Whether tourist or local, being able to appreciate Bermuda’s turquoise waters is a highlight, especially when relaxing over drinks and dinner. As an icon of the east end, Grotto Bay Beach Resort and Spa enjoys a prime location from which to enjoy such views. Unfortunately however, they weren’t actually that visible. Until now.
To rectify this, as well as expand and modernise the resort, Grotto Bay turned to Linberg & Simmons’s architect Gary Simmons for the building design, and L&S Design’s Dawn Dunstan for the interiors. The result has been a complete transformation. A world-class reception and lobby now flows naturally through to stylish and expanded dining areas. A separate but connected and flexible space for private events and conferences has been created, and the pièce de resistance is a spectacular new rooftop bar from which the Causeway never looked so good.
“We had inadequate dining space, period,” says Simmons. “The views weren’t well utilised, and the place was looking dark and tired and needed a big facelift.” He also needed to improve access to the Palm Court and Hibiscus restaurants, which under the previous layout involved going past the bar which wasn’t appropriate for families with young children. To move the bar, however, would have been too expensive. An area known as the buttery because of its steep pitched roof which sat, barely used, at the back provided Simmons’s answer: “We said, ‘This is probably the nicest feature in the building. Why don’t we bring everybody through here into the dining spaces?’”
To create larger dining rooms with better views, Simmons opted to “push out” into the lawn area behind and incorporate floor-to-ceiling glass. A fully retractable Renson pergola system on an outdoor terrace allows for adaptable al fresco dining. “One of the things the client asked us to do was make it a modern building,” he continues. “He wanted lots of glass and a lot of sky views as well as water views. Because this is on the north side, it was appropriate for us to expand the glass right up to the ceiling because we didn’t have to worry about solar heat gain.
“So, we approached the building here as a modern, glass cube that was completely divorced from the architecture because we didn’t really see a way to merge something partially modern in that fashion. We said, let’s completely divorce it, just like you might see in New York, in an historic area.” Now, guests walk through this traditional buttery-style area and down a corridor to the restaurants and a modernised central buffet station, which among other things serves up the resort’s “hugely popular” Sunday brunch. If guests continue on through, they come to a dramatic staircase leading up to the new Panorama Lounge. “I think the stairs are important because they not only provide an entry experience to the roof terrace, but this one was designed intentionally to bring more light back into this area here,” explains Simmons. “We wanted a finish on here that would help reflect light.” Dunstan, therefore, chose large, polished marble-look porcelain Calacatta Azur tiles from Tile Bar for the staircase walls and then a handmade encaustic cement floor tile in Pacific blues, light grey and white for the top floor. In contrast, the stairs are dark wood with under-tread lighting.
The Panorama Lounge is a completely self-contained entertainment space, with a bar, service area and bathrooms. There is also an elevator for accessibility. To protect guests from the elements, another Renson pergola system has been installed with louvres that can be adjusted to different positions. A sensor automatically closes them if it starts to rain. Hurricane grade screens can completely enclose the space, saving the staff from having to find storage for all the outdoor furniture. Dunstan deliberately created a lounge feel for this area with predominantly low and comfortable seating; however, higher bar-style seating further from the edge means those guests can still enjoy the view. The coffee tables have removeable firepits for year-round use.
In order to create a cohesive island feel for Grotto Bay, Dunstan used shades of blue and green throughout, “chosen to reflect the unique hues of the vibrant jewel-like blues of Bermuda’s waters.” The blue gradient deepens as you go through the spaces, from a light, welcoming lobby, to more intimate, dark-toned dining areas. Her choice of light fixtures, artwork and décor, however, give each area its own unique character. The reception desk panelling, for example, is a decorative mineral panel from Krion Porcelanosa with a delicate basketweave texture in a velvet blue finish. On the wall behind is a handwoven grass cloth Deco Hemp wall covering by Phillip Jeffries in Deco Peacock Plume.
The buttery ceiling has been painted sky blue and its beams, white. A statement Menorca Large Rope Chandelier from Currey & Company hangs down from the centre. Palm Court features custom-designed palm wood panels and palm inspired artwork. To create a nautical theme in the Rum House Bar, Dunstan kept the wood floor but added a watery mural, painted ceiling and a mixture of brass and roped wall sconces. Working with consultant Holly Mazar-Fox, Dunstan also selected original artwork by Bermudian artists Nhuri Bashir, Abi Box, Jon Legere, Elena Portius, Meredith Andrews and Mel Lewis to adorn the various newly renovated spaces.
The designers and contractors had one other major problem to overcome: How to successfully renovate while the hotel remained open. “Keeping it functioning while we did the construction, that’s a real tricky one to overcome,” smiles Simmons. “That helped drive the design.” Did any guests complain? “JP [Grotto Bay’s general manager] told us that he hadn’t had one guest complaint.” Most crucial of all, however, the hotel’s repeat customers were happy: “[JP] kept getting asked, ‘You’re not going to change the hotel?’ because they were all married to the old look, and he said the next year when they came back, guests were completely blown away and he had lots of positive feedback.”
Contractors & Suppliers
General Contractor – D&J Construction
Mechanical Contractor – Efficiency
Electrical Contractor – First Class Electrics
Engineering & Electrical Design – Onsite Engineering
Roofing – Gray & Co
HVAC & Plumbing Design – Onsite Engineering
Plumbing Contractor – Burrows Plumbing
Millwork – Convoy Custom Interiors Ltd.
Glass – Windows, Doors, Railings – Commercial Glass
Audio Visual & Security Systems – 2 Tech
Drywall Installer – Omega Contracting
Tile supplier & installer – Eminence
IT Cabling – Perfect Fit Data Solutions
Carpet Installer – Ace Installers
Paint Supplier – Rowe Spurling
Painter – Impressionz Painting & Maintenance
Solar & Blackout Window Blinds – Brilliant Solutions
Wallcovering Installer – Abbott Decorating Contractors
Fabrics – Sash & Trim
Art Consultation – Mazar-Fox Art Consulting
Tile / Quartz Supplier & Installer – Eminence
Quartz Supplier – Surface Trends
