A milestone was reached in the return of the Fairmont Southampton with the official opening of the Palmetto Beach Club at the iconic resort yesterday evening.

The new luxury beach front venue — which will be open to the public from August 13 — was unveiled to invited guests at a special ceremony to mark the first chapter in the reopening of the resort.

Kiaran MacDonald, a regional vice-president with the hotel management company, said the venue was “completely reimagined” as the resort prepared to become fully operational after the closure of the 593-room hotel in 2020 for renovations.

Mr MacDonald hailed the team behind the project: “They have all ensured there has been no compromise in pursuit of delivering a beach club that is truly world class.”

He noted the presence of Jan Hutton, the chief executive of the Bermuda Tourism Authority, who he said recognised “the tremendous opportunity that this beach club offers in elevating Bermuda’s reputation and awareness as one of the most desirable, luxury destinations of the world”.

The resort features The Grill — an all-day restaurant — which the company said “anchors the experience” alongside a spectacular oceanfront infinity pool, private cabanas and dedicated beach service.

It features an expansive event lawn, wellness programming, and cocktails and live entertainment round out the offering — creating a destination for long, sun-soaked days that transition seamlessly into memorable evenings by the Atlantic.

The Palmetto Beach Club was developed by Paris Society Consulting, Ennismore’s in-house F&B studio, which the company said was behind some of the world’s most celebrated restaurants, bars and beach clubs.

It said: “The experience combines internationally recognised hospitality expertise with a design and atmosphere unmistakably rooted in Bermuda’s character”.

The company said the transformation, delivered through the partnership between Gencom, Accor and Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, in collaboration with the Bermuda Government, “reflects a shared commitment to restoring one of the island’s most significant hospitality landmarks”.

Karim Alibhai, the founder and principal of Gencom, said: “The opening of the reimagined Palmetto Beach Club marks an important milestone in Gencom's generational investment in Fairmont Southampton, one of the Atlantic’s most iconic resort destinations.

“The transformation under way will elevate the iconic resort property and reinforce Bermuda’s position as a premier global destination for luxury travel experiences.”

Before the wider opening of the resort, Bermudian residents and visitors can access the venue through a limited-time, day-pass programme, which will be available to reserve in advance via OpenTable — the online restaurant reservations service — subject to availability.

A day pass offers access to the venue’s oceanfront infinity pool, pink sand beach and poolside service, with the option to enhance the experience through private cabana reservations and selected add-on experiences.

For those who plan to enjoy the resort's beachfront dining, the restaurant caters to guests for both lunch and dinner by advance reservation via OpenTable for a limited time ahead of the Fairmont Southampton's wider reopening.

The company said the introductory season offered “a rare opportunity” to experience the restaurant during the day before it transitions to dinner service only for the public once the resort fully reopens.

When the resort is fully reopened, day passes will be phased out, with access to Palmetto Beach Club and daytime dining at The Grill becoming exclusive to hotel guests and resort members.

However, the restaurant will remain open to Bermuda residents and visitors for evening dining by advance reservation.

Mr MacDonald said “everyone is keen to know” when the resort will fully reopen.

“The honest answer is that everyone is working very hard to try and make that happen before the end of the year,” he added.

He said the company was proud of the Bermudians who had returned to the island “from their international experiences to contribute to the success of the beach club”.

He thanked David Burt for his support of the project, noting that the Premier “fully supported and believed in the Fairmont Southampton investment from Day 1”.

Mr Burt said the Government was pleased to back “the largest construction project in Bermuda’s history”.

He said many doubted whether the project could be realised but he noted that the Cabinet was confident that Gencom would be able to deliver on its promise to reopen the resort.

Mr Burt said the opening of the beach club offered the public “the first real look” at the quality, attention to detail and care which went into the project.

The Premier said that a property of this calibre showed the world what Bermuda had to offer — especially for those selling the island overseas.

“We are repositioning ourselves as a tourism destination that ensures that we can deliver value for the premium prices that we charge,” he added.

The Fairmont Southampton employed about 750 workers before its closure.

Although the hotel was once expected to reopen in April 2022, redevelopment did not break ground until February 2024.

Under the Fairmont Southampton Hotel Act 2023, the business would be entitled to a rebate on land tax paid during the period from six years after it reopens to the fifteenth anniversary of its reopening as long as it is confirmed in writing that at least 70 per cent of the hotel’s staff are Bermudian.