Inside Richard Branson’s new $20K-a-night ‘Moskito Island’ retreat

There’s Airbnb and then, way up the totem pole of super deluxe living, there’s the just-debuted luxury private estate rentals on Sir Richard Branson’s Moskito Island, the newest private island resort in the Caribbean.

Part of the British Virgin Islands, a territory of Branson’s native Great Britain, Moskito’s glamorous, just-opened rentals include the nine-bedroom Oasis Estate, perched on the island’s highest point and based around a four-story main house with a massive wrap-around pool and panoramic sea views.

There’s also the cliffside, eight-bedroom Point Estate overlooking and directly accessing the island’s communal white sand beach, including a cliff-side dining pavilion, plus a huge infinity-edge pool with blissful views of the surrounding turquoise waters. There’s even the Branson Estate, a three-villa compound with three pools, three hot tubs, and seaside dining and play areas designed by the Bransons themselves.  

“These are huge and grand private estates with amazing first-class service,” said Kenton Jones, Virgin Limited Edition’s BVI regional manager. “Obviously this is the high end of travel.”

And it comes with a top price tag: High season (October through May, when the weather is at its best) nightly rates run from $20,500 for the Point Estate, $28,000 for the Oasis, and $36,000 for the Branson.

Still, that does include a concierge service to pre-arrange complimentary activities — everything from kite surfing to Hobie Cat catamaran sailing. Your own private chef and food and drinks are thrown in, too.

“Before you travel, the estate manager is in touch to tailor a set of menus. We have Caribbean chefs to offer local cuisine, but we have international chefs too,” said Jones. “We create an experience around the food. One night it might be a Caribbean BBQ on the beach; another night it might be on your terrace under the stars. All with exciting menus to distinguish dining from being routine.”

And there won’t be dishes to clear; each estate has its own housekeeping staff.

Branson purchased Moskito in 2007 for £10 million, or almost $13.5 million. Although he oversees development of the 10 allocated buildable land parcels, nine have private owners, and are individually designed under the mogul’s watchful eye.

“He has an active role in what is created so it does not harm or change the island,” said Jones. “That’s the great thing about Moskito: What’s been built added to the beauty. It fits into the landscapes.”

While Moskito’s privacy is the big draw for A-Listers, celebrities who don’t take time off from being on view will no doubt find plenty of glam TikTok moments and Instagram wows.

“I bet we’ll be seeing shots of sunset drinks at The Point’s shallow pool, which looks to the west and is spectacular,” said Jones. “And at the Oasis roof terrace, which is perfect for star gazing. The whole island is an Instagram paradise, everywhere you look,” he added.

Moskito is next door to Branson’s Necker Island, which he bought for the bargain price of $180,000 in 1979. Now it’s his very own multi-million dollar private resort, often populated by Branson pals like Kate Winslet, Harry Styles, and Ronnie Wood. Jones points out that Necker is actually available for whole-island rental. The price tag of around $105,000 a night makes Moskito quite a bargain.

VirginLimitedEdition.com/en/moskito-island