private island

Reach the Beach: Luxury Resort Style in the Turks & Caicos Islands {Exclusive Feature}

Filed under: Apparel, Dining, Luxury Travel & Hotels, Timepieces / Watches, Luxury Cars & Autos, Books, Men's Style, The Classicist

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The Turks and Caicos islands in the British West Indies is well known for having the world's most beautiful beaches. It also has some of the world's most stylish and luxurious beach resorts, which are remarkable for their amazingly private settings and lush natural landscapes, far removed from the over-development that plagues some other Caribbean hotspots. The perfect setting for our latest style feature, we're sure you'll agree.

Parrot Cay, located on a pristine 1,000-acre private island, including a mile-long powdered beach, is an elegant combination of glorious nature, understated luxury and unparalleled privacy complete with an award-winning holistic spa, healthy gourmet cuisine and beach villas with private pools (above).

The villas are a favorite with celebrities including Donna Karan, Bruce Willis, Keith Richards and Sir Paul McCartney. Some like Willis and Karan were so entranced they decided to build their own beach houses on the island. Want to own one? So do we. Parrot Cay is currently offering a small selection of villas for private ownership, starting at $10 million.

Tags: Aman resorts, Amanyara, architecture, Bagatelle, beach, beach resorts, books, Caribbean, celebrity vacations, Donna Karan, Gansevoort, Girard-Perregaux, Helly-Hansen, islands, JetBlue, Land Rover, luxury resorts, Parrot Cay, private island, R A E N Optics, resorts, Rizzoli, Royal Elastics, shoes, spa, Tods, Turks and Caicos, Vineyard Vines, watches

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Luxe Destinations: Parrot Cay, Turks & Caicos

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

We recently reported on JetBlue's great new direct service to the island paradise of the Turks & Caicos. To help you plan your glamorous getaway, Luxist is featuring the best of the Caribbean hotspot's luxury resorts, beginning with our top pick, Parrot Cay, situated on a private island.

On 1,000 pristine acres including a mile-long powdered beach, the resort is an elegant combination of glorious nature, understated luxury and unparalleled privacy. The first private island property from COMO Hotels and Resorts, it features an award-winning holistic spa, healthy gourmet cuisine and beach houses with private pools.

Parrot Cay's rooms are designed to maximize light, facing the sea or the island's natural landscaping, and awash in ocean breezes. Balinese day-beds, four-posters and private pools encourage relaxed lounging outdoors, while interiors come in whitewash and teak, with many of the Hamptons-style houses offering direct beach access.

There are also luxe villas belonging to private owners who make their properties available to rent. The spa, COMO Shambhala Retreat at Parrot Cay, overlooks mangroves and wetlands rich with birdlife. Situated just behind the beach is one of the world's most beautiful swimming pools.

We'll see you there.

Gallery: Parrot Cay, Turks & Caicos - Preview

Tags: beach, beach resort, best beach resorts, best Caribbean resorts, best island resorts, best luxury Caribbean resorts, Caribbean, COMO Hotels and Resorts, island, JetBlue, luxury travel, Parrot Cay, private island, private island resorts, resorts, spa, swimming pools, travel, Turks Caicos, Turks and Caicos, Turks and Caicos resort, villas

Moho Caye, A Private Island In Belize

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates

There are few luxuries as delicious as your own private island. Nestled just off the coast of Belize City is Moho Caye, a 14-acre private island and marina that serves as a fantastic jumping off point to the famous diving spots for which Belize is noted. The island is close enough to the mainland to build a causeway to its two-acre parcel of gated and fenced sea front property on the city side. This parcel serves as a private ferry terminal, dock, and parking facility for the island giving the owner an easy five minute ferry ride to their exclusive island home. The island offers the ability to create the ultimate family estate and private compound, marina, and safe harbor and has fresh water and electrical power systems already supplied from Belize City. The infrastructure is in place and there exists additional substantial potential since Moho Caye is also considered suitable for development as a resort hotel and spa, marina community, casino, or exclusive luxury residential community. It is priced at $5.5 million. For more information, please contact Grace Lappin, Avalon Partners, Ltd., (212) 717-5477, www.avalonpartnersltd.com.

Gallery: Moho Caye

Tags: belize, moho caye, private island, private island for sale

Rent Eustatia Island

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

If colder weather already has you dreaming about a warm-weather island vacation you might want to know about a 26-acre private estate on Eustatia Island in the British Virgin Islands (BVI). This amazing remote low-impact, island property is situated near the North Sound of Virgin Gorda and one of only a few private island properties available for rent in the Caribbean.

The reef-enclosed 30-acre island includes three soft white sand beaches and Eustatia has one of the largest coconut palm plantations in the BVI. The volcanic island can be explored along the hiking trails and the shores are also home to rays, starfish, sea turtles, and a variety of reef fish.

The rental provides exclusive use of the entire estate which encompasses all but four leased acres on the western tip of the island and is inclusive of gourmet meals and watersports equipment. The estate accommodates up to ten guests; six in the hilltop three-bedroom Villa Far Niente with pool and hot tub, and four in the two-bedroom beachfront Casa de Playa. Villa Far Niente offers beautiful views over the water while Casa de Playa is located a few feet away from the shoreline. A third beach cottage can be rented for an additional fee, adding room for another six guests. The rentals come with a hospitality staff including a personal chef to address any guest needs. The island also has its own private fleet of luxury yachts and boats available for charter.

The island is powered by solar energy and the water supply is collected rain water which has been filtered and purified. Water from sinks and showers is recycled to irrigate the tropical gardens and dual water flush toilets help reduce consumption. An organic, on-site sewage treatment process helps further recycle water into the landscaping.

If only one villa is rented, the common area of the other villa is available for guest use and the entire estate is exclusively at the guests' disposal. All villas are comparably equipped and come with fully stocked kitchens and bars. Both villas are rented in seven-day chunks from $52,000 to $87,360 depending on the season.

Gallery: Eustatia Island

Tags: british virgin islands, eustatia island, private island, private island for rent, private islands

Nautilus Island, Estate of the Day

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates

In Maine's Penobscot Bay sits Nautilus Island, a private 37 acre island that has remained under the protection of one family for more than 130 years. The property includes a six-bedroom main residence, with stone piazza and pool overlooking the bay. The island has its own vineyard, a two-bedroom farmhouse, and a guest cottage that is located at the edge of the island's protected harbor with a pier and moorings. If you are going to be on your own island you might want your own bar-- the boat house has been converted into a gathering spot with a kitchen, bar, and stone fireplace for family gatherings. The property also has perennial gardens, tennis court, a barn for storage, and lighted walking paths. The $10.6 million list price includes most furnishings, ground equipment, and a 23' boat.

Gallery: Nautilus Island

Tags: maine real estate, nautilus island, penobscot bay, private island

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Vendovi Island Up For Auction

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

A beautiful island off the coast of Washington state goes up for auction later this month. Vendovi Island is a a 216-acre island in the San Juan Archipelago that will be sold through J. P. King Auction Company on September 30. The island has 13,000 feet of shoreline and six beaches. It has been owned as a family retreat since 1966 and has a four-bedroom home. The island has self-contained utilities: a well, a water tower and tank, four generators, a septic tank, fuel trailer tank, two fuel storage tanks and two propane tanks. It can be accessed by boat or floatplane and has a protected harbor with a rock breakwater, 52-foot pier, a metal ramp and a floating dock. A video tour is after the jump.

"My family has always been into big projects, and when we ran across Vendovi Island, we knew what our next project was," said David Fluke, the island's owner. "It has kept us very close as a family, and it's been a great place for us to escape for the past 43 years."

Tags: jp king, private island, private island for sale, private islands, Private islands for sale, san juan archipelago, vendovi island, washington real estate

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Armani Beats Gates and Abramovich to Buy $190 Million Greek Island

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates, Wealth

Legendary Italian fashion designer Giorgio Armani has reportedly become the proud owner of one of the world's most beautiful and expensive private islands – Skorpios (above). In closing the deal, said to be worth about $190 million according to reports in the European press, the designer faced stiff competition from rival bidders including Bill Gates, Roman Abramovich and Madonna. Located in the Ionian Sea off the western coast of Greece, the island formerly belonged to famed Greek shipping billionaire Aristotle Onassis and was the site of his wedding to Jackie Kennedy in 1968. It was sold to Armani by his granddaughter and heiress, Athina Onassis Roussel. There is a lavish villa on the island known as the Pink House which Onassis built for Jackie, along with tennis courts and plush gardens, though most of the island remains undeveloped and pristinely beautiful.

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Tags: Aristotle Onassis, Athina Onassis Roussel, Bill Gates, billionaires, designer, fashion designer, Giorgio Armani, Greece, heiress, island, Jackie Kennedy, Jackie O, jaqueline kennedy, Madonna, private island, Roman Abramovich, wealth

South Carolina Islands For Sale Face Deep Price Cuts

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates

These days even private islands are facing price cuts. South Carolina's Beaufort County is home to an estimated 1,300 islands including Savage Island which was listed at $15 million when we looked at it as an estate of the day in 2007. The State reports that its list price has since fallen to less than $7 million. Live Oak Island, a 12-acre property in northern Beaufort County was once listed at $10 million but is now for sale for $4.5 million. This island is reachable by yacht from St. Helena Sound or by its causeway from Fripp Point Road. It is owned in part by a member of the Close family, a Fort Mill-based textile clan that sometimes allows Boy Scouts and schoolchildren to explore it. There are eight waterfront lots with utilities in place but no buildings on the property. It does offer a saltwater pond and a private beach separated from the sound by an aqueduct and a dock with six boat slips and two boat lifts.

Tags: beaufort, live oak island, private island, private islands, south carolina real estate

Private Island in the Bahamas for Sale at $110 Million

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates

In a rare offering, an incredibly beautiful private island in Exuma, Bahamas, is being offered for sale at $110 million. Located near David Copperfield's famed Musha Cay, the island, called Cave Cay, features a protected deep-water harbor and marina with floating cement dock system and 35 dock slips, a 2,800 ft. private airstrip and several completed buildings. The island is totally self sufficient with water and power supplied by diesel generators, and features unspoiled beaches, lush vegetation, and elevations of up to 40 ft. capturing breathtaking views. Perched atop one of the highest points on the island is a luxurious owner's estate with 360-degree views and top-of-the-line appointments. Plans are in place for a world-class resort including a large clubhouse and restaurant, marina, shop, and guest houses, though it would of course make the perfect private retreat. Aside from Copperfield, Cave Cay's neighboring island owners are said to include Johnny Depp, Faith Hill and Tim McGraw and the increasingly impecunious Nicolas Cage. Christie's Great Estates has the listing.

Gallery: Cave Cay

Tags: Bahamas, Cave Cay, David Copperfield, estate, Exuma, island, Johnny Depp, Musha Cay, Nicolas Cage, private island, resort

There are Private Islands, and Then There's Calivigny

by Jonathon Ramsey (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

Almost 27 years ago the U.S. was part of an invasion of the island of Grenada in order to free American medical students studying there. It was a good example of the wrong way to invade an island. For the right technique, look no further than Calivigny Island, just off the southern tip of Grenada. First of all, since there is nothing on Calivigny Island save the beach house and a bevy of caretakers, you can invade it whenever you wish and you needn't concern yourself with getting anyone off of it.

In fact, leaving could be the last thing on your mind. The beach house is set at the end of a pier that crosses a white sand beach. Or rather, perhaps it shouldn't even be called a house, seeing as it takes up nearly 108,000 square feet and has ten bedroom suites, each of them with its own entrance and bathroom. The rest of the island, 81 acres in all, serves as your private tropical garden.

When the Robinson-Crusoe-and-coconuts thing gets old, there's scuba diving on the coral reef, an underwater sculpture park, a spa, and a 24-hour private chef – because you'd be surprised how hungry you get in paradise. If you don't wish to expend any effort to effortlessly enjoy yourself, seven-day excursions to Calivigny Island are being arranged now by Pure Entertainment Group.

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Tags: calivigny, calivigny island, grenada, island, private island

Emerald Cay, Now At A Deep Discount

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates

I've seen some deep discounts recently but this has to be one of the biggest. Emerald Cay, a private island in the Turks & Caicos Islands was for sale last year at $75 million. Now you can get it for millions less. The incredible property is a luxury hideaway that is accessed via a remote-controlled swing bridge and a Turkish marble driveway.

The island is on over two acres sits surrounded by turquoise water and white powder beaches. The magnificent estate encompasses approximately 30,000 square feet of interiors all wired for everything through a Crestron system. A three-story great room has 45-foot-high cypress ceilings. There is also a three-story library, a master bedroom pavilion and an award-winning home theater.

The estate includes three guest suites, a 6,000-bottle wine cellar, two adjoining swimming pools with a waterfall, a barbecue pavilion, tennis and volleyball courts, two boat slips, a boat house, a guest house, a caretaker's home, and two private beaches. Life's short - but your quality time doesn't have to be, says Lyle Schmidek, owner/broker of the Christie's affiliate for the Turks and Caicos Islands who has listed this home at the new low price of $48.5 million.

Gallery: Emerald Cay

Tags: emerald cay, EmeraldCay, island for sale, IslandForSale, private island, private island for sale, PrivateIsland, PrivateIslandForSale, turks and caicos, TurksAndCaicos

Broad Key For Sale

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates, Real Estate Developments

Need to really get away from it all? Broad Key in Florida offers 63 acres of private island bliss. The island includes a five-bedroom main house, a guest and caretaker's cottage, boathouse and a 33 foot dock. The island has its own water storage, solar generator power system, satellite dish communication and video security equipment. There is also a helicopter landing area. The island is listed at $20 million putting it at the higher end of Florida private islands for sale.

Gallery: Broad Key

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Tags: broad key, BroadKey, florida, island for sale, IslandForSale, private island, PrivateIsland

Private Island In Maryland For Sale

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates

Want your own private island? Taylor's Island is a four and a half acre private, gated island. near Solomons Island in Maryland. The island has a main house, three outbuildings, a pool, hot tub, a pier and a sandy beach and comes with a golf cart for navigating the property. The island is accessible to the mainland over a gated wooden bridge and is also accessible by water and helicopter.

The outbuildings include a two-story observatory or lighthouse which also has a spa, kitchenette, bath and shower. There is also a two-bedroom guesthouse facing the pool. The main house is older and relatively small (2,488 square feet) and includes a deck on the river side. This property is offered for sale at 3.5 million dollars.

[Thanks, Emily]

Gallery: Taylor's Island

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Tags: maryland, private island, private island for sale, PrivateIsland, PrivateIslandForSale, real estate, RealEstate, taylors island, TaylorsIsland

Pym Island, Estate of the Day

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates

Today's home is the chance to get your own private island in British Columbia. The five-acre island is 35 miles across the water from Vancouver and includes a four-bedroom main house, four guest cottages, a caretaker's home, dock and tennis court. The main home has a large living room, library, dining room, games, room, his and hers master suites, a nanny suite and even an indoor pool. The island can be reached by floatplane or by private boat and is connected to power, via cable from Canoe Cove, near Sidney, and also has a back up generator system. This home is listed at $9.8 million Canadian.

Experience more lush living in luxury homes and mansions or see the stars living large with celebrity homes galleries at AOL Real Estate.

Gallery: Pym Island

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Tags: british columbia, BritishColumbia, estate of the day, EstateOfTheDay, private island, PrivateIsland, pym island, PymIsland

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Banyan Hill At Fregate Private Island

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

One of the world's most exotic resorts Frégate Private Island, in the Seychelles is now offering Banyan Hill, the private villa belonging to the island's owner up for rent. Banyan Hill is located atop a plateau for perfect private views of the beaches and ocean. The villa is on the eastern side of the island, away from the resort's 16 guest villas and accessible only via a private pathway, Banyan Hill is three separate villa, each with a large bedroom, veranda and bathroom - all centered around a shared living area with a terrace, pool, seating area and al fresco cooking facilities. Banyan Hill is attended by a private chef and no less than three butlers. The villa can hold up to six adults and three children for €10,000 per night with a minimum five-night stay.

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Tags: banyan hill, BanyanHill, fregate island, FregateIsland, private island, PrivateIsland, resort, seychelles, vacation

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