Caribbean Update: Dunmore, Four Seasons Nevis

The Dunmore (formerly the Dunmore Beach Club) on Harbour Island, 50 miles from Nassau in the Bahamas, has undergone an extensive transformation since changing owners in September. The 16-room, eight-acre property, fronting a stunning three-mile-long pink-sand beach on the island’s eastern side, was acquired by Gil Besing and a group of investors. Besing is CEO of Dallas-based Cardinal Capital Partners, Inc.

The resort has been refurbished, inside and out. The upgrade retains the cottages’ classic decor with custom upholstered sofas, vintage rattan chairs and grass matting on the floors, and adds complimentary Wi-Fi and flat-screen satellite TV. New patio furniture has been added to the cottages’ private seaview terraces. A new pool and a new open-air fitness facility overlooking the ocean were added, as well as a new arrival/reception building.

The renovated clubhouse includes a new bar and expanded indoor and outdoor dining areas. New executive chef Shane Becker manages the hotel’s upgraded restaurant and bar with a new à la carte menu that features island cuisine. The restaurant, formerly available only to hotel guests, is now open to the public and offers fine dining in the upgraded dining room or under a new dining tent on the terrace overlooking the ocean. Beach-side food and beverage service is also available to hotel guests.

Elsewhere in the region, Four Seasons Resort Nevis reopened last month (December), more than two years after Hurricane Omar swept through the islands of St. Kitts and Nevis in October 2008. The $40-million project included restoring the beach, which was the biggest casualty from the hurricane, and refurbishing the resort's 196 rooms and suites. All accommodations now feature a furnished outdoor veranda or patio reached through wooden-shuttered sliding glass doors. Oversized full marble bathrooms include a soaking tub and separate shower. Other changes include a new grill, new beachside cabanas and an on-site sailing school. The task of repairing the damage and upgrading the facility was hampered by financing and funding issues. The resort will mark its 20th anniversary on Feb. 14.