Dr. Pam

My family of four (including 2 teenage children) are heading to Bermuda this summer. I have our choices narrowed down to:

1. THe Reefs 2 bedroom condo with a MAP (even tho we have a full kitchen, the price and convenience factor swayed me)

2. Fairmont Southhampton Princess connecting Gold Floor Rooms

3. Tucker`s Point.....but eliminated it due to very few restaurant options.....always have to take a cab to go offsite, etc. ALso they did not have a meal plan.......I have a teenage son!

So, my dilemma is....Reefs or the big Pink Hotel. I would appreciate any thoughts from anyone who has visited either...

Dan6681

I'm not familiar with the reefs, but the Fairmont Southampton is great, you have the pool and the beach right across the street. You will probably want to go to other restaurants though, but if you don't want to cab it there's a bus stop right out front, at least for one way.

It might be nice to have a kitchen though. I would only count that as a plus if you planned to use it of course.

Jasper2009

I´ve only stayed the Fairmont Southampton and found it to be a great hotel.

Just a few comments:

- there are several different restaurants on-property ranging from very reasonable (e.g. ~$15 for lunch at the poolside restaurant) to pretty expensive (easily >$80pp for dinner at the better restaurants)
- I don´t remember a whole lot of restaurants within walking distance of the hotel, I visited an Italian place maybe 10min away on foot, but there aren´t that many restaurants nearby
- if you´re planning to book the Gold floor for the extra service, great. If you´re hoping to have your kids fed well there, you´ll probably be disappointed. Overall food quality in the Gold lounge is excellent, but selection and particularly quanity is limited. IMO you´d be better off booking a B&B rate which includes the daily buffet breakfast
- there is a free ferry to Hamilton maybe 3-4x per day which I found very useful for shopping, inexpensive dining options, seeing something else than the beach
- the beach and the beachside bar are fantastic.

Dr. Pam

Thank you for the positive thoughts on the Fairmont Southampton. All the reviews that I have read on TAdvisor were very good to excellant. The disadvantage of the Southampton is that the property is not "right on the beach" compared to the Club condos at the Reefs.

Regarding the Gold Floor, I was hoping that the food offerings could tide my son over between meals. Obviously, that may not be the case.....

Is there anyone who has stayed in a Reef Club Condo?

erikko

Fairmont Southampton is the best among your choices based on the replies of others here.

Jasper2009

The Fairmont Southampton is probably 30m-50m above sea level, so as you say, it is not right on the beach. You can either walk down or take a bus which takes about 3-5min (obviously free of charge) and is available every 10-15min IIRC.

The food offering at the Gold lounge would typically consist of:

- breakfast: continental spread plus 2-3 hot items
- possibly some cakes around tea time
- canapes/finger food/appetizers during the evening (usually excellent quality, but you should think of it as a light snack to go with your pre-dinner glass of wine rather than a dinner replacement)

Other than that your son will likely be limited to cookies and possibly some fruit during the day.

I´d probably recommend taking advantage of the breakfast buffet in the late morning which should keep you going for a while, then get some inexpensive food at the pool or in town (think burgers/fries/sandwiches) and then have dinner later on. Unlike some other resorts I found the overall amount of money I spent on food in Bermuda to be quite reasonable.

Fontaine

I came home from the Southampton today.

I think it is a decent four star hotel. The food offerings on the Gold floor were not nearly as good as other Fairmonts, but the staff up there made up for it. Don't overspend for it, though. Instead, have the buffet breakfast in the dining room (very good - about $33 per person) snack at the beach and then have dinner (reservations in advance are a must for their good restaurants). Jackets are required in their steakhouse and most men wore them at the other good restaurants too. I found the room musty. The junior suites should be avoided - odd layouts and ugly). Be sure to go to the beach next to their private beach - one of the prettiest beaches I've ever seen. I found the bay view rooms had a more interesting view then the ocean view, and kept the sliding balcony doors open all night. The resort is in an upscale residential neighborhood, but the roosters woke me up every day!

I loved the beach (very comfortable, and unlike other resorts with shuttles, I never waited more than 5 minutes) and I am looking forward to returning in August.

By the way, I found Fairmont's website more complicated to use than necessary, and some of their best rates are hidden. Keep working at it. And if you aren't a member of their Presidents club, sign up in advance for free wireless Internet among other benefits. And their TV was terrible - no movie channels, no pay per view, no HD, but I had a DVD player.

vuittonsofstyle

I am not convinced that there is anything of a truly luxurious nature on Bermuda. However, I am tempted to try Tucker's Point since the 'new-look' Rosewood took it over. Otherwise, everything is distinctly underwhelming.

Dr. Pam

I Do have FPC Platinum Status.....But I am not sure if that is enough to sway me to the Southampton. Reviews on other websites and Pictures of the Reef Condos plus the hype on their 3 restaurants is swaying me to this property. I did inquire about Tucker's Point. My TA "ABG" was able to negotiate a fabulous rate...their GM really tried... but their beach is a ride or a long walk away, restaurants are supposed to be quite good....but again a ride away. Reviews of this property are fabulous if you enjoy golfing. Besides my DH, golf is a no sell. I think that it is just too spread out for us as a family to enjoy it. I guess that is why I am leaning toward The Reefs Club Condos. It is a much more intimate property with excellent restaurants on sight, snorkeling out front, a walk or bus ride to other amazing beaches, and some quick cab rides to other restaurants. I was hoping that some other FT'ers had visited the Condos at the Reefs and could offer their insight. I will keep everyone posted if they are interested. Thank you for all advice.

ejong

Any updates on where to stay in Bermuda? This thread is a few years old...

Pausanias

The Fairmont is a mass market conventioneers mecca. The Rosewood Tucker Point lacks immediate access to a beach. Old Bermuda hands go to Cambridge Beaches.

KatW

What time of year is best for Bermuda? I'm semi-interested in Tucker's Point. What is the beach like and how accessible is it. Looking at a manor-house suite. When is best for warmer water temps?

Pausanias

Bermuda is not the Caribbean and has a quite different climate pattern. If you want warm weather you need to go between April-October. The sea warms up a bit later than May. I'd say the best time for a visit would be July-Aug and then September despite the risk of a hurricane. It's a most inconvenient place, really, weatherwise.

ejong

Is there any attraction to Bermuda if you are not a golfer?

kingsroadgal

We are not really golfers, but I truly did enjoy the historic attractions in Bermuda. The Dockyard area is definitely worth looking around, with some museums giving a real sense of the area. Also love the Commodore's House there, although I know it had some hurricane damage after we were there a couple of years ago. St. George's is a beautiful area of the island, full of old buildings, and the church there is incredibly beautiful. Memorable for me. Also some very cute shops.

Hamilton is a fun town to walk around and shop. Love the old-fashioned feel of the English Sports Shop. Very nice items...got a great cashmere sweater at a good price. I wouldn't say there is outstanding shopping, but it is unique and different with really no worldwide chain stores, which makes for a welcome change. The Island Shop is a nice place to get dinnerware and other one-of-a-kind Bermuda pottery items.

It's a low-key destination with a unique architectural heritage and unique cuisine...love the fish stew at the Hamiton Princess and Gosling's Dark 'n Stormys or Rum Twizzles. I enjoy staying near the action in Hamilton, personally, since transport around the island can take a while, although taking the ferry anywhere is a good time!!! Also, there should be some great sailboat racing to watch with the America's Cup right around the corner. So check into that.