and kissed -- The wild waves whist...'' W.M. Shakespeare. Ariel Sands, the quaint cottage colony on South Shore Road in Devonshire, was named after the spirit Ariel in William Shakespeare's romantic drama, The Tempest. Before the property was converted to a cottage colony, Mrs. Ruth Rapalje Neilson Dill used to bring her children to the premises for picnics, said assistant manager Mr. Matthew Dill, who is also her great grandson. "Ma D (Mrs. Dill) always thought the rock in the water looked like Ariel, the sea sprite from The Tempest, frolicking in the waves,'' he said. "That was why she decided to call the cottage colony Ariel Sands once it was built.'' Mrs. Dill's grandson, Mr. David Dill, was also starring in the same Shakespearean play abroad. So The Tempest was obviously on her mind, said Mr. Dill. In 1976, world famous sculptor J. Seward Johnson even paid tribute to the magical little spirit, Ariel, in his stainless steel creation of the figure, which stands on a rock just off the Club's private beach. Indeed, the figure is like a symbol of the cottage colony's distinctive character, one that keeps bringing guests back again and again. According to Mr. Matthew Dill, Ariel Sands boasts a superb return guest rate. And why not? Guests can relax in plush comfort and enjoy breathtaking vistas from any one of 13 cottages, which are divided up into units of either two, four or eight rooms, each with its own private entrance.

The family owned and operated Beach Club can accommodate up to 110 guests at one time. Most rooms accommodate two people, but some are large enough to sleep a family of three, four or five. Like the Beach Club itself, all cottages including Mirandas Cabana, Prospero, Juno and Tempest Haven are also named with reference to the famous Shakespearean play, The Tempest. The rooms in all cottages are air-conditioned and equipped with bathrooms, and most have a verandah overlooking the ocean. For those with business in mind, there is a conference room for corporate meetings in the Main Club House, which can accommodate up to 20 people. Telephone and fax machines are available as well as an office for secretarial work. "We also encourage local businesses to use our conference room,'' said manager of Ariel Sands Beach Club Mrs. Leslie Hayward. "It's a great corporate meeting room,'' she said, adding that the facility's best feature is its huge cedar table. Also in the Main Club House is a newly renovated reception area and lounge, a revamped dining room and cocktail bar, as well as the new outside restaurant and bar. Ariel Sands has three tennis courts, two of which are floodlit for nighttime play, as well as an exercise room, a swimming pool and a tranquil ocean-fed pool. As well, the Club has its own beach, where some of the best tropical fish, corals and reef life can be seen. Centrally located in the heart of Bermuda, Ariel Sands is indeed a world apart from most other hotel facilities. Like the character after which the beach club was named, it is alive with spirit. "We have a real family environment here,'' said Mr. Dill. "Both the staff and the guests really enjoy it,'' he added, noting that the relaxed atmosphere is very personalised. PHOTO CONFERENCE ROOM -- The new conference room at the Ariel Sands Beach Club is complete with a giant cedar table.