10 Best Hotels in Eleuthera and Harbour Island, Bahamas

Forty secluded acres studded with scenic beach cottages set the tone for this relaxing island escape; a rocky promontory separates two coves, each with a sandy beach and calm water, perfect for snorkeling. The poolside patio is a good place for breakfast or cocktails, but sitting at the Point Bar (or the "Sunset Bar"), built into the rock between the coves, will become one of your favorite activities. Newly renovated clustered cottages have ocean or garden views, high-slanted ceilings, flat-screen TVs, and rustic furnishings. Take in the sunset from any of the three restaurants on the property, work up a sweat at the new fitness center, or relax in your private cottage and order room service.

Originally a complex of historic harbor-side buildings, Rock House was designed by the late Wallace Tutt (the builder of Gianni Versace's mansion in Miami) and owner Don Purdy, who attentively orchestrates a pampering, intimate haven for his discriminating international clientele. Fresh orchids fill every room, private cabanas line the heated courtyard pool, and the congenial staff caters to your every need. Guest rooms are a sophisticated mix of contemporary and island furnishings, outfitted with thoughtful amenities like a picnic basket for beach forays and custom-designed extra-padded mattresses. After feasting at Rock House's celebrated restaurant, you'll want to take advantage of the spa services and yoga offered by the hotel. Although the hotel is on the harbor side of the island, chairs and umbrellas are set up daily for Rock House guests who want to relax on the beach. There's also a gift shop on-site where you can purchase souvenirs.

This Governor's Harbour resort offers gorgeous waterfront villas, a harbor-view bar and grill, and dozens of other luxurious amenities. Each villa is equipped with its own golf cart, which guests can use to visit the beach on the Atlantic-facing side of the resort. French Leave prides itself on maintaining the serenity and natural beauty of the property, so you won't find a casino or any buzzing nightlife here—instead, the resort provides paddleboards, kayaks, and snorkel gear free of charge for ocean adventures.

Set atop a rocky cliff on Whale Point, Ocean Tally is a luxurious bed-and-breakfast surrounded by Eleuthera's natural beauty. This adults-only property features three cottages, each with its own sun terrace that has views of the property's private beach. The rooms are spacious, airy, and with a TV, kitchen supplies, and a private bathroom. You can choose to have breakfast on your private deck, on the outdoor dining deck, or in the common area in the lighthouse. There's also an on-site bar where you can grab drinks and food.

Harbour Island's famed beachfront resort has long been praised by celebrities—Martha Stewart, Nicole Kidman, and Brooke Shields, to name a few—and honeymooners alike for its 25 secluded acres of beautiful rambling gardens and private cottages and villas. With all the creature comforts in the way of luxurious bedding, plasma-screen TVs, and imposing native wood furniture, the newly renovated guest cottages truly feel like an island getaway in paradise. Blue Bar & Restaurant serves Bahamian-infused European cuisine until sunset and has a prime vantage point overlooking the beach.

An elegant yet energetic flair accents this eight-acre oceanfront resort, right on the beach. The main lobby is a study in British colonial style, while the billiard room of the bar attracts a younger and hipper crowd. Guest rooms come in a variety of styles, including suites, bungalows, and cottages. All are decorated in a modern tropical style, with neutral tones, streamlined wood furniture, and flat-screen TVs. Worth the extra splurge are the Villa Carissa, a private, three-bedroom beach house with an adjoining one-bedroom guest cottage, and the newly-built Sol Y Mar and Hilltop four-bedroom residences. 

This charming, retro-glam hotel with private cottages evokes a 1940s club in the tropics—with its mahogany bar, casual yet elegant dining room, and faded paperbacks in the clubhouse library, it's a favorite with the New England yachting set. A guest-to-staff ratio of almost one-to-one services the 18 cottages scattered throughout the grounds, which are tastefully decorated with white slanted ceilings and spacious marble bathrooms that have separate sink-vanity areas and stand-alone showers.

Originally deeded in 1796 and built by Thomas W. Johnson, Briland's first doctor and justice of the peace, this handsome B&B, in a garden filled with bougainvillea, royal poincianas, and hibiscus, thrives thanks to the loving preservation work of genial innkeeper John Hersh. The guest rooms are sweetly furnished with a distinctive array of antiques and local artwork and overlook either the harbor or the garden. The inn’s supremely stylish suites have grown to include two cottage accommodations, and there’s a full on-site staff, including a chef who will also prepare in-house dinners, box lunches, and picnics. The property includes a huge courtyard that features a pool and a tiki bar.

The private Howard Beach House is the perfect luxury vacation home, especially for large groups. The house features four bedrooms and bathrooms, all of which were recently renovated, along with a fully equipped kitchen. Other amenities include a covered sundeck, retractable canopy, lounges, and an outdoor shower. 

This quiet seaside inn on gorgeous, rolling grounds feels far removed from the rest of the island, which is precisely the point. This is not a place you'll be waited on hand and foot. Rather, longtime guests appreciate the lived-in quality of this rambling 1938 New England–style beach house, where you have the run of the place and can be left alone to mix a drink at the honor bar or relax poolside. Guest rooms are simply furnished in a comfortable contemporary style, and bathrooms display colorful tile work and Fresh bath products. At dinnertime, chef Krishna Higgs serves French and Bahamian cuisine, with a focus on local seafood.