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Top Spas

These 15 oceanfront oases, from Maui to the Maldives, employ local ingredients and age-old techniques to offer an array of services that are guaranteed to detox and de-stress. By Lisa Rogak

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Welcome to Seabrook

A coastal town in the Pacific Northwest puts a new twist on the notion of oceanfront living. By Lindsay Lambert

Anyone who’s ever shopped for or bought an oceanfront home likely did so with visions of isolated, sun-bleached beaches in mind and the hope that there’d be nothing, and no one, around, save for the occasional swaying palm. But a different kind of oceanfront escape, a master-planned community on Washington State’s Olympic Peninsula, is proving that one needn’t flee to the ends of the earth to find true paradise.

Established in 2004, the master-planned community of Seabrook was designed as a destination to which Seattleites could retreat—for both leisure and living—without making the five-plus-hour drive that’s often required to reach the region’s popular oceanfront options. And while proximity was the foundation on which Seabrook was built, convenience remained the cornerstone as the concept took flight. That is to say, once there, residents and guests would have direct and immediate access to their own commercial outposts, including a post office, movie theater, markets, cafés, art galleries, coffee shops, and more. Seabrook is, by all accounts, a self-sustaining city by the sea.

Despite, or perhaps because of, the selection of everyday practicalities Seabrook has to offer, insiders say the community is as popular, if not more, among prospective buyers as a vacation destination as it is for full-time residency. According to spokesman Chris Murphy, a typical Seabrook buyer would purchase a home here to be used as a secondary/beach home for the family, an investment for rental opportunities, or both. In fact, presently there are just 10 full-time-resident households in Seabrook, compared to 66 part-time non-vacation rental households and 74 part-time vacation rental households. There are even plans to erect a 50-room boutique hotel here, which speaks to Seabrook’s appeal as a vacation destination in and of itself.

Of Seabrook’s ability to attract both part- and full-time residents, Murphy says, “The unique features we offer stem from a progressive school of thought called ‘new urbanism.’ What this entails is a masterfully designed balance of many factors, including timeless architecture, accessibility, sustainability, environment, and community.”

This concept and the idea for Seabrook, Murphy says, was modeled after Seabrook founder Casey Roloff’s own appreciation of the lifestyle enjoyed by residents of the Florida town of Seaside, and of communities like Carmel, California and Nantucket. “Seabrook was initially inspired by Seaside, Florida, which reintroduced to America the concept of building pedestrian-friendly, walkable towns,” Murphy says. “The fundamental principle underlying Seabrook and Seaside is that a visitor or resident can have all of his or her basic needs met within a five-minute walk.”

Murphy says that Roloff, who is unabashedly enthusiastic about Seabrook, originally applied the walkable neighborhood concept on the Oregon Coast with his community called Bella Beach. After seeing the success in that neighborhood, Murphy says, Roloff decided to take the next step and build a fully sustainable walkable town similar to Seaside, but with a Northwest touch. The result was Seabrook.

Whether their purpose in Seabrook is residency or respite, prospective buyers have a number of options to choose from in terms of owning a home here. Seabrook offers a selection of “in-town” single-family residences with one or more bedrooms ranging from $219,000 to just under $1 million. Buyers can also snatch up undeveloped lots, on which they can build a custom home designed by the architect of their choosing or by one selected from Seabrook’s own carefully edited list. As is to be expected of building a new home in a community such as this, once a home plan is developed, Murphy says, the purchaser submits it to Seabrook’s architectural review committee for approval.

Perhaps most appealing for those seeking a spot or a lot right on the water is a particular part of Seabrook called The Northwest Glen. This section of town is the community’s first oceanfront neighborhood, a setting that encourages the creation of custom beach sanctuaries, Murphy says. Lots in The Northwest Glen start at $575,000 and lot/home packages ranged, at press time, from just less than $1 million to roughly $3 million.

By the way, it’s probably a safe bet that interest in Seabrook’s real estate offerings will soon increase: This oceanfront enclave was the site of Coastal Living magazine’s 2010 Ultimate Beach House. (The four-bedroom, four-and-a-half-bath home is available for $1.975 million.)

Although ostensibly Seabrook’s major selling point isn’t its deserted beaches and complete and total privacy, Murphy says that residents often include the community’s ability to promote relaxation and the “getaway” feeling among the primary reasons they purchased here. “Seabrook exuberantly emphasizes the beach lifestyle,” Murphy says. “Our extremely close proximity to the vast Washington beaches and to the rainforest and fishing, hiking, and biking all add to the get-away-from-it-all feeling.” The best part is, they didn’t have to go far to find it.

For more information, visit www.seabrookwa.com, e-mail info@seabrookwa.com, or call 360-276-0099.

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Paradise Found

A triumvirate of home-design experts turns one owner’s wish for a winter escape into a modern marvel on the sun-drenched shores of the South Florida coast. By Anna Kasabian, photographs by IBI Designs.
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Pristine Bay, Roatan Island

Pristine Bay is a destination resort, spa and private villa complex on Roatan Island, a part of the Bay Islands of Honduras in the Western Caribbean. It fronts on a 1000 foot private white sand beach with a Beach and Tennis Club on one side, a future marina complex on the other side and backed up to the Pete Dye Championship Golf Course called “The Black Pearl.”

Thirty two-bedroom freestanding villas, many with private pools, known as The Resort Villas at Pristine Bay, are now being constructed and will surround The Resort & Spa which will be the finest luxury destination resort in the Central American area of the Western Caribbean.

The Resort & Spa will feature sixty rooms and suites, a full service spa, restaurants, bars, two large infinity edge pools in addition to the private tennis club and access to the Black Pearl Golf Course. The free standing villas will all have fabulous views of the beach, the Caribbean with the reef some 500 yards offshore and sunsets to the southwest. Each villa will have large stone verandas, partly shaded by pergolas, many with their own infinity edge pools (see the SITE PLAN and FLOOR PLANS). Each Villa is fully air conditioned and features two large bedrooms and a “Great Room” for entertaining, dining and lounging.

All villas have Honduran Mahogany trim, terra cotta flat tile roofs, travertime marble bathrooms (some with indoor/outdoor showers) and are fully furnished with custom designed furnishings and soft goods, art and high quality appliances and fixtures. The exterior features white plaster with mahogany trim, custom designed shutters with 8 inch louvers and lush landscaping including Bougainville and palm trees extensively lighted (see RENDERINGS).

Roatan enjoys an excellent airport with direct air service with full size jets from Continental, Delta and Taca (currently from Houston, Newark and Atlanta) and thus provides enviable and convenient access.

VILLA PRICING
There are three basic Villa designs all with two bedrooms, two baths, greatroom (living, dining, kitchen), covered porches and verandas with and without pools. Villa A is a single story configuration and Villas B and C are two stories (see FLOOR PLANS and RENDERINGS). All Villas have 1,500 to 1,600 air conditioned square feet and 1,000 to 1,500 square feet of porch and veranda space for a total square footage of 2,500 square feet to 3,100 square feet. Prices range from $825,000 to $895,000 fully furnished.

Owners will capitalize on a villa purchase with a steady income stream from the hotel rental pool on a quarterly basis when they are not visiting Pristine Bay. Pristine Bay combines the best of both worlds as an incredible investment opportunity with an outstanding leisure component.

Contact:

Riley Sharman
Managing Director
Jungle & Reef Consulting, LLC
310-860-6251
rsharman@ResortVillasatPristineBay.com
www.ResortVillasatPristineBay.com

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Vacation at Viceroy Anguilla

This summer is sure to set some hearts aflutter in the Caribbean, as Viceroy Anguilla, which made its hotly anticipated debut late in 2009, prepares to unveil its third and final phase of development. With the latest round of additions to include two new dining outlets and pools, meeting rooms, and an expanded spa, all of which complete the resort’s already extensive top-shelf amenities, Viceroy is well on its way to cementing its place among the island’s top properties.

This is no small feat, given that neighboring resorts on Anguilla’s tony west end include Cap Juluca, CuisinArt, Temenos, and Malliouhana resorts, all with their own A-list offerings.

Viceroy Anguilla (the company’s first real estate development in the Caribbean) attracts the chic and the jet-set with its 35-acre lush beachfront setting and its sleek, sexy style. California-based destination design firm WATG is responsible for the resort’s crisp, clean construction, which allows its ocean setting to take center stage. Bradford McNamee, the firm’s vice president and lead architect on the Viceroy project, has given credit to that “striking interrelationship of the buildings and the landscape”—more specifically, Meads Bay and Barnes Bay—for setting the Viceroy apart from its Caribbean competitors.

Tying in beautifully with the structure is the resort’s interior design scheme, the creation of Viceroy muse Kelly Wearstler. For the Anguilla property, Wearstler, who also conceptualized Viceroy properties in Miami, Santa Monica, and Palm Springs, as well as the Tides resort in South Beach, created a contemporary backdrop, keeping the mood mellow with apalette of creamy colors that recall the resort’s white sand surroundings. Texture- rich touches of metal, glass, wood, and stone serve as a tasteful tribute to Anguilla’s rugged, natural beauty.

As for inventory, Viceroy Anguilla consists of 166 private oceanfront villas, beachfront suites, and blufftop guest rooms, with views ranging from leafy gardens to pristine shoreline. Each unit has its own private pool, making much-sought-after privacy all too easy to come by here. Custom Sferra bed linens are among the resort’s plush soft goods, and, in some units, silver travertine outdoor showers are outfitted with rain showerheads and built-in benches. In select units, home-style amenities—full kitchens with premium appliances, cookware, and china; washer/dryers; wine chillers; warming drawers; and Nespresso espresso machines—make for easy living during an extended stay. Outdoor kitchens and covered outdoor diningareas in other units mean hours of alfresco entertaining.

Those who are likely most eager for the resort’s completion have invested in Viceroy on a more long-term basis by buying into its ownership program. Atpress time, 88 of the resort’s 134 available units have been sold, with $20 million in sales coming in 2010 alone. Prices for the remaining 46 units range from $950,000 to $9 million. Like the rest of the resort’s accommodations, the homes are fully furnished and feature Wearstler’s custom décor. Of course, privatepools and state-of-the-art residence technologies are standard issue, as well.

A major draw for would-be owners at Viceroy Anguilla is having a home that is distinctive from the one next door, something that is not normally the case with resort living. Buyers can choose from four residence styles: Standalone Private Villas, which break down further into beachfront, blufftop, and ocean view options, are laid out in four- and five-bedroom configurations on one or two floors and feature up to five and a half baths. The most sprawling oceanfront villas, Pintail Villas 1 and 2 and Royal Tern Villas 3 and 4, top out at nearly 10,000 square feet of combined indoor and outdoor living space. Viceroy’s four two-story Townhomes, meanwhile, overlook Meads Bay from coral bluffs near the center of the resort. The three- and four-bedroom Townhomes total up to 6,500 square feet of living space. Viceroy’s single-story Beachfront Resort Residences, similar in style to apartments or condominiums, are positioned around a turquoise swimming pool adjacent to Meads Bay’s beach. The layouts range from studios to three bedrooms and comprise up to three and a half baths and 3,300 square feet, while the bluff top version of this pad can be purchased as a regular or deluxe studio or with one or two bedrooms. Viceroy Penthouses, the fourth and final option, boast three bedrooms and views stretching across the Caribbean Sea. All residence options at Viceroy Anguilla are outfitted with private plunge pools, Sony LCD high-definition flatscreen TVs with DVD players, custom lighting design, GE Monogram kitchen accessories, stacked washer/dryer units, and wireless Internet, to name a few amenities.

Like many of its counterparts in other Caribbean destinations, Viceroy Anguilla allows its owners the option to enter their residences into its Rental Management Program. The system offers homeowners effortless care as wellas the opportunity to turn their investments into another source of income.

“The biggest perk or privilege [of owning a home at Viceroy Anguilla], other than owning a piece of the finest resort in the Caribbean, was the Rental Management Program,” says one buyer, who, like many others here who own these exclusive island hideaways, favors anonymity. “I had always wanted to own [property] and spend time on an island with a premier resort and amenities like the Viceroy, but being able to put the residence back into an equitable rental program with a well-run company like Barnes Bay Development, which developed Viceroy Anguilla, made the decision easy, as I can recoup my maintenance on the property and potentially turn it into a positive cash flow situation.”

Despite similar island ownership opportunities cropping up all over the Caribbean, this owner says that while photographs of Viceroy Anguilla provided the first peek at luxury living here, it was a personal visit with the staff and management that sealed the deal when it came to choosing a place to buy. “I had been to the island, but never to the Viceroy, and was looking for a first-class resort with full amenities in the Caribbean,” the owner says. “By the pictures, it appeared to be the best. Upon staying at the resort and experiencing the fantastic staff and management and the quality of the residences and the location and its proximity to the beach, I fell in love with the place in a short amount of time.”

Of life in general at Viceroy Anguilla, the buyer, who planned to close on a 2,200-square-foot town home by the end of May, says “Activity is kept to a minimum, with the daytime filled with getting sun on the amazing beach, and the nighttime consisting of enjoying oceanfront dining either at the Viceroy’s great restaurants or taking a car service to many of the island’s fine eating establishments.”

There is some truth to the notion that guests could easily plan a stay at Viceroy entirely based on a schedule of meals at the resort’s five restaurants. Signature eatery Cobà is a destination unto itself, where diners enjoy a menu of fresh seafood prepared with Asian influences among stunning sea views at the convergence of Meads and Barnes bays. The theme of freshly caught seafood and locally grown fruits and vegetables continues at the Viceroy’s remaining restaurants, which include Aleta (known for its seasonal selections), the Sunset Lounge (cocktails and light bites that change daily or seasonally), Bamboo Bar & Grill (set to open later this year), and The Half Shell (a laid-back spot that serves gourmet bento boxes for guests on the go). Even in its restaurants, the Viceroy’s ocean views and natural setting continue to be the focus, and guests are given every opportunity to enjoy the resort’s dining options in proximity to its landscape, be it while dining on finer fare at a table overlooking Meads Bay and Barnes Bay at sunset, snacking on a chaise lounge directly on the beach, or toasting friends and family on a poolside patio.

That’s not to say, of course, that adventure doesn’t exist for those who seek it. In fact, Viceroy Anguilla relies on the services of its own Sea Centre to arrange excursions for guests that include day-long fishing, scuba, or snorkel outings, or even a jaunt to a nearby deserted island. The resort also employs a team of knowledgeable travel guides who are always at the ready to create a customized itinerary for guests with interest in the island’s history and culture. Teens and children are entertained through the Viceroy’s Kids’ Club, Teen Activities, and Families at Play programs, giving parents and kids the option to enjoy time on their own, together, or both. Our pick for the most anticipated event of the summer for resort guests and owners is the expansion and completion of The Spa at Viceroy Anguilla. The facility currently occupies a two-story villa overlooking the Caribbean Sea, where guests can indulge in services that promote “whole-person health” through what insiders here call “curated wellness experiences founded on the fundamental principles of balance, breath, and beauty.” Although the spa’s aim is to increase awareness of healthful living practices and encourage personal development, there’s plenty of opportunity for pure indulgence, as well. The spa boasts a menu of lavish massages, facials, and nail care (an array of extra services includes everything from LED light therapy to lash tinting), most of which guests can enjoy in one of its individual or couple’s treatment rooms or even in the privacy of their own accommodations.

Continuing with its theme of wholeperson health and well being, the Spa at Viceroy Anguilla also houses a fitness center that offers exercise, meditation, cooking, or healthy lifestyle programs, which provide insight through classes, presentations, and excursions. The facility is also equipped with Technogym cardio, strength and Kinesis equipment, and a yoga/Pilates studio, and offers private fitness training for the most effective workout. But even with all of these activities to choose from, some might argue that just a stay at this world-class Caribbean retreat is enough to set your heart racing. —Lindsay Lambert

Opened: December 2009. Accommodations: 166 villas, suites, and guest rooms. Beach front:
3,200 feet of beach frontage along Meads Bay and Barnes Bay. Phase III: To be completed
summer 2010. For ownership opportunities: Philip Day, 800-357-1930. Website: www. viceroyhotelsandresorts.com. Peak season: Christmas/New Year’s, President’s Day, Easter, and Passover. Tips for booking: Call 888-622-4567 and be sure to ask for a villa specialist.

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