Golden Clouds
| Golden Clouds | |
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| Oceanfront view of Golden Clouds | |
| Location | Oracabessa, Jamaica |
| Coordinates | 18°24′45″N 76°56′28″W / 18.412503°N 76.9410646°WCoordinates: 18°24′45″N 76°56′28″W / 18.412503°N 76.9410646°W[1] |
| Management | Golden Clouds |
| Owner | Colin Simpson, Oksana Simpson |
| Suites | 9 |
| Parking | yes |
| Website | www.GoldenClouds.com |
References:
 Golden Clouds
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Golden Clouds was the name given by the first female US ambassador, Ruth Bryan Owen, to her house in Oracabessa, Jamaica[2]. It is situated between Goldeneye (estate), where Ian Fleming wrote many of the James Bond novels, and Noel Coward's Firefly Estate. The ocean front 9-bedroom mansion is located on 6 acres (2.4 ha) of manicured gardens with over 700 feet (210 m) of shoreline and its own private beach.[3] Owen oversaw the construction of the luxurious villa and entertained many famous guests there including Clark Gable, Carole Lombard, and Charlie Chaplin.[2] Ambassador Owen purchased the property from Chris Blackwell's mother, Blanche, who at the time owned several thousand acres of real estate near Oracabessa, and had also sold properties to both Fleming and Coward.[4]
During the 1970s the estate was sold to Mr. and Mrs. Keeson, who restored the property. The Keesons began renting the villa to the public, and over the years the clientele has included a number of celebrities such as musicians Willie Nelson and Jimmy Buffett[5], and film stars Denzel Washington and Robert De Niro[6]. The villa has also hosted many weddings and is consistently ranked as one of the top Caribbean wedding destinations.[7][8]
In addition to being a popular wedding location, Golden Clouds has also served as a movie location and was featured in the film The Mighty Quinn, starring Denzel Washington, Robert Townsend, and Mimi Rogers [9]. Golden Clouds has also been featured on several television shows including Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous, and as a grand prize on The Price is Right. [10]
Golden Cloud’s neoclassical architectural design was based on Casa Figueras, an 18th century luxury villa that Owen stayed at during her first trip to Spain[11], and reflects Oracabessa’s heritage as a Spanish settlement. In 1996, Golden Clouds received the prestigious Governor General’s Award[12] from the Jamaica Institute of Architects for its outstanding design, which combines historical elements with modern amenities.
In 2009, Golden Clouds was purchased by bestselling author and musician Colin Simpson and his wife, Oksana. The Simpsons were married at Golden Clouds in 2001, and in an interview with The Jamaican Observer, the new owners indicated their intention to carry on the century-old tradition of luxurious accommodations and casual elegance that has made the villa world-renowned.[13]
One of Golden Cloud’s most famous early guests was Charlie Chaplin, who was a good friend of original owner, Ruth Bryan Owen. In a note to Owen, Chaplin described Golden Clouds as “A wonderfully magical place where time stands still. It is, simply paradise.” [14] While these words were written over 100 years ago, very little has changed since that time, and guests still use words such as “magical” and “paradise” when describing their stay at Golden Clouds.[15]
Golden Clouds is located in the Oracabessa Bay Fish Sanctuary, which was established in 2011 to protect Oracabessa’s marine ecosystem. [16] The main reef in front of Golden Clouds is situated on the edge of the world famous dive site, Cayman Trough, with walls that begin at 60 ft. and drop down to over 150 ft. These walls are covered in a large variety of hard and soft corals. The walls of the Cayman Trough contain many overhangs and ledges and are home to lobsters, king crab, green and spotted moray eels, and a host of other marine creatures. Beyond the boundaries of the Oracabessa Bay Fish Sanctuary, the Cayman Trough plunges to depths of over 25,000 ft and is renowned for deep-water sport fishing including marlin and tuna. [17]
[edit] References
- ^ "Wikimapia". http://www.wikimapia.org/#lat=18.412503&lon=-76.9410646&z=16&l=0&m=b&v=8. Retrieved 2010-11-08.
- ^ a b Caribbean Caravel, Ruth Brown Owen, Dodd, Mead & Co. (1949), New York, 222 pages.
- ^ http://www.definitivecaribbean.com/accommodation/GoldenClouds.aspx Description of property
- ^ http://delarue.net/fleming.htm Reference to Blanche Blackwell
- ^ Steve Eng (1998) Jimmy Buffett: The Man from Magaritaville Revealed, St. Martin's Press, P. 301 ISBN 9780312168759
- ^ Koss, Richard (2008) Jamaica (Country Guide), Lonely Planet, P. 162 ISBN 978-1741046939
- ^ http://www.weddingbellesjamaica.com/featured-2.html Popular Wedding Destinations
- ^ Modern Bride Magazine, Caribbean Wedding Dreams, p. 19, March 2008, Conde Nest Publishing
- ^ Franklin J. Schaffner (Scarecrow Filmmakers Series) (1995) Scarecrow Publishing P. 277 ISBN 9780810817999
- ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZxoNNUteOo0&feature=youtu.be
- ^ Caribbean Caravel, Ruth Brown Owen, Dodd, Mead & Co. (1949), New York, P. 114.
- ^ http://www.goldenclouds.com/documents/Golden_Clouds-Award.pdf Governor General’s Award
- ^ Jamaica Observer p. 5, Dec. 7, 2009 “Historic Oracabessa Villa Sold”.
- ^ Caribbean Caravel, Ruth Brown Owen, Dodd, Mead & Co. (1949), New York, P. 171.
- ^ http://www.goldenclouds.com/documents/Golden_Clouds-Guest_Comments.pdf Guest Testimonials
- ^ http://www.oracabessafoundation.org/ourwork/environment/oracabessa_fish_sanctuary.html
- ^ http://www.cometojamaica.com/images/Back_issues/Jam-boree%205.14.05_lowres.pdf
[edit] External links
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