This Family’s Goal Was to Renovate an Island Resort in Just 6 Months, and HGTV Filmed It

When you hear “tropical island resort” you think “salt-water pool, open-air cabanas, and bedsheets that smell like coconut,” right? Well, when the Baeumler family—Bryan, Sarah, and their four kids—heard “tropical island resort” they thought “extreme renovation.”

Licensed contractor Bryan and design expert Sarah bought an abandoned 1960s-era resort on the island of South Andros in the Bahamas with the hope of flipping the place around within six months or risk going broke on their investment. The 18-room, 22-villa resort sits on a whopping 10 acres of land, and on top of renovating all the guest rooms, the Baeumlers also aimed to tackle the resort’s full-service restaurant, bar, club house, spa, and in-ground pool within their tight timeline.

So…did they do it? Luckily, HGTV joined them for the ride and documented the entire process, which they’ve dubbed “Renovation Island.”

“This is the biggest change our family has faced and the largest project we’ve ever taken on,” Bryan told HGTV. “What are we risking? Absolutely everything.”

Not to completely spoil the fun, the Baeumlers did, in fact, complete their mission—whether they did so within the slated timespan or budget is yet to be revealed. Their brand new boutique hotel is called Caerula Mar, and when scrolling through the resort’s Instagram account, it’s hard to believe this place sat abandoned less than three years ago.

“It’s been a life changing experience, full of risks and challenges—but also the best experience of our lives,” Bryan said of the Caerula Mar renovation process in a June 7 Instagram post.

The show has already debuted on HGTV Canada and gained a massive following. Now, HGTV fans in the U.S. will get to follow along; the Season 1 premiere of “Renovation Island” aired on HGTV on Sunday, June 7. Those with HGTV GO can stream the premiere episode, as well as following episodes, set to air Sundays at 8 p.m. ET.