Selected by the magazine’s distinguished editorial team, this year’s It List recognises 73 of the most impressive new and revamped properties that debuted within the last year in 29 countries.

Selected by the magazine’s distinguished editorial team, this year’s It List recognises 73 of the most impressive new and revamped properties that debuted within the last year in 29 countries.

Properties are 'best at what they do'- Travel+Leisure

Rosewood Little Dix Bay is only one of four Caribbean properties making the list, with the others being Caerula Mar Club in The Bahamas, Eclipse at Half Moon in Jamaica and Hôtel Barrière Le Carl Gustaf in St Bart's.

"Believe it or not, the past 12 months were big for hotel openings. Flinging open their doors for the first time, these new and revamped properties welcomed guests inside with a (masked) hello and a taste of travel's future... While there are plenty of extravagant stays and familiar brands on the list, we committed to featuring properties that are the best at what they do while displaying a sense of innovation. Brand new builds, century-old architectural masterpieces, and family-run boutiques are all in the mix," Travel + Leisure stated on April 20, 2021.

According to the prestigious travel magazine, over the years, the iconic resort [Rosewood Little Dix Bay]—established in 1964 by conservationist Laurance Rockefeller on 500 beach-fringed acres of Virgin Gorda—has come back better not once, but twice.

"The Caribbean hideout was already closed for renovations when Hurricane Irma ravaged the island in 2017. Over the next four years, Rosewood rebuilt the cottages, tree houses, and ridge-top pool suites overlooking the bay; created three distinct open-air restaurants; stocked the Rum Room bar with over 100 rare selections; and acquired catamarans for private shuttles from the Tortola airport (cocktails provided). Then, two months into its comeback, the pandemic hit, shuttering the 81-room resort and delaying its full unveiling until December. The wait was worth it. Though new offerings like secluded picnics and spa scrubs following swims at the famed Baths National Park are a treat, it's the way Little Dix Bay has perfected the art of island living that keeps guests coming back," the magazine stated.

'It is an honour'- Andreas Pade

Rosewood Little Dix Bay, in a press release on April 22, 2021, said it is pleased to share that it has been recognised on Travel + Leisure’s esteemed 2021 It List. It said the list features hotels and resorts located around the globe and underscores the resiliency, creativity and standout hospitality of the travel industry, particularly in this past year.

Rosewood Little Dix Bay said, along with the other winning properties, it is sure to inspire wanderlust and offer travelers more reason to get out and explore the world as it opens up once again.

“It is an honour to be recognised as one of the best new hotels and resorts in the world by the well-respected editors at Travel +Leisure,” said Andreas Pade, Managing Director of Rosewood Little Dix Bay.

“Following our four-year closure and renovation, we reopened Rosewood Little Dix Bay last January, just before the pandemic caused the hospitality industry worldwide to pause operations. Despite the unprecedented challenges we faced in our reopening year, we are thankful for the overwhelmingly positive response we have received from our guests and community alike. This latest distinction is on account of our associates’ dedication to bespoke service and the unmatched experiences our resort offers our visitors.”

2021 marks the fourth consecutive year that Rosewood Hotels & Resorts’ properties have been recognized on the It List, following the inclusion of Rosewood Hong Kong in 2020, Rosewood Baha Mar and Rosewood Luang Prabang in 2019 and Hôtel de Crillon, A Rosewood Hotel and the former Rosewood Puebla in 2018.

"Rosewood’s continued recognition on the prestigious list is a testament to the brand’s strategic growth strategy, which includes the careful selection of the destinations in which the brand operates, as well as of the like-minded partners that are chosen to bring the new properties to life. Each new and renovated hotel follows the brand’s guiding A Sense of Place philosophy, wherein the distinctive ethos and culture of the destination is woven into the identity of every aspect of the property," the press release stated.

Gold Badge

Earlier this year, the newly reopened legendary island escape on Virgin Gorda received a Gold Badge in the 2021 US News & World Report Best Hotels rankings and was named the number one hotel and resort in the VI.

The resort was also named the number nine resort in the Caribbean, the number 14 hotel in the Caribbean and the number one resort on Virgin Gorda.

This is the resort’s first highly-regarded distinction in US News & World Report awards programing following its reopening and extensive renovation in January 2020, the resort had stated in a press release on Wednesday, February 3, 2021.