‘Art,’ said Pablo Picasso, ‘washes from the soul the dust of everyday life.’ We couldn’t have put it better ourselves – though he could just as easily have been referring to that particular mind, body and soul-reviving alchemy a great vacation brings.
Indeed, few things spritz the spirit like time away, and a stay at Godings Beach House, Barbados, is designed to serenely swipe off the last grey traces of worry from your canvas. Here, stress is a thing of the past. It doesn’t live here. Instead, step into a masterpiece where your only job is to chill – and let the power of art do its work.
You see, this 1,250sqm Bajan bolthole is as much an art gallery as it is a villa. Its walls are home to stunning pieces from artists including Cornwall-based painter Nicola Bealing and paper artist Guy Leclef, from Antwerp. Consider it a residency of sorts – except here, you don’t just gaze at the art, you live among it, allowing each bright brushstroke to sooth, inspire and uplift.
The villa’s other offerings are just as refreshing, lest we gloss over the serene infinity pool, the private chef on hand to create edible masterpieces, the chic Boffi kitchen, Christian Liaigre furnishings and yoga pavilion. All framed by the natural work of art that is the Platinum Coast.
The brainchild of tech entrepreneur and moneysupermarket.com founder Simon Nixon, this hybrid villa-gallery concept extends across the globe, too: pick from properties in Cornwall, the Cotswolds, the Lake District, Deià (Mallorca), Malibu (Los Angeles) and Cape Town, each offering breathtaking landscapes outside and vibrant, captivating artworks within.
Gone are the days of dreary hotel-room watercolours. With Simon Escapes, you’re invited to stay in a setting as calming as a Monet sunrise and as unforgettable as a Picasso. Pablo himself would surely approve.
