Glittering Pristine Bay Resort gets ready to open...

For the foot-loose golfer who has seen it all here's a new jewel to challenge the imagination. The glittering new Pristine Bay Resort in the western Caribbean is chilling the champagne and laying down the red carpet preparatory to welcoming its first guests. As a prelude comes the anouncement of the opening of luxury villas for vacation rentals on this idyllic tropical island 40 miles off the coast of Honduras.

Located on the island of Roatan, 35 miles off the coast of Honduras, Pristine Bay Resort languishes on a 400-plus acre site alongside the Caribbean. The azure waters off the coast, enhanced by the world’s second largest barrier reef, provide a stunning backdrop and one of the truly unique settings for golf in Central America.

The two bed-roomed villas, each of 2,400 square feet, are enviable luxury lodgings for lucky golfers aiming to play The Black Pearl, Roatan’s first golf course, designed by Perry and Pete Dye. Opened in January, it features a signature island green and 14 holes with mesmerizing sea vistas.

Dye Designs, pioneers of the use of Paspalum turf for tropics-based projects, is grassing The Black Pearl with this salt water-tolerant strand known for its environmental compatibility, ease of maintenance and translucent green hue. Its appearance -- juxtaposed against the turquoise waters offshore – inspired The Black Pearl’s tagline: “The Best Greens and the Best Blues.”

The Resort and Spa at Pristine Bay, the island’s first five-star accommodation, is slated for a “soft opening” in August 2011, and also featured are a wide variety of accommodations including bay view and golf course condominiums, two, three and four-bedroom villa units and one quarter acre custom home lots, many with unobstructed views of the ocean. Villas prices start at $600,000 and range up to $1 million; lots start at $230,000 and range up to $700,000; and condominiums from $348,000 to $700,000. A 155-slip, full-service marina located near The Black Pearl clubhouse will provide deep-water access for a wide variety of sea-going vessels.

Residents and guests will have access to the ocean-front Bay Village at Pristine Bay with boutiques, art galleries, restaurants, cafes and other entertainment options. The 120-room, five-star Resort and Spa at Pristine Bay, to be managed by the Lancaster Hotel Group, is scheduled to open in 2011.

The resort will offer customized  packages that include the deluxe villa accommodations and championship golf, as well as local dining, all island transportation, deep sea fishing, diving, snorkeling and even swimming with dolphins in the crystal clear waters of Caribbean.

Getting There: Roatan International Airport (RTB) is served by nine weekly, non-stop flights from the United States via Houston, Atlanta, Miami and Newark on Continental, Delta and TACA. Flights to the island through the Honduran cities of Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula and San Salvador, El Salvador are also available.

Additional information about golf membership, real estate options and more is available by visiting www.pristinebayresort.com, emailing info@pristinebayresort.com or golf@pristinebayresort.com, or calling +504 3310 1900.