Atlantis Paradise Island

Paradise Island

The Bahamas archipelago, a string of islands in the Atlantic Ocean, annually attracts 3.5 millions seekers of sun and surf wishing to temporarily escape the stress of urban life. “This destination became more and more well-known as a result of royal families and English and American actors who whose chose it for their vacations. In the latter category, the most famous of these is Sean Connery, who lives here six months a year,” explains Karine Mallet in charge of the French office of the Bahamas Tourist Bureau. The 1950s was a boom period for tourism in the New Providence Islands, the seat of the capital city of Nassau and Paradise Island. With its superb stretches of beach, Paradise Island has attracted numerous visitors since the end of the 19^th century. Who would have believed back then that this quiet and remote little seaside resort would possess one of the most important tourist complexes in the archipelago?

At the gates to the legendary city of Atlantis

In 1994, Paradise Island fell into disuse. The hotel complex created at the end of the 1960s by American sponsor, Huntington Hartford, was going bankrupt, and the different sites abandoned. One man however, decided to launch a rehabilitation project, convinced of the incredible potential of the site. Sol Kerzner, a real estate magnate recalls: “It was a deteriorating and devastated island that didn’t even have an airport. I redid it all.” As he usually did, Sol Kerzner saw things on a large scale. A billion dollars were invested into constructing what is undoubtedly the most stunning and exuberant of all the resorts he’s created. In essence, it’s the myth of Atlantis revisited. True to his philosophy, Kerzner wanted to offer his guests fantasy and dreams. The Atlantis contains 2,317 rooms, 10 swimming pools, a casino, 21 restaurants not to mention the opening in 2007 of Aquaventure, a giant aquatic park. The Atlantis is a combination family resort with unlimited distractions, exploration and action. “Once you’re there, there is no reason to go elsewhere,” according to John Conway, director of The Cove, the complex’s new and trendy annex.

Atlantis Paradise Island is often used as the setting for numerous films and television series. In 2005, the film, “Into the Blue” starring Paul Walker and Jessica Alba was shot in the aquatic park resort.