The Art of Discovery

Celebrity Chef Charlie Palmer on our Bahamian Royal Island

Envision this:

Five days and four couples on an entirely private 430-acre oasis, with all the intimacy, natural beauty and Caribbean allure of Royal Island, where our favorite color is sunset.  Joining you in this sanctuary of sun, sea, and sand is Michelin-starred Master Chef and raconteur Charlie Palmer, whose remarkable culinary creations and marvelous storytelling make your stay off-the-charts special.

Experience Curator: Elise Boisnard

As our Royal Island Experience Curator, we think Elise has a fantasy job. And so does she. From dreaming up sandbar excursions to delivering handcrafted cocktails in coconut shells, Elise happily custom curates your daily adventures with personal charm and plenty of island life insight.

Day One: Welcome

• A Warm Cuvée Welcome: Arrive to Royal Island via a seaplane, touching down on the waters surrounding Royal Island. Don’t be surprised to see your name written in the sand, visible as you descend into this tropical wonderland.
• Meet Allison for a full island tour before enjoying a welcome reception of fresh fish, exotic Bahamian fruit, and handcrafted tropical cocktails, as you become acquainted with culinary icon and your host for five days, celebrated Chef Charlie Palmer.
• Evening: Under the celestial Caribbean sky awaits a Michelin-starred meal, prepared by Chef Palmer himself, including signature dishes like his acclaimed bacon-wrapped scallops. Relax and take in the night while Bahamian dancers perform, punctuating this perfect introduction to luxurious island life.

Day Two: Bahamian Authenticity

• Day: Wake up to the waves crashing gently on the shore outside your bungalow and enjoy your Chef Palmer made-to-order fresh fruits, smoothies, and breakfast: Fuel up, because there’s plenty of island adventure to come.
• Get ready to be surrounded by some of the bluest water and whitest sand as you head out on a bonefishing expedition. This Caribbean version of fly fishing, requiring accurate casts and precise strikes, is always a thrill for our guests as they angle for elusive bonefish in the shallow tropical waters surrounding Royal Island.
• Evening: Returning to your private island oasis, you’ll relax in the splendor of Royal’s picturesque privacy with massages and Happy Hour cocktails on the sand.
• With dinnertime approaching, Chef Palmer will demonstrate how to make the most of your bonefish catch by sharing his secrets to preparing, filleting, and lightly grilling this Bahamian delicacy.
• And as dusk settles in, the Bahamian band High Rock arrives to deliver one of our very favorite entertainment experiences under the crystal clear skies. The carnival sound of their beat box rhythms and rifts on pop classics will have you dancing all the way to your bungalow for a wonderful night’s sleep.

Day Three: Water Adventures

• Day: Sleep in and enjoy the comfort of Cuvée’s heavenly signature beds, knowing that when you’re ready, breakfast and yoga are all yours. There’s also enough morning time left to spend messing about on Royal Island’s water toys – jet skis, Hobie cats, paddle boards, and more.
• Come low tide, board one of our excursion boats for a lunch or Happy Hour experience on a swirly blue sandbar just off Royal Island. Here, where the soft white sand stretches on forever and conch shells and sand dollars are just waiting to be collected, you’ll find chilled rose, Bahamian beer, snacks and lunch waiting for you, as well as shade umbrellas and loungers.
• Evening: Chef Charlie Palmer is legendary for his preparation of Heritage pork, best highlighted by his famed annual Sonoma County event, Pigs & Pinot. So prepare yourself for this evening’s full pig roast with oodles of delicious sides. And to pour forth his idea of just the right pairing for spit-roast pork, Chef Palmer has brought along some of his favorite wines – Pinot Noirs, of course.
• Say adieu to this glorious day by releasing paper (and environmentally friendly) lanterns into the night sky, making wishes as they float over the tropical water.

Day Four: Caribbean Sea

• Day: Morning comes early today as we’re headed out on a snorkeling adventure in the water’s adjacent to Harbour Island, known for its long pink sand beaches. Licensed divers can also scuba in the open water, witnessing schools of tropical fish and beautiful barrier reefs.
• After your morning on the water, head back to Royal Island and relax in beachside loungers, with tropical cocktails and dips into the eighty-degree water.
• Evening: This night is all about the Bahamas great and freshest seafood. While feasting on flaky delicious fish as well as sushi-grade salmon and tuna, you’ll also learn the best ways to prepare and serve an array of seafood.
• Finish the night around Royal Island’s roaring campfire, toasting s’mores and listening to Chef Palmer’s fascinating storytelling and funny kitchen tales.

Day Five: Crustacean Adventure

• Day: Take off on UTV exploration of Royal Island and visit the nineteenth-century British colonial estate ruins on the far side of the island.
• Then head out on a lobster spearing adventure, hunting for the Caribbean’s unique spiny lobsters – one of the largest crustaceans in the coral reefs, often weighing up to 15 pounds.
• Evening: Why not experience an exceptionally happy Happy Hour, suspended on rafts with floating trays of freshly made frozen tropical drinks.
• For dinner, Chef Palmer is turning out a best of both worlds Surf & Turf feast, with New York Strips, a specialty of his Charlie Palmer Steak restaurants, alongside your Caribbean spiny lobsters.
• Spend your last evening basking in the beauty of Royal Island, accompanied by live entertainment and fireworks constellating the night sky.

Day Six: Farewell

• Day: Chef Palmer will cook up one final—and delicious—breakfast as you await the arrival of your very own flying bubble, the same private seaplane that brought you to our island paradise.

Ready to Escape to Royal Island?