Frank

What's your recommendation for an upscale hotel or resort, newly renovated if it is an old property, which provides convenient access to very good (and preferably not too crowded) beaches? Thanks. <BR>

Ray Snow

Hi Frank, <BR> <BR>There are 3 real good places located near one another in Southampton Parrish. They are very different but excellent places to stay especially if you like to be near the beach. The Reefs is an outstanding small luxury hotel right above its own beach. It also has a nice pool, excellent restaurants, and tennis courts. The much larger Sonesta Beach Resort (next door to the Reefs) has 3 beaches, 2 big pools, water sports, onsite scuba operation, several restaurants, several tennis courts, etc. Nearby is the largest hotel on the island - the Fairmont Southampton Princess. It has several wonderful restaurants, a good 18 hole golf course, and its own beach, which is a fair distance from the hotel but they run a shuttle service. My personal favorite is the Reefs, because it offers a dine around program, is right next to a beautiful sandy beach with rocks and coral, is more intimate, and provides excellent service for its guests. Visit the following sites to check them out: http://www.thereefs.com/reefs/home.html, http://www.fairmont.com, http://www.sonesta.com/bermuda <BR> <BR>Regards, <BR>Ray

Jan

We've stayed at the Reefs and loved it. It has gone through an extensive renovation this year, so I don't have THE most recent info. The staff is warm, welcoming, and take pride in their excellent service (as well they should.) The beach is private to guests, and everything is there that you need (chairs, umbrellas, "noodles," snorkeling equipment and kayaks, etc.) The onsite dining is good to very good, and the dine-around options are also good. In-house dining options include the main house, the terrace that goes with the main house, and the beach-side outdoor restaurant, "Coconuts." Very easy access to the bus line. The pool is on the smallish side (not unusual in Bermuda -- you have to go to the larger hotels like the Sonesta or Princess for larger pools,) but it is newly renovated and is now one of those "horizon" pools. The room we had was very nice, but it felt a bit small with a king bed and sofa & table in it -- but some of the rooms have been enlarged this year? Also: the bathroom was an okay size, and there was also a separate dressing area. I think most the rooms have terraces overlooking the water. The rooms were very nice, but ome people aren't happy unless they see marble in the bathroom (unless this is part of the recent renovation, there was not marble in ours.) So: if you want the quiet luxury of a small hotel with much of what I want in a beach holiday, the Reefs was great. <BR> <BR>That said, if you must have more on-site amenities, the Sonesta and Princess are large, very full-service hotels (multiple restaurants; spas; shops and newstands, etc. and etc.) The previous post describes their beaches, etc. pretty well. <BR> <BR>FYI: the Reefs is in easy walking distance to the Sonesta, if you stay at one and want to check the other out (we'd sometimes walk over for the ATM or newstand, although the Reefs has its own gift shop with gifts and sundries. The Reefs would also get some "Sonesta refugees" if they were looking for a quieter lounge in the evening.) <BR> <BR>That said, we're trying something different this year at Horizons & Cottages. This does not reflect poorly on the Reefs -- we just ant a change. HC is NOT on the beach, but a sort-of short walk to the public beach, or HC guests have privileges to the Coral Beach Club ($10 surcharge, but this provides more privacy.) The attraction at HC: nice rooms, quiet (but not stuffy?) atmosphere, and some of the better hotel kitchen dining options on Bermuda (HC, Waterloo House, and Newstead.) My husband is a foodie, and doesn't mind getting dressed for dinner. <BR> <BR>Another option is Ariel Sands, aka "Michael Douglas's place." The beach is right there, the dining room is pretty good, nice pool, the rooms are nice, etc. A drawback is that it is somewhat out of the way, which is why I'd go for the three Southampton Parrish options mentioned above. (AS has dine-around agreements with the Reefs, if you want to check it out.) <BR> <BR>At another option is Cambridge BEaches. Here, there are 5 "pocket" beaches that people love or hate. CB prides itself on service, but some feel that it can be stuffy (page down to posts that were placed in the May-June range?, and I've heard that the spa services are quite pricey. It ,too, is somewhat out of the way, but many love it that way.

Glen Cuoco

Check out the Accommodations section on the Bermuda Forum, at the Bermuda Shorts web site: www.bermudashorts.bm There, you will see postings from folks who have actually stayed at the various locations and can give first-hand help. If you don't see what you want, just post a question and it will be answered.

Jan

Try the Bermuda Shorts site in a few days (?); it is being redesigned. I tried it myself when checking for infomration updates.

Glen Cuoco

Jan - please take a look at which URL you're using for Bermuda Shorts to make sure you use .bm on the end and not .com The site IS having a redesign, but is not out of commission. The Bermuda Forum there is a great place to get direct responses for accommodations and other interests.