Personalities

Aerial view of the beachIn a part of the world where every resort boasts bright sun, brilliant blue water and blindingly white beaches, people make the place. Peter Island Resort, a classic Caribbean Resort, pampers discriminating guests with the promise of pure personalization and unforgettable island characters. 

Before new arrivals even claim their luggage in the tiny, Beef Island Airport, our Peter Island representative is waiting for them. As the resort's goodwill ambassador, she greets every guest with trademark Caribbean hospitality, helps with the bags and escorts them through the terminal. 

Visitors eager to soak up the experience often fuel the conversation with questions just to hear her lilting island accent. She smiles at the compliment then continues with her stories until the shuttle van swings around for her new friends.   She waves goodbye as the guests depart the airport with a short, scenic ride through Tortola to the Peter Island Dock in Road Town. 

Captain Flanders and one of the Peter Island yacht ferriesWaiting at the dock in his crisply pressed whites, Captain Flanders shows guests on board our motor yacht, Islander IV.  The on-board host takes over and after passing out refreshing drinks, he checks in each passenger during a pleasant cruise through Sir Francis Drakes Channel to Peter Island.  Arriving guests will be met by a resort host who will escort them to their accommodations while giving a brief overview of the resort. 

Jean Kelly Dawn on Peter Island brings a new cast of characters. At breakfast and lunch, Dining Room Hostess Jean Kelly bustles between tables, doting over slow risers and filling coffee cups with a broad smile and easy laugh. She never forgets a face or a name. And guests never forget her. Frequent  visitors, including actor Armand Asante, even write Jean to remind her of his reservations and confirm she will be there. 

A stay at Peter Island is not complete without a big helping of  Jean along with Coconut French toast and coffee, or grilled swordfish for lunch. Even after 20 years at the resort, she serves up enough personalized attention to make each guest feel like her favorite. While Jean mothers diners all day, her husband Joel fusses over the resort's gardens, content to raise his oleanders and hibiscus in relative quiet. He whistles to birds of paradise or firecracker plants and waves to passersby. 

BenjiOur former concierge, Hugh "Benji" Benjamin retired after more than 30 years at the resort.  A stonemason by trade, Benji laid most of the stonework in Tradewinds and helped build the original beachfront restaurant.  Benji came to Peter Island in 1972, and in notes he scribbled down that day, said "I never met a place like this in my life."  Eventually, Benji chronicled his life and a loose history of the island in A Place Like This: Hugh Benjamin's Peter Island, published in 1994 and available in our gift shop.  We will all miss Benji. 

Colin ButlerCollin Butler, our Guest Services Manager, is the spontaneous one.  He loves to 'kidnap' honeymooners for a quick trip to The Loop, a breathtaking bluff on the south side of the island overlooking miles of the Caribbean neighboring islands.  Just as sunset falls, Collin serenades the couple or picks a loose bouquet of wildflowers for them on the way back to the resort.  Collin claims deep ties to the island: his father served as the resort's chief engineer for 14 years and Jean, a former teacher, taught him English in grade school.  He is often found in our reception area  happy to arrange day trips for guests or answer any questions they might have about the BVI. 

Colin OsbourneCollin Osborne, Peter Island's natural athlete, oversees the watersports center on Deadman's Bay Beach. His knack for explaining the nuances of windsurfing (or kayaking or sailing) earns appreciation from water lovers of all ages.  Under his direction, guests will enjoy breezing around our gorgeous bay past underwater turtles, rays, tropical fish, and interesting marine critters. 

Mangus OlovsanDuring your stay, make sure you say "hello" to our Food & Beverage Manager Magnus Olovson who was born in Sweden but grew up in France.  Multilingual, he has been with hotel groups in Nice and Algeria as well as Michelin Star restaurants in Monaco, Stockholm, Paris, and Greenwich, Connecticut.  Guests will enjoy his gregarious personality and friendly manner as he drifts in and out of our two restaurants making sure guests are having a perfect culinary experience.  Magnus’s favorite hobbies are reading literature and history, scuba, and his special interests (not surprisingly!) are wines, single malts, fine and fun foods! 

Wayne KafcsakGuests may also see Managing Director Wayne Kafcsak, whose dark hair and well-tanned skin never betrays his Maine heritage. Wayne first visited the Virgin Islands in his 20’s and loved it so much he never left. Instead, the expatriate built a career as Resort Manager of The Bitter End Yacht Club and Caneel Bay Resort.  Peter Island Resort hired him away for his hands-on style. 

Wayne knows each resort guest as well as his staff and often hands out personal business cards with his home phone number.  Be sure to tell him hello if you happen to see him in and around the resort.

These Peter island personalities are fine examples of our entire staff, which form a diverse family of gracious hosts and hostesses, who are all happy to share their part of paradise with you.

Guests remember these personalities of  Peter Island as much as purple sunsets and the pervasive sense of calm in each breeze. Somewhere between the airplane landing and yacht ride back, exceptional service crossed the line into friendship.

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