9 Beaches

9 Beaches was a beachfront resort in Sandys Parish at the western end of Bermuda. The property occupied approximately 18 acres of largely coastal land near Daniel's Head, a rocky outcrop located offshore. It was developed on land with a long military history. The site had originally been associated with Admiralty land near the Royal Naval Dockyard and later hosted a Wireless Telegraphy station operated first by the Royal Navy and subsequently by the Royal Canadian Navy and Canadian Forces. The communications station, known by the end of its operating life as CFS Bermuda, closed in 1995, after which the property was identified as a possible tourism site. Island Resort Collection acquired the former Daniel's Head Village in August 2004 and announced a renovation program. Rather than create a conventional luxury hotel, the operator designed a youthful, informal resort aimed at visitors and local residents roughly between 25 and 40 years old. The resulting 9 Beaches resort opened in April 2005. Its name referred to the multiple beaches accessible from the property. The accommodation consisted of 84 tent-style cottage cabanas raised on stilts, with many extending over or toward the Atlantic Ocean. Rooms were designed around direct water views; some included transparent Plexiglas floor sections that allowed guests to see the sea below. The resort deliberately limited conventional hotel features: rooms generally lacked televisions and telephones, while guests received mobile phones and access to wireless internet. Bathrooms were compact and equipped with showers rather than bathtubs. The property presented itself as “ultra casual” and emphasized outdoor living rather than formal hospitality. Facilities included the Hi Tide restaurant, the Dark N'Stormy bar and grill, a takeout shack, and a surf shack offering water-based recreation. Activities included kiteboarding, a floating climbing wall, trampolining, and other beach and marine pursuits. Solar panels and landscaping using local plants supported the resort's initial eco-conscious identity. Breakfast was included with accommodation, and the setting was marketed as a simple, immersive alternative to a conventional hotel. The opening year was difficult. Despite substantial advertising, first-summer occupancy remained below 50 percent and later fell to approximately 30–40 percent. Staff reductions and discounting followed. Lower rates helped occupancy recover, with local Bermudians accounting for a meaningful share of the improved business. Reported problems included the absence of air-conditioning, inconsistent customer service, and odors from a neighboring dairy and agricultural operation. Management responded by rehiring some employees, introducing formal staff training, installing air-conditioning, and changing the marketing message. The resort increasingly presented itself as an entertainment and activity destination instead of a standard hotel. Revenue reportedly rose 65 percent in 2006 and reached roughly twice its 2005 level by 2007. In 2008, 9 Beaches refreshed its food and entertainment offer. Chef Joseph Dolby was hired to develop an internationally influenced menu, while live music and an all-you-can-eat buffet were introduced. Coverage in United States travel media increased occupancy and helped establish the property as a distinctive Bermuda resort. In 2009, the resort added eco-chic wedding packages featuring organic champagne and cake, local-shell decorations, and the planting of a Bermuda cedar by the couple. The resort closed in 2010 for a proposed major redevelopment. The initial concept called for an approximately $80 million mixed-use project with 150 units, a combination of hotel rooms and leaseback accommodation, an upgraded restaurant, and new public spaces. Later plans described 120 one- to three-bedroom dwellings for tourism or residential use together with 69 hotel units. The redevelopment required complex negotiations because the property was government-owned. Lease-extension legislation was eventually approved, but financing and development problems prevented the planned restoration from being completed. In 2011, the beaches were opened to the public while the project remained stalled, and some accommodation was intermittently rented. The resort did not return as an operating hotel. In 2017, the remaining squatters living at the site were evicted.

The site of 9 Beaches was part of a former military and communications complex at Bermuda's Daniel's Head. Portions of the land had been acquired in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries for Admiralty and Wireless Telegraphy purposes. In 1963, the communications installation was transferred from the Royal Navy to the Royal Canadian Navy and later the Canadian Forces. CFS Bermuda closed in 1995, leaving a coastal property with substantial naval buildings and significant development potential. In August 2004, Island Resort Collection purchased the defunct Daniel's Head Village and announced plans to renovate it as a casual resort. The operator selected the 9 Beaches name and targeted younger adult travelers as well as Bermudian residents. The resort opened in April 2005 with 84 elevated, tent-like cabanas. Many were positioned above or beside the water and provided direct views of the Atlantic; some included transparent flooring. The concept rejected the formality of a conventional hotel and instead combined simple rooms, beaches, water sports, casual food, and a strong connection to the surrounding landscape. The first season exposed weaknesses in the operating model. Occupancy stayed below 50 percent and declined further later in the summer. The resort reduced staffing, cut prices, and tried to increase local demand. Discounting improved occupancy, but early reviews and internal assessments identified insufficient cooling, uneven service, and unpleasant odors from a neighboring agricultural property as obstacles. During the winter, management rehired selected employees, introduced formal training, installed air-conditioning, and changed the marketing emphasis from accommodation alone to a broad outdoor entertainment experience. The resort also pursued local business more actively. These measures were followed by stronger performance: reported revenue increased substantially in 2006 and was approximately twice the 2005 level by 2007. The operation broadened its appeal in 2008. Chef Joseph Dolby was hired to revise the food program, and the property added an internationally influenced menu, live music, and an all-you-can-eat buffet. Travel coverage in the United States expanded through magazine features and television exposure. The resort reported record occupancy and revenue despite a weaker overall Bermuda tourism environment, and it gained a higher profile among travelers. In 2009, it extended the brand into events with eco-chic weddings featuring organic refreshments, decorations made from local shells, and a Bermuda cedar planting ritual. In May 2010, the resort announced a closure for a proposed $80 million redevelopment. The first plan envisioned a 150-unit mixed-use destination containing conventional hotel rooms, leaseback units, an upgraded restaurant, and new public areas. Later revisions proposed 120 one- to three-bedroom dwellings for tourism or residential use and 69 hotel units. The revised vision was less explicitly eco-oriented than the original resort. Owner David Dodwell characterized the earlier environmental positioning as a mistake, while environmental advocates expressed concern that the replacement project would be less sensitive to ecological considerations. The development was complicated by the property's government ownership and the need for a sufficiently long lease. A 117-year extension was signed in July 2010, but Island Resort Collection sought a longer term. Legislation to increase the maximum permissible lease period was passed in December 2010, and a 240-year lease was subsequently approved by the Bermuda House of Assembly and, after delays, by the Senate in February 2011. Financing and other development obstacles nevertheless prevented the planned restoration from being completed. The beaches opened to the public during the summer of 2011, and limited accommodation rentals were used to keep activity on the site. The resort did not resume its former hotel operation. By 2017, remaining squatters had been removed, leaving 9 Beaches as a defunct resort brand and an unresolved redevelopment site.

• 2017

  Remaining squatters evicted

  [1]9 Beachesen.wikipedia.org

  The last known squatters were removed from the former resort property.

• 2011

  Public beach access continues during delays

  [1]9 Beachesen.wikipedia.org

  The beaches were opened to the public while the proposed redevelopment remained incomplete.

• 2010

  Hotel closes for redevelopment

  [1]9 Beachesen.wikipedia.org

  The resort ceased normal operations while an extensive mixed-use redevelopment was pursued.

• 2009

  Eco-chic weddings launch

  [1]9 Beachesen.wikipedia.org

  The property introduced wedding packages built around organic refreshments and local environmental motifs.

• 2008

  Food, entertainment, and media profile expand

  [1]9 Beachesen.wikipedia.org

  A new culinary program, live entertainment, and major travel-media features strengthened the resort's visibility.

• 2006

  Operational turnaround begins

  [1]9 Beachesen.wikipedia.org

  Management added staff training and air-conditioning and refocused marketing after a difficult first season.

• 2005

  9 Beaches opens

  [1]9 Beachesen.wikipedia.org

  The resort opened in April with 84 elevated cabanas and an outdoor-focused hospitality concept.

• 2004

  Island Resort Collection acquires Daniel's Head Village

  [1]9 Beachesen.wikipedia.org

  Island Resort Collection purchased the defunct property and announced plans to convert it into a casual resort.

• 1995

  CFS Bermuda closes

  [1]9 Beachesen.wikipedia.org

  The former military communications station at Daniel's Head closed, allowing the property to be considered for tourism redevelopment.

Ultra-casual, nature-oriented beachfront hospitality combining distinctive over-water accommodation, informal dining, and outdoor activities.

• Resort accommodation · 2005

  Waterfront cabanas

  The resort's core accommodation consisted of 84 tent-style cottage cabanas raised on stilts. Many extended toward the Atlantic and offered unobstructed water views, while selected units used Plexiglas floor sections to create a direct visual connection with the sea. Rooms were intentionally simple, with compact shower bathrooms and limited conventional hotel technology. Guests received mobile phones and wireless internet access rather than in-room telephones and televisions.

• Restaurant · 2005

  Hi Tide

  Hi Tide was the resort's formal restaurant. Its offering was revised in 2008 under chef Joseph Dolby, who developed an eclectic menu drawing on internationally influenced modern cuisine. Breakfast was included in the room rate, and the restaurant formed part of the resort's effort to improve the overall guest experience beyond its accommodation and beach activities.

• Bar and grill · 2005

  Dark N'Stormy

  Dark N'Stormy was the resort's informal bar and grill. It complemented Hi Tide with a more relaxed food-and-drink setting aimed at guests spending time around the beaches and activity facilities.

• Leisure services · 2005

  Water sports and activity program

  The on-site surf shack coordinated an activity-oriented program centered on the water and surrounding beaches. Offerings included kiteboarding, a floating climbing wall, trampolining, and other recreational experiences. These activities were central to the resort's positioning as an outdoor entertainment destination rather than a conventional full-service hotel.

• Events and weddings · 2009

  Eco-chic weddings

  Introduced in 2009, the wedding package combined a beachfront setting with organic champagne, organic cake, decorations made from local seashells, and a ceremony in which the couple planted a Bermuda cedar. It extended the resort's environmental and nature-based identity into private events.

• 2009Eco-chic weddings

  Bermuda · International destination weddings

  The resort marketed environmentally themed wedding ceremonies using organic refreshments, local materials, and a tree-planting ritual.

  Outcome. The campaign broadened the resort's events offering before the property closed in 2010.

  Source
• 2008United States travel-media publicity

  United States · International

  The resort pursued and received broad travel-media exposure, including magazine features and a television profile, while its food and entertainment program was refreshed.

  Outcome. The resort reported record occupancy and revenue in 2008 despite a broader decline in Bermuda tourism.

  Source
• 2006Outdoor entertainment repositioning

  Bermuda · International leisure travelers

  Marketing was revised to emphasize the resort's package of beaches, water sports, and outdoor entertainment instead of presenting it primarily as a hotel stay.

  Outcome. Business improved, with reported revenue up 65 percent in 2006 and approximately double the 2005 level by 2007.

  Source
• 2005Opening and launch advertising campaign

  Bermuda · United States

  The resort used an extensive launch campaign to present itself as a youthful, informal alternative to traditional Bermuda hotels. Initial awareness did not translate into adequate occupancy during the first season.

  Outcome. The first season underperformed, prompting discounting, staff reductions, and a later repositioning toward activities and local customers.

  Source

• 2011

  Temporary public access while redevelopment remained stalledOther

  Background

  Development delays left the former resort closed as a conventional hotel.

  Action taken

  The property opened its beaches to the public and rented some accommodation on a limited basis.

  Aftermath

  The measures maintained activity at the site but did not restore the resort as an operating hotel.

  Source

• 2010

  Closure for mixed-use redevelopmentStrategy

  Background

  The operator proposed replacing or substantially expanding the resort after several years of operation.

  Action taken

  9 Beaches closed and Island Resort Collection pursued a large development combining hotel, residential or leaseback units, upgraded dining, and public space.

  Aftermath

  The project did not secure the financing and approvals needed for completion, and the resort never resumed its former operation.

  Proposed redevelopment cost. $80 million proposed project (2010)

  Source

• 2008

  Revamp of dining and evening entertainmentProduct launch

  Background

  The resort sought to strengthen its appeal and increase the value of a stay beyond accommodation and beach access.

  Action taken

  It hired chef Joseph Dolby, introduced a new menu, added live music, and offered an all-you-can-eat buffet.

  Aftermath

  Media attention increased and the resort reported stronger occupancy and revenue.

  Source

• 2006

  Operational turnaround and repositioningStrategy

  Background

  Early reviews and operating results indicated that the original informal concept required stronger service and clearer communication.

  Action taken

  The operator rehired selected staff, introduced formal training, installed air-conditioning, and marketed the resort as an outdoor entertainment destination.

  Aftermath

  Reported revenue increased 65 percent in 2006 and was approximately twice the 2005 level by 2007.

  Revenue growth. 2005 revenue baseline → 65% increase in 2006; approximately double the 2005 level by 2007 (2005-2007)

  Source

• 2005

  Shift toward local demand and discounted ratesStrategy

  Background

  The resort's first summer produced weak occupancy and exposed problems with service, cooling, and the fit between its concept and guest expectations.

  Action taken

  Management reduced rates and increased efforts to attract Bermudian residents, while cutting some costs.

  Aftermath

  Occupancy improved, and local customers became an important part of the recovery.

  Source

1. 19 Beachesen.wikipedia.org