Xanadu Beach Resort & Marina
Encyclopedia
The Xanadu Beach Resort & Marina, also known as the Xanadu Princess Resort & Marina, is a resort
and marina
on the island of Grand Bahama
in The Bahamas. Originally built in 1968, the resort was purchased by Howard Hughes
in 1972 and was for several years the most celebrated resort in the Caribbean
and served as a hideaway for the Hollywood jet set
of the era. The resort comprises 20 acres (80,937.2 m²) of beachfront, 215 rooms and an 80 slip
marina on the southern coast of Grand Bahama.
Since its opening, the resort and the events that took place within its grounds graced the front pages of tabloids with frequent visits from The Rat Pack, including Frank Sinatra
and Dean Martin
, as well as several other celebrities of the era such as Cary Grant
and Lucille Ball
.
The resort was purchased by Howard Hughes
in 1972 who subsequently moved into the penthouse
floors of the resort and lived there until days before his death in 1976. While in residence, he rarely left the penthouse but was frequently seen looking out over the resort from the 13th storey balcony and closely following the various activities going on beneath him. He would order fishing boats which were docked in the resort's marina to go out to sea every day to catch fresh fish as it became one of the only things he would agree to eat periodically.
After his death, the resort was sold. However, the penthouse floor in which he lived for the last four years of his life has remained empty for thirty years. The hotel is currently on sale for $45 million.
Resort
A resort is a place used for relaxation or recreation, attracting visitors for holidays or vacations. Resorts are places, towns or sometimes commercial establishment operated by a single company....
and marina
Marina
A marina is a dock or basin with moorings and supplies for yachts and small boats.A marina differs from a port in that a marina does not handle large passenger ships or cargo from freighters....
on the island of Grand Bahama
Grand Bahama
Grand Bahama is one of the northernmost of the islands of the Bahamas, and the closest major island to the United States, lying off the state of Florida. Grand Bahama is the fifth largest island in the Bahamas island chain of approximately 700 islands and 2,400 cays...
in The Bahamas. Originally built in 1968, the resort was purchased by Howard Hughes
Howard Hughes
Howard Robard Hughes, Jr. was an American business magnate, investor, aviator, engineer, film producer, director, and philanthropist. He was one of the wealthiest people in the world...
in 1972 and was for several years the most celebrated resort in the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
and served as a hideaway for the Hollywood jet set
Jet set
"Jet set" is a journalistic term that was used to describe an international social group of wealthy people, organizing and participating all around the world in social activities that are unreachable to ordinary people...
of the era. The resort comprises 20 acres (80,937.2 m²) of beachfront, 215 rooms and an 80 slip
Slipway
A slipway, boat slip or just a slip, is a ramp on the shore by which ships or boats can be moved to and from the water. They are used for building and repairing ships and boats. They are also used for launching and retrieving small boats on trailers and flying boats on their undercarriage. The...
marina on the southern coast of Grand Bahama.
Since its opening, the resort and the events that took place within its grounds graced the front pages of tabloids with frequent visits from The Rat Pack, including Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
and Dean Martin
Dean Martin
Dean Martin was an American singer, film actor, television star and comedian. Martin's hit singles included "Memories Are Made of This", "That's Amore", "Everybody Loves Somebody", "You're Nobody till Somebody Loves You", "Sway", "Volare" and "Ain't That a Kick in the Head?"...
, as well as several other celebrities of the era such as Cary Grant
Cary Grant
Archibald Alexander Leach , better known by his stage name Cary Grant, was an English actor who later took U.S. citizenship...
and Lucille Ball
Lucille Ball
Lucille Désirée Ball was an American comedian, film, television, stage and radio actress, model, film and television executive, and star of the sitcoms I Love Lucy, The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour, The Lucy Show, Here's Lucy and Life With Lucy...
.
The resort was purchased by Howard Hughes
Howard Hughes
Howard Robard Hughes, Jr. was an American business magnate, investor, aviator, engineer, film producer, director, and philanthropist. He was one of the wealthiest people in the world...
in 1972 who subsequently moved into the penthouse
Penthouse apartment
A penthouse apartment or penthouse is an apartment that is on one of the highest floors of an apartment building. Penthouses are typically differentiated from other apartments by luxury features.-History:...
floors of the resort and lived there until days before his death in 1976. While in residence, he rarely left the penthouse but was frequently seen looking out over the resort from the 13th storey balcony and closely following the various activities going on beneath him. He would order fishing boats which were docked in the resort's marina to go out to sea every day to catch fresh fish as it became one of the only things he would agree to eat periodically.
After his death, the resort was sold. However, the penthouse floor in which he lived for the last four years of his life has remained empty for thirty years. The hotel is currently on sale for $45 million.