We’re back from an amazing vacation in the Bahamas! It was our first time going to Baha Mar and we had the best time. There were lots of things we wish we knew ahead of time, so I’m going share our itinerary and a few tips!
We booked a “suite-style” room in the Grand Hyatt West Tower. We preferred this room over a standard room because we had a separate living area to watch tv in while Everly slept. It was called a 1 Bedroom Fountain View if anyone else is looking. Our room did not have an ocean view, but the view over the front of the hotel and the fountains was really nice! The room included a full kitchen with a microwave, sink, fridge and freezer, and stove. There were all kinds of cooking appliances including a blender, silverware, plates, etc. We also had a crib delivered through the hotel for Everly.
At booking we picked the West Tower and I really liked it! It’s between the SLS and the main lobby of the Grand Hyatt. We used the amenities for the SLS quite a bit because of convenience. There are two Starbucks, a convenience store, high end shops, the casino and countless restaurants on the lobby level. On the Fountain level at the Rotunda there are lots of other shops including Lilly Pulitzer and local Bahamian shops – this is also where the Explorer Kids Club is for children ages 3-12.
The pools are very expansive! There are lots of cabanas and lounge chairs, but everything fills up very quickly. The cabanas are available in advance – you’ll definitely want to get one of those ahead of your arrival. They were booked when we were looking and they are pricey!! The lounge chairs at the pool and beach are nice, however, they get claimed very early in the morning. We thought this was VERY annoying, but the pool staff was helpful and accommodating to get us set up. There are a few dining options around the pools and on the beach including sit down restaurants, food trucks, a poke bowl restaurant, and DAQ’s (the smoothie place).
As far as the restaurants for dinner go, I would recommend booking reservations ahead of time! There is an email address you can use to set these up through the hotel concierge. Prime dining times go really quickly, especially for large parties. We found a few restaurants on the Opentable app too!
Also available through the concierge are airport transfers (could be pricey – our taxi was $30), Explorer’s Kids Club, In Room Babysitting, and reservations at the Sanctuary for swimming with the sharks, Flamingo exhibit, etc. I highly recommend that you use the email address and do not call them! It’s an international number and will cost $$$.
Day One
We arrived in Nassau around 11:45AM. Our flight was a breeze and the airport is very small – lots of taxis available outside right away too! We checked in on the Hyatt app and as soon as we landed we learned that our room was ready! The check in process at the hotel was very easy – they give out bracelets instead of room keys to get into your room and make charges. When we walked into our room we were stunned – the views are incredible – especially from the 22nd floor.
After getting situated in the room we headed out to explore the pools and the beach. We walked up and down the pier on the beach – the water is sooo clear. We stayed on the pier and soaked up the view for a while. We ate at Jefe’s (the taco truck) for lunch and we weren’t too impressed. In the same area is the Fried Chicken Food truck.
Finally around 2pm we were able to head over to the pool and go swimming. There were ZERO pool chairs. We had to walk around for a while and never end up finding anything, so we dropped our stuff and jumped in the water. The first two days were really hot and I’m so glad we remembered sunscreen because we definitely needed it. The towel attendants also have sunscreen available for free if you need it!
This night we ate at the Swimming Pig for dinner. It’s a tavern style restaurant with lots of tv’s and a very large bar. The menu has lots of options from wings and nachos to seared salmon and steaks. We noticed this restaurant was pricey for what you get but my salmon dish was very tasty. Also important to note – my glass of Merlot was only $7 or $8. Definitely the cheapest glass of wine at the resort!
Day 2
We woke up early and were determined to get to the beach first! We quickly grabbed coffee and a small breakfast at the Starbucks and trekked out to find beach chairs. It was the sunniest day and we were nervous that everything would be taken but there were plenty of chairs when we got down there at 8:30am. In the water there are huge mats and trampolines – really nice to lounge on to cool off! There are also lots of vendors that walk along the beach – selling Bahamian souvenirs and offering to take you parasailing, jet skiing, etc! It got kind of annoying after a while but it’s easy to tune out.
On the beach there are lots of food trucks. Jake and I tried the Poké Bowl restaurant – very good – and Everly had a slider from sliderzzz (yes that’s the name). She was impressed! We basically spent the whole morning relaxing here. We tried to get Everly to nap at the beach – that was a major fail. After an hour of her whining we took her up to the room to get some rest and she passed out! The best part of our room was that we could stay in a separate space to watch tv and relax while she was asleep.
For dinner we had a babysitter coming that we booked through the resort. She arrived after Everly was asleep and hung out and watched the monitor for us. She was VERY pleasant and would have been fine to put Everly to bed/play with her, but Everly was wiped! The fee was $25 per hour with a minimum of three hours.
Jake and I had dinner at 3Tides. It’s the seafood restaurant on property and we weren’t really impressed. It wasn’t anything special or romantic for a date night but we survived 😂. We also took this time to check out the rest of the resort and the casino!
Day 3
We had awesome weather this day and decided to try the pools. We lounged for a bit and ended up moving back to the beach. It was so much easier for Everly to play by herself in the sand when she didn’t want to be in the water. All morning was spent here and for lunch we ventured over to the Drift Bar and Grill. The food was very good and our table overlooked another pool area. After lunch we took Everly back upstairs for nap time.
When she woke up we decided to check out the Explorer Kid’s club area. They have a drop off program for kids aged 3-12, but they also have a Toddler Room available with lots of books, puzzles, stuffed animals, coloring supplies etc. This room was awesome! You have to stay with your child while they play, but it was nice to take a break from the sun.
For dinner we made reservations at the Japanese restaurant, Katsuya. We had a table outside – absolutely beautiful! The menu was great with lots of things to share. Everly loves sushi so it was perfect for her. There were plenty of kid friendly options including noodles, chicken or steak skewers, etc.
Day 4
Of course on our last full day we had the worst weather. It didn’t rain but it was very windy and impossible to be at the beach. We sat pool side at one of the beach entry pools. Everly LOVED being able to walk right into the water and play. The pool also has all sizes of life jackets for kids! I wish we had Everly’s puddle jumper but this ended up being perfect.
We ate lunch by the pool with sandwiches from Out Island Bar – this is the place that has the cheapest kid’s menu! All kid’s meals are either $6 or $8 and my wrap was delicious!
We were able to check out the Sanctuary this day and see the sharks, turtles, stingrays and starfish. Definitely a must do – it’s free and you can walk through everything on your own.
For dinner we found the Regatta Cafe. It’s the Baha Mar buffet with SOOO MANY options. The best part is that kids under five eat free. This buffet price includes soft drinks – I think it was about $50 per adult plus tax and gratuity. The options were endless – pasta station, raw bar, chicken wings, steaks, lobster tails, multiple salad stations, pizza and desserts. LOTS of desserts. We found this place to be the best value for the price. Everly enjoyed pasta, pizza and roasted vegetables. Then had her first jello (she was not a fan) and a popsicle for dessert.
Day 5
Our flight was at 1:30pm, so we grabbed breakfast and spent the morning at the pool. Everly had to say goodbye to the sharks, fish and sting rays that are in the aquarium at the pool. We checked out of our room at 10:45am and grabbed a taxi to the airport. We were so glad we got there early because the bag check and security lines were long! The flight home was a breeze and E slept for about an hour.
A few other important tips that I wish I had when we went. Bring LOTS of snacks and make sure you have all of your toiletry items, toys, etc. Items for sale at the hotel are pricey! I was shocked to find that a bag of salt and vinegar chips was $13.44. Make sure you have everything you’ll need or plan a trip to go off hotel property for a morning and stock up. If your baby drinks milk you can bring the Horizon Organic individual milks that don’t need to be refrigerated. Bring protein bars, chips, lots of sunscreen, and plenty of little toys too.
I already mentioned this, but make your reservations ahead of time through the concierge email address especially if you have a large party.
Wake up early to get your beach or pool chairs. Head downstairs first thing and put your book/cover up on a chair to reserve it while you go to breakfast. This technically isn’t allowed but everyone did it!
Walk around on your first day and explore the whole resort. It’s really big and there are so many little things to do!
Download the Baha Mar app! There’s lots of information on there that you can check out to help you plan your days.
If you’re traveling with children, book the hotel babysitter for a night! They are great and it was well worth the cost to enjoy a date night!
If you gamble, sign up for Club Blu to get $50 of free slot play. I didn’t really win anything, but it’s always fun to gamble with someone else’s money 😜
Enjoy yourselves! The staff is great and the property is amazing. Soak it all up and take lots of pictures! Tag me in your pictures you post to social media too!
Leave a question in the comments or send me a DM if you need any other info!
xo,
Jacci
