6 Best Hotels in Eleuthera and Harbour Island, Bahamas

Nestled between the aquamarine and emerald waters of Rock and Exuma Sounds, gigantic villas have two bright bedrooms, a full bath, and a stainless-steel kitchen, while the beach cottages feature a luxury bathroom and wet bar. Watch breathtaking sunsets painted over the full-service marina from your second-floor balcony. If you choose to stay in one of the new private bungalows or suites, you'll also have a direct view of the stunning beach. For a unique experience, have the staff take you by boat to one of the nearby footprint-free islands for the day. Pack a picnic and your seashell bucket and get ready for complete solitude.

Immaculate and generously sized cottages, some octagonal—all with large private porches—have sweeping views of the ocean. The resort has also introduced spacious luxury suites with patio or garden views. The Rainbow Room restaurant is one of the island's best, and islanders drive great distances for a meal here, especially when the famed Doctor Seabreeze or other local musicians strum away and sing island tunes on weeknights (in high season). A sublime beach is a short walk down the paved road along with a tennis court, and a small pool is on the property. The helpful staff will arrange fishing trips and adventure tours.

Those looking for history and luxury will find much to like about this historic building constructed in 1944 by the first premier of The Bahamas, Sir Roland Symonette. The resort still maintains its historical charm while welcoming modern, eco-friendly additions like solar water heating, solar lights, energy-saving refrigerators, and an outdoor organic garden. Each guest room at the two-story limestone inn has a full kitchen, in-room safe, air-conditioning and a mahogany deck. It's a short walk to the beach.

Founded by Louisiana native Mika Ann Webb in 2019, Mika's Resort is a small, modern beachfront resort with Caribbean flair and luxury amenities. The resort is close to the Governor's Harbour airport and set on a private beach perfect for sunbathing or water sports. Budget-oriented families will likely appreciate the stunning one-bedroom Casita suites, all of which have mini-kitchens and a view of the ocean. There's also a luxury penthouse on the property, with a full kitchen, living room, and balcony. There's no on-site restaurant, but the resort is close to popular eateries like The Deck and Daddy Joe's.

Across the street from a pink-sand Atlantic beach and Tippy's oceanfront bistro, Pineapple Fields is the perfect base for a disappearing act; hole up in one of 32 condo units, each with front and back verandas, a full kitchen, and a living room with pull-out queen sofa. Washers and dryers in each unit are especially handy for families and visitors who aren't planning to leave anytime soon. Next door to the hotel is the 25-acre Leon Levy Native Plant Preserve. When you've had enough seclusion, Governor's Harbour, Eleuthera's liveliest town, is just four miles down the road.

Each of the rustic cottages on this property, owned by the Percentie family, is named after a different island of The Bahamas. The native theme continues inside the lodgings, where each individually decorated room features a private bathroom, flat-screen TV, and tea and coffee maker. There's no lobby to speak of, since the room where you check in also doubles as the famous Ma Ruby's restaurant, but the place is full of local charm and just a short walk from the pink-sand beach. Juanita Percentie, "Ma" Ruby's enterprising daughter, also rents a luxurious five-bedroom beach villa nearby, complete with a romantic rooftop bedroom, gourmet kitchen, and waterfall pool with swim-up bar.