A Chic New Hideaway Opens In The Bahamas’ Eleuthera

“We’re not aiming for luxury here, we’re aiming for elegance,” explains Hans Febles, co-owner of The Potlatch Club on the Bahamas island of Eleuthera. From the patrician whitewashed Colonial Clubhouse and 11 accommodations in cottages dotted around the 12 acre oceanfront property, it would seem that he and partner Bruce Loshusan have achieved it. But the exteriors are just one aspect of the stylish resort that reopened last summer.

A History of Famous Guests

Bringing the resort back to life was an arduous, seven year mission. When the two, high school friends who reconnected over social media, discovered and bought the property in 2016, the land was so overgrown that even a deep swimming pool was obscured by thickets of jungle foliage. Many of the original cottages that in the 1960s and 1970s had housed visiting celebrities and friends of the three East Coast socialite owners seeking an out of the way escape were in tatters, having fallen into disrepair in the 1980s. (Among the previous famous guests: Greta Garbo, Elizabeth Taylor and Paul McCartney who honeymooned with first wife Linda here and wrote the Beatles songs “She Came In Through the Bathroom Window” and “Oh, Darling” on hotel stationery.)

The Transformation

With Febles masterminding the architecture and landscaping and Loshusan the interior design along with Nassau based designer Amanda Lindroth, the restoration and new construction began. Four of the original buildings were saved and restored including the imposing Clubhouse with its original black and white checked floor, the 1,200 square foot, decidedly romantic, one bedroom Pink Sands House and the 3,500 square foot, secluded four-bedroom Pineapple House which also includes a pool.

The décor in all is refined with touches of wit and bespoke furnishings ranging from the classic baby blue couches and piano in the library to the painting of a monkey serenading a love interest in the Clubhouse entrance and handmade Indonesian rattan fourposter bed in the Pink Sands House. The exteriors of the new builds match the restorations so completely that it’s hard to tell which is original and which is new. (Two other villas may be on the horizon as well.)

Water Activities

The property was always known for its seclusion and privacy, on an island overall known for those qualities as well as its 100+ beaches, so the seven mile pink beach fronting clear turquoise water will likely be the domain of just hotel guests. The staff led by gently accommodating, Bhutan-born general manager Kezang Dorji, who has experience in this area from previous stints with The Cove on Eleuthera and Parrot Cay in Turks and Caicos, can organize kayak trips, boat charters from nearby Governor’s Harbour, the island capital, snorkeling trips to the reefs, swimming with turtles, island tours or a run up to Harbour Island an hour away if guests need a blast of shopping and restaurant hopping.

The Fig Tree Restaurant

Those who stay on property, though, can go for massages in the Acqua Spa and sample the cocktails and snacks in the Sand Bar or the regularly changing Asian-accented menus in the Fig Tree Restaurant. Among recent offerings of well executed dishes: Soy and Ginger Braised Ribs; Homemade Squid Ink Fettucine with Shrimp, Scallops, Green Peas and White Wine Sauce and Organic Chicken Nasi Goreng. The restaurant is also a draw for locals and it’s not unusual to see long established residents greeting each other and expressing their appreciation that the resort is once again the place to be.

Getting There: The easiest way to fly in is to connect in Miami or Charlotte directly to Governor’s Harbour Airport, a 20 minute drive to the hotel.

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