The five-star, 139-room St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort has opened its doors in Puerto Rico, marking the Regis group’s first foray into the Caribbean.

The 483-acre resort, located on a former coconut plantation, embraces the island’s natural beauty with verdant landscapes, ocean views and a private bird sanctuary, and is the Caribbean’s first certified Gold Audubon Signature Sanctuary.

The resort offers St. Regis’ legendary Butler Service and features Jean-Georges’ restaurant Fern, a 10,000 square foot Remède Spa and an ocean-front golf course designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr.

Designed by acclaimed architectural firm Hill Glazier, the resort boasts 139 luxuriously appointed guest rooms, including 35 suites with private terraces offering spectacular ocean views as well as 25 private St. Regis Estate Homes.

Seamlessly blending Puerto Rico’s rich culture and natural beauty, accommodations have been designed as low rise plantation style buildings to harmonize the guest experience with the exquisite surroundings and lush nature that is preserved around them. Guest accommodations feature beautiful residential interiors, custom-designed furniture and spacious marble bathrooms in addition to Pratesi linens and high-tech amenities such as high-speed wireless internet, a 40-inch LCD television in room, televisions integrated into the bathroom mirrors and an iPod docking station.

Set along two miles of private beach, The St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort, Puerto Rico boasts expansive views of El Yunque National Rainforest and the Atlantic Ocean. The resort has been thoughtfully developed, ensuring that the local plant and wildlife have not been disturbed, and these exceptional efforts and practices have been recognized with Audubon’s Gold Signature Sanctuary certification.

The resort’s “green team,” composed of an ecologist, two agronomists, and a landscape architect, cultivate native and indigenous plants that protect the natural vegetation of the resort’s lowland coastal and forest areas. As part of its commitment to environmentally sustainable development, The St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort has created a 2.4-acre plant nursery and garden to supply plants and trees for landscaping and reforestation as well as fresh produce and herbs for Fern and the Remède Spa.

In keeping with the resort’s homage to the enchanting island, The St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort’s signature restaurant Fern offers tantalizing culinary delights prepared with the freshest indigenous ingredients.

Exclusively developed by celebrated chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten, the menu showcases a blend of Jean-Georges’ world renowned repertoire of distinctive dishes with traditional Puerto Rican ingredients such as papaya, mango, and coconut. While dining at Fern, guests can enjoy exquisite dishes including black pepper octopus, wood oven roasted lobster, and warm chocolate cake with Tahitian vanilla bean ice cream. Located on the second floor of the grand Plantation House, Fern offers intimate, candlelit indoor and outdoor dining with uninterrupted views of the resort’s flawless beach.

The 10,000 square-foot Remède Spa at The St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort, Puerto Rico includes seven treatment rooms and presents guests with a decadent and exceptional spa experience. Designed to rejuvenate and restore, the spa’s features relaxation areas, steam and sauna facilities, cold and hot plunge pools, several treatment rooms with private outdoor terraces and an exercise area and a fully equipped state-of-the-art fitness center. Remède Spa also offers a comprehensive menu of unique customized and results-oriented treatments.

The St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort’s golf course marks Robert Trent Jones Jr.’s first design project in Puerto Rico. Operated by Troon Golf, the world leader in golf course management, the course is remarkable with two miles of beach, a native maritime forest and views of the rainforest from nearly every hole. Committed to preserving the natural integrity of the site, the course design is sensitive to the environment while providing challenging variety. With holes along the ocean, scenic lakes, undulating fairways and gentle ocean breezes, the course’s breathtaking splendor is matched only by the world-class play it offers to golfers of all abilities. The course’s clubhouse showcases Bahia’s signature tropical plantation and architecture, beautifully accented by exposed stone and brickwork. Inside the clubhouse guests have access to the restaurant Molasses, a golf shop, an inviting bar, and men’s and ladies’ lounges and locker rooms which offer a variety of amenities and services. Outside boasts a full-size beachfront swimming pool and patio areas overlooking the ocean for dining and entertaining.

Following in the literary tradition of St. Regis founder John Jacob Astor IV, who commissioned a library for the brand’s flagship The St. Regis New York in 1904, The St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort offers a modern spin on the concept by presenting a curated library as a special guest amenity. The library includes book selections from St. Regis friends and influencers including fashion designer Jason Wu, renowned chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten and jewelry designers Alexis Bittar and Temple St. Clair, along with St. Regis Connoisseur and celebrated polo player Nacho Figueras.

The St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort features nearly 27,000 square feet of function space, including three outdoor lawn event spaces, the ocean-view Astor pavilion and the spacious elegance of the Astor Ballroom, setting the stage for grand weddings and occasions in true St. Regis style. Situated between the Espiritu Santo and Herrera rivers and bounded by the majestic El Yunque National Forest, The St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort, Puerto Rico offers astounding views as well as unique activities such as kayaking, snorkeling, windsurfing and fishing.

Supported by over 900 weekly flights, Puerto Rico is easily accessible via direct flight from a multitude of major cities in North America, and as a United States territory, passports are not required for American citizens, a unique advantage for US travelers to the Caribbean. The St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort is just 16 miles from Puerto Rico’s Luis Muñoz international airport, which is the largest hub in the Caribbean. Combining Puerto Rico’s natural beauty and rich colonial history with St. Regis’ timeless sophistication, bespoke service and modern luxury, The St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort’s arrival on the shores of Puerto Rico will forever change the landscape of luxury travel in the region.