7 January 2021
She chooses exclusive Calivigny Island for a blissful hideaway escape with her children after her shock divorce from Bill announced.
Few things are more beneficial or needed during a messy break-up than getting away from it all. And with an unlimited budget, Melinda Gates has been able to escape the media spotlight and awkward questions re her pending divorce from husband Bill in oh-so-luxurious style. According to TMZ, Melinda and the couple’s three children have bunkered down in the idyllic sanctuary of Calivigny Island, a $132,000-a-night private retreat with blissful views and powder-fine beaches.
The move gives the first real hint of the tensions behind the divorce, which was announced in May 2020. However, negotiations regarding the financial settlement and other practicalities have been underway since the beginning of the year when the couple called it a day on marriage. Friends say the Gates’ three kids are 'furious' with their father over the split and the together time at Calivigng Island is an important part of the family healing. Jennifer, 25, Rory, 21, and Phoebe, 18, are totally protected from the media on the private Grenadian island where they can forget about lawyers, financial speculation and rumours of acrimonious rows.
The island Melinda rented can accommodate groups of up to 50 guests and is spread over 80 lush acres. Sweeping views offer magnificent panoramas of both the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea, with Calivigny Island viewed as one of the Caribbean’s most exquisite and exclusive private island rentals. The Island is conveniently located just five minutes boat ride from the southern tip of Grenada and only 15 minutes away from the country’s international airport.
Guests can stay in the Beach House Residence with its striking combination of French Colonial and Balinese accommodation which comprises10 en-suite suites each with breathtaking ocean or garden views. A private Jacuzzi room and an oversized Rotunda completes the picture, opening up onto a luxurious marble terrace and heated pool.
Or choose the Overhang Residence, with its unbeatable views of the Atlantic on one side and the Caribbean on the other. Ninesumptous suites offer a chic, contemporary experience amongst designer furnishings and a world-class art and sculpture collection. The residence also contains a fresh water swimming pool on the main upstairs terrace as well as a beach pagoda which is perfect for soaking up the sun.
Other options for the Gates’ include the pretty Beach Cottages on a beautiful beachside setting, which are ideal for guests looking for a more intimate island experience. Each cottage features a private outdoor Jacuzzi, a large outdoor terrace and an unbeatable proximity to the crystalline waters of the Caribbean. Located just a few steps from the white sand beach, these understated dwellings are truly heaven on earth. Wherever you are on the Island, there are Michelin star chefs, private trainers, yoga teachers, yachts and water sports at hand thanks to the no-expense-spared eye of owner French millionaire Georges Cohen. As a luxury retreat for the super-rich and famous, Calivigny Island has been hired by Justin Bieber for his 21st birthday in 2015 and has also been visited by the Kardashians with St George’s Airport, Grenada served by direct flights from London, New York and Miami all year round - should you not arrive by private jet, of course.
