"Not Enough People Know About This": 19 Memberships That People Swear Are Worth Every Penny
1. PBS Passport:
"Local TV shows, award-winning documentaries, NOVA, and foreign TV for $5 and NO ads! All other streaming services get more expensive each year and the content is usually crappy reality TV or romantic comedies."
—u/ BoysenberryNo4959
2. AARP:
"Most people don't know that you only have to be 18, and the discount I can get at most restaurants is better than the discount I get for being a vet, usually.
Let me say again, you only have to be 18!
The most used, for me, are the restaurant discounts. Usually 10%, sometimes 15%. Just depends. But also discounts on lodging, vehicle rentals, all kinds of stuff."
—u/ cabinetguy
3. Massage subscriptions:
"Monthly massage (or facial, but I'm all about the massage) is some of the best money I've ever spent.
I bounced around randomly to various places in town, and when I found one I liked, and they did memberships, I jumped on it.
We have a few independent spas, but few if any offer memberships, and usually they're 1.5x–2x more expensive, and the experience isn't that different. I'm using Hand and Stone now."
—u/ blueberry_pancakes14
4. Local museums:
"When my ex and I had first moved to New York we bought family memberships to the MET and the Natural History Museum during the first week. Seriously, the best decision ever. They have ALL kinds of year-round events and things to do that you can bring family and friends.
The MET has a members-only rooftop bar and mezzanine, and members-only music events, like we watched the philharmonic play Vivaldi's 'Four Seasons' in the Temple of Dendur. Members-only gallery viewings, curator talks, talks by archaeologists, and various things you could volunteer for.
The Natural History Museum had a monthly 'Jazz under the Stars' night with free food, drinks, and music under the planetarium. I met Bill Nye and Neil Degrasse Tyson (when he was working there) and a bunch of other minor celebrities.
These are not expensive memberships either."
— u/joeldg
5. Emergency medical transportation:
"I live on an island in Alaska with limited healthcare. An emergency flight to a more capable hospital will cost $50,000. For $100 a year, I save $49,900 if I ever need their services. That $100 covers everyone living under my roof. There is no limit on the number of flights. And seniors pay $75. Of course, the flight isn't a guarantee. Bad weather or the donated jet needing repairs can, and does, prevent you from being flown out."
— u/Ksan_of_Tongass
"I'm a paramedic, please heed this information. If you live outside of a major city — hell, even if your city's hospital isn't the best — seriously consider purchasing a membership to your closest air medical helicopter company. The cost isn't outrageous and it saves you if you ever need to use it. Helicopter bills are expensive and insurance will leave you out to dry on them. It's in your best interest to inquire about purchasing memberships if they're offered."
—u/ arrghstrange
6. Nudist resorts:
"About 10 years ago, I was a member of the nudist resort near me. For giggles, I brought in my college ID. About $160 a year for 24-hour access to the resort and grounds.
For me, it was my country club. Pool, big hot tub, gym, sauna. By my math at the time, all I had to do was visit five times a year to pay for it. I was there two to five times a week. Since it was a very rural area and [there was] not much to do, going there saved me money as anything decently worth doing was an hour or more away.
Also since it was a nudist resort, most of the people that annoyed me were not apt to bother me. Perfect privacy to detach from the world."
8. AMC A-List:
"I pay $26 a month for three movies a week. At my preferred theatre tickets for that are already $22, so each movie I see in a month after the first is essentially free. Probably not worth it some months, but in the summer when I see five to seven movies a month, it's fantastic."
—u/ redshadow310
9. The YMCA (which apparently has free childcare!):
"I pay $70 a month for a family of four and it includes use of the pool, gym, and sauna and up to four hours of childcare a day. I go nearly every day and have lost 60 pounds over the last six months. It's also my only childcare as a stay-at-home mom, so it keeps me sane."
—u/ neapolitandynomite
10. AAA:
"I've had a AAA membership from the day I became a licensed driver. I've never regretted it.
At least where I live, they offer DMV services. License renewal without going to the DMV is priceless.
The best part is that, as a member, it doesn't matter whose car is in trouble. I was visiting my cousin across the country and his battery died. I called AAA and they sent someone to assist."
—u/ Left-Star2240
11. Your local library (which has more than just books!):
"Some libraries offer tool rentals and others offer culture passes that allow two people to attend attractions. Absolutely worth the price of free."
—u/ Lemonbear63
"We got all sorts of cool stuff. Trail cam, bird-watching kit, telescope, tools, Roku with subscriptions, Nintendo Switch, toys, yard games, night vision goggles, and more on the way! Libraries are the best!"
—u/ SlippidySlappity
12. National Park passes (especially if you're a senior or a veteran):
Mark Brodkin Photography / Getty Images
"The US National Park Senior Pass. The BEST bargain in the nation."
—u/ BrunoGerace
"Also, don't forget that Veterans and Gold Star Families can get a complimentary Lifetime America the Beautiful pass. Anyone with a permanent disability can get a Lifetime pass for free, too."
—u/ Sophie_MacGovern
15. Labor unions:
"My union! They're out there fighting to get me better wages and working conditions and will back me with lawyers if the company tries to pull any shenanigans. Totally worth a few hundred bucks a year!"
—u/ NativeMasshole
16. Costco (of course):
"For the chicken and food court alone it is worth it."
—u/ Peach3ater
"Also the over-the-counter medications. It's wild how much cheaper my allergy meds are there compared to someplace like CVS."
—u/ SybilUnrest
18. Calm:
"The Calm app. It's $70 per year, so less than 20 cents per day. I use the 'Baby Shhh' Soundscape every night as my 'sleep music.' My brain has now learned that when it hears that rhythmic sound, it's time for sleep.
There are other Soundscapes, depending on what you're looking for, as well as Sleep Stories (read by the likes of Cillian Murphy, Harry Styles, Matthew McConaughey, and LeVar Burton!), meditations, and a Daily Move designed to target a body part or stress or fatigue or whatever.
I love it! 🥰"
—u/ raisanett1962
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2 days ago
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Love Island USA Season 6 Winner Serena Page Talks New Spinoff, PPG, and Relationship with Kordell Beckham
Kendall Bessent Serena Page doesn't think she's famous. The Love Island USA season 6 winner gawks at the idea. But from an outsider's point of view, that might not be the case. It's a rare sunny day in Los Angeles, a reprieve from the regular June Gloom. Guests sitting poolside at the Four Seasons Beverly Wilshire turn their heads during our photo shoot, trying to decipher who might be in their presence. A woman having lunch with a friend walks over to Page, gushing about how she was 'her favorite on the show' and asks for a selfie. Page might not be traditionally famous, but she is a modern type of famous, a new level of celebrity that operates somewhere between actor, influencer, and socialite. She may not believe in that fame, but the reality star has become familiar enough on our screens that she's still stopped for selfies. 'I feel like the whole cast has been on autopilot,' Page tells Teen Vogue about her journey reentering the real world after the villa. She simultaneously orders a singular glass of champagne as we sit to talk — reminiscent of their drinking allowance of six ounces daily while on the popular dating show. 'We've just been moving and going with the motions and I think we're finally starting to settle down and be like, 'Whoa, guys. What is really going on?' I think the spinoff definitely woke that feeling up, too.' Page entered the Love Island villa last June with two thousand followers on Instagram — she currently has over two million. She refers to her followers as supporters instead of fans, because they've changed her life entirely. The 25-year-old became a fan-favorite while on the smash Peacock series, and daily reminders that her world has evolved continues to leave her in constant disbelief. 'My brother called me, he's in Nigeria right now,' she says. 'Some people went up to him and were like, 'Aren't you Serena's brother?'' season 6 was an anomaly of sorts, an interruption of the American iteration's status quo. For years, Love Island UK has been deemed the superior installment in the Love Island franchise with steady global viewership. Love Island USA launched in 2019 and was seen as the original series' step-sibling. While there was a quiet, loyal fanbase for the show during its first five seasons, something extraordinary was ignited when Page and her fellow cast members appeared on our screens. Applauded for their outspoken personalities, witty comebacks, and genuineness, season 6 became the most-watched original streaming series in America during its run. And what pulled everyone in was Page and her friend group; self-dubbed as PPG (the Powerpuff Gang), Page, Leah Kateb, and JaNa Craig became standout stars all summer long. 'That's been the most heartwarming piece of this entire experience. From start to finish, people have loved me for me and not a character that I'm portraying or a role that I'm playing,' Page says of her newfound success after going on reality television — an experience that could've ended differently if America hadn't fallen in love with her. 'I am very glad that people got to know my personality and who I am before anything else because I do have other dreams and aspirations in the industry.' 'I have a connection with my supporters,' she continues. 'They feel like we're best friends. I run into people all the time. I was just in Chicago and these girls, we made eye contact in the restroom and they're like, 'Serena?' I said, 'Hey, bestie.' It's just immediate, they always come up to me, they're like, 'I feel like we're best friends.' And I'm like, 'Because we are.'' Page admits that, of course, it isn't possible for her supporters to know every part of her, but jokes that they got a very good glimpse at her personality during those six weeks in Fiji. She was able to leave the dating competition series — which many are calling a 24-hour surveillance social experiment — relatively unscathed. Still, Page struggled with the idea of returning to reality television, especially after Peacock approached the season 6 cast about doing a first-of-its-kind spinoff series. 'Seeing how many women — and specifically Black women — resonated with me, genuinely keeps me pushing,' she says. 'There will be times where I'm like, 'I just want to disappear for two months,' but I'm like, 'No.'' Page, the rest of PPG, their significant others, and a few other castmates from season six will be featured and starring in Love Island: Beyond the Villa. Peacock announced the show earlier this spring with a July 13 premiere date. 'There were so many ideas tossed around,' Page recalls of the initial process. 'Originally, we were all going to go to Vegas and they wanted us to stay in one house — we were not rocking with that.' Speaking on behalf of PPG and PPGM (PPG Men), Page says that they weren't all into the idea of manufactured drama. 'Honey, Mama's tired,' she laughs. 'Mama is putting the drama on hold. I can't.' Page says producers returned with a secondary idea to send the group out of the country, but they were still not sold. The former Islanders were ready to reenter their real lives and focus on their budding careers. The PPG trio and their partners, Kordell Beckham, Miguel Harichi, and Kenny Rodriguez, had all obtained a slew of large-scale sponsorships and brand deals. They were now certified influencers and television personalities with a lot to gain. Once the producers mentioned the possibility of a docu-follow, the girls decided to consider the offer. 'It was all or nothing,' Page says about PPG's decision to do the show. 'We talked and we said either we all are going to do it or none of us are going to do it. Kordell was the one from the beginning you could tell never really wanted to do it, so I'm glad that he got booked because he really be chilling. My man is relaxed. He doesn't like all the extraness.' Beckham will only be a recurring guest on the spinoff series, as he is set to star in two upcoming projects, one of which is an original scripted series from Keke Palmer's network KeyTV. At first, fans were upset after finding out he would not be a full-time member of the spinoff cast. 'He was like, 'I will be there for you whenever you need me,'' Page says about his appearances on the show. 'But he wants to prioritize his acting. And as you know, from our first conversation he let me know that was what he wanted to do.' PPG, on the other hand, had a huge decision to make: would they return to the world of reality TV so soon? 'We sat down and we talked about it because after the show, it was a lot,' Page says, dragging out the end of her sentence. 'It was a lot for everyone with the amount of eyes and opinions on us, the amount of think pieces. So we were like, 'Do we want to go through that again? Is that something that we want to put ourselves through mentally?' It was a no for a long time. And then the more conversations we had about it and the more we talked about the reason why we're here, what our supporters want to see, things of that nature, we were like, 'You know what? Let's suck it up. It is what it is. Let's try it out, just like we tried it out last summer. If we hate it, we're never doing it again.' Page calls this the 'doing it for the plot' era of her life. And new plot points include taking on the challenge of adapting to a Kardashian-esque style of filming after only being familiar with a Big Brother-ish approach. 'Filming was the polar opposite of when we were in the villa,' she says. 'You see the cameras [when filming the spinoff]. When we're in the villa, they're mainly hidden. You forget they're there.' 'I show a different side of myself on the spin-off. I open up about my anxiety,' she continues. 'I think everything switching in my life so fast triggered that. I'm showing more of a vulnerable side on the show because that's something I always kept close to my chest, but it has become a big part of my life now… When I was younger, I didn't tell anyone that I had anxiety,' Page continues. 'I just want to normalize that it's okay. Everybody has it. I still don't consider myself a celebrity, but everyone, even your favorite influencer — you don't know what they're going through behind closed doors.' Page admits that posting on social media can sometimes feel like a no-win situation. She doesn't want to constantly post her 'depressing sh*t' on Instagram or Snapchat, but she also doesn't want to pretend that everything in her life is perfect. While it's something Page chose for herself, being constantly perceived by millions of people isn't something the human brain can easily digest. Love Island USA audiences seem to have heightened parasocial relationships with the contestants, because viewers get to see so much of them — from the mundane to the major clashes — and with America asked to vote on their 'favorite' and 'least favorite' cast members, we witness in real time who is most well-received and who is most scrutinized. And even though she won her season, while talking to Page, she still seems hyper-aware of everything she says, as if filtering her words with the cameras still in mind. The 25-year-old has chosen to open up her life to the world once more with this spinoff, even though she knows the lows of reality TV well: viewers obsessively nitpicking at her facial expressions, body language, and her words. But her new life — overflowing with the highs of reality TV — is a product of that fixation. Audiences simply love when she's on their screens. 'I just want to make everyone happy, especially my supporters, because I wouldn't be where I am without them,' Page says. Love Island: Beyond the Villa will follow a select group of season 6 Islanders around Los Angeles as they navigate their careers, newfound fame, evolving friendships, and complex relationships. Page says that the cast dynamic has changed a lot — mostly because they now aren't forced to sleep in one large room together. 'We are all a family,' she says. 'At the end of the day, you fight with your family, you argue with your family. You might have fallen out for a year or so, but we all went through that experience together that nobody else will understand. I think there will always be a level of love in our hearts for each other no matter what. I feel like you can tell there's always love there.' Weekly episodes begin mid-July, adding even more content to the already-stacked Love Island schedule, as Love Island USA season 7 will just be wrapping up. From the moment Page left the villa she's been booking campaigns, from brand deals with Dunkin' to Beyoncé's haircare line Cécred, and has been engulfed in filming for the spinoff. Just hours after our photoshoot, she'll board a red-eye to Fiji to appear in an episode of LI's weekly recap show Aftersun. But when she returns from the place that started it all, Page is ready for her schedule to clear up so she can focus on her next big goal: a haircare line of her own. 'It's something I haven't been able to pour into because of how busy I've been,' she says. 'I told myself after this spinoff, I'm going to sit my ass down, lock in, and get this out because it is one of my passions. I have been obsessed with hair since I was a kid. I remember braiding my Bratz hair, I learned how to cornrow on the little Bratz dolls.' Page understands how difficult it is to build a business from the ground up. She's a perfectionist who wants whatever she puts out to be quality products that can actually be used on a daily basis. 'It needs to be the sh*t. It needs to be the best stuff that's out.' A haircare line feels incredibly on-brand following Page's time on Love Island. She was the star of many a Black girls' moodboard during the summer of 2024, thanks to her various updo styles of her knotless boho braids. Viewers at home applauded Page for wearing her braids for not only showing their versatility, but sheer representation. It's more common to see Black women wearing straight hair on-screen, reality TV or not. 'It makes me cry because I feel like it's something that was not accepted as much,' Page says. 'As someone who watched Love Island so much, I watched my sisters come on there with wigs, and the thing is, I never bashed them because at the end of the day, you get approached differently as a Black woman, this is known. When you have braids, you get certain attention from men versus when you have a wig on your head, you get a different amount of attention, especially when you're going on a show that [stars] primarily white people.' 'The braids? Honey, you're going home,' she continues, while laughing. 'You're out. It was a decision, and honestly, I didn't think that I would get put on the show solely for that reason, because I did my interviews in wigs.' Page says she wore a different hairstyle for each of her interviews for the show. '[The producers] were like, 'You need to wear the same hair you have in this interview to the island,'' she recalls. 'And then as I'm getting ready, I was like, 'I'm not about to fight with my lace all summer.' The first time I saw braids on Love Island was Justine [from Love Island Games]. That's actually the reason I wore them, because I was like, 'Justine wore them and she did the damn thing… I know they told me to wear this wig, but I'm about to risk it. I'm going to go get these braids.'' After arriving in Fiji for season 6, Page remembers meeting the Peacock team for the first time in person. They said she 'looked different.' 'I went back to my room and cried because I was like, 'I'm not going on,'' she says. 'It was nerve-wracking. It's nice to know how well it was perceived when I got out [the villa]. I didn't even know when I was in there that people were seeing my different styles as a thing. That's me on the regular. I hate having one style for too long, so I would always just switch it up. I was getting bored with my braids in the villa. I almost took them out and wore my 'fro because I was so sick of them.' Page's hair wasn't the only hot topic of conversation. She often did Beckham's hair while on the show, another authentic aspect of their journey that fans became obsessed with. 'Man, I was doing his hair all the time,' she says with a smile. 'And to this day, he'll go get his hair done professionally because I'll be busy, and he'll come home and be like, 'Baby, I don't like it. Can you redo my hair?' He just got a free hairstylist for the rest of his life.' It's been a full year since Page and Beckham coupled up in the villa. Roughly a month after leaving Fiji — with $50,000 each — Beckham asked Page to be his girlfriend. She says that their relationship outside of the villa genuinely feels the same. 'Once we locked in [inside the villa], it was like, 'Wait a minute. I [feel like] we've been dating for years now,'' Page says. 'So then after getting out, it just continued. There was no shift. There was no adjusting. Besides the fact that people are writing think pieces about our relationship — people being like, 'Oh, she hates him.' They love that one, honey. They don't like a woman who doesn't do the chasing.' Page's dating style on the show was perceived by many as 'uninterested,' when Page says she was just safeguarding her emotions and slowly assessing what a real-world relationship with Beckham would look like. That's what made them work. 'I feel like we're still in the honeymoon phase and I can't believe that it's been a year now,' she says. 'It feels like we're on cloud nine. He moved to LA almost immediately and we've been attached at the hip.' The rising star gives kudos to anyone attempting to publicly date on a show like Love Island. Between intensified emotions and constant kissing, comfort zones don't exist in the villa. But without the show, Page knows that she and Beckham would likely not have met — even though she does believe that eventually, even without Love Island, they would've still ended up together. Beckham is her person — and his lessened presence on the spinoff made her feel even more apprehensive about the project. 'At [first] he was going to do it with me. I had fully confirmed, signed the contracts and everything, and then he got booked,' she recalls. 'I was very proud of him, but I was sad and it made me very anxious about filming because I was like, 'Damn, I'm going to be alone.' Granted, I have my girls, Leah and JaNa, but their men were on the show doing it with them. There were a lot of times where I was like, 'Damn, I don't know. We're supposed to be navigating our relationship, but you're about to be in a whole different state. What am I going to do?'' 'But he did an amazing job reassuring me,' she adds. 'He was like, 'Any crumb of a chance I can get, I'm going to be on that screen with you.' And honestly, you're going to see a lot more of him than you would've expected. It's maybe [only] a handful of scenes that I've done without him. Y'all will get to see some behind-the-scenes of me and him working together. Y'all get to see dates. He even ends up coming to Miami, too.' Page's bond with PPG, even a year later, has set a new standard for reality television friendships. Their dynamic post-show is still grounding her, especially through this new journey they're embarking on together. 'In the villa, everything was truly so authentic and we were so open and honest with each other and we knew so much about each other,' she says. 'These are my sisters, that's my man. So coming off the show and being able to connect with their families and see the people who raised them has been beautiful… All of our parents call each other their bonus daughters. My favorite thing post-show is learning about their homes, their family life, and just becoming a part of it. I'm taking Leah and JaNa to Houston to go to Cowboy Carter because they weren't able to make it to my birthday last year. I'm going to show them around my city… JaNa is taking us to Hawaii, that's going to be happening this summer.' While the girls are living their best lives this summer, another crop of Gen Zers are currently sequestered in the eclectic Love Island villa in Fiji. Comparisons to season 6 were expected, but viewers are prodding at the season 7 contestants with almost side-by-side critiques. When asked if she's watching the new season, Page admits that she's mostly tuned in through clips on social media. 'It doesn't hit the same because I was a Love Island watcher,' she says. Is it like working at a fast food joint and never being able to enjoy a meal there again? She agrees wholeheartedly. 'Now I know the inner workings. I know what you have to do. I know when the pauses happen. I know when I see poor editing. I'm watching from a different lens now… But I'm a reality television watcher. I'm going to tune in. And there are two beautiful Black girls.' She's referring to Olandria Carthen and Chelley Bissainthe, who the internet has already deemed the 'Serena and JaNa' of the season. But Page doesn't want there to be any replications in the new cast — or pressure to duplicate a friendship like PPG. 'We should just give it the benefit of the doubt,' she says. 'The women are beautiful — I'm not really checking for the men at all; I couldn't care less what they got going on.' 'Every season has friendship,' she adds. 'It may be a duo. One of my favorite duos was Justine and Cely when I watched their season. Sometimes there are trios, sometimes it's a group of four and they're best friends, they're sticking it out. I don't think we were anything new when it comes to that. I think people just resonated with us a lot.' No matter how you look at it, Serena Page has transformed a stellar season of reality TV into a new future for herself. Going on Love Island might seem frivolous, but it's helped her confront the most difficult parts of herself — and also given her a platform she would've never had without it. 'I am extremely stubborn,' she says, reflecting on how the reality show has changed her. 'I am a 'I can do everything by myself' type of person. It's always been extremely hard for me to admit I need help. But coming off the show, I have been forced to, because if not, I will have a panic attack every other day. I can't handle all of this. I'm very grateful for the show and all the stress because it's at least forced me to acknowledge that about myself. It's been a weight lifted off my shoulders.' This new chapter in her career also allows her to explore and experiment with freedom, in ways most young people with a traditional 9-to-5 cannot. 'I want to be able to say that I tried any and everything, whether I hated it or loved it, I tried it,' Page says. 'To the point where when I'm old and crusty, I can lie back and say, 'There's not one thing I regret. There's not one thing that I wish I would've done.' Hence why I moved to LA before I even had money. I up and left my job when I first got a promotion, to go on Love Island — I just be doing sh*t. I tell people, 'I live life for the plot because you never know what could happen.'' 'Having a partner who is also in the same situation as me and who has the same mindset is perfect,' she continues. 'Kordell, he's just like, 'Whatever you want to do, we are doing it.' I can't wait for the adventures that we're going to go on. I can't even imagine the experiences that he and I are going to have just solely based on how free we are now.' Photographer Kendall Bessent Styling Courtesy of Matthew Reisman and Reginald Reisman at The Only Agency Styling Alani Blair Hair Davontae' Washington at The Wall Group Makeup Kenya Alexis at OPUS Beauty Location Beverly Wilshire, A Four Seasons Hotel Art and Design Director Emily Zirimis Designer Liz Coulbourn Associate Visuals Editor Bea Oyster Culture Editor Kaitlyn McNab Associate Culture Director P. Claire Dodson Associate Director of Audience Development and Analytics Mandy Velez Tatti Sr. Social Media Manager Honestine Fraser Originally Appeared on Teen Vogue Want more Love Island USA from Teen Vogue? Check out these stories: 'PPG' Girls Leah Kateb, Serena Page, and JaNa Craig Love Fashion for the Girls Season 7 Is Being Ruined by 'Sisterhood' Season 7 Star Amaya Wore a Mumu. Here's the History Behind It All the Tattoos From Season 7, Ranked Solve the daily Crossword
Forbes
3 days ago
- Forbes
Inside The Ocean Club, A Four Seasons Resort, Bahamas, And Its 2027 Residences
Situated on five miles of fluffy-white beach on Paradise Island, The Ocean Club, A Four Seasons Resort, Bahamas offers a compelling combination of storied past, serene privacy, and luxurious exclusivity. The property, opened by A&P supermarket heir Huntington Hartford in 1962, has always drawn Hollywood royalty to its sultry shores, and now offers a real estate proposition that's hard to resist if you're in the market. The Ocean Pool at The Ocean Club, A Four Seasons Resort, Bahamas, with DUNE by Jean-Georges restaurant to the left of the frame. Kim Westerman The 35 acres of Versailles‑inspired gardens contain just 107 guest accommodations across low‑rise Bahamian‑style buildings overlooking either the ocean or the the gardens. Guests can swim in one of three pools: the infinity‑edged Ocean Pool, the elegant adults‑only Versailles Pool (think Euro-Bahamian version of The Great Gatsby), and the fun lagoon‑style Family Pool with a waterfall entry. A spa with eight Balinese‑style treatment rooms, a fitness center with Technogym® equipment, daily yoga classes, six lit Har‑Tru tennis courts, and the Tom Weiskopf‑designed 18‑hole Ocean Club Golf Course round out the wellness and recreation offerings. The adults-only Versailles pool at The Ocean Club Resort. Kim Westerman Just past the lobby is the Living Room Bar, best known as the backdrop for the 2006 remake of Casino Royale. Yep, James Bond himself sipped a Vesper Martini here, and you can, too. The Living Room Bar at Paradise Island, Bahamas' Ocean Club Resort, where scenes in the 2006 remake of Casino Royale were filmed. Kim Westerman Jean-Georges Vongerichten's DUNE by Jean‑Georges is an indoor-outdoor spot for breakfast, lunch and dinner, shaded and with a perpetual breeze coming up off the ocean. The French-Asian-Bahamian menu has several standout dishes, including the 'black plate' appetizer with conch salad, chicken samosa, shrimp satay, crab spring roll and tuna and avocado in rice paper. Plan to share if, if possible, so that you can also order the Bahamian lobster curry, served with fried plantains and bok choy, a spot-on signature dish. If you want this food at your fingertips all the time, and you're looking for a retirement or second home on Paradise Island, you'll be happy to learn about the in-progress residential enclave slated to debut in 2027. The "black plate" appetizer at DUNE by Jean-Georges. Kim Westerman Local lobster with curry sauce at DUNE by Jean-George. Kim Westerman Four Seasons has partnered with Two Roads Development and Access Real Estate to build this community of just 67 turnkey homes, offering unparalleled privacy and premium access to the resort's amenities and services 24/7. Designed by SB Architects with interiors by Champalimaud Design, the residences range from two‑bedroom oceanfront units (3,124 square feet, starting at ~$6.5 million) to five‑bedroom beach villas (up to 7,459 square feet, with 6,600 square-foot terraces and private pools at $18 million–$23 million). In between, there are three‑bedroom garden or marina-view homes (starting at 4,073 square-feet and ranging in price from $7 million–$12 million) and four‑bedroom marina residences ($12 million–$18 million). All come fully furnished and include Four Seasons property management, with the option to participate in the resort's rental program. Rendering of a new ocean-front residence to debut in 2027. The Ocean Club Resort Residences The development is expected to inject $400 million in economic activity into The Bahamas and create approximately 200 full‑time jobs by opening day. Pre‑construction interest is strong, especially among buyers seeking long‑term vacation homes, legacy estates, or investment properties with managed rental income potential. U.S. and other international buyers may qualify for Bahamian residency benefits, including zero capital gains or inheritance taxes, through qualifying property investments over $1 million. More than six decades after its glamorous beginnings, The Ocean Club epitomizes luxury beach living and classic design. Add the forthcoming Four Seasons Residences, and the property transforms into a lifestyle destination with multiple entry points: short‑stay resort guest, multi‑generational family retreat, or private homeowner with resort service and rental upside. For more information, visit The Ocean Club Residences website.
Business Insider
4 days ago
- Business Insider
I stayed at a 5-star Four Seasons in Seattle. My $1,000-a-night room had the best view in the city.
From my room at the Four Seasons Seattle, pedestrians looked like action figures, cars like Hot Wheels, and sailboats in the bay looked tiny enough to be children's bath toys. But the view itself was anything but small. I booked a room at the five-star hotel for one night in May. It wasn't my first Four Seasons stay, but it was my first time in Seattle — and it was my first time sleeping in a corner suite with floor-to-ceiling windows stretching across two walls. In the nearly $1,000-a-night room, I had better views of Seattle than at any viewpoint I ventured to during my three-day trip. And the best part was that I didn't even have to leave my bed to see it. The Four Seasons Seattle is a top-choice hotel for travelers who want to be steps from the waterfront. The Four Seasons in Seattle opened in 2008. Located downtown, it's the perfect place to stay if you want to walk to the waterfront or Pike Place Market in five minutes or less. The hotel has won many awards, including being named the No. 1 hotel in Washington by US News & World Report in 2024. A hotel rep told Business Insider that the Four Seasons Seattle has hosted some celebrity guests, though he didn't specify who. If you stay in a corner room like I did, you'll have constant views of the bay and downtown Seattle. I stayed in a Corner Deluxe Bay View King room with a starting rate of $965 during peak season, from May to September, and during the end-of-year holidays. BI received a media rate for the one-night stay. The lobby was modern and classy, with natural hues and pops of pink. When I checked in, I noticed dazzling pink bouquets that looked vibrant in an otherwise neutral-toned lobby. And the pops of pink didn't stop there — by the elevators, there were complimentary pink refreshments of the same color, including strawberry jelly beans and gummy bears, rose lemonade, and monochrome M&Ms. Once I checked in, I headed to my home for the night. The 21-story hotel has 147 rooms on the first 10 floors and 36 residential units on the top 11. My room was on the 9th floor. It opened into a small hallway. As soon as I turned the corner, I was greeted by beams of natural light and views of downtown Seattle, Elliott Bay, and the Olympic Mountains. Floor-to-ceiling windows took up the better half of two perpendicular walls. My room had a king-sized bed and a small couch across from a TV atop a dresser. There was also a table with two cushy dining chairs. The hotel rep told BI that the rooms, updated in 2019, were inspired by the natural elements of the Pacific Northwest. "You'll see that in the colors and textures, like the blues and the grays. Being Seattle, we're a little bit on the darker side, so they tried to lighten it up with some lighter elements of color," he said. "You'll see a lot of natural wood in our building to add that element of nature." My favorite aspect of the interior design was the textured wallpaper behind the bed. It looked like clouds with a mix of cool and warm hues. The decor was subtle, as the outdoor views were the star of the room, but I thought the wallpaper added a dreamy touch to the sleeping space. At the front of the room was a spacious closet and plenty of amenities. Inside the closet, I found a luggage rack, an ironing board, a safe, and an umbrella for the city's signature rainy weather. Next to the closet, there was a minibar. Across from the closet, a sliding door revealed the marble bathroom. The bathroom had a deep soaking tub across from a sink and vanity with a small TV screen integrated into the mirror. The bathroom had a tub and a spacious glass shower with a rainfall showerhead. The best part of the room was undoubtedly the views. Nothing felt more luxurious than watching the sunset in this lavish room from multiple angles. Standing against the window in my provided robe and slippers made me feel like I had scored my own private tourist attraction in Seattle.
