Flying proudly from the balcony of a 10-storey block on the outskirts of the bustling Pan-Am Village is the flag of Bermuda.

It overlooks the breathtaking mountainous terrain of Barra da Tijuca and is a constant reminder to all inhabitants of the Island’s presence at Brazil’s biggest ever-sporting event.

Behind the balcony’s sliding glass door is a mini-community of its very own, with the spacious top floor home to Bermuda’s travelling team for the Games duration.

It is where athletes, coaches and officials sleep, share competition stories, rest and recuperate, plan and prepare.

Divided into residential, international and operational zones, the village holds 17 buildings, with 1,480 appartments, shops, restaurants, banks, press facilities and a coach depot.

It is also surprisingly aesthetically pleasing with landscape gardens, an outdoor swimming pool and a fine water feature, which illuminates at night.

Bermuda’s Chef de Mission Philip Guishard describes the complex on Avenida Ayrton Senna as the best village he has resided as he explains in a behind-the-scenes interview with the Royal Gazette.

“The layout of the village is impressive and pleasing to the eye as well as being relaxing to the mind,” he said.

“The high-rise blocks are brand new and will be sold as housing after the Games which is an appropriate legacy.

“That means a lot of care has been taken with their construction and we’re the first beneficiaries which we are thoroughly enjoying.”

“A feature of this village the experienced athletes will really appreciate is the fact there’s one bathroom to every bedroom providing greater privacy.

“Usually at villages there will be one bathroom at end of the corridor used by anything from three to six people.

All new housing ventures come with their teething problems and the Pan-Am village is no different with some of the work being completed while the blocks are inhabited.

For the first few days of the showpiece event many nations, including Bermiuda, were deprived of hot water, which Guishard conceded had a negative impact on team morale.

“When we first moved in we were without hot water for four days with constant promises that it would be seen to. It’s a petty irritation but did have a negative effect on our group.

“Most of the delegations in the high rises were also without hot water so it wasn’t limited to just Bermuda though.

“But we have got over that hurdle and now we’re quite content and happy with what we have in this splendid village.”

The village is operated like a small town with athletes rarely leaving the compound other than to perform or visit tourist attractions such as Christ the Redemeer on Corcavado Mountain.

During the day track-suited performers can be seen strolling along the greenery, sitting by the picturesque lake, visiting the many shops scattered around the international zone or watching their compatriots or counterparts perform on the giant screen stationed in the heart of the complex.

But at night the village bursts into life with live entertainment featuring popular Brazilian bands and dance troupes where athletes can unwind from the stresses and strains of top-level competition.

“There’s provision for nightly entertainment with bands, troupes and theatre acts catering to the needs of residents,” said Guishard.

“Given the tender age of some athletes the entertainment is mainly aimed at that group.

“I suspect favourite rock bands of Brazil will be here at some stage and we’ve heard a number of bands featuring drums which is a typical feature of this nation.

“Every evening’s entertainment is quite unique and everyone can enjoy the atmosphere as each night passes.”

Satisfying the palates of 42-different nations has also posed problems for organisers, with Guishard believing more effort should have gone into preparing favourite dishes of each nation, not simply the host.

“I don’t think they have quite appreciated this is an international village and as well as Brazilian dishes there needs to be food from other regions.

“At most other Games there have been opportunities for international chefs to be part of the culinary experience - but that hasn’t been the case here.

“In my opinion they have also incorrectly tried to provide three meals a-day, which is not typical of Games villages where you’re usually able to enjoy hot food at all hours of the day.”

For those English speaking countries it has been a case of lost in translation with a serious dearth of volunteers able to speak the language making life frustrating for delegates and journalist alike.

And with Brazil hoping to host an Olympics in the not so distant future, Guishard believes Pan-Am will prove a useful learning curve in ironing out a few, but crucial, failings.

“I honestly believe there’s been an insufficient attempt to prepare English speaking volunteers, added Guishard.

“There’s a willingness from all volunteers to assist wherever they can, but they are finding themselves challenged by the fact they can’t speak English.”

“Unfortunately, and regretfully, there is minimal interaction between the nations in the village and 90 per cent of that is put down to the language difficulty.”