Key Takeaways
- The Sniders opened their first resort, Winnetu Oceanside, in 2000.
- Over the years, Mark and Gwenn have added to their hotel collection.
- Little Gem’s latest is Lovango Resort and Beach Club in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
The vision of a private island resort often feels like a fantasy, but for husband-and-wife team Mark and Gwenn Snider, co-founders of Little Gem Resorts, it became a tangible reality. Their journey from “accidental hoteliers” to operators of a secluded, off-grid paradise in the U.S. Virgin Islands is a masterclass in patient entrepreneurship, sustainable development, and the enduring power of human connection in hospitality.
Located one mile northwest of St. John, Lovango Resort & Beach Club appears to organically rise from its pristine cay. The property’s design—from its cabanas and villas to its dining venues and retail “little village”—prioritizes harmony with the natural landscape. However, this effortless aesthetic belied a complex, five-year development odyssey that began in 2019, navigating the unique logistical and infrastructural challenges of building on a remote island.
Image Credit: Courtesy of Little Gem Resorts. Gwenn and Mark Snider.
From Family Travel to Foundational Experience
The Massachusetts-based Sniders’ entry into hospitality was driven by a personal passion. As parents who loved traveling with their children, they identified a gap in the market for elevated, family-friendly experiences. Leveraging Mark’s background in construction and real estate, they opened their first property, Winnetu Oceanside Resort on Martha’s Vineyard, in 2000. “We cut our teeth on that hotel,” Gwenn reflects, noting that the hands-on lessons learned there were indispensable.
That foundational experience proved critical when they acquired and revitalized The Nantucket Hotel & Resort in 2012, establishing the second property in what would become the Little Gem collection. This expansion, however, introduced a persistent operational hurdle: seasonal staffing. To maintain their high standards across northern, seasonal properties, they needed a solution for year-round employee retention.
Image Credit: Courtesy of Little Gem Resorts
The Search for a Southern Anchor: Discovering Lovango
The solution, they determined, was a southern, opposite-season location where U.S. work visas weren’t required, allowing staff to rotate between properties year-round. Their search led them to St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands, a destination they already loved. Mark presented Gwenn with a YouTube video showcasing Lovango Cay for sale—a 10-minute boat ride from St. John and St. Thomas.
Their 2018 visit revealed a raw, undeveloped landscape. “There was almost nothing here,” Gwenn recalls, describing an overnight stay with minimal provisions. That isolation, however, provided the blank canvas and 24-hour immersion needed to envision the resort’s potential. After 18 months of negotiations, they secured approximately half of the 42-acre island in November 2019. A minimal restaurant opened on February 5, 2020, only to shutter a month later with
