This nine-bedroom boutique hotel owned by J Wallace Tutt, Miami-based builder-decorator to the stars (he was responsible for Versace's South Beach mansion), opened in November 2002. The main building was originally a private home and later a B&B; at the bottom of the garden is a beautifully restored former Catholic school dating from the 1840s and in between is a heated, guests-only swimming pool surrounded by nine cabanas (one for each room). There are two restaurants: the relaxed Grill on the palm-shaded patio with its lively cocktail bar and the more formal Rock House with its phenomenal sunset views over the harbour. The bedrooms are all decorated differently in an understated 'upscale-casual' manner, with air-conditioning, cable TV and newly refurbished bathrooms. The Rock House is intimate and about as close in ambience to a private villa as a hotel can get. Thanks to Tutt, it is already proving a popular hangout for celebrities, including Elle MacPherson and Lenny Kravitz. At the time of opening, the service wasn't up to scratch, although the kindness of the staff more than made up for it. Rock House probably isn't suitable for children but the Friday night all-you-can-eat barbecue special attracts just about everyone else.
WHEN TO GO
December to January for the season or April for a quieter break
WHICH ROOM TO BOOK
Ask for a harbour-side room with a terrace for sunsets; otherwise the school house is quieter and more private
CONTACT
Rock House, Harbour Island, Bahamas (00 1 242 333 2053; fax: 333 3173; www.rockhousebahamas.com). Doubles US$330-$355; suites $475-$630
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