This Private Island Destination Offers The Ultimate Getaway For A Lavish Vacation

A million-dollar stay at a private island retreat in the British Virgin Islands could be yours for just $10,000. Well, yours as long as 99 of your closest friends tag along and also pay $10,000 each. Your destination? Moskito Island, one of British business mogul Sir Richard Branson's ultra-luxe tropical hideaways. Branson, who famously acquired nearby Necker Island — one of the most beautiful private islands in the world available to rent — in 1978, purchased Moskito Island for £10 million (about $13.7 million) in 2007. Unlike Necker Island, Branson's 74-acre personal island retreat, Moskito Island is home to several individually owned tropical estates, four of which are part of a rental pool established by the owners. The all-inclusive "Million-Dollar Week" deal includes accommodations for up to 100 people in the participating villas, in addition to food and beverage service and up to three round-trip airport transfers per estate.

Make no mistake. This isn't a sure-you-can-crash-at-my-place set-up where the goal is to squeeze as many friends as possible into limited space. Combined, the participating estates — The Oasis, The Point, The Village, and Cape Stout — easily accommodate 100 guests in not just comfort, but luxurious comfort.

What's more, each estate brings a unique style and flare to the experience. Designed to evoke the feeling of being at sea on a superyacht, The Oasis offers 360-degrees of Caribbean Sea. Perched atop the highest point on Moskito Island, the four-story, 13-suite estate accommodates up to 38 guests. Playing off its dreamy tropical setting, a dramatic waterfall cascades into an infinity pool featuring a swim-up bar. Floor-to-ceiling windows enhance the outdoor-living vibe. On-site amenities include a meditation garden, a fully-equipped gym, and a cold plunge pool.

Located at Manchioneel Beach on Moskito Island's south coast, The Point is considered the most family-friendly of the consortium's four participating estates. The eight-room property centers on an expansive open-air great room with a sunken bar and entertainment area. There's also a crow's nest-style lookout perched atop the resort that offers a stunning view of the evening sunset. A 32-foot, twin-engine Scorpion powerboat is also included with the rental.

Party people will want to get first dibs on The Village, The nine-suite estate was purposefully designed for socializing. Daytime highlights include a two-level infinity pool with waterslides and hidden grotto. In the evening, as the sun sets on the western horizon, pop-up DJ booths, well-placed LED lighting, a 100-speaker sound system, lounge-style seating centered on firepits, and an open-air movie theater transform the space into party central.

Cape Stout, the latest addition to the rental pool, is an eight-suite hillside retreat. Fitness enthusiasts take note: Amenities include a half basketball court, a private yoga deck, a Peloton gym, and a lap pool. The estate features three hot tubs, two koi ponds, and a canal-style pool that winds through the first floor of the villa. Cape Stout also features separate bunkhouse-style accommodations. The two-level Beach Barn houses three queen-size and two double beds arranged like sleeping quarters in a sleeper car on an overnight passenger train. Beach Barn guests share two bathrooms, an expansive lounge, and a gym. Cape Stout's on-site basketball court doubles as an amphitheater for outdoor movie nights. Guests also have use of a 42-foot powerboat along with three dedicated crew members.

While each estate boasts iunique ambience, all of them were designed by Kenneth Kao. Shortly after he purchased Moskito Island, Branson called on the Taiwan-born architect and founder of Boston-based Kao Design Group to create a cohesive design encompassing the community of ultra-luxe estates. Kao, who died in 2017, was a humanitarian known for his elemental and organic design aesthetic and his innate ability to create structures that seamlessly sync with their setting while showcasing the location's natural assets and prioritizing sustainable design standards.

In addition to Branson's personal Moskito Island estate, Kao designed five additional estates prior to his passing. We've already mentioned the first four. The fifth estate, named The Aerie, is currently on the market for $58 million. Highlights of the 10-suite estate include an infinity pool with a swim-up bar. Positioned on a hilltop, the estate showcases sweeping ocean views and stellar sunsets. Accommodations include a two-story main house and three detached guest houses. Even with a chef on staff, guests who love to cook may be tempted to whip up a dish or two in the wood-clad chef's kitchen. It will be up to the eventual buyer to decide whether or not to join the existing rental pool.

In addition to a chef, guests at each estate are entitled to the services of a dedicated team of hospitality professionals including an estate manager and guest services manager who directs the housekeeping and gardening staff. Estate stays also include access to an array of community amenities including three beaches — Manchioneel Beach, Lime Tree Bay, and Honeymoon Beach — several swimming pools, two tennis courts, botanical gardens, and some communal bars.

The island watersports center offers everything you need for sailing, surfing, kiteboarding, paddle boarding, jet skiing, snorkeling, and SCUBA diving. With so much at your fingertips, it's difficult to imagine venturing offshore, but the surrounding area is chock-full of places to explore. Virgin Gorda — a Caribbean island that stands out from the rest — is just .10 mile from Moskito Island. By boat, it's about a mile from the main dock on Moskito Island to Leverick Bay Marina on Virgin Gorda. The Caribbean island made for nature lovers is home to The Baths National Park, a renowned rock formation where well-worn boulders form cathedral-like domes allowing sunlight to stream into warm tidal pools. It's also one of the best places in the Caribbean for family-friendly exploration.

While Moskito Island may feel remote in its exclusivity, it's actually an easy-access destination. Tortola's Terrance B. Lettsome Airport (EIS) — previously known as Beef Island Airport — is a major Caribbean gateway and just 30 minutes by boat from Moskito Island. There's an on-site helipad, so helicopter transfers are an option. While the Million-Dollar Week deal for renting out the entire island may sound fun, some of us prefer a more laid-back, get-away-from-it-all getaway, so it may come as good news that individual estate rentals are available. All-inclusive per-night rates range from $12,000 to $35,000, and include the option to book portions of each estate. For example, it may be possible to rent only a guest house, rather than the entire property.

Finally, we'd be remiss if we didn't comment on the island's name. Moskito Island — with a k — isn't a reference to the blood-sucking pests that can ruin an otherwise perfect vacation. The name derives from muketa, an old-English translation of the word for musket.