On Wednesday, a major milestone was reached for luxury hospitality in the Caribbean: developers celebrated the structural topping-off of Pendry Hotels & Resorts’ first ever international project, bringing the California-based brand one step closer to launching the Caribbean’s first Pendry-branded resort on Barbados’ scenic northwest coast, with full completion scheduled for 2027. The construction of this landmark mixed hotel-and-residential development is being handled by Aecon Construction Group, Canada’s largest publicly traded contracting firm.
The topping-off ceremony, which marked the end of the project’s core structural construction phase, drew high-profile attendance including Mia Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados, alongside multiple senior government officials. The event doubled as an official formal introduction of the Pendry brand to the Caribbean region, positioning the upcoming resort as a signature global destination for the luxury hospitality group.
For Pendry’s founding family, the Barbados project carries far more meaning than just a business expansion. Michael Fuerstman, co-founder of Pendry Hotels & Resorts, shared that the development has already garnered widespread global attention among industry circles. “I travel around the world meeting clients and partners, and everybody wants to know about Barbados,” Fuerstman explained. “This is the one destination that creates the most excitement. It’s aspirational, it’s exciting, and it’s a great lifestyle.”
His father, Alan J. Fuerstman — founder, chairman and CEO of Montage International, the parent company of Pendry — recalled a personal trip to the island back in 1985, when his family visited to get a break from the stress of raising young children, including Michael. “To be standing here today, all these years later, is incredibly special for our family,” the senior Fuerstman said. He added that the entire resort was designed to blend seamlessly with Barbados’ natural coastal landscape, telling attendees: “Imagine just hearing the surf. You just open the windows and it’s so compelling. Our guests will hear that a little over a year from now.”
Leading the construction work, Aecon’s team emphasized that luxury hospitality requires rigorous attention to detail from the very earliest stages of development. Marty Harris, executive lead and senior vice-president of Aecon, noted that exceptional quality in hidden structural work is what ultimately creates a standout guest experience. “Luxury begins long before a guest arrives,” Harris said. “It begins in the foundations, the structures, and the details that will never be seen but will always be felt.”
Beyond construction, the project has also prioritized investment in local Barbadian communities. Aecon has already hired graduates from the Barbados Construction Gateway Training Initiative to work on the resort, and launched local outreach programs including the “From Our Home to Yours” community support initiative.
When it opens its doors in 2027 as scheduled, Pendry Barbados will feature roughly 80 oceanfront guest rooms and 46 high-end luxury residential units. The sprawling development will also include a 110-berth marina, the exclusive Pendry Yacht Club, a branded Pendry spa, and multiple unique dining concepts catering to both guests and local residents.
Michael Fuerstman noted that the project’s rare combination of amenities and setting makes it one-of-a-kind in the global luxury real estate and hospitality space. “I don’t know that there’s another hotel residential development like this in the world,” he said. “It’s very, very unique.”
Pendry leadership extended explicit gratitude to the government of Barbados for its ongoing support throughout the development process, which turned the brand’s first international expansion from a vision to a reality. Closing out the topping-off ceremony, Alan Fuerstman framed the project as a long-term investment in the island, not just a construction project. “We are building far more than a resort. We’re building relationships, creating opportunity, and laying the foundation for a legacy of hospitality that will extend well beyond these shores,” he said.