A $4 million renovation of the former Peace & Plenty Bonefish Lodge in Great Exuma has turned the property into a high-end boutique hotel.
The redevelopment has brought back to life a vacation destination closed for around three and a half years, creating jobs for 28 on Great Exuma in the process.
After a year of work to renovate the property, Venezuelan investors reopened the former lodge as Turquoise Cay three weeks ago.
The resort includes an eight-room hotel that aims to offer a "home away from home" for its guests, a 58-diner capacity restaurant offering a mix of French, Peruvian, Japanese and Spanish cuisine, an infinity pool and luxuriously-appointed rooms which cost from $300 to $400 per night.
"The response has been amazing so far," said Gabriela Chiriboga, who spearheaded the renovation efforts on behalf of the investors.
"Already most of our guests are return visitors. We had an Australian family who came for eight days to Exuma, and for five days running they came to eat in the hotel."
Chiriboga said a major selling point of the property is its intention to deliver personalized service to its guests.
"It's like their house. It's really extremely relaxing and private. We have a set menu but if they feel like having something different to eat we can do that. When they leave, they realize it's really truly like their home. We have this 'wow factor'."
Despite only opening last month, Turquoise Cay is already gaining strong bookings for January, February and March of 2013, said Chiriboga.
Meanwhile, press from around the world have visited the property in recent weeks to photograph and write travel features highlighting the hotel.
"The best magazine in Paris was here shooting some photographs recently. A lot of our guests at the moment are in the media business, taking pictures to put in features in their countries."
Chiriboga said the redevelopment of the former lodge involved a total overhaul.
"We bought all new equipment, changed all the electricity infrastructure; it's like a new building," she added.
Turquoise Cay is the second boutique hotel to open in Great Exuma this year, creating additional employment on the island.
Earlier in 2013, the nine-room Exuma Beach Resort - the former Coconut Cove Hotel - opened, following renovations undertaken by U.S. developer John McGarvey.
That property initially took on nine employees, increasing to 24 by October.

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