Tierom

We would like to visit Bermuda with two kids - 4 and 7 years old at the end of June 2009 and would really love to hear of some great places to stay (perhaps with a small efficiency unit since eating out 3 meals with kids can be challenging!) and places to visit. Your suggestions and comments would be truly appreciated. Thanks!

tierom

txgirlinbda

Look at the Rosemont guest apartments. Good location, pool, kitchenettes. That's where my in-laws stay, with 4 kids from 2-11 years old.
Visits - Dockyard, Snorkel Park (little waterslides, beach concessions, water splash playground, food), Maritime Museum admission will get the kids a peek at the dolphins at Dolphin Quest. In Hamilton, Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute, it's a kid-friendly museum. Ft. Hamilton has a dry moat full of tropical plants to run around, they'll think they are in the jungle. It also has old armory tunnels to explore. Skip Crystal Caves and visit the (smaller, but free and less scary) caves at Grotto Bay Hotel. In St. George's, try Ft. St. Catherine - cool old fort to explore. Right next to that is Tobacco Bay, small safe bay for swimming and snorkelling, snack and rental shack on site. For swimming, Shelley Bay is also safe, shallow and calm. I would also recommend a glass-bottom boat tour - they'll take you out over the shallow reef and the kids can feed the fish. There is a nice playground at Warwick Long Bay beach, no bathrooms or anything though. Enjoy your trip!!

Tierom

Thanks txgirlinbda! You have provided some great suggestions. I am now wondering if 3 nights/4 days is enough?

txgirlinbda

Guess that depends on how much down-time you want to have. Time tends to move a little slower here, so I think three full days is the minimum. But then again, I like not having to rush around.

dickensdad

txgirlinbda has some excellent suggestions. One advantage to the Rosemont is the location - close to Hamilton. This makes it easy to use the public bus system. It is also nice to be able to try the varied restaurants in Hamilton. If you like Italian food, try La Trattoria and Portofinos - casual atmosphere, good food and reasonable prices.

Whenever we go to Bermuda, we promise ourselves to stay longer the next time. It takes about three days to see the basics, but it is nice to stay longer and get into the relaxed island lifestyle.

cmcfong

txgirlinbda has given you a great suggestion in the Rosemont. It is a nice property with a terrific location. If for some reason that doesn't work for you, I strongly encourage you to look at Clairfont Apartments and the website for Fiona Campbell's apartment and house rentals http://www.bermudarentals.com. There are some good options there as well. One nice thing about those rentals is the rate is tax exempt (7.5%) and there is often only a small or no service charge (10-18% at most hotels). It is definitely a money saving option.

Bermuda is another world. Happy travels.

ParrotMom

Dollar for dollar your best bet for you and the kids would be a cruise to Bermuda.. On the cruise you will find entertainment for the kids and save the expensive of food. There is so much for you to do with the kids in Bermuda..the caves, the zoo, not even mentioning the zillions of beaches and what kid would love to go back and forth on the ferry..There is a new discovery museum, etc Food is very, very expensive in Bermuda.everything is imported

Tierom

We are leaving for Bermuda on June 28th and staying at the Fairmont Southampton. Are there any restaurants that you can recommend that would be suitable for a 4 & 7 year old? We will have to have some meals at the Southampton, but will also be travelling to Hamilton. Your suggestions have been very helpful in planning our trip. Thanks.

txgirlinbda

Between your hotel and Hamilton - Swizzle South Shore.
In Hamilton - Flangan's on Front St., Trattoria in Washington Mall (Italian - great pizza). City Cafe at the bus terminal is a good place for fresh deli sandwiches (takeout). Elsewhere on the island - Frog and Onion in Dockyard, Tavern by the Sea in St. George's, and Specialty Inn at Collector's Hill (diner-style, breakfast all day, good cheeseburgers, great pizza.) I've either been to these places with my four nieces and nephews (ages 3-10) or have seen families dining there comfortably.
And if you're near the airport/Grotto Bay hotel, there's the original Swizzle Inn and a great place acrosss the road for an ice cream cone.
Have a great trip!!

Tierom

Thanks txgirlinbda! With two kids, I am almost tempted to get a meal plan, however I have heard that they are quite pricey, and that you are better off going to restaurants. Your suggestions sound great!

Our lsat two days, we will be staying at the Fairmont Princess -- do you have any suggestions for kid-friendly restaurants? Thanks.

tierom

txgirlinbda

The ones I listed in Hamlton for your days at the Princess, plus:
Bouchee for breakfast - walking distance, good breakfast and they were great when we took four little ones in. Portofino's for Italian, also walking distance. Lemon Tree by Par-La-Ville park on Queen St. always gets a good recommendation by cmcfong, another Bermuda fan - they have all outdoor seating. Save Flanagan's and the two Italian places for supper. Are your kids boys? There's a sports pub called Robin Hood that would be fine for a burger, wrap, wings, fish and chips - also a nice walk - on your map, it's about a block from the 24-hr gas station on Bermudiana, look off to the left for a brick red bldg if you're facing the gas station. (Trust me that will make sense when you're here.) Get maps, bus schedules etc at the tourist desk at the airport while you're waiting for luggage.

girlonthego

HI We just got back from the Southampton Fairmont! Have your cab driver stop at the grocery store before the college.It is near the hotel.
Pick up milk (only by whole milk, the others are powder mixed), (skinny quart containers), snacks, drinks, yogurts,etc.. We had requested a fridge, but did not get one.(even though it was confirmed). We moved the stuff in the mini bar fridge and put our stuff in. We also packed a couple of boxes of cereal, plastic bowls and spoons and granola bars. We never ate breakfast out. Breakfast at the hotel is expensive.
Lunches we ate at the beach. (They serve chicken fingers and fries for the kids.)
Dinners are mostly kid friendly. The kids should be behaved enough to sit through a meal. We ate at Wickets (casual and very kid friendly, probably the most kid friendly), Bacci, (italian) which is kid friendly. The Waterlot is very nice and the priciest. If your kids are good kids, they should have no problem sitting in any of the restaurants. I would suggest eating dinner earlier when the restaurants are less crowded (6pm?) We had most dinners at 7:30 and they were the most crowded at that hour. The Waterlot is probably the most formal one of the restaurants.
In town, we ate at Bolero, which I am not sure kids would like unless they were more adventrous eaters. There is a great italian restaurant on a side street we went to last time.I can't remember the name, but it was casual, good food, good price and very kid friendly.
There are also restaurants like the Frog and Onion in the Dockyard. That was very kid friendly. In the towns like Hamilton, Dockyard, and St. Georges, you can always find something for the kids.
Taking the bus is easy and fun for the kids as well as the free ferry from the hotel.
Enjoy!!! I wish I was going back!

Tierom

Thanks everyone for your advice and suggestions. We just returned and truly enjoyed the Fairmont Southampton and their children's menus, Horseshoe Bay cove, Jobsens Cove, The Naval Dockyard, and the Aquarium. Since the kids are 4 & 7 and we didn't want to get out of the room at 8 for b-fast, we brought some cereal for them and we later packed some snacks and sandwiches for the beach. For dinners, we ate at the Southampton restaurants Bacci (2X), Wickets (3 X), and Ocean Club (1X), all of which were great (and kids were free).