The Ocean Club, A Four Seasons Resort has, since the 1960s, been a paragon of Caribbean island luxury, captivating discerning travellers drawn by its serene beauty, impeccable service and idyllic location on Paradise Island. Originally opened in 1962, this storied retreat has hosted an array of illustrious guests – from Hollywood stars to royalty – and continues to impress those looking to kick back and enjoy sterling Bahamian hospitality.
The Ocean Club – now under the polished stewardship of Four Seasons – has long traded not just on its beachfront resplendence, but on a backstory as gilded as the clientele it continues to attract. Its origins trace back to Huntington Hartford II, heir to the A&P grocery fortune, who arrived in the Bahamas with the kind of ambition that only generational wealth seems to embolden. After all, this was the mid-20th century, when America’s dynastic elite – the Rockefellers, the Rothschilds – were quietly (and sometimes not so quietly) redrawing the map of Caribbean leisure, acquiring swathes of sun-drenched coastline as if collecting objets d’art.
Hartford, however, wasn’t content with merely owning a slice of paradise; he set about turning it into far more than real estate. Purchasing much of Paradise Island, he envisioned a retreat that felt less like a resort and more like a private world. In this enclave, the jet set could shed the burdens of visibility without sacrificing an ounce of glamour. What emerged was a place that has, over decades, hosted everyone from screen sirens to discreet billionaires, all drawn by that elusive promise of exclusivity.
His vision for the Ocean Club leaned unapologetically towards the theatrical – an ode to old European grandeur, transplanted – somewhat improbably – onto Bahamian shores. He looked to Versailles for inspiration: its symmetry, spectacle and that particular brand of aristocratic excess that feels both cultivated and faintly surreal in the tropics. The result was a series of terraced gardens, all clipped hedges and sun-bleached statuary, cascading towards the sea in choreographed precision.
And then, of course, there is the cloister. A genuine 12th-century Augustinian relic, painstakingly dismantled in France and reassembled here, stone by stone – a gesture so extravagantly quixotic it borders on mythmaking. Yet it works. Wandering through its cool, hushed arcades, we half expected a monk to appear, though in reality it was more likely to be a linen-clad guest in oversized sunglasses, pausing for effect.
Hartford built his resort around the garden, positioning it as a centrepiece – a stage set, if you will, for a certain kind of guest. And they came: film stars, financiers, society figures, each drawn by the promise of privacy wrapped in grandeur. Over the decades, The Ocean Club has expanded, evolved, and accrued a certain mythology of its own, but at its heart, it remains what Hartford intended – an exercise in escapism at its most lavish, and perhaps most delightfully improbable.
Today, while the Four Seasons imprimatur brings a certain contemporary precision, the spirit of Hartford’s original fantasy lingers. There is something indescribable about the feeling of arriving at the Ocean Club. Yes, the architecture has presence, and the gardens unfurl with a kind of studied magnificence – bougainvillaea in unapologetic bloom, lily ponds stilled to a mirror-like calm, palms standing tall as if they’ve been personally briefed on posture. Beyond it all, the ocean performs its usual sleight of hand, shifting between impossible shades of blue.
And yet, for all that visual drama, the prevailing sensation is not grandeur, but release. The tempo drops. Shoulders follow suit. Devices – so recently indispensable – begin to feel faintly irrelevant, as though they belong to another, noisier life. Of course, the Caribbean has always had this effect, working quietly and without instruction. But here, it feels somehow heightened, distilled. The Ocean Club doesn’t just offer escape; it choreographs it, gently nudging you towards that increasingly rare state of disconnection, where time loosens its grip and the outside world recedes to a polite, distant hum.
On its grounds, there are three distinct swimming pools. There’s the Family Pool (which we stayed well away from), with cascading waterfalls and shaded cabanas. The Versailles Pool, surrounded by elegant statues and lush greenery, offers a serene, adults-only sanctuary. We had the whole place to ourselves and found it the perfect, quiet place to escape with a book. Perhaps that is because it is overshadowed by the incredibly popular, infinity The Ocean Pool, positioned right up on the beach with a killer view. Naturally, all and sundry gravitated here (and its adjacent Pool Terrace Café) – with some very loud children in tow – which unfortunately broke the spell of tranquillity. Thankfully, there were many other peaceful spaces to escape to, including the property’s lobby lounge, courtyard and of course, our room.
Our Ocean View Room in the Hartford Wing featured interiors by New York-based design studio Jeffrey Beers, offering a blend of mid-century elegance and island-inspired charm. Soft shades of white, cream, and beige dominate the space, creating a serene atmosphere. These muted tones are complemented by rich textures and materials, including natural wood, stone, and woven elements, as well as splashes of colour: ocean blue and coral, adding depth and a tactile quality to the space. Want to splurge? There are some spellbinding private villas and retreats, with their own plunge pools on offer as well.
We dined at Dune, the resort’s signature restaurant helmed by Michelin-starred chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten, which served up a tantalising fusion of French-Asian cuisine with a Bahamian twist, all in a casual, romantic oceanfront setting.
Despite its many charms, the Ocean Club is not immune to wear and tear. While the resort’s historic allure remains intact, certain parts show signs of ageing. Especially in the public areas (though impeccably clean and well-maintained), we found elements that felt weathered and in need of a facelift.
You’d expect this from a resort of this age to some extent, but the juxtaposition of newly refreshed areas against those still awaiting renovation is a reminder of the resort’s ongoing evolution. The bulk of renovations were done in 2017 (and thankfully, the Bahamas escaped the worst of Hurricane Irma), but we have it on good authority that there are some exciting new developments to come. In the meantime, guests should be aware of its gradual refurbishment process and understand that the resort is on a promising path of renewal, reflecting a strong commitment to maintaining its legacy while meeting the evolving expectations of today’s OutThere travellers.
Photography courtesy of Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts
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While you’re OutThere
Spending the festive period in the sunshine of the Bahamas is a unique way to celebrate the end of the year and start the new. If you are interested in experiencing The Ocean Club, A Four Seasons Resort, at that time, plan well in advance. Beyond the typical celebrations, it also coincides with ‘Junkanoo’, a tradition that originated in the communities of African chattel slaves before emancipation. Today, a festival and vibrant display of costumed dancers and musicians, Bahamians celebrate their heritage in costumes, music, dance and drumming to much fanfare. It also doubles as one of the nation’s fiercest competitions as celebrants vie to win best-in-show across categories. The apexes of the festivals are held on Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.
