V o y a g e
The Talise Spa
SEA SPA
Jumeirah Vittaveli
Buy me an island
It may be a sizeable price tag for a three-bedroom house but with a marina, helipad and the chance to mingle with Florida’s great and good, there’s plenty of bang for your $95 million, says Sophia Wilson
Less than 50 minutes by boat from Miami and just 10 minutes by chopper from the city’s South Beach, Pumpkin Key is perfect for those seeking privacy without the castaway vibe. Lying in Florida Keys’ Card Sound Bay, the island also comes with dockage at the ultra-exclusive Ocean Reef club (just 10 minutes by tender), which has a private jet airstrip, two championship golf courses and 13 restaurants. The gated community is home to billionaires and celebrities. The lush 10 hectare island has a main house, built in 1985, with three bedrooms and bathrooms and two caretakers’ cottages. Perfect for yacht owners, it has a 20-slip marina, which can berth a superyacht, and its own dockmaster office. It also has a tennis court that doubles as a helipad for easy arrival and departure. Ripe for development, the new owner could create a family compound with several large bay-front homes or turn the island into a rival club, with 12 homes sitting on 6,000 square metre lots. w w w. b o a t i n t e r n a t i o n a l . c o m | J u n e 2 0 1 8
The Hammock golf course at Ocean Reef in Key Largo
FACT FILE LOCATION 25°19’35.2”N 80°17’41.4”W PRICE $95,000,000 AGENT Vladi Private Islands, vladi-private-islands.de USP Island living without isolation CELEBRITY NEIGHBOURS Kathie Lee Gifford can be found at Ocean Reef while Cher, Phil Collins and a host of others live nearby in star-studded Miami Beach ROBINSON CRUSOE FACTOR 2/10
Where is it? Less than 20 minutes by boat from Malé, Jumeirah Vittaveli is the first seriously luxurious island in the Maldives that you can drop anchor at. The spa’s nine treatment rooms – spread across tropical gardens and on stilts over the crystal blue water – are the ideal location for jet lag recovery. Why the hype? The island has been a long-time favourite of loved-up honeymooners but its new sprawling Royal Residence (costing from £11,500 a night) has put it firmly on the map for VIPs and dignitaries looking for more camouflage than just palm trees. Plus, Motor Yacht A was recently spotted anchored off the island, beefing up its superyacht credentials. What to have? For an authentic Maldivian experience opt for the 60-minute Kurubaa Kaashi. It starts with a fresh coconut scrub, made on the island, and is followed by a papaya and honey body wrap. The treatment ends with a massage using Vittaveli-made coconut oil, which can be purchased from the boutique afterwards. Best by boat The entire island is accessible by boat via the two large jetties, although larger yachts will need to anchor outside the reef and send the tender in. The Royal Residence also has its own jetty so guests can avoid mingling with mere mortals on arrival. jumeirah.com
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