Sandy Lane - a charmed history for Barbados' exclusive resort

The internationally-renowned Sandy Lane resort in Barbados, which underwent a multimillion-dollar overhaul and expansion in 2001, has enjoyed a long and fascinating history dating back to its original opening in 1961. For over 40 years, this luxurious retreat has been a favorite hideaway for an international Who's Who of royalty, celebrities, artists and heads of state that cherish its privacy, idyllic surroundings and unfailing service.

The original Sandy Lane resort was created in 1961, the brainchild of Ronald (or Ronnie) Tree, who had fallen in love with Barbados and its people since he began spending time there in 1946. Tree was British-born but American by origin, the grandson of Chicago department store magnate Marshall Field. Though never much of a businessman, Tree was well-traveled and the consummate host.

After inviting friends to his Barbados home, Heron Bay, for several years, Tree decided to open Sandy Lane - an exotic hideaway which served as an extension of his home more than a hotel on the island he adored. He once wrote of Barbados, "The innate good manners and courtesy of the population are noted by every visitor to the island, and in the countryside a wave of the hand and a broad smile are still the order of the day."

Construction began on the resort in 1960, on what was once a sugar plantation nestled in a lush mahogany grove overlooking a gorgeous crescent of beach on Barbados' western coast. Designed by American architect Happy Ward and funded by a group of Tree's rich and influential friends, Sandy Lane was built on 380 acres and encompassed an intimate hotel, nine-hole golf course and real estate lots. Said Ward of his design for the neo-Palladian style hotel, "I put myself in the position of a well-educated English gentleman of the late 18th century going to the West Indies to build a Great House."

Once it opened in 1961, the resort quickly garnered a devoted following, at first primarily Tree's inner circle of friends. Soon, however, this circle grew ever larger and word soon traveled that Ronnie Tree's Sandy Lane in Barbados was the place to be.

The boldfaced names that Sandy Lane drew in the 1960s and 1970s read like a veritable Who's Who of that era, a savvy and demanding clientele that was delighted not only by the high standards and elegance of the hotel but also the warm welcome and absolute privacy they enjoyed there.

They treated this as their 'home away from home,' and the stories that swirl around their visits have become legend. Aristotle Onassis being rowed in from his yacht while Maria Callas swam ashore with a pet marmoset on her back. David Niven inventing his own cocktails at the bar. Elton John adhering to the New Year's Eve black-tie dress code with a black tie around his thigh, and later giving an impromptu concert at the piano. Houseguests of Sandy Lane neighbor Claudette Colbert -- such as Slim Keith, Babe Paley and Kitty Carlisle Hart -- regularly popping by for lunch and dinner.

Several of the stories also originated in the hotel's chic Dotto Boutique, where the well-heeled guests could find the perfect outfits for that evening's festivities. The reclusive Greta Garbo (who traveled under the name "Harriet Brown") felt so comfortable that she once asked the boutique to make her a pair of baggy Bermudas, which she wore for the rest of her stay. Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and daughter Caroline tossed clothes from one fitting room to another as they bought up a storm. An American heiress who was a repeat guest and discreetly known only as Mrs. N, bought a psychedelic watch with no numbers to wear on the island, saying "With this watch, it's always martini time." Ronnie Tree's daughter Penelope tried on everything and inevitably left a pile of clothes on the floor (she would soon thereafter become a top model and one of fashion's hottest faces in the 70s).

Among the other personalities that frequented Sandy Lane during these heady days were Sidney Poitier, Mick Jagger, Princess Margaret, Queen Elizabeth, Frank Sinatra, Harry Belafonte, Raquel Welch, Michael Caine, Luciano Pavarotti, Twiggy, Lord Snowden, Joan Collins, Natalie Wood, Peter Sellers, Vivienne Leigh, Sarah Vaughn, and T.S. Eliot.

In 1967, the hotel was sold by Tree to Trust Houses, which in 1970 became Trusthouse Forte, then the largest hotel company in the world. Sandy Lane was a special favorite of Trusthouse Forte head Lord Forte, who frequented it often.

In 1996, Dermot Desmond, J.P. McManus and partners purchased the property and golf course and embarked on the major rebuilding that culminated in the spectacular March 2001 reopening. Due to the wear of over 30 years and several structural problems, the resort was demolished then rebuilt and expanded, in the same neo-Palladian style as the original, complete with its white coral stone rotunda -- albeit larger and even more luxurious. The same quiet luxury and peerless service that has drawn a loyal following to Sandy Lane for the past 40 years continues today, with modern enhancements that are designed for today's traveler - and Sandy Lane devotees for generations to come.

- Ends -

About Sandy Lane

Sandy Lane is located on the western coast of the island of Barbados. Originally built in 1961, Dermot Desmond, J.P. McManus and partners purchased the property and golf course in 1996 and completely rebuilt and expanded, opening in March 2001.

This exclusive 112-room resort has stylish lodging in rooms that average 900 square feet, a five-bedroom villa, luxury Bentley airport transfers, four restaurants including the signature restaurant L'Acajou, five bars, a 47,000-square-foot spa and three distinct golf courses offering guests the best golf in the Caribbean. Two of the courses are Tom Fazio-designed 18-hole courses including the Green Monkey Course.

Rates for 2006 at Sandy Lane range from $850 to $3600 for rooms, $1500 to $5300 for suites, and $3300 to $8800 for penthouses, and $8,000 to $25,000 for the Villa at Sandy Lane. For more information and reservations, visit the resort's website, www.sandylane.com or call Sandy Lane at (246) 444-2001 or toll free at 866-444-4080. Sandy Lane is a partner of Virtuoso and a Member of Preferred Hotels and Resorts.