Nassau hotels

One of the best luxury hotels in Nassau, the Ocean Club, A Four Seasons Resort, feels like a celebrity hideaway. I head here when I want to rejuvenate and relax. Different sections of the hotel offer various levels of privacy and glamour. Go for a bungalow or villa for private pools and beachfront living, or select one of the wings of the hotel for a more traditional hotel experience.

Since The Ocean Club is located on Paradise Island, there are plenty of activities to keep you occupied. The hotel has three pools, three restaurants, daily Pilates and yoga classes, as well as two lounges, kilometres of white sandy beach and the Ocean Club Golf Course.

I love admiring the artworks by Jane Waterous dotted around the interior, taking in the 12th-century Augustinian cloister and strolling the manicured Versailles Garden, which feels both tropical and European at the same time.

Perched on the edge of Paradise Island, The Reef at Atlantis is one of the best hotels for families. Here you’ll find a wide range of accommodation styles to suit your needs.

My go-to is a studio, which has amenities that make my stay easier, such as a fold-out bed for my son and a kitchenette. Suites have larger kitchens, and penthouses are the most luxurious, with more bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchens and private outdoor space.

The Reef is just one of several hotels that are part of the expansive Atlantis group and property. You can take a shuttle (though I usually opt to walk and take it all in) to get to spots like Dolphin Cay and the Atlantis private beach. The entire family will love discovering the Aquaventure Water Park, from diving into the 11 different pools to dining at a selection of the 21 restaurants.

One of the best boutique hotels in Nassau is the Ocean West Boutique Hotel. The property has just 10 rooms, so I usually stay here when I want a more intimate and personal experience.

Perched on a hill not far from Cable Beach, this is also one of the best hotels in Nassau if you want an ocean view. All rooms have at least a partial sea view, and some have private balconies with panoramic ocean vistas.

Each guestroom is named after a jewel. My favourite is the Emerald Room, which has a queen bed and a private balcony that opens up to a stunning sea view. The hotel also has a pool with ocean views and a massage suite. Even the rooftop gym has views of the sea, which made exercising on vacation decidedly more enjoyable for me.

The Goldwynn Resort and Residences offers an air of sophistication and a barefoot luxury ambiance. One of the best hotels in Nassau for travellers who want a stylish stay without any stuffiness, I love the building’s crisp white exterior. The casual yet chic suites and studios offer indoor-outdoor living, with giant glass patio doors opening up to private outdoor spaces and views of the sea.

I found this hotel to be just as practical as it is beautiful, thanks to amenities like in-suite kitchens/kitchenettes and pull-out sofas. The perfect day at Goldwynn starts with a swim in the heated infinity pool that overlooks the magical Cable Beach.

Then, head to the Amara Beach restaurant for afternoon cocktails, finishing with dinner at OIA, which sources most of its products locally from the island and its waters.

You might mistake this boutique hotel for a (large) Caribbean cottage. One of the best hotels in Nassau for artsy travellers, this property also deems itself a gathering space for visitors and locals, home to 30 rooms and suites, an art house cinema and an art gallery.

Although The Island House isn’t located directly on the beach, I enjoyed cruising along in the hotel’s beach shuttle to their private beach. Here you’ll find private beach seating, a bar and free beach toys for younger guests.

I also loved popping into the hotel library to relax and read, dipping into the large, sparkling pool and grabbing snacks and coffee at the hotel’s “market”. This spot is the place for foodies looking for international cuisine, with a South Asian eatery, an Italian restaurant and a colourful cocktail and coffee bar.

One of the best hotels in Nassau if you love the beach, the Rosewood Baha Mar is set on an expansive stretch of Cable Beach’s pristine sands. Although the location is calm and romantic, I also think it’s one of the best hotels in Nassau for families, thanks to its access to the Baha Bay water park and interactive wildlife sanctuary.

Rooms, suites and villas feature Bahamian art, large soaking tubs and garden or sea views. Adults can golf on the Jack Nicklaus-designed course, hit the casino or play tennis. There’s plenty for kids too – from kids’ cooking classes, mini-golf or admiring the flamingos (the resort offers flamingo yoga, which is one of my most unforgettable travel experiences to date).

Dining here is a culinary adventure – choose from classical French cuisine and Mexican delights to craft cocktails and breezy beachfront dining.

The Grand Hyatt Baha Mar sits next to the Rosewood Baha Mar and is one of the best hotels just off Nassau on Paradise Island. You’ll have access to all of the Baha Mar amenities (many of which you can also enjoy by staying at the aforementioned Rosewood), like the Baha Bay Water Park, wildlife sanctuary, casino and GameZone arcade.

Rooms emulate the hotel’s beachy location, all bright and airy with white linens, pops of ocean blue and light wood furnishings.

You’ll never be bored at this hotel – it has eight pools, dozens of dining outlets and plenty of water activities. There’s also an art gallery, a mini-golf course, a 2,800-square-metre ESPA spa and – my personal favourite – an aviary where you can participate in feeding tropical birds.

Orange Hill Beach Inn is a boutique hotel with cozy rooms and apartments, as well as cute Caribbean cottages. One of the best hotels in Nassau if you have an early morning flight, it’s just a 10-minute drive from the Lynden Pindling International Airport (NAS).

I enjoyed the tasty and affordable pancake breakfast I had at the family-friendly Orange Hill Restaurant, while my son loved diving into the glittering pool and crossing the street to set up camp on the quiet beach. I opted to laze around in deck chairs, admiring the ocean from the hotel’s gardens.

While it may not have all the bells and whistles of a mega-resort, Orange Hill is the place to be if you want to relax in a comfortable place that feels like home.

Located just steps away from Junkanoo Beach, the Nassau Straw Market and the Pirates of Nassau Museum, Margaritaville is one of the best hotels in Nassau for exploring Nassau City. Relax in a beach-themed guestroom – think aqua hues and tropical plants – with a large balcony. Families or groups should book the Jimmy Buffet suite, which has two bedrooms, two bathrooms and gorgeous sea views.

What I like best about this hotel is that even though it’s near all the action, there’s also plenty to do at the resort itself. Kids can play in the Fire Up Water Park or climb the climbing wall. Meanwhile, adults can lounge beside numerous swimming pools.

It’s the little things that make this hotel special though. For example, I love that the ice cream bar serves bubble tea, and the weekly family scavenger hunts allow the whole family to bond.

Bay View Suites Paradise Island is great if you want to enjoy all the fun activities on Paradise Island but prefer to head back to a quieter, more intimate hotel each night.

I love that even the suites come with kitchens, and for larger groups and families, I suggest staying in one of the townhouses or villas, which have two bedrooms, two bathrooms and private terraces with gardens.

Although Bay View is an affordable boutique property, it still has plenty of amenities. Splash around in three pools, play tennis on the courts or get a workout in at the fitness centre. Families with small children or babies will also appreciate the on-site laundry facilities and babysitting services.