Inside The Potlatch Club’s Revival with Bruce Loshusan

After a recent $28 million refurbishment, The Potlatch Club transports travellers to the jet-set era of the Sixties. Offering a private escape on the Bahamian island of Eleuthera, “It's a place to slow down, rediscover your soul and realise that 'Life is Beautiful’,” owner Bruce Loshusan tells Love Brand.

Its heyday saw British royalty and celebrities flock to its emerald lawns in the 60s and 70s. “Elizabeth Taylor, Raymond Burr and Greta Garbo came here to relax,” Bruce said, attracted by the pearly pink sands and sweeping coastline.

Yet for all its famous guests, the Club eventually slipped from view as nature quietly reclaimed the land and the story faded into island lore. That was until Bruce and his business partner, Hans Febles, stumbled across it in 2016 and uncovered its legendary past.

The buildings were swallowed by greenery, but the potential was unmistakable. Set across 12 acres, the property revealed what Bruce calls a “surreal beauty of the property and beach.”

“From conception to opening, the restoration project took seven years,” Bruce shares. “The historic buildings and particularly the Clubhouse had to stay and be preserved, as they set the historic, architectural tone for the rest of the property.”

Rather than clearing the land, the team built around it, preserving mature trees and the established plant life already thriving there. What emerged is a considered balance of charm and tradition with contemporary comfort. A place that pays quiet tribute to the past while introducing modern must-haves, framed by swaying palms.

The estate itself has deep roots. Originally part of a pineapple plantation, the first building was a modest two-bedroom house constructed in 1923. “Other buildings were then added between 1947 and 1965”, Bruce explains. “Several have now been restored to more than their former glory, including the Clubhouse, The Pineapple House, now our 4-bedroom villa, and Pink Sands Cottage, our beautiful honeymoon villa, facing the ocean.”

With 135 pristine beaches, each with a unique and distinct character, the island of Eleuthera invites discovery. With a population of just 11,000, this is an escape that feels wholly your own. Days play out wandering trails in the sightly Leon Levy Native Plant Preserve, and boat trips north to the laid-back charm of Harbour Island, where a new Potlatch Club outpost is set to open this summer.

After a day spent exploring, the rhythm slows back at the Club. The sea-to-land dining at Potlatch’s own Fig Tree restaurant is by far the best on the island. “My personal favourites are the roasted beet & goat's cheese salad, conch croquettes and blackened grouper”, Bruce shares. We also can’t stress the importance of saving room for the guava Basque cheesecake…

“I love seeing guests order a cocktail from one of our two bars at the hotel and just walk around and admire the simple things on the property: the plants, the Bahamian architecture, the stunning pink-sand beach or just the stars at night.”

As evening settles, the beach deck becomes the natural gathering point. With a spicy mule in hand, looking out at the big sky and shimmering waves is the perfect way to end a day in paradise.