By Sara Liss
Resorts Expert, about.com
In the 1960s, Marlon Brando bought the string of islets in French Polynesia known as Tetiaroa and made it his home. The Brando, an exclusive luxury resort accessible only by plane, is the late actor's personal slice of paradise.
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The 35-villa, all-inclusive retreat, located 30 miles northeast of the island of Tahiti, was purchased by “The Godfather” actor in 1966 after filming “Mutiny on the Bounty,” a film that recounts the voyage of Captain James Cook through the Polynesian islands.
Tetiaroa — historically a sanctuary for local
Polynesians — became a private vacation home for Brando’s family and, in
1999, five years before passing away, Brando partnered with Richard
Bailey, CEO of Pacific Beachcomber, in transforming it into a
self-sustaining, carbon-neutral island resort.
Surrounded by
crystal-clear waters and white-sandy beaches, The Brando is the ultimate
escape for affluent travelers, who arrive via the resort’s own air
strip only by private aircraft.
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One-, two- and three-bedroom villas — starting at a
generous 1,033 square feet — are staggered throughout the atoll for
further privacy, and are integrated within the natural landscape with a
fluid indoor/outdoor design. Villa details include vaulted ceilings,
adjoining outdoor bathtubs and private 107-square-foot plunge pools.
The
Spa Arii Vahine, surrounded by 22,000 square feet of lush landscape,
will offer holistic treatments in line with ancient Polynesian
traditions in private treatment villas around a pond. A spa suite will
be built high within the palm trees.
The Brando will feature two restaurants
— Beachcomber Cafe and Les Mutines — that highlight Polynesian,
East/West fusion and classic French cuisine, with menus helmed by Guy
Martin of 2-star Michelin Le Grand Vefour in Paris.
Most ingredients will come directly from their
own organic garden. Additionally, there will be an open-air Te Manu Bar
and Bob’s Bar (named after Brando’s factotum on film sets) directly on
the beach.
Activities will include bicycling, snorkeling in the
coral gardens and lagoon, diving, paddle boarding, guided hikes, tennis,
aqua gym, yoga and canoeing.
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The resort will also offer Polynesian themed arts and culture like dance lessons, handicrafts and ukulele lessons.
The
Brando will be almost fully “green” with its commitment to eco
practices. The carbon-neutral resort used local, renewable materials in
construction, a deep seawater air-condition system and solar-energy
technologies for renewable energy with the hopes to be the first resort
in the world to obtain LEED Platinum certification.
“Marlon Brando
dreamed of building a “university” on Tetiaroa that would educate
others about the many facets of this jewel,” says Silvio Bion, general
manager of The Brando. “In pursuit of his dream, we have established a
research station on the island where scientists and researchers from
around the world can gather not only to preserve Tetiaroa but also to
help tropical islands everywhere find their own path to sustainable
development.”
