Hotelier Jerry Johnson had a singular vision for the resort he calls Bungalows Key Largo when it opened in 2019.
He knew the kind of people needed to run it-and the way he wanted to deal with them.
Like Cynthia Costa, its general manager from the get-go. She'd worked for Johnson when he owned the Cheeca Lodge in Islamorada, 18 miles south.
"They treat you like family," she says of Johnson and his nephew, Jeremy. "I have deep roots with them, and work as hard as I can because I have that much respect for them."
Once he'd bought his 12 acres on Buttonwood Bay, Johnson designed 135 identical bungalows himself. At the rear of each, he added outdoor seating, a shower, and a bathtub. Out front is a porch with Adirondack chairs, a ceiling fan, and a pair of bikes. And he laid them all out in a master plan worthy of any New Urbanist practicing today.
He also demonstrated a deft understanding of landscape design. He planted his property with native ferns, towering palms, and flowering bougainvillea. "He was responsible for every plant and tree," Costa says. "He knew where he wanted to put things."
The result? A sanctuary that's known as the only all-inclusive, adults-only resort in the Florida Keys-and a destination unto itself. "Everyone who goes through those gates has an 'Aha!' moment," she says. "They instantly become relaxed."
Denne historien er fra June/July 2024-utgaven av Ocean Home.
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Denne historien er fra June/July 2024-utgaven av Ocean Home.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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RAISING THE BAR
With the help of a local designer, a once vacant and lifeless dirt lot adjacent to a primary residence in Manhattan Beach, California, is converted into a functional oasis for entertaining and relaxing.
Young at Heart
A tightknit family upgrades its Vancouver lifestyle with a legacy home overlooking English Bay.
Reinterpreting THE PAST
Saved from demolition, the once-grand Myles Standish Hotel revived by architect Patrick Ahearn is now a family home.
A LEAP OF FAITH
TRUST IS THE THEME FOR A CLIENT'S NEW HOME ON THE OCEAN IN NEWPORT BEACH-AND FOR ITS ARCHITECT.
FAMILY AFFAIR
ONE MAN'S VISION FOR BUNGALOWS KEY LARGO REACHES BEYOND HIS RESORT-TO STAFF AND GUESTS ALIKE.
CONCRETE COASTAL
SASHYA THIND WARMS CONCRETE WITH WOOD, CREATING CONTEMPORARY INTERIORS THAT FEEL PERFECTLY AT HOME ON THE WATER
NO PAIN, NO GAIN
A NEW HOME IN HERMOSA BEACH OVERCOMES MULTIPLE HURDLES TO EMBRACE DRAMATIC PACIFIC VIEWS
NANTUCKET BY DESIGN
KENNERKNECHT DESIGN GROUP CREATES A TIMELESS NEW ENGLAND AESTHETIC ON THIS SMALL ISLAND 30 MILES OUT TO SEA.
TURNABOUT
A 1990S COLONIAL STYLE HOME IS NOW A QUIET BACKDROP FOR A BUSTLING CAPE COD WATERFRONT ESTATE.
CHASING LO TYDE
PSD ARCHITECTS AND INTERIOR DESIGNER CAROLYN THAYER CREATE A SUMMER BEACH HOME FOR A FAMILY ON CAPE COD.