Susan

Our family of 5 (kids 9, 13, &15) just returned from spending thanksgiving week at the Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas. It was good and bad. The Resort itself is beautiful as were the beaches and water. We stayed in the Royal Towers and the rooms were very plain. The best part of the trip was when we went "swimming with the dolphins". It was great! We booked with Dolphin Encounters. We did the actually swim ($145pp) as opposed to the "close encounter" ($75pp). It was very $$ but it was worth it. At the end, you lay flat in the water and 2 dolphins put their nose on the bottom of your feet and send you cruising 25-30 yards across a lagoon. It's awesome! Even our 9 yr old did it. Everyone has to wear a life jacket in the water. The worst part of our trip was having to stomach (no pun intended) the prices of the food. Everything was SO expensive and there is no way to avoid it. Unless you take a taxi into Nassau $$$ there is no reasonably priced place to eat on Paradise Island. If you're going to Nassau in the Bahamas Atlantis is BY FAR the nicest resort. But as I read on Fodor's before we booked, you can stay at the Comfort Suites which is right next door and use ALL of the Atlantis amenities. And the walk to your room will be no farther!

al

I totally agree with you, Susan. The grounds are fantastic but the food prices are outrageous! At times I almost felt like a captive guest because the only way off the island was by taxi and they too are very expensive. Whenever I go to Nassau I try to stay on Cable Beach. It's not nearly as nice as Atlantis, but at least you can catch a shuttle bus into town and move around a bit without spending an arm and a leg.

Gail

There are restaurants outside of the Atlantis complex that are very reasonably priced. Right across the street in Anthony's Caribbean Grille. Down the street is the Blue Marlin. There are a couple other places at the Hurricane Hole shopping center. Also,right at the Atlantis, the Atlas Grille and the Deli are reasonably priced.

Beth2

I haven't been yet, but from previous research the "Poop Deck" (???) is on my list of reasonable and good nearby restaurants. Any comments?

tweedy

The Poop Deck is very good, and of course lots of seafood, lol, very fresh.
There are 2 now, one is close to the bridge over to PI and the other is on Cable Beach.

I also recommend the Matisse Cafe, the Junkanoo Cafe (cheap and good), Johnny Canoe's and Conch Fritters, (across from the Colonial Hilton, downtown Nassau)

Have a great time.

Kathy

How did you stay at Atlantis with a family of 5? Whenever I enquire about taking my 3 children, they tell my husband and me that we can't put 5 people in one room. Can you post a response and let me know? My email is down right now, or I'd post it for you.

joan

Kathy, note that Susan said "the rooms". She must have booked two adjoining rooms there...