Golden Clouds

Golden Clouds was the name given by Ruth Bryan Owen, the first female US ambassador, to her house in Oracabessa, Jamaica.[2][3] It is situated between Goldeneye, where Ian Fleming wrote many of the James Bond novels, and Noël Coward's Firefly Estate. The ocean front 12-bedroom estate is on 7 acres (2.8 ha) of manicured lawn and gardens with over 500 feet (150 m) of shoreline and its own private beach.[4]

Golden Clouds
Aerial photo of Golden Clouds
Golden Clouds
Location within Jamaica
General information
LocationOracabessa, Jamaica
Coordinates18.412503°N 76.9410646°W / 18.412503; -76.9410646[1]
OwnerColin Simpson, Oksana Simpson
ManagementGolden Clouds
Other information
Number of suites12
Parkingyes
Website
goldenclouds.com

History

Ambassador Owen purchased the property in 1911 from Chris Blackwell's grandfather, Percival Henriques Lindo, whose family owned the J. Wray and Nephew Ltd. distillery along with several thousand acres of real estate in the Oracabessa area.[5] Owen oversaw the construction of the luxurious villa and entertained many famous guests there including Clark Gable, Carole Lombard, and Charlie Chaplin.[2][6][7]

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,[8] and film stars Denzel Washington and Robert De Niro.[9] The villa has also hosted many weddings and is consistently ranked as one of the top Caribbean wedding destinations.[10][11]

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.[12] 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.[13]

In 2009, Golden Clouds was purchased by bestselling author and musician Colin Simpson and his wife, Oksana. Colin Simpson is the great-great grandson[14] of renowned slavery abolitionist James Phillippo who built the first church in the area and helped establish Oracabessa as one of Jamaica's first Free Villages.[15] 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.[16]

Famous clientele

One of Golden Cloud's most famous early guests was Charlie Chaplin, who was a good friend of original owner, Ruth Bryan Owen.[17]

Architecture

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,[18] and reflects Oracabessa's heritage as a Spanish settlement.[19] In 1996, Golden Clouds received the Governor General's Award[20] from the Jamaica Institute of Architects for its design, which combines historical elements with modern amenities.

Sanctuary and attractions

Golden Clouds is located in the Oracabessa Bay Fish Sanctuary, which was established in 2010 to protect Oracabessa's marine ecosystem.[21] Through investments by the Oracabessa Foundation, Seacology,[22] and GEF,[23] the Fish Sanctuary has reintroduced Sea turtles and thousands of new coral into the Oracabessa Bay area. An important part of the Fish Sanctuary is the Oracabessa Bay Turtle project. The Turtle project monitors the beaches in Oracabessa Bay, and in 2012 they helped the release of more than 16,000 hatchlings from their nests.[24]

The reef located directly in front of Golden Clouds is one of the largest in Oracabessa Bay.[25]

gollark: I think 31 being 2^5 - 1 is slightly relevant maybe possibly.
gollark: You want to make it MORE good, not LESS good.
gollark: That sounds good* and useful**.
gollark: Ah, the whole thing is boring and therefore trivial?
gollark: So it should be using 2n but whatever.

See also

References
  1. "Wikimapia". Retrieved November 8, 2010.
  2. Caribbean Caravel, Ruth Brown Owen, Dodd, Mead & Co. (1949), New York, 222 pages.
  3. Historical reference
  4. http://www.oracabessa.com/where_to_stay.php
  5. Reference to Blackwell family
  6. Owen's guests at Golden Clouds
  7. Reference to notable guests
  8. Steve Eng (1998) Jimmy Buffett: The Man from Magaritaville Revealed, St. Martin's Press, P. 301 ISBN 978-0-312-16875-9
  9. Koss, Richard (2008) Jamaica (Country Guide), Lonely Planet, P. 162 ISBN 978-1-74104-693-9
  10. Popular Wedding Destinations
  11. Modern Bride Magazine, Caribbean Wedding Dreams, p. 19, March 2008, Conde Nest Publishing
  12. Franklin J. Schaffner (Scarecrow Filmmakers Series) (1995) Scarecrow Publishing P. 277 ISBN 978-0-8108-1799-9
  13. Television Feature
  14. Public Record Office Readers Guide No 11. PRO, Kew, Surrey, 2nd Edition, (2002) pp 116. ISBN 1-903365-38-4
  15. James Phillipo, Jamaica: Its Past and Present State, J. Snow, 1843
  16. Jamaica Observer p. 5, December 7, 2009 "Historic Oracabessa Villa Sold".
  17. Reference to Charlie Chaplin
  18. Caribbean Caravel, Ruth Brown Owen, Dodd, Mead & Co. (1949), New York, P. 114.
  19. Historical Significance
  20. Governor General’s Award
  21. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on May 26, 2012. Retrieved January 15, 2012.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  22. "Seacology grant". Archived from the original on February 19, 2012. Retrieved January 21, 2014.
  23. GEF Grant information
  24. Turtles in Oracabessa Bay
  25. Sport fishing destination
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