There is little that can top the visual appeal of an island archipelago and the Virgin Islands are no exception. Diminutive individual islands follow one after the other, their lush and hilly interiors yielding quite breathtaking views, their alabaster sands and turquoise waters heaven on earth for beachcombers, scuba-divers and yachtsmen alike.

Their finest hotels - some hidden away on their own islands, others so secluded that they may as well be - are very aware of the God-given beauty that surrounds them and are happy to blend discreetly into the background. Stone, wood, wicker and thatch are very much the prevailing themes, with hotels sprawled outwards along the beach, rather than upwards towards the sky.

These are definitely islands where one tends to rise and retire early, the pleasures of the great outdoors and romantic candlelit dinners cancelling out any need for satellite TVs or lively nightlife. And thanks to the recent arrival of some money-no-object spas, you’re guaranteed to return home feeling far more together than when you arrived.

Equally irresistible, not to mention unique, are the island-hopping opportunities that abound here. Sailing yachts, motorised Boston Whalers and even scheduled ferries enable one to flit happily from one island to another, most yielding nothing more than a rustic beach bar, but some like sleepy Tortola in the British Virgin Islands and bustling St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands offering quite a lot more.

THE VIRGIN ISLANDS ARE REACHED VIA ANTIGUA WITH CONNECTING LIAT FLIGHTS TO TORTOLA (BRITISH) OR ST. THOMAS (US). CONVENIENT FERRIES PROVIDE LINKS TO THE DIFFERENT ISLANDS, MAKING THEM PERFECT FOR MULTI-CENTRE HOLIDAYS - ACCESS DETAILS ARE GIVEN ON THE SPECIFIC HOTEL PAGES.