Larry

Planning a trip with my wife for 2000. Want beautiful room,great service -nice beach . Have you stayed at the Reefs? Is it worth the cost? Is May a good time of year to swim?

Lara

<BR>The rooms at the Reefs are definitely not "beautiful". Clean, small, and functional. Nice views, depending on the room. OK service, we had some minor problems in that regard. Very nice beach. <BR> <BR>I did not think it was worth the cost. On our next visit to Bermuda we will stay elsewhere.

dafree

Larry, <BR> <BR>It depends on what youre planning on doing while in Bermuda, but check out the SouthHampton Princess Hotel. It's the most modern and one of the largest on the island. Also, Elbow Beach Hotel- it has a better location (on the best beach in Bermuda, and close to downtown), but it has recently been renovated I haven't heard how it is nowadays. We stayed there a year and a half ago and it was a little old and stuffy (but nice), and the location is excellent for anything you want to do. <BR> <BR>David

Kirk

I would recommend looking at Sonesta. I have stayed there twice and it was great. The restaurants are good with several to choose from; they have several nice beaches; an indoor pool and also one outside. There is a bus stop right at the top of the hill which is very convenient since this is the easiest and most economical way to see the island(you can't rent a car and taxis are very expensive). May will be warm enough to swim but the water may be slightly cool. If you have any questions feel free to e-mail me as I have been to Bermuda eight times.

CARL

My wife and I are "repeaters" at The Reefs. The rooms are not elegant but are very nice, bright, and most have excellent ocean & coastline views. The beach is great and with the new chef they brought in last year, the food is excellent. A small hotel such as The Reefs is a different experience than the Princess or Sonesta - more personal - and with the freindly nature of the Bermudians that's good. They have a wonderful beachside restaurant, "Coconuts" that also offers great food as well as a perfect setting for a memorable dinner(s). The Reef's goal is to make you feel perfectly at ease. That is why we keep going back even though it is expensive. A week away from work is precious to us and we feel we get our money's worth. If you want some big hotel activities the Sonesta is right next store and the Southampton Princess is close by. Look at http:/www.bermuda.bm/weather/ to see if this May's water and air temperatures will meet your needs. Good luck!

Norma

Just returned from a six-day trip to Bermuda. Weather in May is usually the best: we had high 70s/low 80s with relatively mild humidity. Water temperatures were at about 74 degrees. I was told it will get to about 80 by June or July. May is their peak tourist month, thought it wasn't bad anywhere we went! <BR> <BR>Bermuda was beautiful, and I will definiely go back. But, beware, it is by no means a cheap vacation. Bermuda is unfortunely very pricey. But, with the prices you get a safe island, very nice and knowlegeable natives, beautiful beaches and scenery, and wonderful memories. (Just flying in and out of Bermuda is incredible!) <BR> <BR>No where can you go wrong staying in Bermuda. Rent a moped, and/or take advantage of the bus and ferries. I've travelled a lot, and Bermuda has moved ahead of the Caribbean and Mexico for me. <BR> <BR>Did have dinner at Coconuts @ the Reefs Hotel. Whether you stay at the Reefs or not, make sure you have one of your dinners at Coconuts. <BR> <BR>Have fun! E-mail me if you want more info--at least since it is still fresh in my mind.

Madison

I love staying in nice hotels with plush luxurious accommodations but must tell you that you only have a few choices in Bermuda in that respect. I feel that the Elbow Beach Resort and the Southampton Princess are the nicest. Elbow Beach has just renovated the rooms in the main hotel. The rooms are very nice and spacious inside with marble bathroom (not one of these spectacular bathrooms but nice), the property itself is lovely, its on a hill, you have a bit of a walk down to the beach (or shuttled down) but its not bad at all trust me. The beach is huge there, they have water activities. Southampton seemed very nice, I didnt see the rooms but they have a lot more activities there I hear, smaller beach but just a skip down and you are at horseshoe beach which is beautiful. One word of advise some of the smaller Inns were very nice, like the Fourways Inn, but I saw the rooms and grounds at the Harmony Club and would not recommend you to stay there. I would highly recommed you to dine at the Fourways Inn (expensive but worth it). By the way the reefs was next to the Elbow Beach hotel and I wasnt to impressed with their grounds, but they basically shared the huge Elbow beach. May was fine to swim, water is a bit cold but if the sun is out it is refreshing.

Lara

Reefs is not next to Elbow Beach--that is Stonington.

Nadine

Just thought I should clarify something in an earlier post about Harmony Club. I stayed at Harmony Club in November and there is absolutely nothing wrong with the grounds, facilities or the rooms. It is a very nice property with an excellent staff and service. Although it is not on the beach, it is a five minute walk to the Stonington Beach Club where Harmony Club guests have access. Harmony Club is also accessible to Hamilton because the bus stops right outside the property. <BR> <BR>Can't imagine what could make someone make that kind of statement re Harmony Club.

Very Dissatisfied Vacationer

Madison, I don't know when you last saw the rooms at Elbow Beach but I can assure you that they are neither plush nor luxiourious. We just returned from an eight night stay in Bermuda. After reading so much information about how wonderful Elbow Beach was supposed to be, we had made reservations there. We were booked for a main building junior suite. The minute I walked through the halls my jaw dropped to the floor (due to their poor condition). The room was a great disappointment. We immediately asked to see other rooms but were not happy with any of the rooms. As soon as we could find other accomodations we switched hotels. Unfortunately, this took several days. I think it is a crime that that resort is advertising millions of dollars in renovations and charging the prices they are when the guest rooms are so apalling. I will agree that Elbow Beach is probably in the best location on the island and that the beach and grounds are beautiful. However, I wish I had gotten a honest response about their rooms before we wasted the time and money we did on Elbow Beach.

Wondering

OK where did you stay after you left Elbow Beach? How was that? Tell me more about Bermuda. Would you go again?

Parrot Mom

/www.keyguide.com/ <BR> <BR>this site will give you the most obsessed people about Bermuda and they can give you every minute detail of where to stay and what beach.... <BR> <BR>This is a Bermuda chat line....and everybody seems to know everything there is to know about Bermuda

Very Dissatisfied Vacationer

Wondering, <BR>When we left Elbow Beach, we went to the Southampton Princess. The rooms at the SP were very pretty and new-looking. However, one of the reasons we did not book the SP to begin with is that the hotel is not directly on the beach. The hotel provides a free shuttle every 15 minutes or so, or you could walk down to the beach but it is a rather long walk and the walk back to the hotel is all uphill. As far as Bermuda goes, it was paradise - Beautiful flowers and greenery everywhere and the prettiest water you have ever seen. Probably the best part about Bermuda was the people. They were so incredibly friendly and helpful to us tourists. Even though I am not the type of person who ever wants to do something more than once, I would love to return to Bermuda because it turned out to be such a positive experience. However, I do think their is a serious lack of top quality accomodations, especially considering the prices that are being charged. A hotel like the Four Seasons is desperately needed in Bermuda.

Diane

I also would not recommend Elbow Beach. The beach is beautiful but the rooms are not nice. We switched rooms & the 2nd one was just as bad. Another couple went to another resort. The AC leaked on the carpets, the room smelled musty, and there were roach sitings. This resort definitely not worth the $$.

Karen

Where would you recommend we stay? Couple in the early 50's -love good service and beautiful beach. Nice room also.

june

<BR>For an elegant Bermuda cottage colony, try Ariel Sands, now owned by Michael Douglas and totally refurbished since we were there. (It was very nice even before!) Nice beach, huge salt-water pool, fine service, and elegant dining. everything top-notch. Remember, the bigger hotels are not always better--it depends what YOU are looking for. I've also heard good things about Stonington Beach; my best friend is a travel agent and she has many satisfied clients she sent there, and to Ariel Sands.