DESTINATIONS CARIBBEAN |NECKER ISLAND


viewsAGENTS’


CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Agent winners of Virgin Atlantic’s Race to Necker incentive, with their


Virgin hosts; The Great House; a lemur; e-foiling PICTURES: Virgin Limited Edition/Adamslamaphoto@gmail.com, Paul McLaughlin


Gavin Dattani, divisional sales manager, DialAFlight “My first impression was ‘wow’. Clients


should come with an open mind and really embrace that they are being welcomed into Sir Richard Branson’s home – it’s up to them to make it their own. I don’t think there’s anything else like it in the world. Watching the sunset on Turtle Beach was a real highlight – I can honestly say I’ve ticked an item off my bucket list!”


Sky High Club’s Race to Necker incentive, which was launched at last year’s Travel Weekly Agent Achievement Awards, with this five-night trip of a lifetime as the star prize.


GLAMOROUS GETAWAY Our journey to Necker has all the trademarks of a Bond movie, from the Virgin Atlantic Upper Class flight to a private jet connection to Virgin Gorda, culminating in a speedboat ride across the sun-kissed waters to Necker Island’s Red Dock. We are then ferried up to the Great House for a glass of champagne. As we are greeted by general manager James Basson and his staff, a tortoise and an iguana mingle at our feet as part of the welcoming committee. Staff are gracious and always willing to assist,


but there is no fawning here. Besson says: “Guests are coming to Richard’s home. He wants everybody to have an extremely luxurious experience, but it’s a very relaxed environment. It’s quite spiritual – the offering is unlike any other.” Guest services co-ordinator Rikkiya Brathwaite echoes this sentiment. “The magic is here. You never know what day it is on Necker – it’s a time warp,” she says. Necker Island is the flagship of the Virgin Limited


Edition collection. Accommodation is set in four main dwellings, sleeping up to 48 guests across 24 rooms, which can be booked for exclusive use or, on select weeks, individually. The Great House, set at the island’s highest point, is the main


34 16 JANUARY 2025


gathering area and its open-plan layout features an array of creature comforts, spanning a rooftop hot tub, infinity pool, snooker table and countless relaxation areas. Bali Lo, Bali Hi and Temple House make up the remainder of rooms, sharing the island’s distinctive Asian architectural flavour.


WATERSPORTS AND WILDLIFE So how do you fill a day in paradise? For those whose objective is to relax, there is a mix of infinity pools, swim-up bars, hot tubs, white sandy beaches lapped by azure waters and two spa treatment rooms. For those who prefer to keep active, there’s the fully equipped outdoor gym, comprehensive racket sports area, nature trails and guided walking tours. Yoga classes can also be organised at various spots if clients are searching for some tropical zen. I’m drawn to the watersports centre and its wealth


of activities, which include kitesurfing, e-foiling, waterskiing, mono-skiing, wakesurfing, wakeboarding, Hobie Cat sailing, stand-up paddleboarding, kayaking, seabobbing and snorkelling. I’m offered a chance to try Sir Richard’s own


e-foil board and spend two afternoons attempting, with varying degrees of success, to get to my feet without falling off – with some encouragement from fellow guests when I manage it. On land, the animal residents of Necker are


never too far away. Journeys around the resort are often interrupted as we wait for a giant tortoise


² travelweekly.co.uk


Carl Breton, franchise owner, Travel Counsellors “The arrival by boat to the Red Dock, seeing


the whole island for the first time, was just fantastic. It feels like a home away from home, very relaxed and chilled, but there’s always something to explore. This is by far the best place I’ve ever been to – it really is something special. If you get the right clients here, they will have an amazing time.”


Wendy Letton, senior business consultant, Reed & Mackay Travel “This was so different


from anywhere I’ve been before. Everything feels very natural. The staff are so welcoming and enthusiastic and make the whole experience very relaxing. The kayak filled with sushi at lunchtime was a real highlight, and the sustainability practices are very interesting.”


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