Actor and entrepreneur Robert De Niro announced a USD 250 million hospitality project on Barbuda, confirming that his Nobu group would develop The Beach Club Barbuda, a compound of a boutique hotel and private villas slated to open by late 2026, according to Infobae. Planners said the complex would cater to travelers seeking privacy on Princess Diana Beach, an area they described as still virgin.
Barbuda expected the Burton-Nibbs Airport to open in early 2026, and national officials said the new gateway would make the island more accessible to affluent visitors. Prime Minister Gaston Browne named De Niro an economic special envoy, signaling government support for the plan.
De Niro first sailed to Barbuda about 30 years ago. “It was simply beautiful,” he said. In 2014 he and Australian investor James Packer leased 161 hectares around the long-shuttered K Club, once a retreat for Princess Diana.
The current blueprint called for 17 villas—some larger than 500 square meters—with direct sea access, private gardens, and landscaping by Raymond Jungles. Each residence could include a cinema room or wine cellar, and asking prices started at USD 12 million. Another 25 residences and 30 empty plots were on offer for buyers who preferred custom construction. All buildings would remain single-story and blend into surrounding vegetation.
At the center of the site, the Nobu Beach Inn would extend Nobu Hospitality’s portfolio, which already spanned more than 60 restaurants and 19 hotels. The first local outpost, the restaurant Nobu Barbuda, opened in 2020 on the same stretch of sand.
After Hurricane Irma ravaged Barbuda in 2017, De Niro rebuilt a small cabin. He now planned to replace that structure with a larger home that would include a pool and tennis court. “The greatest satisfaction is that people enjoy what we do and come back,” he said, according to La Razón, adding that the resort aimed to provide jobs for island residents while protecting the natural setting.
Community associations and environmental groups warned that large-scale construction could displace communal lands and strain limited water, energy, and waste systems. “Wow… fell in love with the unspoiled beach and now it’s going to be covered with concrete… sad,” a social-media user wrote, 24 Sata reported. De Niro dismissed concerns about invasive development, saying all structures would remain low and rely on renewable energy where possible, according to Infobae.
The project built on De Niro’s business record with the Nobu brand, whose restaurants operate on five continents and whose hotels already number more than 15. His film career continued in parallel; the Netflix thriller The Whisper Man entered post-production and was expected to be released in 2026, the same year the new villas were scheduled to welcome their first guests.
Produced with the assistance of a news-analysis system.