We stayed at the Mango Bay Resort on Virgin Gorda for 6 days, before visiting St. John for another week. Here's a brief summary -- please post any questions!<br><br>It's a true "get away from it all" place, as there was no TV, radio, or clock in our villa.<br><br>All the villas are close to the water -- we rented a "garden view", and it was a stone's throw from the beach. They also included a free jeep rental if you stayed for 7 days, which was convenient for us. The island is so basic that you pick up your jeep on the dock when you arrive, and just leave it there when you depart.<br><br>What we liked: The hosts are very helpful and there was daily maid service. There is a good amount of space in each villa -- more than enough for two people in the 1 BR units. There is AC in bedroom and ceiling fans, and beach towels. Also, an outdoor grill complements the full but simple kitchen (no microwave, though).<br><br>The beach is wonderfully close, and not rocky at all. Very rarely were there more than a few people on it, and it since it borders on the Paradise Beach Resort, the beach is pretty long (good for walking/running). It's also protected by a reef, so it is very calm and good for small children. Excellent snorkeling just off shore, and Mango Bay has beach chairs, kayaks and floating mats for its guests to use. Snorkel gear is also provided, although we brought our own.<br><br>What we didn't like: We thought that Giorgio's, the Italian restaurant next door, was good but overpriced.<br><br>The villas themselves certainly aren't as new as Estate Lindholm, but they are simple and clean. The kitchen in our unit was outdoors, which is not a big deal except at night, when the mosquitos are out (we noticed a lot of the buggers and did get bitten). But if that's the price of paradise, no big deal. Local calls aren't free. The jeep wasn't the newest, but for free, I didn't care.<br><br>I'm not familiar with the history of the resort, but it appears that at one time, Mango Bay and Paradise Beach were the same resort, but have since been split in two. (I heard rumors of some old family feud). That being said, it seemed there was still some territorial ill-will between the two resorts; we were told to stay off some parts of the beach near Giorgio's because it wasn't part of MB. In any event, I'm sure I don't have the full story, and it didn't affect us. But, it might be helpful to know.<br><br>Where we ate: Since we had a kitchen, we ate in a lot. Groceries are certainly more expensive and hard to find than in St. John. For dinner: Giorgio's, Rock Cafe, Sip & Dip Grill, and the Mineshaft. We thought the first 2 were a bit overpriced. Sip & Dip had an all-you-can-eat BBQ as well, which we took advantage of. I think that and the Mineshaft were our favorite places -- the Mineshaft had a good calypso singer the night we went there.<br><br>What we did: Mostly, stayed on the beach. Drove to the Northern side of the island, where the wife had a massage at Leverick Bay Resort (highly recommended). We stayed away from the Baths because of the crowds, and we've seen them before.<br><br>Bottom line: We liked the simplicity and serenity of the place. If you really want to get away from it all, and don't need the nearby nightlife of St. John, then I'd certainly recommend it. I think Mango Bay is much like the island of Virgin Gorda itself -- simple, quiet and peaceful, without being glitzy. For us, it was also reasonable cost (although there's 17% hotel/BVI tax added) for beachfront (or near-beachfront) accomodations, and nice to have the included jeep. If we were to go back, we might do so for 3 or 4 days, and spend a few more days on St. John. But it was a great way to decompress and begin a vacation.<br><br>-Ricky<br><br>
