Isadore Sharp has famously said the company culture of his Four Seasons resort empire is based on a simple principle: The Golden Rule. Employees should treat guests as they would wish to be treated.
If that’s the case, the employees at The Ocean Club, the exquisite resort set on Versailles-like grounds in the Bahamas, have set the bar high. Now celebrating 61 years on a pristine stretch of white sand beach on Paradise Island, The Ocean Club is a bastion of celebrities and in-the-know travelers with a taste for plush, but understated luxury and storied glamor.
“Four Seasons today is a brand that people equate with exceptional experiences and the lifelong memories that come with them,” Isadore says.
And it’s high time you made some of your own. With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, the resort is hosting a Return to Paradise offer that includes a fourth night free and round trip airport transfers that will put a romantic getaway – and the possibility of an unforgettable adventure for the kids – within effortless reach.
Part of the charm of The Ocean Club is its unique location, which was featured in the 2006 James Bond film Casino Royale. The Club has welcomed European royalty, The Beatles and Whitney Houston and was the site of the wedding of supermodel Cindy Crawford and Casamigos creator Rande Gerber.
Encompassing 35 acres, the resort includes only 107 rooms, offering a rare combination of both luxury and privacy. In addition to the inviting turquoise waters of the beach, the resort grounds boast three pools, European fountains and statues and dining hot spot DUNE by Jean-Georges.
In 2016, The Ocean Club began a multi-million-dollar renovation of the Hartford Wing and has followed that with the newly renovated Crescent Wing. With classical Bahamian architecture and style as its inspiration, the wing reimagines the secluded enclave-style resort arrangement and terraced gardens. The Crescent’s guest rooms and suites now offer a relaxing aqua, grey, taupe and gold palette with bamboo-framed mirrors, deep soaking tubs and curved wall mosaics. Private terraces and balconies overlook the Atlantic Ocean and verdant lawns spotted with hammocks and Adirondack chairs for lounging. Select rooms include connecting capabilities for families.
The Ocean Club has everything to make yours a rejuvenating and tranquil stay. The resort fee includes daily complimentary fitness classes, a signature Ocean Club beach bag, chaise loungers, umbrellas and beach service, non-motorized water sports, paddle boards and bicycles and access to tennis courts, rackets and balls.
The resort’s three pools include the oceanfront infinity-edge Ocean Pool, the adult-only Versailles Pool and the Family Lagoon Pool, with ample space to splash and play. Guests can also enjoy a match at one of the resort’s six Har-Tru tennis courts or hit the links at the 18-hole Tom Weiszkopf-designed Ocean Club Golf Course.
Want to extend your swimming to something a little more singular than the pool? Book a tour to the Exumas, a lovely island chain where you can swim with the adorable feral pigs who’ve made the region world famous.
Bringing the whole family? The Ocean Club’s exclusive partnership with Atlantis Waterpark and Golf Course means complimentary shuttle service to their properties as well as a welcome amenity for kids at Kids for All Seasons. In fact, kids ages 4 to 12 can enjoy action-packed days at the complimentary day camp, while their parents luxuriate by the pool or at The Spa, a Balinese-style retreat featuring private outdoor spaces and soaking tubs.
To say the newly imagined Ocean Club has thought of everything is an understatement. It recently announced a bespoke shoe collection by Stubbs & Wootton and a commemorative coffee table book featuring guests’ everlasting memories.
“Throughout the last six decades, the property has become an iconic grande dame of the Caribbean, with so many incredible stories to tell,” says General Manager John Conway. “We want to bring these stories to life.”
fourseasons.com/oceanclub
With Valentine's Day approaching, The Ocean Club offers secluded luxury within effortless reach.