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The Parisian came, settled and invested
WELCOME BAHAMAS - NASSAU, CABLE BEACH & PARADISE ISLAND - 2006
The Parisian came, settled and invested
With Bahamian partner Mark Ratcliffe, Dominique Teysseyre created a stellar boutique hotel
Parisian-born Dominique Teysseyre, an airplane broker, and Bahamian Mark Ratcliffe, a craftsman and builder, have teamed up to create a boutique hotel that lets them share their good life with others.
A Stone's Throw Away in New Providence is a gourmet bed and breakfast the 40-ish business partners now call the main focus of their lives.
"Mark and I built the whole place, and it took up so much time for both of us," Teysseyre says. "It's an incredible amount of work but when you get the responses (that we get) from guests it's so rewarding."
Teysseyre travels a lot on business and always has, but when he's away nowadays he can't wait to get back to The Bahamas. "I had no idea I'd be here so long," he says. "I thought I'd stay for a couple years to find out what it was like to live in shorts and flip flops all year long, and I can't believe seven years went by so fast. But it's been so good I have no plans to leave. When I land at Nassau Airport it feels like I'm coming home."
A sense of belonging
Ratcliffe, on the other hand, has always lived in The Bahamas, and his sense of pride and belonging comes out clearly as he talks about the materials used to build the hotel. "Ninety per cent of the materials are from Nassau," he says. Ratcliffe bought the land about five years ago, and once he met up with Teysseyre, the concept for A Stone's Throw Away just grew.
Ratcliffe says he contributes artistic elements - such as his design for a wall-sized wood carving that took a year to complete - and handles the maintenance, while Teysseyre concentrates on the paperwork and other details.
Since opening in 2004, their guests have included visiting friends of actor Sir Sean Connery and recording star Shakira. The combination of colonial style and Bahamian hospitality is irresistible to discerning vacationers.
A Stone's Throw Away's stunning view, teak furnishings and other architectural and landscape delights make you feel you're a privileged guest in the home of a gracious host.
People make it special
How does Teysseyre describe what makes The Bahamas so special? "Do you want my list of the chief 25 criteria?" he laughs. "Seriously, it's the people. I've made such good friends. It's been very exciting to work with people here, and become part of island life. So, combined with the tremendous response of the clients, it's terrific."
Visitors can embrace a slow-paced existence on the hotel's balconies, pool-side patio and white sand beach, just below the cliff-top. But according to Teysseyre, there are more beaches to explore.
Expansion contemplated
"When I came to The Bahamas I was struck how different the Out Islands are from Nassau," he says. "And it's still the case; Nassau should be a gateway to The Bahamas. Even with my own boat it took me years to enjoy all the different experiences. I could see developing three or four hotels throughout the islands and then packaging tours with seaplanes. The concept of island hopping is actually pretty new, and it's an excellent concept."
Ratcliffe agrees that expanding A Stone's Throw Away to a string of island gourmet B&Bs would attract even more visitors to the country. "I grew up around tourism and I think we can add a different approach. That's another part of the dream and what The Bahamas is all about."
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