Paradise Found

Island idyll is easily attainable on Jumby Bay in Antigua

Written by Bridget Williams

At one time or another, most of us have pondered the notion of inhabiting a deserted island; most likely when prompted by an inquiring mind asking you to consider what three things you’d bring with you. While the concept holds a certain vaguely romantic appeal, the reality – finding food, clothing, shelter, water, and the like – is an endeavor best reserved for a handful of die-hard survivalists or those seeking their 15 minutes of fame on reality television. The most ideal option, in my humble opinion, is to luxuriate on a fully staffed private island, which can offer the illusion and sometimes the reality of complete privacy, without the need to fashion crude clothing from palm tree fronds or figure out how to crack open a coconut.

One such piece of paradise is Jumby Bay, a 300-acre private enclave situated just two miles from the coast of Antigua in the West Indies. After landing at V.C. Bird International Airport, a simple three-minute car ride followed by a seven-minute cruise on a private catamaran carries you to a state of mind that is worlds away.

While there are a total of 40 rooms that comprise the legendary all-inclusive Five-Diamond resort, the most ideal way to experience the vast array of amenities is to take things up a notch by letting a privately owned estate home. At the pinnacle of these exclusive offerings is Lazy Lizard, a $40 million property that was unveiled in October 2013. With more than 18,000 square feet, six bedrooms, six en-suite baths, and one guest bath, this one-of-a-kind beachfront enclave offers a resort-within-a resort experience.

Lazy Lizard, is a $40 million property that was unveiled in October 2013. With more than 18,000 square feet, six bedrooms, six en-suite baths, and one guest bath, this one-of-a-kind beachfront enclave offers a resort-within-a resort experience.

Located near the resort’s Estate House, a circa 1830 classical colonial home and garden that was once the centerpiece of the island’s sugar plantation and is now home to Jumby Bay’s elegant fine dining restaurant, only the steeply pitched roofline of the buildings that comprise the five-acre Lazy Lizard compound is visible from the road. As our golf cart made its way down the drive, the dense tropical landscaping belied the newness of its installation. Members from our team of personal staff, which included a butler, private chef, and housekeeper, greeted us at the entrance pavilion with warm, wide smiles.

Dining room at the Estate House.

Overseen by renowned local architect Andrew Goodenough, the Caribbean- and Asian-influenced compound was designed with entertaining in mind with the eight pavilions that comprise the contemporary kitchen, living, dining, and media rooms and guest suites oriented around a freeform swimming pool so vast it could amply accommodate all of the island’s hotel guests. The property also includes its own private beach, food-lit tennis court, and fitness center.

As fate would have it, I was lucky enough to room in one of a pair of identical 2,000-square-foot master suites that flank the central pavilion. The sprawling space was made to feel even larger via intricate patterning of the cerused wood planks that adorned the steeply pitched ceiling. The décor was primarily comprised of variegated shades of blue on the upholstery, walls, and accessories. When considered with the limestone flooring, the combination mimicked the surrounding seascape visible everywhere I looked. Adjacent to the en-suite bath, sliding doors led outside to a walled open-air garden oasis whose pièce de résistance was a deep soaking tub carved from a single piece of ivory travertine.

2,000-square-foot master suite at Lazy Lizard

Not wanting to leave any island experience on the table during my brief sojourn, I opted to save the al fresco bubble bath for après dinner and took the wheel of one of two golf carts reserved for Lazy Lizard guests and set out to explore the island. The first stop was the theatre kitchen at The Verandah Restaurant for a scheduled cooking class. Serving breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, and dinner, the casually elegant open-air Verandah Restaurant, and Bar is the island’s hub of activity and the unofficial clubhouse of island home and villa owners.

The outdoor soaking tub in each of the master suites at Lazy Lizard is carved from a single piece of ivory travertine.

After laying claim to a cushioned chaise under a thatched umbrella, I headed to the watersports area to unleash my inner adolescent with a go at tubing, followed by paddle boarding and snorkeling in the tranquil azure waters of Jumby Bay. The comprehensive watersports program includes the aforementioned activities as well as water skiing, kayaking, windsurfing, sailing, and weekly morning snorkeling trips to nearby Bird Island. My fortuitous state of affairs continued as I returned to the comfort of my chaise just as the beach attendants were making their daily afternoon rounds to offer sun-baked guests a frozen confection.

The living room and kitchen at Lazy Lizard are located in the central pavilion.

I returned to Lazy Lizard to find preparations underway for our private dinner to be staged in the pool’s dining pavilion, which is surrounded on all four sides by water and accessed by a Japanese footbridge. Guests of Lazy Lizard have access to the services of a private chef. As the final remnants of a fiery sunset were gobbled up by the horizon, the staff lit torchères and candles along the path to the dining pavilion. We walked in time to the beat of a steel drum band, whose members had rolled up their pant legs in order to play instruments situated in the shallow waters of the pool’s sunbathing ledge. The dinner was an epicurean extravaganza and a definite “must-do” for those renting an estate home.

The 'floating' dining pavilion at Lazy Lizard.

The following morning I selected a bicycle from the stand near the entrance to the estate for a short ride to the Jumby Bay Spa for an Island Bamboo full-body massage. The spa’s open-air sanctuary, five treatment rooms, and Duet Suite for couples treatments are surrounded by lush foliage that is in a state of perpetual and hypnotic movement courtesy of gentle ocean breezes. Signature treatments incorporate products with natural ingredients indigenous to the area such as sugar cane, molasses, spices, and rum.

Feeling simultaneously rested and invigorated, I reconvened with my travel mates for lunch at the Pool Grille, aptly named for an oceanfront infinity-edge pool opposite the entrance to the dining room. Offering lunch and dinner (the fish tacos and lobster and cantaloupe salad are top-notch), the Pool Grille also hosts a weekly “Caribbean Night”, a bountiful buffet-style dinner that highlights dishes indigenous to Antigua such as pepper pot stew, Fungee (cornmeal and okra dumplings), lobster, Roti (patties filled with curried potatoes and beef ), sweet potato dumplings, mahi-mahi, Johnny Cakes, conch, and saltfish.

Pool Grille at sunset.

The owners and management of Jumby Bay are committed to being responsible stewards of their local environment. One of the most exciting island-supported initiatives is the Hawksbill Turtle Program, which celebrated its 28th anniversary in 2014, making it the longest-running scientific study of its kind. Each year, Hawksbills return to nest on the resort’s Pasture Bay Beach, a protected nesting area that has been drawing the now-endangered sea turtles since the age of the dinosaurs. Interested guests can sign up for “turtle watches” and they will be notified by the staff if a successful nesting is predicted. This is the only time guests are permitted to be in close proximity to turtles in the nesting area.

With so many activities available to occupy your time, it can be easy to forget that it is perfectly acceptable to do nothing, which is arguably the greatest luxury of all in an era of chronic overscheduling. Opportunities for moments (or even hours) of idyllic idleness are offered in abundance at Lazy Lizard, so much so that even my fellow Type A’s will find themselves slowly adjusting to (and even enjoying) “island time”.

For more information visit https://www.oetkercollection.com/hotels/jumby-bay-island/