Tucker's Point Hotel & Spa will become the first hotel to open in Bermuda over the past year when it is officially launched tomorrow.

The new hotel, which will be the jewel in the crown of the resort, club and residential community - itself the Island's first new resort in 37 years - looks set to become one of Bermuda's top destinations and its owners hope it will mark a renaissance of the country's tourism sector.

The last hotel to open in Bermuda was the Newstead Belmont Hills Golf Resort and Spa in April 2008, with at least eight new resort developments publicly announced for the Island not having the financing to break ground soon, as revealed in The Royal Gazette last month.

But the new hotel, which aims to evoke the charm of Bermuda's halcyon days when Pan Am Clippers, private yachts and horse-drawn carriages were the favoured modes of transport and private launches ferried guests from steamships anchored in St. George's Harbour to the dock on Castle Harbour, plans to buck that stagnant trend in the hospitality industry, offering 88 guestrooms and suites, a spa, restaurant, 5,000 square-foot conference facility for boardroom meetings and executive retreats and fitness centre.

Eighty-six percent of the hotel's staff are Bermudian, with vice-president of Residence Club operations Alan Paris also taking up the post of hotel manager and the director of spa, Paul Telford returning to his homeland to take over the operation having gained five-star spa experience in the US and Mexico.

The hotel was designed by HKS Architects and Bermuda-based Conyers & Associates, interior designers Paul Duesing Partners and landscapers SWA Group.

Eric Brooks, chief operating officer of Tucker's Point Club, said: "For all those who have dedicated so much time and talent to bring our vision for Tucker's Point Hotel & Spa to fruition, this is truly an exciting time.

"Spring is a season for new beginnings, and we look forward to sharing ours with the people of Bermuda and a new generation of travellers to this charming and sophisticated Island.

"It is rare that a boutique hotel, exquisitely designed to five-star standards, offers a sophisticated conference venue; however, with Bermuda's established international business community, the market for executive meetings is at our doorstep."

The centre piece of the hotel is the Manor House, which is perched above Castle Harbour and each of its rooms is decorated in a classic British style of artwork and furnishings, while the bathrooms feature deep soaking tubs, as well as expansive balconies and terraces with water views. The suites come complete with bars with ice makers and fireplaces, while the rooms are fitted with Wi-fi, VOIP telephony and IP-TV.

The Palm Court, which is lined with palm trees, leads from a croquet lawn to a horizon pool overlooking a lush grotto and Harrington Sound.

Meanwhile, the spa is kitted out with 10 tranquil treatment rooms and a SilverTag hydrotherapy suite, with the women's salon offering manicure, pedicure and styling services and there is also a barber shop. Guests have the choice of sitting out by the reflecting pool for a spot of post-treatment relaxation or in a lounge with a raised-hearth fireplace and private courtyard opening onto a garden sanctuary, boasting a yoga and tai chi lawn.

The 1,900 square-foot fitness centre, which is fitted with the latest aerobic and cardiovascular equipment, in addition to weights, offers private wellness and conditioning instruction, while the dive and watersports centre provides dive adventures aboard the 31-foot Tidal Pull exploring shipwrecks and underwater caves.

For shopping there is Regali, a boutique created by Alison Corday, director of resort retail, who is also Bermudian and has put together a unique collection of resort wear and accessories for all ages, as well as home, lifestyle and specialty gifts.

Diners can enjoy the Point Restaurant, accessed via an English long bar facing Palm Court, which was opened in March to residents and is overseen by chef Serge Bottelli, in addition to being decorated by murals of Gerard Henderson, while the Point Terrace and the wine room, with its barrel-vaulted ceiling and selection of new and old world wines, provides a more private experience, along with al-fresco dining poolside at the Mahogany Terrace.

Elsewhere, the conference facility comprises computers, translation, IT support and secretarial services, in addition to satellite conferencing and a projection screen. Ed Trippe, president of Tucker's Point Club, said: "The hotel will bring guests from around the world, and will support new amenities, such as the spa and fitness centre.

"It will certainly add to our well-established culinary reputation. Best of all, we have assembled a warm and personable staff that will give the resort its heart."

Premier and Tourism and Transport Minister Ewart Brown said: "The Trippe family and all the management and staff of Tucker's Point have given Bermuda a splendid destination resort.

"Many people will come to Bermuda because they want to visit Tucker's Point. We say - let them come, so they can enjoy this waterside gem."