The Caribbean’s Only Six-Star Resort Is Adding New Cliffside Villas, Two Spas, and a Family Pool Pavilion

Fifteen years after opening in the rainforest above the Caribbean Sea, Secret Bay Resort & Residences is preparing its final residential enclave in Dominica.

The all-villa Relais & Châteaux resort has unveiled plans for six new Cliffside Villas, two additional spas, and a family pool pavilion near Coconut Beach. Completion of the new enclave will bring the property to 42 villas across 40 acres on Dominica’s northwestern coast.

The six residences will introduce a new 3-bedroom villa design called the Kampesh, along with an expanded version of the resort’s existing Ti-Fèy design. Sales are scheduled to begin this fall through Sotheby’s International Realty, with whole ownership starting at $2.95 million.

The announcement coincides with Secret Bay’s 15th anniversary, marking the final phase of a project developed gradually across a rainforest-covered hillside near Portsmouth, Cabrits National Park, and the volcanic peaks of Morne Aux Diables.

“When we started 15 years ago, the idea was to grow slowly and with care,” Secret Bay owner Gregor Nassief told Caribbean Journal. “As we assembled the land and grew to 40 acres of rainforest along the coast, we evolved our plans in a way that actually lowered the density. Too often, places grow fast and add more. As we expanded, we gave each villa more space and privacy, while preserving more of the land and its natural surroundings. For me, that has always been what matters most, the luxury of time and space and the preservation of nature.”

The Final Enclave Above Coconut Beach

The new Cliffside Villas will occupy the final enclave planned at Secret Bay, joining the existing Peninsula, Clifftop, Hillside, Summit, and Waterfront collections.

Resident architect Claude Lauture designed the six villas for a rainforest parcel above Coconut Beach. Views extend across the Caribbean Sea toward Cabrits National Park, Morne Aux Diables, Guadeloupe, and Les Saintes.

Each residence will use Guyanese Greenheart hardwood, with furniture and interior pieces handcrafted from Dominican Red Cedar by local artisans. Private plunge pools, broad terraces, and outdoor rain showers will occupy the upper levels.

Coconut Beach lies a short walk downhill. Secret Bay’s funicular, the longest in the Caribbean, carries passengers 300 feet through the rainforest between different parts of the property.

The resort’s existing villas already follow a highly private model, with individual pools, kitchens, dedicated villa hosts, and wide separations between accommodations. The new enclave continues the same approach at the northern edge of the property.

What Are the New Kampesh Villas Like?

The Cliffside enclave will include two 3-story villa types.

The Ti-Fèy+ will cover 2,649 square feet, with 2 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, and accommodations for 4 to 6 people.

The new Kampesh will cover 3,618 square feet, with 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, and room for 6 to 10 people. Its treehouse-style design places bedrooms and outdoor areas among the forest canopy, with large glass walls facing the sea.

Both villa types will include gourmet kitchens, Siemens appliances, De’Longhi Eletta espresso makers, CDA wine refrigerators, Culligan water filtration, Sonos sound systems, high-speed Wi-Fi, and smart-home technology.

The Kampesh design also gives Secret Bay a larger option for multigenerational trips and families traveling together. Most current villas cater primarily to couples or smaller groups, while the new 3-bedroom residence adds more sleeping capacity within a single private home.

Owners will be able to purchase whole or fractional interests. Residences may also participate in the resort’s rental program when owners are away.

Two New Spas Are Coming

Secret Bay will add two spas during the coming year.

One will expand on the treetop character of the existing Gommier Spa, where treatment rooms open toward the rainforest. The resort has not yet released a full treatment menu or opening date for the new facility.

A second spa will introduce an analog-focused wellness concept centered on slower, low-tech experiences. Secret Bay plans to reveal further details closer to its debut.

The additions will join the resort’s current fitness center, riverside yoga and meditation pavilion, saltwater infinity lap pool, beaches, hiking trails, and water-based activities.

Wellness at Secret Bay often extends beyond scheduled treatments. Villas include outdoor showers and private pools, while the property’s trails pass through dense forest filled with birds, native plants, and views of the sea. The Cario Riverruns along one side of the resort, close to the yoga pavilion and the property’s garden.

A New Pool Pavilion for Families

A new family pool pavilion is planned near Coconut Beach at the resort’s northern end.

The solar-powered oceanfront pool will have separate areas for children and adults, along with a bar, restaurant, and open kitchen. The pavilion will supplement the existing saltwater infinity lap pool, beach bar, and cabanas.

Secret Bay has traditionally drawn couples, honeymooners, and owners seeking private villa stays. The larger Kampesh residences and the new family pool introduce more amenities for children and multigenerational groups.

Families will also have three swimmable beaches, a beachfront watersports hut, kayaks, paddleboards, snorkeling, guided nature activities, and villa kitchens for meals at home.

The new pavilion’s location near Coconut Beach will create a family-focused hub away from the main lap pool and restaurant areas. Parents will have an adult section near the children’s pool, while the restaurant and bar will keep meals and drinks close to the water.

Inside Secret Bay’s Small Restaurants

Dining remains deliberately intimate across the resort.

At Zing Zing, Chef Allison Lo serves a 6-course Discovery Menu to only 20 diners. The meal includes 3 handcrafted cocktails, with an optional wine flight drawn from the Grand Cave, home to the largest wine collection in Dominica.

The restaurant uses produce from local farmers, fish from Dominican waters, and ingredients grown or foraged across the property. Menus change according to what arrives from the garden, sea, and nearby communities.

Bwa Denn adds several dining and cultural experiences within one 2-level building. Bwa Denn Kitchen serves throughout the day, while Bwa Denn Terrazza occupies the rooftop. A microbrewery produces beer and house-made kombucha.

The building also contains a major private collection of contemporary Caribbean and Latin American art. Paintings and sculptures appear throughout the dining rooms and public areas, connecting meals with work by artists from across the region.

Along the Cario River, Botanica pairs an organic garden with a chef’s table. Meals draw directly from herbs, fruits, vegetables, and edible plants grown nearby.

Three Beaches and a Rainforest Above the Sea

Secret Bay occupies a forested promontory near Portsmouth, where volcanic hills descend toward the Caribbean Sea.

Guests have three secluded beaches, including Coconut Beach, along with snorkeling, paddleboarding, kayaking, swimming, and boating. A watersports hut handles equipment and excursions, while private villa hosts arrange island trips, restaurant reservations, guided hikes, and transportation.

Dominica offers a much more active itinerary beyond the resort. The island has volcanic hot springs, waterfalls, rainforest trails, diving, canyoning, whale watching, and the Waitukubuli National Trail.

Nearby Cabrits National Park contains forest trails, coastal viewpoints, and Fort Shirley, an extensive British military complex restored above Prince Rupert Bay. Portsmouth’s waterfront, the Indian River, and dive sites along the island’s northwest coast are also close to Secret Bay.

You can spend one day hiking to a waterfall, another snorkeling from Coconut Beach, and another inside your villa with a private pool above the sea.

A Resort Built Around Private Ownership

Many Secret Bay guests have later purchased residences at the resort.

Every villa is offered for private ownership, either as a whole residence or through a fractional model. Owners receive a home within the resort and may place it in the rental program during periods when they are away.

The Cliffside Villas will begin sales this fall, led by Sotheby’s International Realty. Whole ownership will start at $2.95 million.

Purchasers may also qualify for Dominican citizenship through the country’s Citizenship by Investment program, subject to government requirements and approval.

The final enclave will bring Secret Bay to 42 villas, ending the residential buildout envisioned for the property. Its relatively small villa count will remain distributed across 40 acres, with rainforest, ravines, beaches, and steep hills separating the individual enclaves.

What Secret Bay’s Final Phase Means for a Stay

The new villas will add larger residences and another location near Coconut Beach. The family pool pavilion will give parents and children a dedicated place near the sea. Two spas will broaden the wellness program beyond the current Gommier Spa.

Yet the defining elements of a Secret Bay stay will remain highly private villas, individual hosts, dense rainforest, and a northwestern Dominica location close to beaches, dive sites, rivers, and Cabrits National Park.

“Life’s greatest luxuries are its simplest pleasures. Time, space, fresh organic food, the quiet presence of wildlife, pure air, clean water, and above all, the sincerity and kindness of people,” Nassief told Caribbean Journal. “Everything we have created here exists to give our guests and owners a way back to these essentials. Knowing they find them here, in the most magical setting we can offer, is what makes it all worthwhile.”

The six Cliffside Villas will complete a resort 15 years in the making. Beyond their plunge pools and broad sea views, they will occupy the last available Secret Bay enclave above Coconut Beach, where rainforest still covers most of the land between the villas and the Caribbean Sea.

Rooms at Secret Bay start around $1,020 right now, according to Google Hotels.

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