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Hill Glazier Studio Debuts St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort

by Annie Block | Monday, June 20, 2011 | 7 Comments

San Juan and Vieques are the usual vacation hot-spots in Puerto Rico. That may soon change. A pleasant 20-minute drive east from SJU airport gets you to Bahia Beach and its brand-new St. Regis Resort. Situated on a former coconut plantation with clear views of El Yunque National Rainforest and the Atlantic Ocean, the lush 483-acre resort boasts a private bird sanctuary (the Caribbean’s first Gold Audubon–certified), two miles of private beach, an oceanfront golf course designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr., and a 10,000-square-foot Remède Spa. The latter along with the central Plantation House—announced by a dramatic sculpture by Puerto Rican artist Angel Botello and housing reception—and the guest-room buildings have been designed by Hill Glazier Studio in a low-rise plantation style that blends seamlessly with the surroundings. The 139 guest rooms, including 35 suites, feature private terraces, custom furniture, and palatial marble bathrooms with hi-tech mirrors incorporating TV’s. Punctuated by a sculpture by another Puerto Rican artist, Luis Torruella, the pool area is truly divine, surrounded by oversize chaise longues, swaying palms, and private cabanas.

As part of its commitment to the environment, the resort has created a nearly 3-acre nursery and garden that supplies plants and trees for landscaping and reforestation as well as fresh produce for Fern, the property’s signature restaurant by Jean-Georges Vongerichten. By Miami-based Nuhouse Design Associates, the 120-seat restaurant’s dark wooden flooring recalls the site’s plantation past, while a double-height chandelier, silver-leafed cork walls, and modernist furniture celebrate the aesthetic of today.

The St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort is the brand’s first Caribbean property and the 21st out of 24 hotels worldwide. St. Regis recently announced plans to open hotels in Shenzhen, Chengdu, Tianjin, and Kuala Lumpur.

Photos courtesy of the St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort.