Robert De Niro's Luxury Hotel Brand Is Opening a Barefoot Retreat on This Remote Caribbean Island

Nobu Hospitality — the luxury hotel brand co-founded by Robert De Niro, chef Nobu Matsuhisa, and producer Meir Teper — is bringing its first property to the Caribbean, and the location is far from the usual suspects. Nobu Beach Inn will open in late 2026 on the southwest coast of Barbuda, the quieter sister island of Antigua, as part of The Beach Club, Barbuda.

The low-density project spans 400 acres and two miles of undeveloped beachfront — the kind of scale that's almost impossible to find in the modern Caribbean, where new resorts typically squeeze onto small parcels. The hotel itself will stay intentionally small. Nobu just released updated plans showing 36 bedrooms spread across 17 individual villas, plus an additional 25 beachfront residences for sale.

The amenity mix is designed for guests who don't want a mega-resort. The property will include a beach club, an oceanfront pool, an indoor-outdoor spa, a gym pavilion, a kids' club, an outdoor cinema, and courts for both tennis and padel. The dining program will anchor around Nobu's signature Japanese-Peruvian cuisine, the same concept that has built the brand's restaurant cult following since the original opened in New York in 1994.

Barbuda makes sense as a location in a way that might surprise travelers who've never been. The island is famous for its 17-mile pink-sand beach, a near-total lack of development, and an unusually low-key vibe — there are no traffic lights, no chain hotels, and fewer than 2,000 residents. The Beach Club community, which Nobu is joining, is positioning the entire island as a barefoot-luxury alternative to Saint Barts and Mustique.

It's also a notable addition to Nobu's residential strategy. The 25 Nobu Beach Inn Residences represent one of the brand's largest residential components yet, continuing a push that has seen Nobu-branded homes open in London, Toronto, and Los Cabos. Buyers get direct access to the resort amenities and full inclusion in the hotel's rental program when they're not using their homes.

Construction is underway, with opening targeted for late 2026.