Now that Caneel Bay on St John is closed, we've been searching for our favorite Caribbean snorkeling micro resort. Guana Island is now at the top of our list.

Before arriving, a strong reason for my deciding to visit was the website's statement of accommodating *any* diet restriction. They exceeded all my expectations. Mine is a highly complex one, and they rewarded me with the highest peace of mind possible. Every meal was a delight-filled conversation, made all the more enjoyable knowing how much of the cuisine was grown in the island's Orchard.

We snorkeled daily; we walked into White Bay Beach, kayaked to Monkey Point, and boated to Crab Cove. I highly recommend arranging the short excursion to the Baths at Virgin Gorda, where we also stopped at Diamond Reef and saw the healthy return of post-hurricane soft coral. The current was so calm and water so warm, I would stay in for up to 90 minutes, not getting out until I chose to, rather than being forced out by the cold or the fatigue. Although one can see the hurricane damage to the reefs, we were rewarded with many healthy fish, including turtles and sting rays, spotted a shoal of 56 squid one day, and the biggest spiny lobster ever. There are also still plenty of antler coral at Crab Cove. Other resort guests did more hiking than us, but we did make it to the top of the Pyramid, and were rewarded with even more stunning views than the one from the resort. Hiking insider tip: *do* bring long pants for hiking, to avoid "jumping cactus".

The highlight is the Beach Club House amenities - absolutely everything is there, from beach toys to showers. We highly recommend asking to have lunch served on the beach! I noticed I found no hammocks, but the extra wide swinging chaise in the Garden of Eden more than makes up for their lack.

Unlike some other resorts that are not well-appointed for snorkelers, they have foot showers and lockers for our snorkel equipment, and drying racks in the room.
To illustrate the caliber of service -- I will never forget how I was met at the shore line with a scented face towel, after snorkeling. We never did play tennis or croquet, but did feed the donkeys banana fronds, and had massages at the beachfront spa.

What might be hard to discern from the website photos -- the resort itself is perched hundreds of feet above sea level. However the well-thought out design means the accommodations are cooled by breezes - we never turned on our AC. One can choose to take the ten-minute walk or instead jeep to and from the beach.

I would be remiss to not mention my tip for those for whom insect bites are a challenge; I came prepared and suggest that, with some protection, you'll be fine. I received only one mosquito bite after sunset. I did receive a number of sand flea bites on my calves but only once, after my massage when I walked to the beach without any repellant on, in the late afternoon. To their credit and my relief, the resort's towels and furniture are insect-free, which is a tremendous relief, unlike other resorts where I am incapable of spending any time lounging because I get bitten while sitting on the furniture.

The experience is by far enhanced by the incredible staff. It started with Jason, who handled our reservation, and answered any question we had, including assuring us the resort had a Scrabble board. Upon arrival, we were on a first-name basis with everyone. The sensibility is not that of a resort, but rather feeling like a guest in gracious host's home, down to the serve-yourself beverage bar and the chatty concierge staff who patiently talked us through as we debated whether we would hike or kayak to Monkey Point. Thank you: Jo, Chelsea, Vernon, Sam, "Sugar", Sylvie, Candia, Stacey and of course, Samson!

I genuinely don’t even know where to start. Every single thing was fantastic, from the food to the service to the views to the accommodations. I feel like our trip started when we booked it with Jason; we were well taken care of from the moment he responded to our request to book! He was incredibly accommodating, and wanted to make sure our honeymoon would be perfect down to the smallest detail. Then upon actually arriving, Chelsea took incredible care of us, with the same attention to detail that started with Jason and which we saw in every member of the staff. The answer to EVERYTHING was yes, the service was always seamless and we wanted for nothing. The food blew our minds each evening, the views were breathtaking in every direction, the white sand beach was perfect, the recreational equipment was in mint condition, the wine was wonderful, the staff was lovely, seriously everything was amazing. We tried to come up with something we would change and couldn’t. We would go back in a heartbeat, I can’t recommend it enough.

We stayed at Guana Island for 5 nights and it definitely was not long enough! The resort was beautiful, clean, modern and very safe. White Bay Beach was beautiful and pristine. My husband and I explored several of the hiking trails and they were challenging for weekend hikers but not too long in duration. Best part is that the hikes brought you to amazing spots and majority of them are one way because the staff will pick you up on the beach and ferry your around to the main dock. If you like to snorkel there are many spots that will entertain you. My husband got a massage at the spa and he said it was amazing. The staff are absolutely wonderful and kind. Make sure you visit the Orchard during your stay! To save the best for last... the food was the absolute highlight of our trip! Every meal was full of whole foods and absolutely delicious! The resort did an awesome job accommodating our dietary requests and still providing us with amazing meals!

My husband and I will definitely return to Guana in the future!