Owned and operated by the O'Hara family since the 1950s, the upscale Coral Reef Club offers the elegance and style of Sandy Lane with less formality. Spend your days at the beach or around the pool, taking time out for afternoon tea. Individually designed suites are in pristine coral-stone manses and cottages scattered over 12.5 acres of flower-filled gardens; the public areas ramble along the waterfront. Garden rooms suit one or two guests and have a small patio or balcony, while junior suites have sitting areas and larger patios or balconies. Luxury cottage suites each have a plunge pool, bedroom, and separate living room with a sofa bed, making them perfect for families. After 7:30 PM, however, kids are not welcome in the dining room. The five pricey Plantation suites and two villas have spacious living rooms, private sundecks and plunge pools, and stereos—and are the only accommodations here that come with TVs (though you can get one for an added charge). Mingle at the bar before dining in the excellent terrace restaurant. Pros: absolutely delightful; elegant yet informal; beautiful suites with huge verandahs; delicious dining; six computers available to guests for free Internet access. Cons: no room TVs (if that matters); narrow beach sometimes disappears depending on the weather.
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Reviewed by Anthony_from_London from England on 2/1/07
We last stayed at the Coral Reef Club twenty years ago, when it was half the size. The hotel has aged better than me. The increase in number of rooms has been well managed, new rooms are well appointed, the O'Hara family are still doing a great job with its beautiful gardens (you should sign up for the tour with head gardener Anthony on a Wednesday); its facilities, (such as tennis, scuba diving, sailing. Diving on wrecks and meeting turtles underwater was very enjoyable.); you can lounge in the sun or be as active as you like. It's an oasis of calm, but if you want to walk to Holetown and shop or eat, it's not far away. We found the other guests friendly. You could complain about a few minor things like the organisation of seating at dinner in the restaurant, but overall we enjoyed a relaxing and successful holiday at the Coral Reef and would go back again.
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