What it lacks in size, Ixora Spa at Scrub Island Resort, Spa & Marina more than compensates for with atmosphere and location. Perched in a secluded villa atop a south-facing bluff, the spa offers sweeping views of the Caribbean Sea and provides a peaceful escape from the bustle of larger islands. Scrub Island itself is quiet—no cars, minimal commerce—and the resort and its chandlery are the only businesses on the island.
My husband, Kevin, and I spent two relaxing nights at Scrub Island Resort during a spring visit to the British Virgin Islands. The private island resort—the first major resort development on the islands in more than 15 years—opened in 2010 and immediately became a tranquil retreat for travelers seeking privacy and natural beauty.
The resort is named for its setting on Scrub Island, a 230-acre landmass situated about a mile east of Tortola. According to local lore, 16th-century sailors and pirates would anchor in the island’s shallow coves to clean barnacles from their hulls—hence the name.
Accommodations include 26 guestrooms, 26 one- and two-bedroom suites, and several hillside villas. The interiors reflect a Colonial West Indies aesthetic that suits the island environment. We stayed in a one-bedroom suite of roughly 960 square feet with a covered veranda overlooking the marina, a full master bath with separate tub and shower, an additional half-bath, a combined living and dining area, and a fully equipped kitchen featuring Sub-Zero and Wolf stainless-steel appliances.
Ixora Spa sits a short but steep walk from the suite, so we took advantage of the complimentary on-call shuttle that ferries guests around the island. The shuttle is particularly useful because some of the best beaches are on the island’s north shore, away from the guestrooms, restaurants and marina—perfect for returning after a day of sun and a cocktail or two.
Housed in one of the resort’s original guest villas, the spa retains a comfortable, homelike ambiance. After checking in, a staff member led us to a lounge with glass doors that opened onto a veranda framing a postcard-worthy view of the sea and nearby isles. We relaxed there with cool glasses of water until being guided across a terrace and past an inviting infinity pool to the treatment room.
The spa team provided robes and slippers and directed us to change in the adjacent bathroom. Though the treatment room’s configuration hinted at its former life as a villa bedroom, it was both comfortable and practical for spa services.
We chose a couple’s massage. Recently I’ve come to appreciate dual treatments—the convenience of shared timing and the value: $225 for a one-hour massage in a shared room compared to $125 per person for two separate rooms. Each of our therapists asked about pressure preferences and problem areas, then customized the session to our individual needs rather than trying to synchronize every element of the experience.
We had hoped to use the infinity pool reserved for spa guests after our massages, but the late afternoon air cooled as the sun descended, so we opted to savor the warm post-treatment glow on our veranda with a glass of wine while watching the sunset.
Ixora Spa’s menu includes a variety of massage treatments: Chakra Balancing Massage, which blends chakra stones and energy work; Deep Tissue Massage, using heated soft packs and trigger-point techniques; Eterno Massage, a signature treatment that combines heat packs with lavender oil; Island Rock Massage, featuring heated basalt stones; and the Ixora Massage, a gentle Swedish-inspired session.
Body treatments highlight locally inspired, natural ingredients. Signature scrubs and wraps use turbinado sugar crystals, natural aloe, finely ground cocoa, coconut, mango, papaya, seaweed and kelp, and in some innovative treatments even shiitake mushroom extracts, all designed to exfoliate, hydrate and rejuvenate skin.
Ixora Spa by L’Occitane
Scrub Island Resort, Spa & Marina
Scrub Island
British Virgin Islands
tel 877 890 7444
scrubisland.com