About this hotel
General information
Secret Bay is a resort of twenty-seven freestanding villas on a rocky headland at Tibay, on Dominica’s north-west coast, where the rainforest runs straight down to the Caribbean Sea. The villas sit on twin promontories more than 60 metres above the water, on a plateau and along a wooded slope; they were assembled by hand from tropical hardwood and red cedar without heavy machinery, and less than seven per cent of the land is built on. Paths link the houses, and a funicular carries guests from the welcome pavilion up to the hillside and clifftop villas.
There is no front desk: each villa has its own host, and the concierges shape each day around the guest. The resort is designed for privacy, with two small beaches below, a spa set among the treetops above the sand, a restaurant and gallery in the forest and an organic garden of its own. Stays include return airport transfers, a breakfast basket in the villa, an iPhone for getting around the island, and kayaks, paddleboards and snorkelling gear. The resort follows a zero-waste approach and composts its organic waste.
Location
The resort lies at Tibay, next to Portsmouth on Dominica’s north-west coast, about 10 minutes from the town by car. Dominica’s main airport on the north-east coast and Canefield airport near Roseau are each about an hour away by road, and the resort arranges transfers in both directions. Ferries connect Dominica with Guadeloupe and Martinique.
Spa
Gommier Spa is an open, three-walled treehouse-style pavilion looking down on Tibay Beach. Massages use locally blended oils and can be booked for one guest, for a couple with two therapists working side by side, or for the whole family. Yoga and relaxation classes take place in the Bwa Mang pavilion, suspended over a river in the forest, and an open-air gym next to the spa uses self-powered equipment.
Sports & leisure
Much of the day centres on the water: snorkelling in the bay, at night too, a sea cave to wade through, and kayaks and paddleboards brought down to the beach on request. The concierge builds everything else around each guest.
- yoga in the pavilion over the river, cooking classes and art classes
- a private jazz or acoustic concert on the villa terrace or the Vetiver Sunset Deck
- a boat trip up the Indian River near Portsmouth, sunset sailing, birdwatching, diving and reef snorkelling
- walks on the Waitukubuli National Trail and in Cabrits National Park
- whale watching from a boat
- hikes to the Boiling Lake, Trafalgar Falls and Emerald Pool, a swim through Titou Gorge, and the hot sulphur springs
- snorkelling at Champagne Reef, canyoning and zip-lining above the forest
For children
A kids’ concierge plans activities for younger guests, from snorkelling and a cooking class with the resort’s chefs to birdwatching with an ornithologist. There is a separate programme for teenagers and young adults, and babysitting can be arranged so that parents can dine on their own.
Restaurants & bars
The kitchen draws on the resort’s organic garden, nearby farms and fishers who bring in their catch each morning. Meals are also served in the villa, by the pool or as a beach picnic, and a private chef can cook in the villa kitchen, from a set menu or without one.
- Bwa Denn — a two-level restaurant in the forest with breakfast and island dishes through the day, à la carte dinner, a bar, a terrace, a wine cellar, a gallery of more than a hundred works by Caribbean and Latin American artists, and a small brewery fermenting local herbal teas with fruit and flowers
- Terrazza — the rooftop of Bwa Denn, looking out to sea, with tapas every evening and, twice a week, a no-menu dinner for guests aged 16 and over
- Zing Zing — an open-air restaurant under a canopy above Tibay Beach, seating twenty a night, with a six-course tasting menu built each day around seafood, fruit and herbs
- Botanica — a chef’s table in the organic garden by the river, serving plant-based dishes and hosting cooking classes for six
- Gwiyavye' Lap Pool & Bar — cocktails beside the pool in a guava grove
- Vetiver Sunset Deck — a deck on the cliff edge for sunset cocktails and private dinners
Swimming
Two small beaches lie below the villas. Tibay Beach, shaded by trees and with gentle water, can be reached only through the resort or from the sea. Secret Beach, a small enclosed cove with pale sand and clear shallows, is reached only by water — by kayak or paddleboard, swimming over from Tibay, or by private boat — and has a sea cave and reef fish close by. Above the sea, a lap pool sits in a guava grove, and every villa has a pool of its own.
Rooms
Twenty-seven freestanding villas with one or two bedrooms, set on the promontories, the clifftop, the summit plateau and the wooded hillside; each has a private plunge pool, a kitchen and a broad terrace facing the ocean or the forest.
Every villa has a kitchen with Siemens appliances, an espresso machine and a wine cooler, air conditioning, a safe, Wi-Fi, Apple TV with Netflix, a Sonos speaker, a washer and dryer, natural latex mattresses and down pillows, bathrobes and locally made toiletries, books and board games, and outside a barbecue area and a small garden.
Peninsula Zabuco One-Bedroom Villa
A villa at the tip of the promontory, more than 60 metres above the sea, with glass walls that open onto broad decks and a panorama of the ocean. A bedroom with a king-size bed, a bathroom with a bathtub and separate shower, a living room with a daybed and a private plunge pool; up to four guests with a rollaway bed.
Clifftop Zabuco One-Bedroom Villa
A secluded clifftop villa in the northern part of the resort, with a king-size bedroom and one or two bathrooms. Generous living spaces, a private infinity pool, a shaded hammock sofa and daybeds; up to three guests.
Zabuco Two-Bedroom Villa
A villa on one of the resort’s twin promontories with two bedrooms, each with a king-size bed and its own bathroom. A living room with a daybed, an extra-large infinity pool and wheelchair-friendly access; up to six guests.
Ti-Fèy One-Bedroom Villa
A two-storey, treehouse-style villa above the sea with floor-to-ceiling glass and ocean views. Upstairs is a king-size bedroom with a bathroom and an outdoor rain shower cantilevered off the top floor; downstairs, a living room with a sofa bed, a second bathroom and the kitchen. A private plunge pool; up to five guests with a rollaway bed.
Hillside Ti-Fèy One-Bedroom Villa
The same two-storey design on the forested slope, with more space and jungle views reaching to Morne Diablotins. A king-size bedroom, two bathrooms, an outdoor rain shower on the top floor, a sofa bed, a shaded hammock sofa and a private plunge pool; up to four guests.
Hillside Ti-Fèy Two-Bedroom Villa
A three-storey hillside villa with views from the forest to the ocean: a main bedroom with a king-size bed, a second bedroom with two double beds, three bathrooms and a sofa bed. A private plunge pool with a large deck and a barbecue area; up to six guests.
Ylang Ylang One-Bedroom Villa
A treehouse-like villa on the promontory, rising above the garden from a single stem: a king-size bedroom, a bathroom with a bathtub, two decks, a raised private plunge pool and a private garden. The kitchen sits on the veranda; for two guests.
Mapou One-Bedroom Villa
A snug villa among the trees on the cliff edge, with ocean views from the bed: a king-size bedroom, a balcony a few steps away, a living room with a sofa bed and a bathroom with a bathtub and shower. A private plunge pool and an outdoor rain shower; for two guests.
Zabuco Honeymoon Villa
A villa for couples set high above the sea, overlooking both of the resort’s beaches: a king-size bedroom, a bathroom with a bathtub and separate shower, a living room with a daybed and a private plunge pool. Up to three guests with a rollaway bed.
Photos are for illustrative purposes only. Actual room layout, furnishings, décor, views and amenities may differ from those shown and may vary between rooms of the same category. Hotel and room descriptions are based on information provided by the property and are believed to be accurate at the time of publication, but are not guaranteed. The hotel may renovate or change its rooms, facilities, restaurants and services at any time without notice. The final details of your stay are confirmed at the time of booking. See our Terms of Use.