EASE, ELEVATED: Finding Stillness at Azura, Bermuda

WHERE OCEANFRONT LUXURY MEETS EFFORTLESS ISLAND RHYTHM, AND EVERY VIEW FEELS LIKE YOUR OWN PRIVATE WORLD.

Bermuda has a way of catching you off guard, not because of its beauty (that’s a given), but because of its ease. You can leave the East Coast after breakfast and be swimming in turquoise water by lunch. With direct flights from Charlotte and Westchester, this Atlantic gem is one of the most effortless escapes from the U.S., and yet, when your driver winds along the coastal road to Azura, it feels a world away.

Perched high above the South Shore cliffs, Azura doesn’t shout its presence, it whispers it. White terraces spill toward the sea, palms sway lazily in the breeze, and the Atlantic unfurls endlessly below. It’s quiet, modern, and transportive, the kind of place that makes you exhale before you realize you were holding your breath.

Days at Azura follow a rhythm that feels like instinct. Mornings begin with coffee on your private terrace as the ocean shifts through shades of impossible blue. A dip in the saltwater ocean pool leads naturally to a long, lazy lunch by the Terrace Pool and Bar. Time moves differently here, slower, softer, sweeter.

The one-bedroom ocean-view suite we stayed in captures that same balance of ease and refinement. Airy and sun-washed, it feels like your own private villa, complete with a full kitchen, living room, and a terrace that seems to hover above the sea. Slip into the crisp linens after a swim, and you’ll understand why guests always add “just one more night.” Thoughtful touches, Malin + Goetz bath amenities, Nespresso coffee, and the resort’s fill-the-fridge service make it feel like home, only better.

As the sun sets, all paths lead to SURF, the resort’s restaurant led by Chef Douglas Sisk, former personal chef to five U.S. presidents. After decades of cooking for the White House and abroad, he brings a globally refined touch to the island. His menu, Mediterranean meets island soul, is both elegant and generous. The four-course chef’s table dinner is a must: tuna ceviche, osso buco, perfect wine pairings, and a finale of decadent desserts that remind you what pleasure tastes like. With a little notice, this can be booked year-round.

Step beyond the resort and Bermuda deepens its spell. The island’s nine parishes unfold like watercolor postcards, pastel cottages, winding lanes, and more than 150 churches. Bermuda’s story began with pure chance: the Sea Venture, an English ship bound for Virginia, wrecked on the reefs in 1609. Its crew became the island’s first settlers. In St. George’s, St. Peter’s Church, the oldest continuously used Anglican church in the Western Hemisphere, still holds that history in its cedar beams.

What makes Bermuda so special isn’t just its beauty, it’s the way it suspends you between worlds. Close enough to be spontaneous, yet far enough to quiet everything that came before you landed. The people are gracious without pretense, the pace, unhurried but polished. Golf courses roll toward the sea, trails dip to hidden coves, and the light, that crystalline Atlantic light, softens everything it touches.

Back at Azura, the design mirrors the island’s mood, modern lines, open air, and views that seem to follow you everywhere. For families, couples, or solo travelers, it’s both a sanctuary and a springboard, a place to rest between swims, stories, and sunsets. Accommodations range from one to three bedrooms, and the staff feel like old friends.

Leaving feels like waking from a beautiful dream. You promise yourself you’ll return, not just for the views or the food, but for that rare feeling Bermuda gives so easily, of being exactly where you’re meant to be.