In short… A 1960s Briland mainstay, recently refreshed with shell-strewn interiors so playful that it’s the rare beach hotel where you may want to spend your time indoors.
The surroundings… Harbour Island, affectionately nicknamed Briland, lies 1.5 miles off Eleuthera’s northwestern coast. It’s tiny, just 3 miles long and about a mile wide at its thickest, which means getting there requires a bit of choreography: you fly into Eleuthera, then hop on a five minute water taxi across the bay, then get in a golf cart for the last short stretch. But those who make the journey are rewarded with wide open stretches of pink sand and technicolor water.
Often dubbed the “Nantucket of the Caribbean,” the island is known for its pastel cottages with gingerbread trim and well-heeled—yet often barefoot—crowd. On the far ends of the island, you could probably throw a cowrie shell in any direction and hit a billionaire, but the whole place still feels incredibly laid back. Chickens, roosters, potcakes (Bahamian street dogs) and children roam freely, horses gallop along the beach, and most everyone gets around by golf cart.
Set on eight acres of beachfront along the island’s famous Pink Sands beach, Coral Sands’ low-slung, cottage-style layout feels residential and not overbuilt, even though with 41 guest accommodations, it is the largest property on the island. It sits on the Atlantic side, where things feel a touch quieter—if you set off from the beach here, the next landmass is Africa. That said, you can still zip down Chapel Street and be in the middle of things in two minutes, or never leave the grounds of the hotel except for maybe a walk along the sand.
The backstory… One of the oldest operating hotels on Briland, Coral Sands dates back to 1968, when WWII fighter pilot turned Hollywood actor Brett King and his wife Sharon Van Howten opened it after falling for the island. At the time, Harbour Island was emerging as a discreet escape for royalty, celebrities, and socialites—among them Princess Dianna, Greta Garbo, and Juan Trippe—and Coral Sands helped cement that reputation.
The hotel changed hands in the ‘90s, and most recently was acquired by AJ Capital Partners, who have since undertaken a brilliant, multi-phase renovation. I had visited Coral Sands before it closed for renovations, and loved how distinctly Bahamian it felt—completely welcoming and unfussy, with brightly colored Junkanoo costumes on the walls. They’ve not only preserved that feeling, but have turned the volume up.
Phase one of the renovation debuted in 2025 with reimagined cottages, dining rooms, common areas, and a new fitness center; the second phase, completed earlier this year, finalized the remaining rooms in the Briland House and introduced a new beach shack, padel court, and poolside cabanas.
The vibe… If I had to guess the total number of shells used across the property, it’s probably in the hundreds of thousands, if not millions (I was never good at those estimation jars in my dentist’s office). The handful of columns that flank the perimeter of the Pink Mermaid restaurant alone are clad in 7,000 hand-placed shells. Above them, chandeliers the size of a bald eagle’s wingspan drip with shells and branch-like corals. Below, tall jardinieres completely covered in shells look like they washed ashore from some mermaid’s subaquatic atelier. Everywhere you look there’s another detail: shell-coated mirrors, lampshades, side tables, picture frames—any surface that could have a shell on it, probably does.
It’s maximalist, for sure, but in a way that feels really fun and whimsical, not at all kitschy. Custom wallpaper depicts local flora and fauna, and the rest of the palette—seafoam, turquoise, palm leaf, and fittingly, lots of coral—mirrors the landscape outside.
The living room that spills into the bar and restaurant was my favorite: the kind of perfectly symmetrical living room where Slim Aarons would have shot a well-to-do Palm Beach family, with couches covered in floral Schumacher fabric, rattan chairs, stacks of boardgames, and a swordfish mounted above the window, silently refereeing backgammon games. It doubles as a kind of gallery of Bahamian and Caribbean art, with pieces depicting mermaids and roosters in every medium imaginable (yes, including shells).
The rooms… Accommodations range from rooms in the inn to standalone cottages and large, private homes. The inn has king rooms and suites with balconies overlooking the pool or sea, set just above the restaurant. Briland House, where I stayed, has more spacious suites with sweeping views of the gardens and ocean—mine was on the top floor, with a coral stone patio where I watched the sun rise and set each day.
The cottages are scattered along the water, some with direct beach access, others ensconced in gardens with private patios. At the top end are two three-bedroom homes—Brett and Sharon—named for the original owners, each with generous living spaces, private pools and terraces, and detached guest cottages.
The wellness… Their open-air gym is one of the best I’ve come across at a beach hotel—fully-kitted out with treadmills, Pelotons, ellipticals, free weights, and machines, all completely open to the elements. You get the ocean breeze and a front-row seat to whatever’s happening on the tennis or pickleball courts just beyond. Post-workout, there’s a sauna, cold plunge, and outdoor shower setup if you prefer to unwind with a cold circuit rather than a cold beer. A full spa is under construction and expected to open later this year.
There is no golf course on Harbour Island, but if you can’t stay off the green, they do have a small putting area and golf simulator. Otherwise, the beach shack has everything you need for the water—all sorts of paddleboards, kayaks, floats, and snorkel gear, as well as an adorable dog stick library if your dog happens to be along for the trip!
The food… The Pink Mermaid is the heart of it all, a dining room so colorful and textured it almost distracts from the food. It’s open for breakfast and dinner, and both menus have all the classics you would want plus some Bahamian specialties.
For something more casual, the Beach Bar draws a mix of sandy feet and wet hair alongside fresh blowouts and shiny new Oran sandals (both equally welcome) for mahi-mahi tacos, grouper burgers, great salads and strong drinks. Of course if you can’t bring yourself to leave your chaise, you can order lunch by the beach or pool.
One detail I loved: the bill always arrives tucked in the pages of Herman Wouk’s Don’t Stop the Carnival, a satirical novel about a New Yorker who decamps to a Caribbean island to run a hotel, only to discover how complicated that can be. Wink wink!
The kid-friendly factor… I saw plenty of families with kids of varying ages. Harbour Island is well suited for teens to go off into town alone, or little ones who love the thrill of a golf cart ride. And the beach here looks like one a child might draw: impossibly clear, almost Gatorade-blue water and cartoonishly perfect sand. A reef offshore keeps the waves small, so it’s ideal for younger swimmers.
Parting words… I had such fond memories of the old Coral Sands and was slightly nervous about a development company taking over, but I was wildly impressed by what the new stewards have done. It still has the charm and ease that made it a classic, now with a fresh layer of paint and personality that make it feel entirely new again.
Dates of stay… February 23-25, 2026
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