“I knew that if I were going to build something like this, I would have to find the perfect place.”
Robert De Niro has a special connection with Barbuda and it all began thirty years ago when he was visiting Antigua, the more active sister island. During a boat trip, he saw the quiet island in the distance and grew curious about Barbuda. Ever since he has never quite been able to leave the pristine beaches. Which is all for the better! He has established himself with a lovely Nobu restaurant and is now taking it to the next level by announcing his plans to transform Princess Diana’s former favourite place to escape, the K Club area into a Nobu Beach Inn. With one- to four-bedroom villas each with its own private pool and of course, direct access to that pristine beach. With schedule permitting he and his team hope to present this by 2023. He wants to create a community and a space where people enjoy laying back and don’t have the worries of the everyday world over their heads. Somewhere people want to escape to… A perfect slice of a paradise getaway.
“There will be a sense of privacy and anonymity. The Malibu property you can’t even book online. Barbuda is like that. It’s quiet. We don’t want to make it a big destination. And we want local families to be a part of this, and to be proud of it.” – Trevor Horwell, CEO of Nobu Hospitality group
In 2014 De Niro and James Packer started looking into developing the K Club property, however, a few conflicts arose and then Hurricane Irma devastated the island in 2017 which put a setback in their plans. Although this did not alter De Niro, it only made his bond with the island and the people stronger. He vowed to support Barbuda during the recovery and as the years have passed, Barbuda is starting to certainly shape up again, becoming a popular destination yet still remaining an untold secret.
The Nobu Barbuda Project that they are working on can also be experienced as a chill day trip destination, with private cabanas fronting a silky stretch of pristine pinkish white sand. Over the years De Niro and partners seek to continue the project by adding a resort hotel, spa and wellness retreat, private residences, an organic farm, and a nursery. All are to be designed and developed to fit within Barbuda’s ecosystems.
What drew De Niro to Barbuda the most is her quiet and secluded atmosphere. This island is known for tranquillity and peace, an authentic place offering tropical laid back yet chic retreat. The island is only accessible by private boat charter, private helicopter charter and twice-daily flights from Antigua. We look forward to seeing the progress of this project!
Resources:
https://www.townandcountrymag.com/leisure/a34687974/robert-de-niro-nobu-beach-inn-barbuda/
https://antiguanewsroom.com/nobu-unveils-new-beach-club-in-barbuda/
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