Once upon a time, a hotel simply needed a sizeable pool, plush rooms, designer amenities, and decent room service to be considered ‘luxury’. But nowadays – and post-pandemic in particular – it’s a whole different ball game.
The past year alone has seen Beyoncé perform a private concert for the grand opening of Atlantis The Royal; Soneva Fushi host renowned authors and cultural greats for its ultra-exclusive literary festival in the Maldives; The Savoy transform its sprawling penthouse into an experiential Gucci Suite; Rome’s Hotel Eden give its guests the keys to rare Ferraris for an excursion with a difference; The Standard Ibiza kick off the season with a fittingly debaucherous weekend of parties, a star-studded guest-list (Florence Pugh, Shygirl, and half of fashion’s in-crowd) and a special set by Róisín Murphy… The list of next-level hotel offerings goes glamorously on.
Because beyond providing a particularly wonderful place to rest one’s head on holiday, hotels have realised that today, real luxury is all about offering exclusive access and unique experiences that money simply can’t buy. Unless, of course, you’re staying in the right place…
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Which is how, last year, I found myself rubbing shoulders with some of the world’s foremost chefs, wine experts and food lovers, wearing little more than a bikini. For context: I was a guest at the inaugural Bahamas Culinary & Arts Festival, a three-day cultural extravaganza hosted by the island’s sprawling Baha Mar resort.
Forget the mild disappointment, drizzle and disorganisation that usually comes to mind when you think of a food festival. Here, it’s all about open-air cooking on the beach, pumping parties on private islands, catamaran tours hosted by celebrity chefs, live music (last year’s headline act was none other than Boyz II Men) and days spent sunbathing and sampling the best of local and far-flung cuisines – all best enjoyed with endless Bahama Mama cocktails in hand.
With the likes of Marcus Samuelsson, Daniel Boulud, Ming Tsai, Dario Cecchini and Carla Hall flying out to take part in the event – and milling casually among guests as equals – this is the kind of access that die-hard foodies can usually only dream of. And the fact that it all takes place on such paradisiacal, sandy-white Caribbean shores is just the cherry on top.
The resort complex itself comprises three hotels, each with its own USP – but quite frankly, if it’s luxury you’re after, Rosewood Baha Mar is the only name you need to know. Situated on its own private stretch of beach, surrounded by lush tropical greenery and a flamboyance of powder-pink flamingoes, it feels a world away from the main thrust of the festival – while simultaneously being right on its doorstep.
Little surprise, then, that this is where all the big names stay for the occasion, retreating from the all-hours festivities for a dose of spoiling (and much-needed) R&R. Having been lucky enough to stay there myself for the Festival’s duration, I became well-versed in the perfect Rosewood routine that can cure even the most vicious of Bahama Mama-induced hangovers: a big French-inspired breakfast at Café Boulud, followed by flamingo yoga and spa treatments to revive party-weary body and soul, an afternoon in the private pool cabanas, lunch on the sun-loungers and an aperitif at the smart Manor Bar – before emerging refreshed and ready to do it all again.
While it can be difficult to venture back into the festival throng once you’ve been enveloped by Rosewood’s signature all-encompassing hospitality, do so you must – and not just to make the most of the mind-boggling array of activities on offer beyond its walls (think a nightclub, casino and rousing water park), but because knowing you get to come back afterwards only makes the experience all the sweeter.
The next Bahamas Culinary & Arts Festival will take place from 27-29 October 2023.
Clementina Jackson is Acting Site Fashion Editor at ELLE UK, working across news and features, trends, e-commerce and SEO. She was previously Fashion Editor at Cosmopolitan and Women’s Health, and Acting Digital Fashion Editor at ELLE UK, where she was named as a PPA 30 Under 30 award winner for her work on size inclusivity. An experienced fashion, travel and luxury lifestyle journalist, Clementina has also written for Harper’s Bazaar, Vanity Fair, Condé Nast Traveller, Tatler, Red and Italy Segreta.
