On the eastern coast of Eleuthera—an island whose very name means freedom—rises the Ritz-Carlton Reserve at Cotton Bay, a work that pays homage to the essence of the place: the connection between nature, culture, and Caribbean spirituality.
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Masterplan Ritz-Carlton Cotton Bay
Urban Planning (Under Construction)
Firm
TAHR Arquitectura
Architect/Designer
Pablo Blasco
Design Team
Jesus Fernandez, Sofia Bezaury, Pablo Blasco, Hector de la Pena
Location
Eleuthera Island, The Bahamas
Country
Mexico
Photographer/Copyright
©Raum Visual, Javier Rabadan, Flow, Studio Gronda
The resort, designed by TAHR Arquitectura, stretches across a 130-hectare site, laid out between tropical forest, natural lagoons, and the Atlantic Ocean. The architecture seeks to merge with its surroundings, integrating coral stone pathways, ventilated roofs, and local materials that blend with the tones of sand, stone, and vegetation.
The master plan is conceived from a careful reading of the territory: a topography that gently descends from the mountains to meet the beach.
The hotel unfolds along a longitudinal axis that extends from the main access to the shoreline, linking southward to the branded residences, northward to the golf course and golf residences, and eastward toward the coast. A portion of the hotel extends onto the peninsula, one of the site’s most privileged locations, which houses a signature restaurant and 360-degree viewpoint offering exceptional panoramic vistas of the ocean and the surrounding landscape.
The architectural language draws direct inspiration from the Taíno bohíos, traditional dwellings of the Caribbean’s indigenous peoples. These light structures, made of wood and foliage, shape the composition of the resort’s suites and pavilions: ventilated pitched roofs, permeable walls that favor natural air circulation, and a human scale that connects the guest to the earth.
The materials of the Ritz-Carlton Reserve at Cotton Bay express the place’s deep identity through a palette of natural tones and tactile textures that evoke the essence of Eleuthera. Travertine marble, local coral stone, and emerald quartzite cover floors and walls, giving spaces a mineral appearance that reflects the strength of the coastal landscape.
The project is grounded in principles of energy autonomy and environmental responsibility that guide every design decision. A 30-hectare solar farm supplies one hundred percent of the resort’s electrical energy, reducing its ecological footprint and strengthening its self-sufficiency. Hydraulic systems are naturally integrated into the landscape through lagoons that function as water reservoirs, while the selection of materials and construction processes prioritizes efficiency and low carbon emissions.
The landscape, designed with endemic species, seeks to restore coastal ecosystems and create habitats for birds and native fauna, reaffirming Cotton Bay’s commitment to preserving the natural environment that gives it life.
The Ritz-Carlton Reserve at Cotton Bay redefines the concept of luxury—not as accumulation, but as an essential connection with the environment. Every room, residence, and public space is an extension of the landscape, a refuge for reconnection with the natural rhythm of the Caribbean.
With 110 guest rooms, 97 branded residences, 54 private residential lots, a championship golf course, spa, restaurants, and commercial areas, the project combines territorial scale with meticulous attention to detail.
As a whole, the resort is not merely a destination but a philosophy of life: the freedom to explore, the joy of inhabiting nature, and the privilege of belonging to a place where architecture celebrates the essential.