STORY 1: Welcome To Dreamtide Island...Come Along For A Tour
DREAMTIDE ISLAND AND HIDDEN PARADISE RESORT
A privately-owned island somewhere in the South Pacific, Dreamtide Island, is somewhat of a mystery. Visitors have estimated that its size is somewhere between 450-500 acres, but the actual size remains unknown. Rumors say that a private buyer purchased the island from the island residents to develop a destination resort that would support the locals without intruding on their daily lives.
Hidden Paradise Cove and Resort is located on the west side of the island and is situated along the beach. It is a small resort with only about 40 rooms in the hotel itself but behind the hotel and scattered around the resort property are several cabanas hidden throughout the dense jungle and set back from the small access road that borders the back of the resort. Visitors arrive from a larger nearby island via helicopter, seaplane, water taxi, or private boat.
The resort claims no large attractions for entertainment that most high-dollar venues provide for their guests…all they promise is a local experience and lots of rest and quiet in a tropical atmosphere that is so beautiful it could be on a travel poster or post card. The fact that neither the island nor the resort ever advertises but always remains full with a long waiting list is a mystery that no one thinks a lot about and just assumes that its existence travels via word-of-mouth.
So, who visits Dreamtide Island and Hidden Paradise Resort? The average guest who arrives to stay at the cabanas are looking for a true get-away…not just a hotel room where no one will bother them, but a true, reclusive experience that could apply to just about anyone at certain times in their lives. The cabanas offer full amenities on a small scale with interaction between guests and staff, being minimal and often unseen as many guests request. Food, beverages and other supplies like towels and sundries can be left in a special area outside the door for whenever the guest chooses to fetch it. This is all prearranged ahead of time at or before check-in. This is a perfect set up for someone like a writer who may have a deadline and not want to be interrupted at an inopportune time. There are many reasons a person would like to just be alone and stay in their cabana the entire time. Because of the extreme privacy provided, the cabanas are booked well in advance and often the same person will reserve it several times a year.
The guests who stay at the main hotel are usually a little more open to outside activities and like to experience the local venues. The resort provides them with many activities that revolve around the local businesses and people…shopping, small restaurants, surfing lessons, fishing trips, hula lessons, tours of the island, local cuisine cooking classes, and other locally based activities that the island residents have come up with that they can turn into a business that also entertains the resort guests. The resort encourages the locals to continually find new business adventures and will even help them get started. A successful local business helps support the islanders, so they want stay on the island and the local businesses keep the guests entertained. It is a win-win for both the resort and the island residents.
Who is staying at the hotel? It is mostly filled with busy people who are interested in visiting a quiet spot that has just the right combination of relaxation and activities…a person who wants to get away from the go-go-go of everyday work/life commitments and to experience a laid-back atmosphere with simple, local activities and no deadlines, traffic, or noise. In fact, you won’t find any shopping malls, theaters, brand name restaurants, fast-food franchises or many of the types of businesses you see on the main island.
The visitors that come to Dreamtide Island and Hidden Paradise Resort for the right reasons, almost always come back…and bring friends…no advertising needed.