In Brief
Which hotel should I book in the Bahamas?
The Ocean Club on Paradise Island is the best all-round pick: open since 1962, on an eight-kilometre beach, with three pools and free transfers to the Atlantis waterpark. For value, Comfort Suites Paradise Island includes a hot breakfast and Atlantis access, Aquaventure included, five minutes away on foot. Whichever you choose, add the taxes and fees before you compare.
Key takeaways
- Best all-round: The Ocean Club, A Four Seasons Resort, Paradise Island
- Best value: Comfort Suites Paradise Island, with breakfast and Atlantis access
- Paradise Island rates carry 21% in VAT and levies at Atlantis, before resort fees and gratuities
- Hurricane season runs from 1 June to 30 November, and The Dunmore closes from 13 August to 29 October
Pick your budget
Budget
Harbourside hotels from a published $150 a night
Pelican Bay Hotel
Waterside rooms of 640 sq ft for up to four at Port Lucaya on Grand Bahama, with three pools. No tax or fee schedule is published, so check the total.
- Most popular
Mid-range
Suite hotels with breakfast, next to Atlantis
Comfort Suites Paradise Island
223 junior suites with a hot buffet breakfast and Atlantis access, Aquaventure included, five minutes away on foot. Not on same-day, one-night bookings.
Splurge
Luxury beach resorts on Paradise Island
The Ocean Club, A Four Seasons Resort
Open since 1962 on an eight-kilometre beach, with three pools, villa residences with their own pools, and free transfers to the Atlantis waterpark.
Which one fits how you travel
Find the row that sounds like your trip. Every pick below names the traveller it is wrong for, so you can book on fit rather than on rank.
| If you are | Book | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Flying from the UK and want no island hop | Rosewood Baha Mar | Baha Mar gives 9.5 hours from London and sits 10 minutes from Nassau airport. |
| A couple who want every cost paid upfront | Sandals Royal Bahamian | Taxes, gratuities and airport transfers are all in the price. |
| Adults travelling as friends, or with older teenagers | Warwick Paradise Island Bahamas | All-inclusive and adults-only, with a minimum age of 16 rather than couples only. |
| A family wanting the Atlantis water park on a budget | Comfort Suites Paradise Island | Atlantis access and a hot breakfast, five minutes on foot from the resort. |
| A family or group who want a kitchen and space | Grand Isle Resort & Residences | Villas of two to four bedrooms on Great Exuma. Budget for the 22% resort fee. |
| Here for boats, cays and the swimming pigs | Staniel Cay Yacht Club | The Package Plan includes a skiff with fuel, meals and gratuities. |
| After pink sand and a very small hotel | The Dunmore | Nineteen rooms on Harbour Island's beach. Closed from mid-August to late October. |
| A couple who travel for the food | The Cove Eleuthera | The only Relais & Chateaux in the Bahamas, with two private beaches. |
| On the tightest budget | Pelican Bay Hotel | The lowest published from-rate on this page, at $150, with three pools. |
- Free cancellation on most rooms
- No booking fee
- Prices on Trip.com
What the bands mean
Rates are shown as bands, not figures, because every hotel here sells through a live booking engine. Only two publish a from-rate: Pelican Bay at $150 and Abaco Inn at $312, before its 10% VAT. What the bands cannot show is the add-on, and it varies more than the rates do. Atlantis itemises the Paradise Island version: 21% on the room rate, made up of 10% VAT, a 4.4% Paradise Island Tourism and Development Association levy and a 6.6% Nassau Paradise Island Promotional Board levy, then a daily resort fee of $77 to $82.50 and mandatory gratuities of up to $14 to $52 per person per night for everyone 12 and over. Grand Isle on Great Exuma adds a 22% resort fee. The Dunmore adds 14% gratuity and 10% VAT to its cottages, and The Cove Eleuthera $45 a day per room. Staniel Cay Yacht Club adds a 1.8% facility fee, plus 3.5% if you pay by card. Sandals Royal Bahamian is the only hotel here that includes all taxes and gratuities in the price. Prices are in US dollars, and the Bahamian dollar is at par.
- €
- harbourside hotels with no meal plan, from a published $150 a night
- €€
- suite hotels and family-run inns, room only or with breakfast
- €€€
- boutique hotels, villa resorts, adults-only all-inclusives and Out Island packages
- €€€€
- luxury beach resorts, the couples-only all-inclusive and the Harbour Island beach cottages
The 12 hotels, and who each one is wrong for
Walking times are to the arrival airport. These are transfer times, not walks. Baha Mar counts some 700 islands in the Bahamas, so the number that decides a stay is the hop from the airport, plus a domestic flight for anything beyond New Providence and Grand Bahama. Where a hotel publishes its own time, it is quoted. Where it does not, the figure is a routed car journey on OpenStreetMap, and our research marks it as a road route rather than an operator figure.
Paradise Island
The Ocean Club, A Four Seasons Resort
€€€€Rated 4.5 out of 5 on Google Maps from 933 reviews, as of October 2026Best all-roundLow-rise rooms, plunge-pool bungalows and villa residences in 35 acres of Versailles-style gardens on an eight-kilometre beach, open since 1962, with a golf course and three pools.
- Walk to the arrival airport
- Nassau: about 38 minutes and 23.6 km by road to the arrival airport
- Right for
- Anyone who wants the classic Paradise Island stay with Atlantis close by: transfers to the Atlantis waterpark are free, and children aged four and under eat free at two of its restaurants with an adult meal.
- Wrong for
- Wrong for: Families who need a kids club. The services page lists a Family Pool and free meals for the under-fives, but no club.
- The catch
- The catch: One of its three pools, the Versailles Pool, is adults-only, and no tax or fee line appears on its own pages, on the island where Atlantis itemises 21% in VAT and levies. Ask for the full total before you pay.
Cable Beach, New Providence
Rosewood Baha Mar
€€€€Rated 4.6 out of 5 on Google Maps from 991 reviews, as of October 2026The Rosewood hotel inside the Baha Mar complex on Cable Beach, with multi-room suites and villas and unlimited guest access to the 15-acre Baha Bay water park.
- Walk to the arrival airport
- Nassau: 10 minutes by road (Baha Mar's own figure) to the arrival airport
- Right for
- Families who want a luxury room and a water park in one booking, 10 minutes by road from the airport and with no island hop.
- Wrong for
- Wrong for: Anyone after a small, quiet hotel. Baha Mar shares the site with two other hotels, what it calls the largest casino in the Caribbean and more than 45 restaurant and bar concepts.
- The catch
- The catch: Rosewood Explorers childcare runs from 9 am to 12 pm and 1 pm to 4 pm, so the children are back with you over lunch, and the Baha Mar FAQ lists what the resort charge covers without stating the amount.
Cable Beach, West Bay Street
Sandals Royal Bahamian
€€€€Rated 4.1 out of 5 on Google Maps from 3,435 reviews, as of October 2026A couples-only all-inclusive on Cable Beach with 10 restaurants, 8 bars, 7 pools and its own offshore island, Barefoot Cay, reached by a private ferry.
- Walk to the arrival airport
- Nassau: about 15 minutes and 7.4 km by free transfer to the arrival airport
- Right for
- Couples who want one price that already covers taxes, gratuities and airport transfers. It is the only hotel on this page that says so outright.
- Wrong for
- Wrong for: Families, friends travelling together and solo guests. Sandals takes couples only and describes this resort as adults-only.
- The catch
- The catch: The offshore island runs to a ferry timetable, and the last boat back usually leaves at 4:45 pm, so it is a daytime beach only. Spa treatments and tours are extra.
Downtown Nassau, by Government House
Graycliff Hotel
€€€Rated 4.3 out of 5 on Google Maps from 566 reviews, as of October 2026A 16-room colonial mansion hotel in old Nassau, next door to Government House, with pools, a fine-dining restaurant and wine cellar, a chocolatier and its own cigar makers.
- Walk to the arrival airport
- Nassau: about 28 minutes and 18.2 km by road to the arrival airport
- Right for
- Couples who would rather eat and drink well in town than stay on a resort strip, with a continental breakfast included every day.
- Wrong for
- Wrong for: Anyone who wants to step onto sand. The hotel describes itself as a few minutes from the beaches, not on one.
- The catch
- The catch: Rooms are few and tight on headcount: Deluxe rooms are king-bedded and take two guests at most, and the third and fourth guest in a suite sleep on rollaway beds.
Central Paradise Island, beside Atlantis
Comfort Suites Paradise Island
€€Rated 4.0 out of 5 on Google Maps from 1,475 reviews, as of October 2026Best valueA 223-suite hotel five minutes on foot from Atlantis, with a free hot buffet breakfast and guest access to Atlantis facilities, Aquaventure water park included.
- Walk to the arrival airport
- Nassau: about 34 minutes and 21.9 km by road (taxis from $35 for two) to the arrival airport
- Right for
- Families who want the Atlantis water park without an Atlantis room. Atlantis charges its own guests a daily resort fee of $77 to $82.50, and Aquaventure access is part of what that fee buys.
- Wrong for
- Wrong for: Last-minute bookers. A same-day, one-night booking does not include Atlantis access, and adults sharing a room must be 21 or over unless they are a family with children.
- The catch
- The catch: It is not on the beach, Atlantis access runs only from 3 pm on arrival to 11 am on departure, and a suite holds four at most, with a surcharge for a third and fourth adult aged 16 or over.
Paradise Island, harbour side
Warwick Paradise Island Bahamas
€€€Rated 4.1 out of 5 on Google Maps from 2,467 reviews, as of October 2026An adults-only all-inclusive on 16 acres of Paradise Island's south shore, facing Nassau harbour, with five restaurants and two bars.
- Walk to the arrival airport
- Nassau: by taxi (the resort offers no transfer) to the arrival airport
- Right for
- Adults travelling with friends or with teenagers aged 16 or over. The minimum age is 16, and nothing on its pages limits guests to couples.
- Wrong for
- Wrong for: Anyone who wants an Atlantic beach outside the door. The resort's own beach is on the harbour, and Cabbage Beach is a 10-minute shuttle ride away.
- The catch
- The catch: The Cabbage Beach shuttle runs only from 10:00 to 16:00, every 30 minutes, and the resort sells day and night passes from $130, so the pools are not kept for staying guests.
Emerald Bay, Great Exuma
Grand Isle Resort & Residences
€€€Rated 4.6 out of 5 on Google Maps from 520 reviews, as of October 2026Two- to four-bedroom villas of about 2,300 to 5,200 sq ft with full kitchens and washer-dryers on Emerald Bay, with two pools, one of them adults-only, and a spa.
- Walk to the arrival airport
- Exuma: 12 minutes by its FAQ, about 20 by its arrival page, 11.5 km by road to the arrival airport
- Right for
- Families and groups who want to cook, spread out and use Great Exuma as a base, with daily air-taxi flights from Nassau to the island's airport.
- Wrong for
- Wrong for: Anyone who wants meals and children's activities taken care of. Meals are not included, there is no room service and there is no kids club or childcare.
- The catch
- The catch: A 22% resort fee applies to every booking, golf carts cost $50 for the first day and $40 a day after, and the person checking in must be 21 or over.
Staniel Cay, Exuma Cays
Staniel Cay Yacht Club
€€€Rated 4.6 out of 5 on Google Maps from 846 reviews, as of October 2026Waterfront bungalows and a marina on Staniel Cay, about 75 miles south-east of Nassau, close to Thunderball Grotto and the swimming pigs.
- Walk to the arrival airport
- Staniel Cay: a short ride with the club, which meets daily Makers Air flights from Fort Lauderdale to the arrival airport
- Right for
- Anyone who wants the Exuma Cays by boat. The Package Plan includes three meals a day, gratuities, a 17-foot skiff with fuel, a bike and airport transfers.
- Wrong for
- Wrong for: Anyone booking room-only to save money. Lodging Only includes no boat, bikes or meals, and on a cay this small the boat is the whole point.
- The catch
- The catch: Every transaction carries a 1.8% facility fee and card payments a further 3.5%, the minimum check-in age is 21, and the club warns its docks are exposed to strong west and north-west winds.
Pink Sand Beach, Harbour Island
The Dunmore
€€€€Rated 4.7 out of 5 on Google Maps from 171 reviews, as of October 2026A 19-room hotel of cottages and pool residences on Harbour Island's pink sand beach, a former invitation-only beach club on 10 acres.
- Walk to the arrival airport
- North Eleuthera: a 5-minute water taxi and a 5-minute taxi to the arrival airport
- Right for
- Couples and families who want a small hotel on the pink sand and can commit to a week rather than a weekend.
- Wrong for
- Wrong for: A late summer or autumn trip. The hotel is closed from 13 August to 29 October.
- The catch
- The catch: Cottage rates carry 14% gratuity plus 10% VAT, deposits are not refundable for any reason, and the minimum stay is three nights, seven in peak weeks such as 1 March to 24 April.
Gregory Town, Eleuthera
The Cove Eleuthera
€€€Rated 4.5 out of 5 on Google Maps from 267 reviews, as of October 2026The only Relais & Chateaux hotel in the Bahamas, between two private beaches near Gregory Town, with a hilltop infinity pool, a sushi bar and a cliffside bar.
- Walk to the arrival airport
- North Eleuthera: about 27 minutes and 21 km by road to the arrival airport
- Right for
- Couples who want a small, food-led resort and Eleuthera's quiet, with snorkel gear, paddleboards and bikes covered by the resort fee.
- Wrong for
- Wrong for: Anyone who wants the transfer settled before booking. The site lists airlines to two Eleuthera airports but publishes no transfer time or price.
- The catch
- The catch: A $45 daily resort fee is added per room, and the junior suites sleep two, so a family needs one of the villas, which sleep four or six.
Port Lucaya, Grand Bahama
Pelican Bay Hotel
€Rated 4.2 out of 5 on Google Maps from 812 reviews, as of October 2026A self-described boutique hotel on the Port Lucaya waterfront, with three pools, 640 sq ft waterside rooms for up to four, and a published from-rate of $150.
- Walk to the arrival airport
- Grand Bahama: about 25 minutes and 14.5 km by road to the arrival airport
- Right for
- Budget travellers and families who want a room for four, three pools and Port Lucaya Marketplace close by.
- Wrong for
- Wrong for: Anyone who wants to wake up on a beach. The rooms look over the marina, and the hotel offers easy beach access rather than a beachfront.
- The catch
- The catch: No tax or fee schedule appears on its pages, so the $150 from-rate is where the bill starts, not where it ends.
White Sound, Elbow Cay
Abaco Inn
€€Rated 4.6 out of 5 on Google Maps from 256 reviews, as of October 2026A small inn on a strip of Elbow Cay between the Atlantic and the Sea of Abaco, with four ocean-view rooms, kitchenette cottages, 13 weekly-let villas and a pool dating from the 1960s.
- Walk to the arrival airport
- Marsh Harbour: a mile to the Hope Town dock, then a ferry or charter boat to the arrival airport
- Right for
- Families with young children, since there is no charge for children aged six and under, and boaters, who dock free up to 50 feet.
- Wrong for
- Wrong for: Anyone who wants to walk to town. Hope Town is about two miles away, and Elbow Cay gets around by golf cart and bike.
- The catch
- The catch: Rates exclude 10% VAT, and if a hurricane warning is issued while you are on the island you will be asked to leave, with unused nights refunded.
Where not to book in the Bahamas
Three mistakes cost more than a bad room. First, comparing rates without the add-ons: on Paradise Island, Atlantis adds 21% in VAT and levies before its resort fee and per-person gratuities, Grand Isle adds 22%, and only Sandals says everything is included. Second, booking an Out Island stay in late summer or autumn without checking the hotel is open. NOAA's Atlantic hurricane season runs from 1 June to 30 November, the first major hurricane usually forms in late August or early September, and The Dunmore closes from 13 August to 29 October. Abaco Inn will ask guests to leave if a hurricane warning is issued. Third, booking Comfort Suites on the day for one night expecting Atlantis access. It is not included on same-day, one-night bookings.
When to book
Book the domestic flight before the room for anything beyond Nassau. Grand Isle warns that the frequency of the air-taxi flights from Nassau varies by season and advises researching them well in advance, and Staniel Cay is reached on scheduled Makers Air flights from Fort Lauderdale. The peak weeks are Christmas and New Year, then spring: The Dunmore's 2026 to 2027 peak runs from 19 December to 3 January and from 1 March to 24 April, with a seven-night minimum and the full balance charged 90 days out. Atlantis stays between 18 December 2026 and 2 January 2027 can be cancelled free only before 31 October 2026, and from 1 November the whole stay is charged. If you travel in hurricane season, read the guarantee: Atlantis lets you rebook within a year if the US National Hurricane Center issues a watch or warning within 14 days of arrival, while Grand Isle honours early departures if NOAA predicts a hurricane within 48 hours.
Best hotels in the Bahamas: FAQ
The questions travellers ask most when picking a hotel here.
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Photo credits (12)
Photos via Wikimedia Commons, used under their respective licences.
- Stone arches of the medieval cloister in the Versailles gardens on Paradise Island, looking out towards the harbour: Rüdiger Stehn from Kiel, Deutschland - CC BY-SA 2.0 · source
- The Baha Mar towers on Cable Beach seen from West Bay Street, the strip where several luxury hotels in the Bahamas stand: Adog104 - CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
- Cable Beach on the north shore of New Providence seen from the water, the resort strip west of downtown Nassau: Rüdiger Stehn from Kiel, Deutschland - CC BY-SA 2.0 · source
- The gates and steps of Government House in downtown Nassau, the old town street where one of the boutique hotels in the Bahamas sits next door: Bluerasberry - CC BY 4.0 · source
- The Atlantis towers on Paradise Island seen across the water from Nassau, the resort area around the island's suite hotels: Larry D. Moore - CC BY 4.0 · source
- The lighthouse at the western tip of Paradise Island, at the harbour entrance between Nassau and Paradise Island: Philip Gabrielsen - CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
- The beach on Stocking Island off George Town, Great Exuma, the island where Emerald Bay and its villa resorts sit: Rüdiger Stehn from Kiel, Deutschland - CC BY-SA 2.0 · source
- Staniel Cay from the air, with its road, houses and the shallow turquoise banks of the Exuma Cays: cogdogblog - CC0 · source
- Driftwood on the pink sand beach of Harbour Island, off the north end of Eleuthera: Rüdiger Stehn from Kiel, Deutschland - CC BY-SA 2.0 · source
- A lane running down past the houses of Gregory Town, the Eleuthera village nearest The Cove: Monocletophat123 - CC0 · source
- The painted stalls of Port Lucaya Marketplace on Grand Bahama, beside the Lucaya marina and hotel area: qwesy qwesy - CC BY 3.0 · source
- The Hope Town lighthouse on Elbow Cay, Abaco, seen across the water from a small beach: Rüdiger Stehn from Kiel, Deutschland - CC BY-SA 2.0 · source