Haute Escape: Nirvana at Nandana in the Bahamas

It’s Spring Break and that means vacations with the kids. For some people, and by people, we mean celebrities, Russian billionaires and CEOs with family in tow, privacy is the most important amenity at their destinations. That’s not an easy thing to come by at resorts, where, even when the clientele is super-elite, you’ll still have to show face and rub elbows with (gasp!) other people. At Nandana., a Thai-style villa on Grand Bahama, no rubbing of elbows is necessary with anyone other than your kin.

The villa, owned by Gigi and Patrick Salisbury, was originally built to be a retreat for the owners, away from New York City. But as they began to plan construction on the airy home, ensconced in custom teakwood, imported from Burma, they realized the highest and best use for this special property was as an intimate resort of sorts.

Despite 5 freestanding rooms (and a Indian safari-style tent), the entire place must be rented by one person at a time. So for $9,000-a-night, you will have the run of the place, along with an attentive staff to bring you wine while you lounge on the terrace, an afternoon snack of hand-made spring rolls or a gourmet 3-course dinner by Patrick Pierre, a talented chef bound for the James Beard house.

There are plenty of activities, fishing, snorkeling, wave-running and the like, but the most interesting thing about Vandana is that these things can be done in utter seclusion. The private airstrip, where the Salisbury’s Phenom 1 jet ferries passengers from Miami, is moments away from the property. Even at the airport, it’s unlikely you’ll see anyone else. There are virtually no neighbors assuring that even the most well-known mug on the planet will go unseen from landing to lunch.

That would explain why celebrities with their broods and pop bands that make gaggles of girls scream, wind up there away from prying eyes and telephoto lenses. Accommodations are fit for a queen and king of pop too as they won’t have to fight over who gets the ocean view master—there are two. The masters hover over opposite ends of a sprawling infinity pool that appears to spill into the Caribbean. For the adventurous, they can always either get a spa treatment in – or stay the night in- at the  Aman-i-Khás – Indian-style safari tent.