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Back in 2000, I won a Cacique Award from the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism as international consumer writer of the year for my story on the island of Andros published in Travel + Leisure. The ceremony took place at Nassau's old Carnival Crystal Palace on Cable Beach and was televised nationally. At the time, mass tourism was just beginning to emerge at nearby Atlantis Paradise Island, but mainland Cable Beach, closer to the airport, would soon face a severe decline due to a stagnant hotel complex, limited maintenance, and heavy room discounting. It was time for massive re- development and much of the impetus was to emerge from Chinese-financed construction, and later, Hong Kong investment. Happily, after a near decade of major fits and starts, the $4.2 billion, 1,000-acre Baha Mar complex on Cable Beach is essentially complete with three major hotel brands —Grand Hyatt, SLS, and Rosewood – and over 2,300 rooms. There are 40 restaurants and lounges, the largest casino in the Caribbean at 100,000 sq. ft., over 20 luxury retail outlets (Cartier, Rolex), a 200,000 sq. ft. convention center, an 18-hole Championship Jack Nicklaus Golf Course, the first ESPA flagship spa in the region, wedding chapel, racquet club, and nighttime outdoor fountain displays. Facing the bright pastel courtyard, six multi-form swimming pools interweave with waterfalls, a grotto, Bungalow and Privilege Pool (SLS exclusive), day couches, canopy bars, in-pool seating, framed by majestic date palms and blazing red bougainvillea and purple oleander. A boardwalk to the 3,000-foot beach replicates a Bahamian village with boutiques, "Daqs" conch salad shack, Explorer's Kid's Club, and Beach Sanctuary with nurse sharks, green turtles and sting rays; beachside, you can try out two food trailers, shallow water snorkeling, various watersports like kayaks and paddleboards, and take a boat ride to Baha Mar's Balmoral Island, just offshore from their 200- foot pier. The Bahamian pink, 299-room SLS Baha Mar opened last November and has already jumped into the coveted "Travel + Leisure 2018 It List" of best new properties worldwide. "SLS Baha Mar truly embodies our 360-degree ethos. Design is crucial to a hotel's success and is a core part of our DNA, and a critical part of the overall experience we provide for our guests," said Sam Nazarian, CEO of parent company sbe (The Redbury, The Bazaar by José Andrés, Morgans Hotel Group) in Forbes (2-8-18). The lobby reminds one of an extended, high-end living room with wicker, ottomans, and modern sofas where you can plump down and read a newspaper, grab a coffee and fresh croissant, or just people watch. According to GM Richard Alexander, "It's the hub. All the guests congregate here. In the evening, it's like a fashion show with the best-looking people at Baha Mar at our Monkey Bar or enjoying the great vibe with the DJ on Saturdays." SLS Baha Mar's passion for stylish design is quickly apparent in their 18 room types. My ample 895 sq. ft. signature premier suite with ocean view (#1437) boasts a king bed with Egyptian cotton linens, a white and pale blue sitting room, small kitchen, free WiFi, and local calls, Samsung 48-inch flat-screen TV, and premium channels and tablet computer. Families can make use of the kitchen's Bosch washer-dryer or prepare sunrise coffee