rholt

I have a problem I hope you folks can help me with.

I have made reservations for my wife and myself at Bermuda's Cambridge Beach Resort for 4 nights in early/mid May 07. We will be celebrating the 10 year anniversary. Part of my decision to go with CB was driven by the rave reviews of the place in this forum.

But - after reading a commentary in a Frommer's guidebook - my wife is now concerned that the resort sounds too
a) stuffy
b) hoi polloi

Does she have a point? Are we going to find this place impossibly prim and proper?

A_Traveller

Odd choice of descriptive words - stuffy vs. hoi polloi. We were there in June and can tell you that while it is an upscale property the athmosphere it certainly is not "stuffy" however it is not your typical run of the mill low budget hotel that would appeal to the masses (as hoi polloi is defined in Webster's Dictionary).

Think of the resort in terms of "casual elegance" - men have to wear jackets & long pants or Bermuda Shorts with long socks (typical Bermuda attire) to dinner and women wear dresses or other appropriate attire - other meals you can wear casual clothes (shorts, t-shirts, etc.)

rholt

Well - you should have seen the Frommers write up... it described the Resort clientele using terms like
a) Saudi princes
b) Vanity Fair set
c) old money families
The book suggests that the
a) ‘clubby’ atmosphere may make new comers feel like outsiders.
b) resort is number 1 in snob appeal

I was taken aback by the strong opinions.

I occasionally look at Vanity Fair – but I have no Saudi relatives.

rholt

By the way... agreed on my misinterpretation of the term hoi polloi. Apparently it means exactly oppisite what I thought it meant.

A_Traveller

Well, I didn't read the Frommers report but if I did I probably wouldn't have wanted to go either. The resort does get quite a few repeat guests (they have a board with names showing how many times each has been back and there were lots with 20+ visits). We found most of the other guests to be "regular people".

For the most part we found the staff was attentive and service oriented, however, we felt the concierge could have been better at his job. We told him we wanted to go on a deep sea fishing trip during our stay (we were flexible as to the day) but he waited until the last day and the boat never showed up. After breakfast one day we asked him to get us a tour guide to drive us around for the day. After waitng 2 1/5 hours for the driver to show up we cancelled the request. The following day we arranged for our own driver and had a terrific tour. Lastly, on the day of our departure they told us a driver would pick us up in or room for the trip back to the airport. Needless to say the driver never showed up. Two phone calls and 30 minutes later they finally found a taxi to take us to the airport.

Other than the concierge and transportation problems we had an enjoyable time.

rholt

Bump. A_Traveller's comments are interesting - but I would love to hear additional comments from people who have stayed at CB.

MarionCK

Hi rholt,

I have a ten day stay at CB, departing 12/17. I will be happy to report upon my return. Aside from your concerns in the original post, let me know if you have specific questions about the facilities.

I have several spa treatments reserved....so if that is of interest to your wife, I will offer my opinions.

At this time of year, i doubt I'll be able to offer opinions about the beach and pool ;-)

This is my first trip to Bermuda, and I researched thoroughly and I expect to feel comfortable there. The front desk staff has been great with all of my requests.

You might want to read some of the recent reviews on tripadvisor.com. Of course there are some negatives there, but many positives.

Marion

BermudaObsessed

I stayed there in June 2005 for my honeymoon..I thought the people there were very friendly..Not too stuffy at all..Though, you could tell some of the people were probably very wealthly, but this did not bother us..All in all, Bermuda is a reserved island..You will love CB ..What room category are you staying in?

Dreamer2

Hi,
Went there for a 15th anniversary about five years ago, and did not find it "snobby" at all. Didn't see a single prince or heiress! It is, however, decidedly "low key." There is not a lot of hub-bub or excitement, and is a bit remotely located. We were just about 40 at that time, and really loved the peacefulness of the place. We were some of the "younger" guests, but there were a couple families with young children, too. The service, food, and spa were all terrific, and we always had a lot of privacy at any of the three small beaches (September). We loved the proximity (took a scooter) to the old Naval shipyard, and the ferry from the property right into Hamilton to shop. I recommend it, and would stay again when we return to Bermuda. If you are looking for something else, I think the Reefs just went through a renovation. Enjoy your trip, and congratulations on your anniversary!

cmoran

We stayed at Cambridge Beaches for my husband's 40th birthday and cannot wait to go back. We have small children and don't feel comfortable with them there - it is not a "family resort". It is ABSOLUTELY romantic. Beautiful rooms, and you can have your breakfast delivered to your room the next morning.

There are many beaches so you can have alot of privacy - or head to the pool.

We didn't have any problems although it is at the tip of Bermuda. An easy ride to the Dockyards but a haul back to town. (We didn't miss that though).

Bermuda is not Cancun. It is reserved, proud and beautiful.

FYI - A friend has now been back 6 times to CB. They started with their 15th anniversary and have a hard time changing to any other place.

Experience and enjoy....