror images of each other, they are entirely self-contained and offer a patio and a plunge pool.  These units also reflect the space and light theme of the main villa, offering glass ‘walls’ and high ceilings.

In terms of style and creativity, it would be fair to say that Mystic Water transcends the norm of most island homes, and yet it manages to maintain a level of practicality and functionality that would inspire even the most ardent minimalist.  The BVI Property Guide sought out Ed Jones to ask him how he came to design such a delightful manor:

“I wanted to try out my own interpretations of some of the traditional elements of the regional architecture – one of the most prominent being symmetry. For example, the symmetry of the main roof is accentuated by the central location of the waterfall element on the primary elevation. And Virgin Gorda is a rugged place; Mother Nature has had longer to define her features.  I wanted a strong, defined sculptural form to contrast with the terrain.  Where possible, for aesthetic value, I separated different materials, visually speaking – the ‘floating roof being a case in point.  Once I had decided upon the theme of contrasting elements, the rest just followed and fantasy became reality.”

Mystic Water is available to purchase for $1.35 million, which includes a $150,000 credit toward renovations of the facilities and redecoration to suit the new owner, including a new kitchen.  The current owner is also offering a lease-purchase agreement or special owner financing conditional upon a 20% down payment with terms that are mutually satisfactory.  The villa falls under the auspices of Nail Bay Luxury Community Resort Management, and the new owners will be entitled to full service facilities management from rental management and promotion to housekeeping and gardening.

For additional information, please contact

Ajit Mathew George,
Managing Director
ajit@nailbaycom
Telephone: 284-494-8000 ext. 701.

Virgin Gorda Management Co.
PO Box 69, Virgin Gorda
British Virgin Islands