The Classicist: A Puerto Rican Renaissance at St. Regis Bahia Beach Residences

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed)
Apr 5th 2010 at 9:01AM

One of the Caribbean's finest residential and vacation enclaves is taking shape on 483 pristine beachfront acres in Puerto Rico, at the foot of the only tropical rain forest in the U.S. National Forest System. At the vanguard of what promises to be a true Puerto Rican renaissance is the stunning Bahia Beach community with a St. Regis resort and residences as its centerpiece. Located within 25 minutes driving distance of San Juan, Bahia Beach boasts a magnificent two-mile crescent of sandy beach, a challenging 18-hole golf course designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr., golf and beach clubhouses, and a charming seaside village. St. Regis Hotels & Resorts will operate the intimate St. Regis Resort, Bahía Beach, which will include an ultra-luxurious hotel and spa slated to open this fall. As any visitor to Bahia Beach can attest, its naturally perfect setting inspires dreams of permanent residence. Bahia Beach offers a number of ways to make the dream a reality, with a variety of homes including St. Regis Residences, Las Estancias estate homes, resort residences, golf and ocean view villas, and beachfront townhomes available in advance of the resort's official opening.

The resort will feature the signature St. Regis Butler and St. Regis Concierge service, a world-class Remède Spa and Fitness Center, a 120-seat Jean-Georges Vongerichten signature restaurant as well as a 90-seat St. Regis restaurant, retail shops and beachfront pool facilities. The tropical, unspoiled splendor of Bahia Beach, located on Puerto Rico's northeast coast at the foot of the El Yunque rain forest and bounded by two scenic rivers, can easily lead you to imagine a remote idyll, yet part of its appeal lies in the community's convenience and accessibility. U.S. residents don't need to bother with passports or worry about currency exchange, while the distance from New York for example is not all that much more than Miami. Once a coconut plantation, Bahía Beach is richly populated with 100-foot palms and other tropical trees, inhabited by myriad species of birds and the vivid green iguanas native to the coast. Over 65% of the property has been preserved as green areas, sanctuaries and nature trails; the Bahía Beach Resort & Golf Club is Puerto Rico's first resort community to become a Certified Gold Audubon International Signature Sanctuary.

Gallery: St. Regis Bahia Beach Residences

All residences sold within Bahía Beach include social membership in the community's private club, providing members with special dining and recreational privileges and services. Upgrades to full golf club memberships are also available. The signature St. Regis Residences, Las Estancias, will offer 25 majestic estate homes introducing an unrivaled dimension of luxury and hospitality to Puerto Rico. Located on a private island within the Bahía community and designed in a tropical plantation architectural style on spacious lots, these residences are available in six different models with floor plans offering large verandas, three-car garages, infinity edge swimming pools and separate maid's quarters. Homes are sized from 6,000 to 9,000 square feet and built on half acre to 1.5 acre lots with stunning ocean and golf course views. The first homes have already been delivered and one well-known major league baseball player has already taken up residence. Owners of Las Estancias will enjoy full access to St. Regis Resort amenities including the signature St. Regis Butler and St. Regis Concierge. Read on for details of the rest of the residences, and check out the gallery for stunning images.

The Las Verandas Villas are available in one, two and three-bedroom models offering from1,500 to 3,500 square feet of total construction area. Of the 90 villas in 10 separate buildings, there will be garden apartments, terrace apartments and penthouses featuring stunning views of El Yunque, the golf course, forest and lakes. A clubhouse features a swimming pool with gazebos and entertainment facilities. Four luxurious two-story beachfront townhomes within Las Olas are built directly along the beach with stunning views of the ocean, just a short stroll from the Golf Clubhouse and Bahía Village. Residential units will be approximately 4,365 square feet in size and constructed on lots averaging 600 square meters in size. Floor plans include two types of interior layouts featuring three bedrooms plus a guest room, or two oversize master bedrooms and a guest room, each with its own private plunge pool, two-car enclosed garage and top of the line finishes and appliances.

Real estate sales have exceeded $100 million since the initial offering of the residences in the summer of 2007. The Las Estancias estate homes are priced from $4 million; Las Verandas Villas from $723,000 to $1.9 million; Las Olas townhomes are $3.75 million; and the Las Ventanas units from $1.18 million to $2.9 million. The resort will offer owners the option of participating in a competitive rental program so that they can derive income from the properties in their absence. At Bahía Village, a quaint seaside town center, residents and guests will enjoy shopping, fine and casual dining and entertainment in a breezy, tropical atmosphere. The community will also feature lakes and nature trails, a tennis center, and kayaking on the Espiritu Santo River with a fully-equipped boathouse. To preserve an air of tranquility golf carts are the preferred mode of transportation within the grounds.

The new Bahía Beach Golf Course was designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr. and challenges players of all skill levels with holes bordered by dense canopies of native vegetation and scenic lakes and three magnificent finishing holes along the ocean. Troon Golf, the world's leading golf course management firm, operates Bahía Beach Golf Course. Framed by lush native foliage, the 18th green, lakes and the sparkling sea, Bahía Beach's golf clubhouse is managed by Troon Golf as well. The clubhouse features Bahía's signature tropical plantation architecture, beautifully accented by exposed stone and woodwork. Inside, one will find an upscale casual restaurant, Molasses, as well as a private activity room, an inviting bar, a fully stocked golf shop, and comfortable mens and ladies' lounges and locker rooms offering a variety of amenities and services.

Tags: Audubon, Bahia Beach, beach, Caribbean, El Yunque, golf, golf club, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, nature sanctuary, Puerto Rico, rain forest, residences, resort, San Juan, spa, St. Regis, St. Regis Bahia Beach