$15 Million Oceanfront Bahamas Retreat Can Handle A Party Crowd

Bahamas living can best be described as idyllic. The beaches are beautiful and there are plenty of resorts and vacation properties you can stay in with your family or friends. There are also many activities to do, including snorkeling, deep sea fishing or even just walking along the beach.

This oceanfront Bahamas retreat property is perfect for those looking for a private getaway, income potential, or both, according to Ryan Knowles of MAISON Bahamas.

“The owners bought it five years ago with the dream of building their own hotel. It was a retirement project for them. They got engaged in Hope Town at a place with a view similar to this property, so they decided to buy it and set out to transform it into a hotel,” Knowles shares.

The home-to-hotel renovation of the 1980-build residence ended up being longer than the owners had anticipated.

“It turned out to be a five-year project because you have to get special approval from the Bahamas government,” the agent says. “Midway through the project, the husband sadly passed away from cancer. His wife soldiered on to finish the project and wanted to open it as a tribute to him.”

Located in the Abaco Islands of the Bahamas, this beachfront island retreat comes complete with its own taco cantina and full bar. “The kitchen on-site is primarily being used as a cantina, but it has all of the provisions in so you could do a full-service kitchen if you wanted,” he says.

In its current configuration, the modern hotel features 8,000 square feet of space with 11 rent-able rooms/suites with 11 bathrooms. The main house boasts an enormous living room with cathedral ceilings and exposed beams along with a wall of glass doors that open up to the oceanfront deck with an in-ground pool. The two-story open kitchen is surrounded by glass to let in as much natural light as possible.

Knowles describes the accommodations as “barefoot luxury,” adding that the entire property is “very unique even for the Bahamas,” particularly because of its elevation. “I call it ‘Hamptons-esque’. Not only is it directly on the beach, but it is up about 25-feet-high and gives a perspective of being up high. The property is really designed to be a place to come and decompress, to relax and unwind.”

Knowles believes Hope Town—with its quaint homes and historic features—is the Bahamas’ best-kept secret. “It’s the perfect little island,” he says. “It’s well maintained and not too big and not too small. The architecture of the island, especially in Hope Town Village, is striking. It’s like a throwback to a bygone era. Hope Town was settled back in the late 1700s, and they have really preserved that architecture and feel here on the island.”

As for its next use, Knowles thinks the opportunities are endless. According to the agent, one option would be to use the property as a private compound—the sleeping capacity is about 25 based on the current configuration. A sizable 1.25-acre lot and some 220 feet of private beach frontage mean space is never an issue.

“There is a heated pool, a hot tub, a gym, a living room that is the heart of the property, areas for indoor and outdoor dining, and tons of balconies and patio space. It could be used as a wellness retreat or a B&B as well. If you are looking for incredible privacy and a place to get away, escape and share all these great moments together with family and friends, but still want to have some connectivity to the world, this is the place,” Knowles says.

The property, located in Hope Town, Elbow Cay, The Bahamas, has an asking price of $15 million.

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