Arriving at the Hamilton Princess & Beach Club in Bermuda was a royal experience—the stately flamingo pink building towers above its surroundings and the harbor, and inside bellhops and well-dressed guests bustled to and fro, clacking along the marble-tiled floor. Something delicious and expensive-smelling wafted through the air.

The Hamilton Princess is a five-star, privately owned, Fairmont-managed property in Hamilton. The hotel first opened in 1885, the year after Queen Victoria’s daughter Louise visited and became the inspiration behind the building’s “princess” name.

The Princess’s current owners bought it in 2012 and have been slowly renovating it ever since. Now, the luxe hotel features newly redone guest rooms, two outdoor pools, three on-site restaurants, a spa, a 60-berth marina, a retail corridor, and a private beach just a short ride away.

The Warhol-esque portraits of Queen Elizabeth behind the check-in desk turned out to be real Warhols as I came to grips with the magnitude of the art collection at the Princess—a Picasso in the lobby, a Haring on the way to the restroom.

And the art collection throughout the hotel is world class. The private collection of the owners, the compilation could belong to a gallery—but here, the works are presented in a lived-in way. Pieces from other modern and pop art giants like Henri Matisse, René Magritte, David Hockney, Banksy, Anish Kapoor, KAWS, and Takashi Murakami make this one of the most impressive art collections you can find outside a museum. 

The hotel is large, with 386 guest rooms in total, including 45 suites and 13 junior suites. Guest rooms, while all newly renovated and similarly outfitted, come in variations—Fairmont rooms have bathtubs, while Garden View, Harbor View, and Bay View rooms all have private terraces. The top tier Fairmont Gold rooms and suites are in their own private wing and come with a designated concierge service and access to the private Fairmont Gold Lounge, which includes a patio and daily continental breakfast, afternoon tea, desserts, and an honor bar. 

Accommodations have upscale modern amenities like walk-in showers, Nespresso coffee machines, and bluetooth speakers. I loved starting my mornings off slow with a coffee on the private balcony of my Signature room overlooking the harbor. Another elegant touch—the bathrooms have Le Labo toiletries in the scent Rose 31 (remember the pink exterior of the building?).

The Princess is an easy five-minute walk from pedestrian-friendly downtown Hamilton. About the size of downtown Newport, Rhode Island, Hamilton has endless attractions like restaurants, shopping, and nightlife—but you’ll only have to leave the property if you really want to. 

Choose from three on-site dining options in the summertime—the breezy 1609 Restaurant & Marina Bar, offering a seafood-heavy lunch and dinner menu, closes for the offseason. Other dining spots are the casual all-day eatery Crown & Anchor, a contemporary venue with both indoor and outdoor dining that serves a buffet breakfast all the way through a late-night menu, and the newest dining concept, Intrepid, an upscale steak and raw bar spot. 

Intrepid was named after one of the hotel’s more prominent guests: Sir William Stephenson, Ian Fleming’s inspiration behind James Bond. During World War II, Stephenson, code name “Intrepid,” headed the Allied Forces’ Atlantic censorship station located in the Hamilton Princess. Now a refined steakhouse with elegant Art Deco decor, Intrepid served my most memorable meal of the trip—a flavorful hamachi crudo, a super fresh halibut filet, and a lemon cheesecake for dessert.

Since the hotel is located in the heart of Bermuda’s capital, they don’t have a beach on site—a drawback they remedied in recent years with the purchase of a private beach club in Southampton. The hotel’s jitney shuttles back and forth from the beach several times a day, and the exclusive beach club has restrooms, umbrellas, towels, cabanas, seasonal food and drink service, walking trails, a white sand beach, and a crystal clear cove for swimming.

The jitney to and from the beach takes about 15 to 20 minutes, and the benefit of the commute is the quiet seclusion when you get out to the seashore, and getting to see a bit more of the beautiful island. In November the water was chilly, but the picturesque turquoise water and the bright sunny weather made it all worth it.

Because of its central location right in Hamilton, the Princess sees a ton of business travel. They have several function rooms ranging from traditional ballrooms with chandeliers to smaller boardrooms, and are currently adding four more function rooms geared towards events with 40 to 80 guests. Besides a steady flow of business guests, the Princess welcomes an increasing number of couples and families, drawn to its upscale amenities and great location.

More on amenities: One of the hotel’s pools is an infinity pool with a hot tub, and the other is adults only—both are heated with harbor views. The adults-only pool is right outside the fitness center and spa area. The Exhale spa offers fitness classes and a full spa menu of facials, massages, body scrubs, and nail services. 

Between the hotel’s restaurants open to the Bermuda public, and the marina with dozens of berths, the property feels like a bustling, comfortable community meeting space. But head to one of the pools, sit in a cabana overlooking the harbor, or relax on your room’s terrace, and you’ll feel worlds away from the hubbub of daily life. The hotel provides a perfect jumping off point to easily explore the rest of Hamilton or the entire island, but I had everything I needed at my fingertips to just unwind quietly at the Princess.  

For more information, visit thehamiltonprincess.com

Costa Elena, Guanacaste, Costa Rica

Costa Elena is a secluded master-planned resort community and ocean club in the northern Guanacaste region of Costa Rica spread across 3,000 acres and developed by a group of investors, including the Pellas Development Group. The initial residential enclave of Las Mareas Estates consists of 25 ocean view properties. Limited availability remains in the Founders Collection with homesites available from $550,000 and four- and five-bedroom villas with pricing from $2.35 million. Each home includes property management, concierge services, and rental program management by Inspirato. Sales are set to launch for Costa Elena’s next phase in early 2023. costaelena.com

Susurros del Corazón, Punta Mita, Mexico

The recently opened Susurros del Corazón, Auberge Resort Collection Residences is comprised of 49 residences and 59 hotel suites and centered around three scallop-shaped pools that cascade down to the beach. The residences, designed by Paul Duesing Partners, celebrate the boho-chic culture of Mexico’s quaint coastal surf towns with a contemporary, clean design and the villas balance tropical context with modern lines, raw architectural details, and exquisite views. Property amenities include four distinct culinary concepts, a 3,000-square-foot fitness center and yoga studio, kids’ club, and Auberge Spa. susurrosresidences.com

St. Regis Bermuda Resort Hotel & Residences, Bermuda 

OBMI and UCO Studio introduce Bermuda’s first new luxury hotel brand in nearly half a century with the masterplan and design of the St. Regis Hotel & Residences Bermuda. The development features 120 elegant guest rooms, including 21 suites and an ultra-luxury residential development offering two- and three-bedroom residences. Each guest-room features a private balcony and stunning views of the ocean and Fort St. Catherine. Pricing ranges from $1 to $3.9 million. theresidencesbermuda.com

Lantana Residences, Las Catalinas, Costa Rica

Las Catalinas in Guanacaste, Costa Rica, announces its newest residential neighborhood, Lantana Residences, a collection of ocean view homes and flats built into the hillside. Set to begin construction in the second quarter of 2023, the residences flank a picturesque stair street and offer urban and ocean views. The Lantana neighborhood will feature nine buildings and an array of plazas, parks, and community pool. Residences range from one to four bedrooms starting at $475,000 (studio/flat) up to $2.6 million (4 bedrooms/5 bathrooms). The residences are slated for completion in July 2025. lantanaresidences.com

Rosewood Residences Mayakoba, Playa del Carmen, Mexico

Only two villas remain on the market at Rosewood Residences Mayakoba. Situated along the tranquil lagoons of the luxury resort community in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, the two Coral villas, both priced at $4.7 million, present the ultimate private oasis. Along with six-and-a-half stunning bathrooms, the villas feature 4,500 square feet of fully furnished and elegantly designed interiors, and 3,000 square feet of outdoor terraces, perfect for entertaining friends and family or peacefully enjoying the beauty of the surrounding environment. Encompassing 620 acres of pristine lagoons, jungles, and beaches, the exclusive gated community of Mayakoba offers four award-winning hotels – Andaz Mayakoba, Banyan Tree Mayakoba, Fairmont Mayakoba, and Rosewood Mayakoba – a diverse selection of branded private residences, including Rosewood Residences Mayakoba, Fairmont Residences Mayakoba and Fairmont Heritage Place Mayakoba, and an 18-hole golf course El Camaleón. Owned by Mexico City-based RLH Properties, the property features over 30 world-class restaurants, high-design spas, a scuba dive school, water sports center, racket center, and several beach clubs. mayakoba.com/rosewood-residences

EDITION Residences Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Miami-based real estate investment platform Location Ventures and Marriott International’s EDITION Hotels announce EDITION Residences Fort Lauderdale, the city’s first luxury-branded residences on the intracoastal. Two 11-story towers will feature 65 residences with two-bedroom to four-bedroom floor plans ranging between 1,710 to 4,660 square feet, along with nine villas and four penthouses. Residences will feature floor-to-ceiling windows and sliding doors that open to expansive private terraces. Pricing for EDITION Residences Fort Lauderdale begins at $3 million. fortlauderdaleeditionresidences.com

Bermuda’s iconic luxury resort, the Hamilton Princess & Beach Club has launched a new dining experience, a steakhouse named for and inspired by the spirit of one of its most notable guests, a British spy who operated out of the property during World War II and may have been one of the inspirations for the character of James Bond.

Spearheaded by the hotel’s new Executive Chef de Cuisine, Antwan Ellis, Intrepid is an upscale steak, seafood, and raw bar restaurant featuring prime cuts of beef, freshly caught local seafood, oyster, and sushi.

“The new restaurant is an amazing space with stunning views of the water and incredible artwork on its walls,” Ellis says. “I look forward to sharing a menu with our diners to create a complete feast for the senses.”

The heart of the menu is its steak offerings, including dry-aged Niman Ranch porterhouse and ribeye. For seafood fans, the menu offers raw delights such as sashimi, oysters, and ceviche, as well as lump crab cakes with cajun remoulade, herb-crusted sea bass, and a classic whole lobster.

The restaurant also features a new cocktail menu and wine list including libations such as the Princess 75 with The Botanist gin, guava, fresh lemon, and Moët Chandon Rosé, and the Intrepid Martini with Absolut Elyx Vodka, Lemon Peppercorn Lillet, and Castelvetrano olive – naturally served shaken, not stirred.

The restaurant’s name comes from the codename given to real-life spy, Sir William Stephenson, by Winston Churchill. Stephenson headed up the censorship station based out of the Hamilton Princess during World War II and was a friend and likely inspiration of Ian Fleming, author of the world-famous fictional super-spy, James Bond.

Ellis joins the hotel from Shula’s Steakhouse at the Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel in Orlando, Florida, where he was executive chef for the restaurant. Prior to this, Chef Antwan was Chef de Cuisine at Todd English’s Bluezoo Restaurant. The Barbadian chef began his career interested in nutrition before discovering a passion and talent for creating exciting and delicious dishes which combine the flavors of his Caribbean childhood with international cuisine.

“I am very proud to have joined the Hamilton Princess & Beach Club at such an exciting time, as the head chef at Intrepid,” Ellis says.

The new restaurant, designed by Botelho Wood Architects, is set in the hotel’s Gazebo Wing, offering a refined steakhouse atmosphere with panoramic harbour views and stylish Late Art Deco surroundings, complete with carefully selected local greenery. Art aficionados will also appreciate the new additions to the hotel’s extraordinary art collection, including works by KAWS, Josh Sperling, and Damien Hirst.

Intrepid is open six days a week, Monday through Saturday. The restaurant’s menus can be viewed at www.thehamiltonprincess.com/dining/intrepid-steak-seafood-raw-bar.

Bermuda has just announced new legislation—a One Year Work from Bermuda Certificate program—where non-Bermudians can research, study, or work from the island for a 12-month period. Starting on August 1, for a simple one-time fee of $263, travelers can apply to call Bermuda home via the government’s website, where the application portal will go live.

As many of us have been freed from the confines of the traditional office format, an exciting new opportunity has emerged to transform into digital nomads and relocate our home offices to exciting new destinations. At a time when international travel is limited for many Americans, there’s no better option than idyllic Bermuda.

US professionals will be drawn to the island thanks to its easy accessibility from the East Coast, with major cities like New York and Atlanta under three hours away on a nonstop flight. Bermuda has also successfully managed the COVID-19 pandemic thanks to strict early-to-enact protocols (Learn more about Bermuda’s COVID-19 policies). 

A bevy of ultra-luxe, ultra-private accommodations are also available for those who prefer to remain socially distanced without sacrificing the escapism and high-end amenities that come with traveling. These include full private-island rentals such as Hawkins Island or Oswego Island, spectacular new villas and an expansive private Residence from one of Bermuda’s finest (and newest) boutique luxury hotels, The Loren at Pink Beach, and superyacht services for those arriving via sea. 

The island’s 21 square miles feature an abundance of isolated natural beach and park spaces that also make social distancing a breeze once you’ve logged off for the day and are ready to venture out to explore.  

If you’re ready to turn that tropical Zoom background into your reality, head to Bermuda where you can end every workday with a Rum Swizzle in hand watching the sun set over their beautiful pink sand beaches.