123 Best Hotels in Bahamas

Once the private hideaway of A&P supermarket heir Huntington Hartford, this exclusive Four Seasons Resort on magnificent Cabbage Beach's quietest stretch provides the ultimate in understated—and decidedly posh—elegance. Its Versailles Gardens includes 35 acres of terraced serenity and an imported French cloister. Set amid private gardens, the spacious colonial-style rooms and villas have intricately carved furniture, marble bathrooms, and private butlers. Special touches include unpacking service, champagne and chocolate-dipped strawberries in the afternoon, regular shuttles to and from Atlantis, and privileges at the nearby golf course. The open-air restaurant and bar, Dune, is perched over the beach.

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.

The spectacular view of Harbour Island's Pink Sands Beach is the major selling point for this luxury boutique hotel. The decor is both modern and tropical—rooms are decorated in shades of green, with wooden furniture, and surrounded by coconut and palm trees. There's a restaurant on the property that serves three meals a day, but the resort is also centrally located if you feel like dining at one of Harbour Island's more popular restaurants. The Ocean View Club is also great for guests who seek privacy and seclusion but don't want to stray too far from the center of the town.

Sitting right on the beach in Great Exuma, Paradise Bay is a charming boutique hotel with a cheerful Franco-Bahamian style. The resort is owned by a family hailing from Paris, and the French influence is evident throughout the property, but especially at the on-site restaurant, Cocoplum Bistro, which serves a fusion of Bahamian and French dishes. The resort has 11 cottages and villas, all of which are beachfront. The rooms are spacious and modern, painted in a calming color scheme of blue, white, and yellow. The two-bedroom cottages and the villas are equipped with a kitchenette. There's also a small pool with partial ocean views.

Close to the beach, with rooms overlooking the Port Lucaya Marina or the waterfront along the canal, Pelican Bay has a funky modern appeal, and suites overflow with character and decorative elements collected from around the world. The deluxe staterooms have extras like rain showers, espresso machines, and kitchenettes, making them perfect for longer stays. On-site amenities include two great restaurants and two trendy bars, three pools and a hot tub, and a small playground. The hotel is a quick and easy walk to Lucaya Beach and the Port Lucaya Marketplace, and it's next door to UNEXSO—a plus for divers. Taino Beach is accessible via ferry.

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.

Lots of room, contemporary upscale island decor, and large balconies where you can sit and enjoy amazing views of the Sea of Abaco make these two- and three-bedroom condos a popular choice. Each is fully furnished and has a fully appointed kitchen and laundry room. Full housekeeping is included, as are all the amenities of the resort.

This pastel-splashed luxury resort boasts a boutique casino and a stunning Hilton hotel with a rooftop infinity pool, a luxury spa, and a fitness center. With ocean on one side and marinas on the other, the cute, manicured village-of-a-resort offers town houses, spacious suites, and condos with tidy golf-cart parking areas and tasteful, island-themed interiors: island art, seashell accents, hardwood and rattan furnishings, and lavish bedrooms and baths. Most have full kitchens. With 305 luxurious suites and rooms, the Hilton exudes a sophisticated chic ambience, where you can sip, graze, and dine your way to bliss in 10 restaurants, cafés, and bars. Each room has a balcony; the ground floor suites spill out on to private patios and a lagoon pool with a sip-and-dip bar. Latest is the casual luxury Luna Beach Club on Paradise Beach, offering food, cocktails, and cabanas. Here, you can relax or have fun with Jet Skis, paddleboards, and snorkeling trips by day and moonlight weekend parties, concerts from old stars, and live bands by night. Near the megayacht marina is a wide pool area with a sip-and-dip bar, sun lounges, and the casino. At the Fisherman's Village marketplace is another marina with two more eateries, a bar, and shops. Find more adventure on one of Bimini Undersea’s diving, sunset cruise, nature tour, or fishing adventures. The sophisticated luxury of RWB and the Hilton coupled with Bimini's natural wonders and old-timey, out-island feel is a magical combo.

At centrally located The Royal, spend your days riding the slides at Aquaventure and your nights in the casino and the nightclub. While The Coral offers comfortable accommodations for less, this is the section of the hotel where you'll experience luxury. Regular rooms are large and well appointed, with a (fake) French balcony. But if you dream of sitting outdoors looking at the ocean, waterscape, or Nassau Harbour, opt for one of the even more spacious and luxurious suites. Fun fact: Michael Jackson was the first guest in the Bridge Suite, the nearly 5,000-square-foot, 10-room suite suspended between the two Royal Towers; it includes access to seven full-time staff members who cater to your every need. A $59-per-room daily resort fee includes Wi-Fi, reusable water bottles, and access to the water park, movie theater, and fitness center, as well as shuttles throughout the sprawling property.

Cable Beach's most expensive all-inclusive resort recently underwent a year-long, multimillion-dollar facelift; more than 200 rooms have been upgraded, and they've added trendy swim-up river suites that come with personal butler service. If the 15 acres aren't enough for you, catch the hourly ferry over to Sandals Barefoot Cay to really get away from it all. An array of activities on land and water, including scuba diving, are all included. Indulge in a massage or facial at the Red Lane Spa. There's a state-of-the-art fitness club and a multilingual concierge service that assists foreign guests. Ten restaurants offer cuisines ranging from Caribbean to Japanese (make reservations well in advance), and nightly entertainment takes place in the resort's amphitheater.

With harbor views, luxuriously decorated rooms and suites, and the only restaurant and swimming pool in Schooner Bay right downstairs, this quaint bed-and-breakfast inn is the perfect spot for visitors who want to be taken care of. Three suites are located in the main three-story house, while the rooms are situated in two small cottages right out back. Two beaches—one perfect for lounging or paddleboarding (just grab a board and head into the water), the other great for snorkeling—and a 50-acre protected forest with well-marked walking trails are all just a quick golf-cart ride or five-minute walk away. The Dining Room is the only full-service restaurant in the community serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner (dinner is served Thursday through Sunday only). The menu is often determined by what looks good at the community farm, and they use as much locally sourced product as possible. 

Accessible only by boat, this resort features guest rooms in the main house and one-room bungalows overlooking a gorgeous white-sand beach in a 5-acre compound that stretches from Nassau Harbour to the ocean. Tent sites are available starting at $65 per day outside of the summer months. If you're up for camping but don't want to bring your own gear, inquire about the single and double tent huts. This retreat is for those who are serious about yoga and good health, and accommodations are only available to those enrolled in a program: the community gathers morning and evening for meditation and yoga. During free time from 10 am to 4 pm, the retreat's shuttle boat will take you to Nassau for shopping and sightseeing, or you can stop in for a massage at the Well Being Center on-site. Yoga decks are next to the beach and harbor, and there are also meditation rooms, frequent guest lecturers, and special classes for advanced teacher certification. The per-person price includes two buffet-style lacto-vegetarian meals each day, at 10 am and 6 pm. Rooms range from quite luxurious to austere, and Wi-Fi is available throughout the property outside of morning and evening satsang hours. Alcohol, coffee, tea, meat, fish, cigarettes, radios, and TVs are not allowed, and there is a two-night minimum throughout the year.

Perched on 22 acres of oceanfront property, this modern resort features three poolside one-bedroom bungalows and four large four-bedroom houses. All accommodations have a spectacular view of the Atlantic and a refreshing ocean breeze. Several of the houses have private pools, though you might prefer the swim-up bar at the resort's restaurant. While free Wi-Fi and satellite TV come standard, a good book and poolside cocktail may be all you need. This service-oriented resort can also arrange adventure tours and fishing guides.

This casual, lusciously palm-shaded beach and oceanfront property has been going strong for more than 50 years and offers 17 private cottages, with a main dining clubhouse, lounge, and waterfront terrace and bar. It’s the historic and pioneering scuba-diving resort for the entire Atlantic and Caribbean and has a devoted following of divers, snorkelers, eco-adventurers, anglers, couples, and families. It’s even been listed as one of the official “1000 Places to See Before You Die” within the eponymous book. Small Hope is an all-inclusive experience with everything included, such as meals and drinks all day, beachside hot tub, Wi-Fi in the lounge, beach fitness equipment, Discover Scuba lessons, fishing tackle and bait, bikes, kayaks, paddleboards, and transport to the batik factory in town. The staff are very experienced, warm, and friendly. Room rates start at $325 during the low season and $385 during the high season.

An unassuming front entrance hides what many say is one of The Bahamas' top small vacation retreats, and guests love having 7 miles of powdery beach to themselves. The famous, converted beachside mansion was once owned by Earl "Mr. Celebrity" Blackwell and called Carriearl. In the 1970s, Blackwell was New York's social arbiter, publisher of the Celebrity Register, and promoter of star-studded events. He used Carriearl as a party house to entertain a coterie of rich and famous friends who had joined GHC's Tamboo Club. The living areas, restaurant and bar, and four rooms are tastefully furnished. The rooms en suite have air-conditioning, fans, and quality linens, and there's a stunning blue pool and beach lounges, bikes, and kayaks for guests to enjoy between snorkeling and fishing.

Stella Maris is more than a resort; it's a long-standing family-fun community that sits atop a hilly ridge offering many accommodations choices (including private homes), complemented by multiple pools, breathtaking views of the Atlantic, fun bars and restaurants, and activities for every interest—it's also within walking distance of Stella Maris Airport. Free morning and afternoon activity programs include beach trips, island tours, sailing at Deal's Beach, and boat cruises with snorkeling and kayaking. The resort can also arrange all sorts of excursions, such as deep-sea fishing, bonefishing, and scuba diving. The service is outstanding, and each week the resort hosts a rum-punch pool party, a cave party, barbecues, and other lively events.

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.

At this luxurious hideaway for jet-setters in the know, you might feel like you're in French Polynesia, yet it is one of the Atlantic’s last great secrets. Tiamo Resort offers a back-to-nature escape on the north shore of South Bight, 10 miles southwest of the village of Driggs Hill. Getting here from the United States is also an adventure (skip Nassau by hiring a floatplane from Florida). Arrival at this low-key yet sophisticated ecoresort via the free private ferry, either from Lisbon Creek on Mangrove Cay or from the Driggs Hill airport, is just the beginning. Serene beachside vistas and top fishing and diving are on the menu. With French flair and expertise, the service here is excellent, warm and doting, as are the dining, wines, champagnes, and massages. Meals, soft drinks, Wi-Fi, gym, bikes, and sailing and water sports near the resort are included (alcoholic beverages are extra), as are guided tours, including fishing, diving, wake-boarding, and waterskiing. Beachside villas have pools, and dining is at the open-air cabana, with its bar, lounge, and pool. This is a great place for groups and families. Deservedly, Tiamo has captured hearts and many guests return.

This two-story all-inclusive property replicates Caribbean-style plantation manors with quiet ocean-view rooms and suites. The resort has three on-site restaurants, a café, a bar, a spa and fitness center, tennis courts, golf, and complimentary Wi-Fi. 

There's nothing fancy about this all-suites motel, but its rooms are clean and spacious. Each suite includes two bedrooms, one bathroom, a lounge area, and a basic kitchenette. There are no other amenities on-site, but if you are looking for a spot to stay on the mainland while you explore the surrounding cays, this is a good option in a town where options are few and far between.

Facing east on long, pristine Nicholls Town Beach, this palm tree–festooned property offers three secluded beachfront cottages, four villas, and a beachside tiki bar and restaurant with beautiful views. Villas have well-appointed kitchenettes. Modern amenities include satellite TV, air-conditioning, free Wi-Fi, and a gym, with biking, snorkeling, kayaking, and nature trails. Visit Uncle Charlie's Blue Hole and bonefish with Bahama Bob. The petite resort also has a business center and group facilities for 200 persons. Nicholls Town has many take-out outlets, but for sit-down dining on the beach, this is the place to enjoy tasty, well-cooked food. Locals love it, too.

If you're a dedicated bonefisher, AIBC is the place for you, with access to 100 square miles of lightly fished flats, including wadable (at low tide) flats right out front. The 29-acre waterfront property is laced with palm trees, well-tended gardens and lawns, and even some ruins from the island's sisal plantation era of the 1800s. Rooms, in separate cabins near the water, are basic but comfortable, mainly with double beds, mini-refrigerators, ceiling fans, and air-conditioning. The dining room–lounge has satellite TV and fly-tying tables. Meals are hearty, with Bahamian fare such as fresh-grilled seafood and peas-and-rice served up family-style. Packages include room, meals, water, Wi-Fi, guided fishing tours, laundry service, and transfers to and from the Andros Town airport. Rates start at $1,745 per person, based on double occupancy, for two nights and three days of fishing. For accommodations only, the starting rate is $200 per night.

The perfect balance of luxury and casual chic, without the megaresort feel, this eighteen-room resort on 300 feet of narrow beach is a mile north of George Town. Decor includes luxurious, dark colonial-style furniture and woven jute beds. Pillow-top queen- and king-size beds, 400-thread-count linens, feather-down comforters, stone floors, and marble baths with glass-enclosed rain showers and double-vanity sinks round out the opulence. French doors open onto private patios or balconies that overlook the pool and a gorgeous white-sand beach. Marvel at the lodge's tiered, stained-pine cathedral ceiling. Augusta Bay Restaurant serves authentic Bahamian dishes.

This 4-acre condominium resort has a lush, intimate character, and guests can socialize around three pools that are surrounded by tropical plants, including several hibiscus and bougainvillea varieties. Choose between one- or two-bedroom suites, villas, and town houses, all of which are spacious, fully equipped, and with enough closet space for a long visit. All rooms have private balconies or garden terraces. Cabbage Beach is a 10-minute walk away. The property includes a coin-operated laundry facility, small fitness room, tennis court, and basic convenience store.

Right on the water and a short walk from the Port Lucaya Marketplace, this charming family-run (through three generations) inn with simple-yet-spacious rooms has quick and easy access to the island's best underwater sites, making it perfect for scuba-oriented and budget-minded travelers. The hotel's quaint, convivial restaurant bar serves seafood and good spirits, and both locals and guests gather for nightly happy hours and live music on Thursday evening. 

On the banks of Cargill Creek, this small and charming bonefishing lodge is run by Charlie Neymour, a bonefishing legend, and his wife, Fatiha, who serves deliciously aromatic Moroccan and Mediterranean cuisine in the dining room—with tasty fresh seafood Bahamian-style as well. This smart new facility offers four rooms that include satellite TVs, free Wi-Fi, and refrigerators. On the pleasant outdoor patio that overlooks Cargill Creek, be prepared to party on your last night. Service is friendly and prompt. Room-only bookings are not accepted at the resort. Package rates are per person for double-occupancy rooms and include guided fishing, lodging, meals, drinks, and taxes.

This king of Alice Town’s marina-based resorts has an illustrious fishing history since 1936, and today it has a renewed spark and charm, with and a focus on quality service. The suites, rooms, and cottage rooms are surrounded by hammock-strewn palms, sea grape, and hibiscus flowers and overlook the pool. They’re comfortable, spacious, and inviting. All have a 27-inch TV (with cable), hair dryer, DVD player, alarm clock, coffeemaker, iron and board, and safe, plus free Wi-Fi. Cottage rooms come with kitchenettes and drinks bars. The lively and popular Bimini Big Game Bar and Grill (with sports TV) is a great place for international cuisine and fresh island seafood, enjoyed at the bar, on the deck overlooking the harbor or pool, or in the cool air-conditioning. The on-site Bimini Scuba Center (PADI), now run by Neal Watson Jr. of the famed Neal Watson dive family, is popular for wild dolphin excursions and hammerhead and bull dives, as well as dives to Bimini’s famous reefs and wrecks. It offers kayaks, paddleboards, and snorkeling gear for rent. It’s a short five-minute walk to Radio Beach. Bimini Big Game is an obviously good choice, with good food and an island ambience.

Overlooking the Straits of Florida on a stunning beach, this well-designed property rents one- to three-bedroom condominiums with direct marina access. The full self-catering condos are nicely decorated and have balconies and patios with views of the marina or the beach. The infinity pool and sunbathing deck is served by a pool bar and café offering island and American dishes, burgers, and sandwiches. Above the marina store, The Petite Conch is a cozy little restaurant and bar serving three meals a day. The marina has 60 slips, a fuel dock, and a basic ship's store. Customs and Immigration is 2 miles away at the airport, so boating guests can tie up and clear paperwork without venturing to busy North Bimini. The water taxi to North Bimini operates until around 11 pm (ask in advance). The resort offers tennis and a superb nature trail as well as boat, golf-cart, and bike rentals. Friendly staff arranges all sorts of fun excursions and activities, including diving and fishing.

This 1899 landmark hotel is the social heart of Nassau; it's the setting for political meetings and events, and offers guest rooms with views of the harbor and old Nassau. The first colonial hotel, built by Standard Oil cofounder Henry Flagler, attracted socialites, royals, and industrialists at the turn of the 20th century and during the boom years of Prohibition. That building was destroyed by fire in 1921, and the present Mediterranean-style British Colonial—an exact replica—opened a year later, featuring a lustrous saffron facade, gleaming marble floors, and soaring arched ceilings. Those elements remain today, with modernized interiors dappled with stylish velvet and rattan furniture. The onsite dining options cater to your every need, whether it is a hearty poolside bite or a sophisticated dinner: The Mahogany Club, the hotel's flagship restaurant, offers a delightful mix of pan-European plates with Caribbean influences; the Woodes Rogers Tavern, a moody, high-ceilinged bar with dark walls and a glistening chandelier, is a popular gathering place; and the Sakana Noodle & Sushi Bar, a lively sushi bar using handmade noodles and fresh local fish for the perfect light bite. The fitness facility overlooks the garden, and though petite, gets the job done.

These quaint, self-catering full-kitchen suites sit just steps away from a quiet private beach on Salt Pond with a large grassy garden space—perfect for family picnics, naps in the hammock, and a vacation without the bustle of a busy resort. Units are simple but well maintained and nicely decorated, and include air-conditioning, cable TV, and Wi-Fi. Kayaks and beach toys/gear are available for use.