Secret Bay

If you’ve never ordered tacos via iPhone in the jungle, glamorous, intimate luxury resort Secret Bay can remedy that straight away. I was looking for a tropical getaway to celebrate both my own belated birthday and decompress before the impending holiday stress. While researching potential options, I stumbled upon the tiny island of Dominica, nestled between Guadeloupe and Martinique. The lush green landscape in photos made me think of Jurassic Park mixed with Lost. Perfect. One place was repeatedly singled out for being one of the island’s best resorts: Secret Bay. With only six secluded villas on the entire property, privacy is the main amenity. Once again: perfect. I decided I simply must give Secret Bay a try.

I was greeted at the airport by Ryan, my personal driver, who had a warm heart and kind spirit, who handed me a cold towel adorned with tiny, pink, tropical flowers. He also gave me jars of dried fruits and a glass bottle full of cold water for sustenance on the imminent hour-long drive to the property. As Ryan navigated the winding roads of Dominica, diverse landscapes scrolled by: rolling blue waves, impossibly tall trees, and rocky roadside cliffs. And, there was some debris left over from the devastation caused by Hurricane Maria in 2017. ‘I think the M in Maria stands for monster,’ Ryan mused. But he also shared that he loves his island and ‘can’t wait to share it’ with me. For the most part, the government has engaged in a speedy cleanup, and are welcoming tourists back with open arms.

That includes Dinesh Kissoon, the general manager of Secret Bay, who phoned Ryan to let him know he’d be greeting us personally, despite my arrival after sunset. Kissoon oversaw the rebuilding and revitalisation of Secret Bay post-Maria, and his love for the property shows in every personal touch. He introduced me to Lenita, who would be my personal concierge for the duration of the stay. Lenita led me down a private pathway to the entrance of the Ti-Fe?y Villa. As the door swung open, I was awestruck at the moonlight-bathed two-floor penthouse – the prettiest jungle cabin I’d ever seen, constructed out of sweet-smelling wood. As my stomach growled (the hazards of several hours of international travel), Lenita poured me a welcome cocktail of a cold honeyed ice tea, and pointed to an in-villa menu, which was their version of room service. ‘Anything you want, she said sweetly, ‘use this Secret Bay iPhone right here. You text this number and it will appear.’ She presented me with my own personal genie, in the palm of my hand. I was frozen by hunger and indecision, so Lenita jumped in: ‘We’ll just get the chef’s choice’, she said, and before I could ask any further questions, she typed in a quick request and handed the phone back with a smile.

She made a plan to come back in the morning and discuss my excursion options (Dominica is known colloquially as the ‘adventure island’), and left me to explore. One of Secret Bay’s many impressive features is the ability to pre-stock your villa with your favorite snacks and drinks. So, I pulled out a full bottle of the French rose? which had been chilling in my wine fridge, and made my way to the terrace. As I sat listening to the waves wash in and out below, my personal villa attendant – yes, there are various personal appointments here – Carina appeared with my ‘chef’s choice’ meal - an incredible combination of seared tuna, coconut rice, fresh vegetables, and some sort of magic curry sauce. Carina briefly showed me around the rest of my spacious abode, pointing out various highlights, such as the outdoor shower on my away-from-prying-eyes terrace, and the private infinity pool, and an entrance to the beach that only I had access to. Did I mention Secret Bay is big on privacy? She said there were other guests staying on the property and I wondered when or if I would ever see them. (Spoiler alert: I never did.)

After setting my personal Sonos speaker to a personal playlist, I greedily ate my meal outside and went to bed early, exhausted by the day. As I drifted to sleep, I could hear both the waves on the shore and the gently falling rain. The next morning, Carina re-appeared to cook my complimentary breakfast in-villa, made to my specifications. I enjoyed my carefully crafted eggs and coffee on the balcony again, as Lenita went over the multitude of adventures I could embark on. I’d come here simply to relax, so I opted for a leisurely jungle river cruise (with a stop at a bush bar) and a visit to Kalinago territory, to examine, discuss, and learn about the local indigenous culture. Both of these trips were expertly curated and seamlessly executed. Plus, all the Dominican people I encountered were excited to host me, which made the whole experience even more special.

On my final day at Secret Bay, I – of course – had to have a birthday massage at the Gommier Spa. Surrounded by darkness and the sounds of the ocean, I drifted into a peaceful rest as the masseur gently kneaded my city stress away. Afterwards, I went to Zing Zing, the hotel’s restaurant that’s set in prime position for ogling Tibay Beach. It has no menu and a daily prix fixe designed by South African chef Grant Lynott. His ‘choice’ on that first night had been delicious, so I was more than happy to indulge in a new surprise, and was not disappointed by any of my three courses, nor the wine pairing that was suggested. As Ryan drove me back to the airport the following morning, I was in a state of utter bliss. He asked ‘How did you like the island?’ I could only reply: ‘It was perfect’.