Why Coral Sands Inn & Cottages is One of Harbour Island’s Most Charming Luxury Hotels
With whimsical, seashell-filled interiors and direct access to Harbour Island's blush-colored shoreline, this reimagined Bahamas hotel blends vintage glamour with effortless island luxury
After flying into North Eleuthera, hopping a quick water taxi ride to Harbour Island, and bumping along in a golf cart to arrive at Coral Sands Inn & Cottages, I’m still on a high from the journey. It’s the same kind of slow-burn arrival that celebrities like Taylor Swift and a monied crowd chase to revel in the Bahamian island’s quiet luxury and famous pink sands.
While my husband rushes to post up on the rosy beach, I opt to scour every inch of the property. Coral Sands Inn & Cottages has movie-star status, dreamed up in 1968 by Hollywood actor Brett King and his wife, Sharon. Recently, it’s been given new life by Nashville-based real estate and hospitality firm AJ Capital Partners, who are known for their story-driven brands like the nostalgic Graduate Hotels and The Pontchartrain Hotel in New Orleans.
Coral Sands’ reinvention has a plot dripping in retro glamour that harkens back to when the Kings owned the hotel and is inspired by vintage photos from the island at the time. The story begins at the entrance, with pink checkered tiles and giant seahorse statues standing guard. Inside, a palette of pink and teal that mirrors the sand and the sea takes over, and seashells dominate almost every space. From delicate seashell chandeliers and bright ceiling murals of sea fans and corals, to scalloped barstools at The Pink Mermaid restaurant, the details are enough to make any design buff giddy. Even the accommodations, including the main inn, stand-alone cottages, and private homes have a dose of whimsy, with seashell-shaped vanity bowls, rattan poster beds, and patterned wallpaper.
Yet for all its dreamy details, the lush property’s quiet and blush-toned beach lapped by aquamarine waters remains the draw. Mornings find us perched on the terrace of The Pink Mermaid for breakfast, where I guiltlessly reach for the buffet’s spongy coconut bread. We spend hours tucked beneath striped umbrellas, listening to the waves and watching families play in the surf. Other couples linger over games or books in their chairs. Every so often, our attention drifts to the unexpected sight of horses that regularly saunter down the shoreline. And in the evenings, we’d gather on the beach for sunsets that would emphasize the sand’s pink tint like a highlighter.
Lunch at the breezy Coral Sands Beach Bar meant we needn’t give up those water views while enjoying fish tacos, a shrimp burger, and Kalik beer-battered conch fritters. Servers are eager to keep the drinks coming, balancing trays of chocolate Mudslides and Frosé cocktails, and it becomes a ritual to take our cocktails to the restaurant’s hanging swings. And for the best conch salad, we follow a local’s advice and head to the King Conch shack, where the island legend slices and dices fresh conch right in front of you.
Most guests don’t feel compelled to leave the property, set on a daily routine of lounging in striped cabanas or on a beach lounger, and squeezing in a game of pickleball on the bright-pink and turquoise courts. For off-property exploration, the hotel connects us with Conch & Coconut, a luxury concierge company specializing in island adventures. They have us zipping around like the locals in a golf cart and later arrange a private boat charter with a captain to show us the island’s marine wonders. We spend a half day swimming in the shallows with turtles and rays, snorkeling vibrant reefs, and stopping at Meeks Patch, where adorable baby pigs run free. Our afternoon ends at two ocean swings during high tide, where rays glide beneath us as we swing above the water and watch the sky put on a pink show. In that moment, I understand the unhurried magic of Harbour Island, and why it’s worth the journey to get there. coralsands.com