Building on the solar technology developed for Silent-Yachts catamarans, Silent Resorts is launching its new brand of yacht-and-villa resorts in the Caribbean, with Asia among
target destinations as the company looks to grow a global network of eco-friendly waterfront properties.
As the world leader in solar-electric luxury catamarans, Silent-Yachts has a particularly global vision. The brand’s Silent 55 is built in China. Its new Silent 60 is being built in Thailand. And several units of its flagship 80 are under construction in Italy, where more 60s are being built to cope with demand for what’s already the brand’s best-selling model. Check out the Silent 80 here!
Artist’s rendering of how Silent Yachts
are moored at the pier to access the island.
Yet before hull one of either the 60 or 80 have touched the water, Austrian Michael Kohler, the company’s founder and CEO, joined forces with American architect Victor Barrett to create Silent Resorts. The mission? To develop solar-powered beachfront resorts incorporating Silent catamarans as floating suites.
Designed to be sustainable, eco-friendly and built with a ‘light touch’, the futuristic resorts are more than just a cute concept. It’s happening, starting in the Bahamas with the 30-acre “Silent Island” in the district of North Eleuthera, which has its own airport and is a 55-minute flight east of Miami.
The Bahamas resort has been designed to offer eight Silent catamarans and 16 villas, with the first few units scheduled to be ready by late 2021. The property will include a clubhouse, spa, pool and water toys, all eco-friendly. The tagline is “Live Fully, Tread Lightly, Stay Silently”.
Aerial view of a Silent Resorts unit using solar panels.
Along with its catamarans, Silent-Yachts is also supplying the solar-powered technology that will power the villas and common facilities for a fully integrated, carbon-free property. In fact, its catamaran designs have even influenced the villa designs, according to Barrett, CEO of Silent Resorts.
“We’re designing the one-storey villas to mirror the catamaran design, with two suites on either side of a big open living room and kitchen. You can also have a staircase to the sunset deck or “flybridge” on top, very similar to the way the catamarans are laid out,” says Barrett.
“You can start your vacation on the yacht and finish in a villa, if you want, or the other way around. The power systems on the villas and yachts are matched, so they can balance themselves. When a yacht pulls up to the resort, they can plug in for power or even deliver excess power to the island. It’s a very symbiotic and balanced system.” What a treat for Silent-Yacht owners!
Rendering of pier to accommodate Silent Yachts to dock.
MEETING OF MINDS
Like Kohler, Barrett has a global outlook and has ties to Austria and the African island nation of Mauritius, where he founded his company TrueDesign. He has worked on developments in the USA, Mexico, Caribbean, UAE, Africa and Asia including in Indonesia and China, where he spent two years as a Senior Architectural Designer for Atkins.
Having worked on luxury resorts for the likes of Six Senses, Como and Aman, he was working for the TradeWinds yacht charter company until this year, building a beach club in the southern Caribbean until Covid-19 halted development. It was then he returned to Austria and pitched his idea for Silent Resorts to Kohler, having become friends after becoming aware of Silent-Yachts through their presence at a boat show in Miami.
“I thought there must be a better way to build resorts on these islands,” Barrett says. “That’s when I called Michael and said, how about using your yachts as villas for these beautiful remote locations so we don’t really damage the islands.”
Rendering of Villa living concept at Silent Resorts.
Kohler was receptive to the concept, having previously approached luxury resorts with the idea of buying Silent catamarans as an added attraction for cruising trips and extra rooms when required.
“When Victor told me more about his idea, I was very happy because it was a better version of what we were previously trying to do with resorts,” Kohler said.
Silent Resorts offers a flexible solution that includes pre-engineered villas and accompanying infrastructure, the docking system and Silent solar-electric catamarans serving as floating sustainable villas for guests.
“With Silent Resorts, we have a green approach from the start,” Kohler says. “All the components of one villa are in one container. We put it together and there’s no waste material, nothing to contaminate the island or bay. We can take it away at any time, which is what we mean by reversible.
“It’s a much more flexible system with almost no negative impact on the environment. Whatever we bring, we can remove. It’s a very, very smart idea that Victor had and a perfect match for our Silent catamarans.”
BRIGHT FUTURE
Silent Resorts is working on a membership model, so each member has access to the resort for six weeks a year.
“A member can say I’m coming for 10 days and I want to spend five days in the villa and five on a yacht,” Barret says. “That yacht can move around and move around the region, stay in a cove overnight, go where you want. There are thousands of islands nearby like the Exumas nearby and you can choose your itinerary daily. The guest experience is unique.”
Rendering of how a Silent Yacht can receive passengers from the seafront villas.
Silent Resorts is looking to build its network in exclusive beachfront and island locations all around the world, and states that a turnkey resort can be operational in 18 months or less in any location worldwide.
“For the Bahamas resort, the US is an obvious target market for members, but we’re getting interest from all over the world. Europe is the next big market, so we’re looking for something in the Mediterranean and maybe the Middle East,” Barrett says.
“We want to circumnavigate the globe, so we’re considering Asia – especially Indonesia – as well as Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and the South Pacific. The plan is to have five more resorts around the globe within five years. When you become a member of one location, you can use any of the locations.” Read more about this resort here.
BUYER INFORMATION
PROPERTY:
Silent Resorts
ARCHITECT:
Victor Barrett
HIGHLIGHTS:
- Using your yachts as villas to access beautiful remote seaside locations
- There will be pre-engineered villas and accompanying infrastructure, the docking system and Silent solar-electric catamarans serving as floating sustainable villas for guests.
- No negative impact on the environment
- Membership model, so each member has access to the resort for six weeks a year where a member can come in for 10 days and spend five days on the villa and five days on the yacht
PRICE:
Price upon application
CONTACT:
m: Victor Barrett on WhatsApp at +1 784 533-1282 or in Austria at +43 677 62903781