Review Bermuda: MO Elbow Beach and Tucker's Point
Oct 28, 2009, 7:28 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: just West of London, UK
Programs: British Airways Silver
Posts: 123
Review Bermuda: MO Elbow Beach and Tucker's Point
I had major problems finding quality, current data about so-called luxury hotels on Bermuda so thought others might find this up-to-date review of the Mandarin Oriental at Elbow Beach (and some info on Tucker’s Point) useful.
As a relative newcomer to this forum to put these comments into context, I do a lot of luxury travel but on vacation only(about 8 weeks a year plus weekend breaks, so I reckon I stay about 65 nights a year in top hotels). However, much as I like exclusivity, luxury and my comforts, I don’t like very showy or posey places (just so you know where I am coming from).
Prior to our stay, I had reservations at both Elbow Beach (2 bedroom renovated luxury cottage) and at Tucker’s Point (a large suite), as I couldn’t decide between them and read a variety of totally confusing and contradictory reviews on Trip Advisor. Sadly, I hadn’t discovered this forum until I had made my decision! Incidentally I did research the Reefs and Cambridge Beaches prior to booking but for various reasons these two did not appeal to me, so I cannot offer any up-to-date info on these.
In the end, I plumped for Elbow Beach because of its superior beach location. I also found the reservations staff more cordial to deal with at Elbow Beach.
First off, the day before we flew to Bermuda, the Mandarin Oriental at Elbow Beach announced that on Nov 30th the main hotel building would largely close (other than reception, the spa and pool) including the well-known Seahorse Grill restaurant. So from then on, the hotel will be positioned as a luxury Cottage resort, with restaurants, pool and spa. Some renovations will be done to the public areas in the main building at this point, but the bedrooms in the main building are closing at the end of November indefinitely, as these all need major upgrading and – presumably - the current market doesn’t justify this.
We were booked into one of the best cottages in the grounds anyway, but I was concerned about what the atmosphere at the resort would be like and how the staff would react to this news and the associated 160 job losses.
Much to our relief, we were greeted very warmly upon arrival and, at check-in, were told that we had been upgraded to Caprice (their best Cottage). This is 2100 sq feet, has 2 bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms, plus a large sitting room, with dining table for 6, kitchen, private garden at front and back with tables in both and ocean views. Wooden floors throughout, other than stone in the wet areas of the bathrooms. The style is very comfortable colonial – it has a ceiling height of around 12 feet and grand doorways throughout the cottage. Anyone who has stayed in 100 year old places in India, Hong Kong or the Victoria Falls will know the kind of style – e.g. it has clunky air conditioning units and the water can surge and “bang” out of the taps a bit. It is NOT glossy, new-money style, but has real and enduring quality about it and we LOVED it! Caprice is totally in keeping with the Elbow Beach Resort which was established just over a century ago and is located on one of the best beaches in Bermuda. You can see pictures of Caprice Cottage on the Elbow Beach website.
The position of the cottages is simply delightful and I never tired of looking at the gorgeous beach as I wandered through the lush hotel grounds. Many of the bungalows/ cottages have 3 or 6 individual accommodations in them; the premium cottages are all free-standing.
With the exception of indifferent Reception staff (they were OK, but nothing special), the staff I met were helpful, kind, interested, courteous and personable. Had I not been aware of the future closure, I would not have known this was about to happen from the admirable conduct of the staff.
Even with the impending closure of the Seahorse Grill, there is a small poolside restaurant plus three beach restaurants: Mickey’s (literally ON the sand), Sea Breeze (on a terrace just above the beach – offering both covered and outside tables) and Lido Restaurant (a more formal, evening restaurant). We enjoyed eating at the restaurants and I thought the food at Elbow Beach was consistently good: not great, but certainly on a par with many Ritzes and Four Seasons.
There are loads of other dining options in Bermuda, so you never feel tied to eating in anyway.
One night we tried Waterlot Inn at the Fairmont, which is a good steakhouse in a charming setting, but the soon-to-be closed Seahorse Grill had a much more sophisticated and high quality offering.
Anyway, on to Tucker’s Point. Firstly, many of the taxi drivers whom we spoke to said that Tucker’s Point was where we should have stayed and they were clearly excited about its recent opening. The property is the embodiment of glamour and no expense has been spared in the fit-out of this immaculate property. It would look totally at home in Marbella, Palm Beach or ... and that’s the first issue: it is not Bermudian at all. Next issue is its location - admittedly in an elevated position with stunning views down to the sea – it is much further from the beach, and requires a shuttle for guests to reach it. I have heard that the Beach Club is impressive, but as non-residents we were unable to see it. The erstwhile Senior Doorman at Elbow Beach (Raymond) who was poached by Tucker’s Point was excellent and greeted us very warmly upon arrival. This was the first and last friendly person we encountered at Tucker’s Point. The reception area is beautiful, glossy, silent (almost museum-like) and staffed by sullen people who ignore you as you wander in. We found our own way to a poolside bar where we ordered drinks.
The atmosphere is one of cold, sterile, rich beauty. My husband had an excellent analogy for anyone familiar with Beverly Hills. Elbow Beach is much more like the Beverly Hills Hotel and Tucker’s Point is like the Montage. By that, we mean that both BHH and EB are steeped in their history. I have stayed in far more luxurious and swanky hotels than either of those, but they are two of my favourite places to stay for their lushness, comfort, solidity and warmth. The Montage is the epitome of new glitz and gloss but I would pay to stay in a bungalow at the BHH over a free suite at the Montage (have tried both). However, many people would like the Montage far more and Tucker’s Point is definitely the most luxurious property on the island in terms of its appointments, furnishings and finish. However, luxury for me is feeling very comfortable, well looked after (and liked) and I got this from Elbow Beach, whereas I didn’t see evidence of it past the front door at Tucker’s Point.
I would be really interested to read any post from someone who has stayed there recently, as the experience as a guest is often very different from that of a visitor.
I hope other readers will find this useful as I struggled to get current information from unbiased sources. I would also reassure anyone booked at Elbow Beach in a renovated Cottage/ Bungalow that they should have a good stay in a gorgeous spot and not to be overly concerned by the reviews on Trip Advisor which had no bearing on our stay (and primarily have been contributed by people staying in the cheaper accommodation in the main building).
As a relative newcomer to this forum to put these comments into context, I do a lot of luxury travel but on vacation only(about 8 weeks a year plus weekend breaks, so I reckon I stay about 65 nights a year in top hotels). However, much as I like exclusivity, luxury and my comforts, I don’t like very showy or posey places (just so you know where I am coming from).
Prior to our stay, I had reservations at both Elbow Beach (2 bedroom renovated luxury cottage) and at Tucker’s Point (a large suite), as I couldn’t decide between them and read a variety of totally confusing and contradictory reviews on Trip Advisor. Sadly, I hadn’t discovered this forum until I had made my decision! Incidentally I did research the Reefs and Cambridge Beaches prior to booking but for various reasons these two did not appeal to me, so I cannot offer any up-to-date info on these.
In the end, I plumped for Elbow Beach because of its superior beach location. I also found the reservations staff more cordial to deal with at Elbow Beach.
First off, the day before we flew to Bermuda, the Mandarin Oriental at Elbow Beach announced that on Nov 30th the main hotel building would largely close (other than reception, the spa and pool) including the well-known Seahorse Grill restaurant. So from then on, the hotel will be positioned as a luxury Cottage resort, with restaurants, pool and spa. Some renovations will be done to the public areas in the main building at this point, but the bedrooms in the main building are closing at the end of November indefinitely, as these all need major upgrading and – presumably - the current market doesn’t justify this.
We were booked into one of the best cottages in the grounds anyway, but I was concerned about what the atmosphere at the resort would be like and how the staff would react to this news and the associated 160 job losses.
Much to our relief, we were greeted very warmly upon arrival and, at check-in, were told that we had been upgraded to Caprice (their best Cottage). This is 2100 sq feet, has 2 bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms, plus a large sitting room, with dining table for 6, kitchen, private garden at front and back with tables in both and ocean views. Wooden floors throughout, other than stone in the wet areas of the bathrooms. The style is very comfortable colonial – it has a ceiling height of around 12 feet and grand doorways throughout the cottage. Anyone who has stayed in 100 year old places in India, Hong Kong or the Victoria Falls will know the kind of style – e.g. it has clunky air conditioning units and the water can surge and “bang” out of the taps a bit. It is NOT glossy, new-money style, but has real and enduring quality about it and we LOVED it! Caprice is totally in keeping with the Elbow Beach Resort which was established just over a century ago and is located on one of the best beaches in Bermuda. You can see pictures of Caprice Cottage on the Elbow Beach website.
The position of the cottages is simply delightful and I never tired of looking at the gorgeous beach as I wandered through the lush hotel grounds. Many of the bungalows/ cottages have 3 or 6 individual accommodations in them; the premium cottages are all free-standing.
With the exception of indifferent Reception staff (they were OK, but nothing special), the staff I met were helpful, kind, interested, courteous and personable. Had I not been aware of the future closure, I would not have known this was about to happen from the admirable conduct of the staff.
Even with the impending closure of the Seahorse Grill, there is a small poolside restaurant plus three beach restaurants: Mickey’s (literally ON the sand), Sea Breeze (on a terrace just above the beach – offering both covered and outside tables) and Lido Restaurant (a more formal, evening restaurant). We enjoyed eating at the restaurants and I thought the food at Elbow Beach was consistently good: not great, but certainly on a par with many Ritzes and Four Seasons.
There are loads of other dining options in Bermuda, so you never feel tied to eating in anyway.
One night we tried Waterlot Inn at the Fairmont, which is a good steakhouse in a charming setting, but the soon-to-be closed Seahorse Grill had a much more sophisticated and high quality offering.
Anyway, on to Tucker’s Point. Firstly, many of the taxi drivers whom we spoke to said that Tucker’s Point was where we should have stayed and they were clearly excited about its recent opening. The property is the embodiment of glamour and no expense has been spared in the fit-out of this immaculate property. It would look totally at home in Marbella, Palm Beach or ... and that’s the first issue: it is not Bermudian at all. Next issue is its location - admittedly in an elevated position with stunning views down to the sea – it is much further from the beach, and requires a shuttle for guests to reach it. I have heard that the Beach Club is impressive, but as non-residents we were unable to see it. The erstwhile Senior Doorman at Elbow Beach (Raymond) who was poached by Tucker’s Point was excellent and greeted us very warmly upon arrival. This was the first and last friendly person we encountered at Tucker’s Point. The reception area is beautiful, glossy, silent (almost museum-like) and staffed by sullen people who ignore you as you wander in. We found our own way to a poolside bar where we ordered drinks.
The atmosphere is one of cold, sterile, rich beauty. My husband had an excellent analogy for anyone familiar with Beverly Hills. Elbow Beach is much more like the Beverly Hills Hotel and Tucker’s Point is like the Montage. By that, we mean that both BHH and EB are steeped in their history. I have stayed in far more luxurious and swanky hotels than either of those, but they are two of my favourite places to stay for their lushness, comfort, solidity and warmth. The Montage is the epitome of new glitz and gloss but I would pay to stay in a bungalow at the BHH over a free suite at the Montage (have tried both). However, many people would like the Montage far more and Tucker’s Point is definitely the most luxurious property on the island in terms of its appointments, furnishings and finish. However, luxury for me is feeling very comfortable, well looked after (and liked) and I got this from Elbow Beach, whereas I didn’t see evidence of it past the front door at Tucker’s Point.
I would be really interested to read any post from someone who has stayed there recently, as the experience as a guest is often very different from that of a visitor.
I hope other readers will find this useful as I struggled to get current information from unbiased sources. I would also reassure anyone booked at Elbow Beach in a renovated Cottage/ Bungalow that they should have a good stay in a gorgeous spot and not to be overly concerned by the reviews on Trip Advisor which had no bearing on our stay (and primarily have been contributed by people staying in the cheaper accommodation in the main building).
Oct 29, 2009, 5:48 am
#3
Join Date: Feb 2003
Programs: UA1K, *G & Wife of UA1K MM
Posts: 3,432
Great trip report. Thanks for sharing your insights. Bermuda is a beautiful place but the hotels have always been a little...unpredictable.
Anyway, welcome to the Luxury Hotel forum, Tanyam99! Stick around.
Anyway, welcome to the Luxury Hotel forum, Tanyam99! Stick around.
Oct 29, 2009, 7:56 am
#5
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Chicago
Programs: United 1K, American EXP & 3 Million Miler, Hyatt Globalist & Marriott Ambassador Elite
Posts: 2,360
Welcome Tanyam99, luxury hotels is one of the nicer forums on FT and I have met some really nice people and gotten some fabulous advice over the years.
I see that you are a BA flyer as well and also like the BA forum, and enjoy some of the British humor. Welcome
I see that you are a BA flyer as well and also like the BA forum, and enjoy some of the British humor. Welcome
Oct 30, 2009, 7:55 pm
#6
Join Date: Oct 2000
Posts: 1,268
Fascinating on Tucker's Point. That is good to know. I do find so many over look it. It is the newest resort on Island and I bet they imported many of their staff. I do find non-Bermudian hotel staff are less friendly than Bermudian hotel staff.
Am I correct in saying that you did not have access to a/the hotel beach at Tucker's Point, or just a specific beach unrelated to the hotel as you were non-resident/member of the area?
Thanks.
Am I correct in saying that you did not have access to a/the hotel beach at Tucker's Point, or just a specific beach unrelated to the hotel as you were non-resident/member of the area?
Thanks.
Nov 1, 2009, 9:05 am
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: just West of London, UK
Programs: British Airways Silver
Posts: 123
Fascinating on Tucker's Point. That is good to know. I do find so many over look it. It is the newest resort on Island and I bet they imported many of their staff. I do find non-Bermudian hotel staff are less friendly than Bermudian hotel staff.
Am I correct in saying that you did not have access to a/the hotel beach at Tucker's Point, or just a specific beach unrelated to the hotel as you were non-resident/member of the area?
Thanks.
Am I correct in saying that you did not have access to a/the hotel beach at Tucker's Point, or just a specific beach unrelated to the hotel as you were non-resident/member of the area?
Thanks.
Oct 2, 2010, 2:06 pm
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2002
Location: NC
Programs: AAConciergeKey/1MM, DL DM/2 MM, UA Gold,Hilton Diamond, IHG Plat, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 11,982
Can one take the bus from the airport to the Elbow Beach Hotel? I seem to remember there being a bus stop just opposite the front entrance there.
Oct 3, 2010, 1:39 am
#9
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Phila, PA
Posts: 891
This thread got me thinking; miss Waterloo House. Is there any place worth staying for someone who doesn't need golf and wants a water view but won't go on the sand? I appreciate the halcyon days of Trimmingham's and Smith's are long gone.
Oct 8, 2010, 1:45 pm
#10
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 2,946
Nov 8, 2010, 12:15 am
#11
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 2,946
Looks like Rosewood will be managing Tucker's Point.
http://bernews.com/2010/10/rosewood-...s-point-hotel/
http://bernews.com/2010/10/rosewood-...s-point-hotel/