Kerzner’s Paradise Island

Kerzner was inspired by Plato’s legendary accounts of a wealthy civilization, presided over by Poseidon’s sons, where arts, sciences, and beauty flourished. Legend has it that a devastating earthquake sank the vast continent. Being the incurable visionary that he is, Kerzner sought to create the sequel, where the Lost Continent would rise once again. The result was Atlantis, home to the world’s largest open-air marine environment, 20 million gallons of salt and freshwater, 100,000 square feet of world class gaming and convention faculties, and over 2,900 rooms. The Bahamas was back on the map thanks to the unfailing efforts of Kerzner, the only man who could take a bankrupt resort and turn it into one of the most sought-after destinations in the Northern Hemisphere. What’s more, the true theatrics of the resort have created the ideal backdrop for countless TV shows and movies, including Brett Ratner’s After the Sunset. “Sol has done for the hospitality industry what Disney did for entertainment: he brought it to life,” Ratner told us. Even today, Atlantis continues to be a massive tourist draw. In the past ten years alone, some five million visitors passed through its colossal gates.
But Kerzner, hardly content to rest on his laurels, set out to plot his next bold move- One&Only Resorts, a complete departure from the overt megalomania of Atlantis. In fact, One&Only was the anti-Atlantis. “We have the opportunity to offer very unique, very high-end hotels in different destinations with One&Only. This is not a destination resort. It is a destination, but not like Atlantis at all,” explains Kerzner. Set in six of the world’s finest seaside localities, these luxury resorts brought an understated sophistication to an emerging luxury lifestyle niche in the hospitality market. Within a matter of years, Kerzner had secured prime sites in Dubai, the Maldives, Mauritius, and Mexico. “We provide choices, while we still are a very private, small, ultra-luxury resort. I see One&Only developing further in interesting resort destinations around the world,” says Kerzner. “We are actively looking for global opportunities. We are looking in Bali, Thailand, and more. With One&Only we definitely have ambitions to continue to create more luxury destinations.” The next One&Only resort is set on the prestigious Victoria and Alfred Waterfront in Cape Town, and is due to surpass all of its counterparts in luxury and scale.

For the moment, all eyes are on The Cove, Atlantis, the latest addition to Paradise Island. Designed to attract a fresh crop of luxury visitors to the 12-year old resort, The Cove, Atlantis is a hybrid of the intimacy and smart luxury of One&Only resorts and the wow factor of Atlantis. “I think in many ways, that The Cove, Atlantis could be a One&Only resort. But, we didn’t want to sell two brands at the same spot, which is why we decided to call it The Cove, Atlantis. We want to give [the hotel] its own identity, to be a very unusual place that is very sensational,” says Kerzner of the all-suite resort conceptualized by famed designers Jeffrey Beers and David Rockwell. Even after three days of the resort’s launch, he is seen walking the halls at all hours, personally rehashing design elements and every detail that makes his resorts so special. “There were many significant moments in the process that the design rooms were filled with experts all having graduate degrees, yet we were facing challenges that we had no answers for,” recalls the resort’s general manager, John Conway. “At these tense moments it was very inspiring to see Sol Kerzner himself grab the pencil and tracing paper and start drawing. And more times than he would admit, he would come up with the solution.” And if there was one single attribute that made Kerzner so successful, this undying dedication would be it. Even as we speak, he is constantly revaluating the décor of the cabanas at Cain at The Cove, rearranging cushions and peering out the windows to ensure every view from every angle is perfect. At one point, he realizes there are too many plants outside the window, and, within minutes, they are gone. Like a true artist, Kerzner will not rest until everything is perfect.