By Danine Alati
Photography by Peter Paige
On Paradise Island in The Bahamas, it's expected that a high-end resort delivers an experience that's fit for...well, paradise. New York-based hospitality designer Jeffrey Beers International successfully created public spaces at The Cove Atlantis with an air of majesty and grand luxury that presents guests with an awe-inspiring first impression. Beers infused influences of the picturesque setting, in the form of water features, a tropical palette, earthy materials, and vistas connecting interiors to the beach.

"I wanted to fuse the breathtaking island surroundings with the architecture of the building and create a 'temple-like' ambiance to the lobby and reception area that reflected the glory of nature," says Jeffrey Beers, founder and principal of Jeffrey Beers International. "The harmony achieved between the natural world and man-made structure was very much an aesthetic directive." The goal of the client, Sol Kerzner of Kerzner International, was to "expand the allure of his amazing Atlantis resort and offer a more urban energy—creating public spaces with an adult, glamorous, sophisticated vibe that would appeal to yet another set of guests," according to Beers.

The 35-ft.-tall limestone columns sprout up to the warm timber ceiling for a juxtaposition of materials, similar to the way the bamboo walls complement the stone floor and rosewood counters are inlaid with mother of pearl. As a focal point of the lobby, a custom-designed marble waterfall features fiber-optically lit opal blown glass sculptures. Water-filled centerpieces anchor travertine marble seating pods, and 25-ft.-long, copper-woven, cylinder pendant light fixtures were inspired by tropical wind chimes. While the palette of rich reds, browns, and golds suggests an air of opulence, overall color morphs throughout the day with the rising and setting sun.

"The glorious Paradise Island environment was obviously a big influence with the stunning oceanfront and azure waters," Beers notes. "My own artistic interpretation was all about marrying nature with our detail choices, which are reflected in the exotic woods, limestone, marble, teak—earthy, magnificent materials. Colors were chosen to mirror the island's colors."

By including open-air elements to the design, Beers sought to create a logical circulation of public spaces so that the lobby, reception, restaurants, and lounge were "all connected in the most organic way." He says, "I felt strongly that the flow of the hotel's public spaces had to be exceptionally fluid, graceful, and organic. Great attention was given to bringing in as many water elements as possible with ponds, waterfalls, and landscaping elements that circulate in and around the public spaces." With the melding of indoors and out, the The Cove Atlantis' sense of place—its place in Paradise, that is—is never lost.   

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