By Ray Rogers
The Ocean Club, A Four Seasons Resort, Bahamas sits on 36 acres of white sand and turquoise water on Paradise Island—107 rooms, a Bahamian pedigree and generations of the same families booking the same weeks annually. General manager John Conway credits the return traffic to something far more subtle than a renovation: staff longevity. “It starts with the fundamental hospitality that seems to be ingrained in the Bahamian service,” he says. “Many of our team members have been here for decades.” Combined with a beach he calls “jaw-dropping,” this deep-rooted loyalty defines Conway’s view of barefoot luxury—unfussy, generational and largely unchanged by design.
Which isn’t to say nothing moves. The resort’s adult-only, historic Versailles Pool got a refresh this year, set against the tiered Versailles Gardens. New parasols and chaises now carry a custom cherry-red floral-and-sea-life print, a small but deliberate update to a space Conway calls “swanky” enough to make guests “feel like you’re in another world.” “While guests may notice subtle changes, they return because of the familiar setting and the way our people truly make them feel,” he says.
The most significant addition is on the courts. Riding a global surge in the sport, The Ocean Club added two padel courts this year alongside its Har-Tru tennis courts. “Padel is having a moment right now—a huge growth worldwide, it seems,” Conway says, “and it’s made a really nice complement to our tennis. We’re seeing a lot of interest with guests wanting to learn how to play, and it’s great for families, too.” The courts were placed deliberately into the property’s landscaping—screened by palms, lit for night play and out of the direct sightline from the pool. “They are still spaced between heavily landscaped areas…tucked in the middle,” Conway says, “a uniquely Bahamas racket sport experience.”
Ready to up your game? Instruction is available through Marvin Rolle, a Bahamas national team player who won bronze at the 2010 Central American and Caribbean Games—and whose father, Leo Rolle, was the resort’s tennis pro for more than 50 years. Rolle works with beginners and experienced players alike, another instance of the multigenerational staff loyalty Conway points to as the property’s real differentiator.
Wellness programming is evolving with the calendar, too. Health coach Nora Tobin, whose summer series drew guests into sunrise-to-sunset sessions, returns October 16–19 for “Nature Reset,” a slate aimed less at rejuvenation than restoration. She’s back December 4–7 for a “Holiday Healthy” edition, closing out a year that’s seen plenty of favorable movement. fourseasons.com/oceanclub
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