It was the first week of Summer and Matt and I were able to escape just the two of us down to a place that both of us had bookmarked as a resort we were really wanting to go check out and visit. This exclusive boutique hotel, that opened only a year ago, was once a private residence where Paul McCartney spent his honeymoon and where numerous celebrities visited in the 1960s and 1970s. It was located on a former pineapple plantation near Governor’s Harbor, Eleuthera; the original resort was founded in the 1950s by a trio of pearl-wearing New York socialites and later abandoned in the 80s.

After a seven-year renovation following its purchase by new owners in 2016, the Potlatch Club has opened its doors as Eleuthera’s premier luxury boutique hotel. Nestled on a 7-mile beachfront and sprawling 12-acre property, it features 11 accommodations (including a 4 bedroom Villa that is adorable) a restaurant, bar, spa, and gym.

How To Get to the Potlatch Club in Eleuthera

We flew from Miami to the North Eleuthera airport and took an hour taxi ride down to the Potlatch Club.  They do have two other very small airports that are closer to the resort, but trying to find flights were difficult.  The taxi ride from the N. Eleuthera airport to the resort cost approx $150.  We used Raymond Colebrook and loved his services.  You can contact him at 242-551-0682.

Our Stay at the Potlatch Club in Eleuthera

If you’re dreaming of an island escape that feels untouched, intimate, and effortlessly beautiful, Eleuthera is the place to go — and the Potlatch Club is the perfect hidden gem to experience it all.

Nestled on a stunning stretch of pink sand beach, the Potlatch Club is a charming boutique resort that combines old Bahamian charm with laid-back luxury. From the moment we arrived, we felt like we had stepped back in time — in the best way possible.

The Setting

The property is perched right on French Leave Beach, one of Eleuthera’s most gorgeous stretches of sand. The Atlantic waves roll in just steps from your cottage, and the views are simply mesmerizing — endless turquoise water, soft pink sand, and hardly another soul in sight. It’s the kind of beach you share with only a handful of guests, which makes it feel wonderfully exclusive.

One of my very favorite interior designers, Amanda Lindroth, restored this beautiful resort over the seven year period preserving key historical details like the checkered floors and white arches; but added her signature tropical hues- pops of pink coral, sky blue, bamboo, and rattan.  She did an amazing job mixing historical charm and Caribbean elegance — think tropical chic, white walls, palms and pastel vibes.

Our Cottage

We stayed in one of the original beachfront cottages, which was cozy yet spacious enough for Matt and I. Think whitewashed walls, crisp linens, and a porch that opens right onto the sand. Mornings were spent sipping coffee with the morning sun, swinging in our personal hammock with a good book in the afternoons and evenings were for stargazing to the sound of the ocean with a nice glass of wine.

Our cottage had a kitchenette, Nespresso maker, cute little sitting area and a nice bathroom.  Matt’s one complaint was that they really didn’t have any drawer space in the room to unpack our luggage and I have to agree with him.  The nightstands were small with just a tiny drawer and the closest space was fairly minimal with just room to hang our clothes and a couple of small open shelves that only hold a few small items.  My only complaint, they didn’t have a plug easily accessible next to my bedside :). Otherwise, I loved our beautiful little cottage just steps away from the ocean.

What We Did

The beauty of staying at the Potlatch Club is that you can do as much or as little as you like. We spent lazy days swimming, beach combing, enjoying the beachside beverage service and taking walks on the beach. We took our first full day to just enjoy the resort and relax beachside.  Just a short walk down the beach from us was a cute and colorful outdoor restaurant called Tippy’s that we went and checked out.  The food was awesome, don’t miss the lobster roll; but the flies can get crazy!

Later that afternoon, I enjoyed a relaxing massage at the tranquil spa.  It is just one room spa, but it is beautifully done and I loved my masseuse.  I definitely recommend stopping in here.

One highlight was a full day adventure tour with Fishbone Tours — a must-do.  We took a taxi down to meet the captain and the boat which took about 20 or 30 minutes and arrived at his home, but don’t be alarmed!  You will hop on the boat and hit some fabulous spots touring the area.   We saw hundreds and hundreds of turtles which was pretty amazing and they made sure we had a delicious authentic Bahamian lunch.  I highly recommend this tour.

That evening, we hit up a local comedy event based off the suggestion of our boat captain.  It was a Friday night, so we went to the local Fish Fry event first which I don’t really recommend; but it was pretty fun to see and then went to the event.  It was all a memorable experience which was hilarious and we were definitely hanging with all the locals.

Lastly, we checked out another local resort called the French Leaves Resort which is a Marriott Autograph property and dined at the 1648 restaurant.  The ambiance was really beautiful and worth the ride to go check out.

Dining

The Potlatch Club has a small but nice dining option on-site, The Fig Tree, serving fresh local dishes and tropical cocktails. We enjoyed one night at the resort for dinner but also enjoyed meals out as well.  When we felt like a splurge, we headed into town for dinner at 1648 — one of the best waterfront restaurants on the island.

We enjoyed breakfast every morning at the Fig Tree on property which I loved.  Most of our lunches seemed to be spent hitting up other local spots.  For dinner, the Fig Tree had different themed nights and would change up their menu.

There are several other little restaurants close by that we didn’t get a chance to check out, but would fun to hit for lunch.  I loved that we could walk just down our beach to Tippy’s as well.  We ate there for lunch, but I hear that it’s best to go on Wednesday evenings because they have a live band and I think on Sunday’s as well.

Why We Loved It

What makes Potlatch special is its authenticity. It’s not a big commercial resort — it’s private, peaceful, and full of history and charm. If you’re looking for high rises, loud nightlife, or crowded pools, this isn’t it. But if you’re craving barefoot luxury, natural beauty, and genuine Bahamian hospitality, you’ll fall in love here like we did.

We left feeling refreshed, reconnected, and already thinking about how we would do our next visit. Eleuthera has a way of staying with you — and so does the Potlatch Club.

Final Thoughts

We enjoyed the beauty and quaint feel of this resort.  Everywhere I turned was an instagram worthy shot and we truly felt like you got pretty darn good bang for your buck for your stay here.  The employees were all so kind and accommodating and since the place was so small, you received personalized service.  This is the perfect spot if you are looking to truly escape from the hustle and bustle and put your feet up and relax.  We spent three nights here and felt like that was plenty for our taste.  The resort was fairly empty while we were there, so we were pretty excited that we had planned to head over to Harbour Island for our final night of vacation.

We headed back up towards the N. Eleuthera airport by taxi from Potlatch Club and went to the 3 Islands dock and took a boat taxi over for one night at Harbour Island which is one of our favorites.  We stayed at the newly renovated Coral Sands resort and enjoyed a fun dinner and drinks out on the island.  It was the perfect finale to our trip!

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Have you ever visited Eleuthera or stayed somewhere similar? Let me know — I’d love to hear your favorite hidden gems in the Bahamas!