Bermuda Hotels Guide: Accommodations and Where To Stay in the Bermuda Islands

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Bermuda

Hotels

Bermuda is known for its quietly luxurious enclaves; expect to pay a pretty penny in high season (note that several properties close December to February). Fortunately, you can get anywhere on the island in half an hour; most Hamilton hostelries are less expensive; some offer beach shuttles and all are within walking distance of ferries, restaurants, shops, and bars. Choose from reliable chains, intimate inns and B&Bs, gracious cottage colonies (usually requiring a meal plan of some type), oceanfront apartment complexes, and stylish boutique properties with spas and gourmet restaurants. High-end options predictably predominate, though fairly moderate options abound; acceptable budget accommodations are few (and still pricier than their counterparts elsewhere). To help you choose the right overnight address convenient to most attractions, we've outlined our central Bermuda favorites in each category.

For ultimate luxury, we recommend lavish yet relaxed Elbow Beach (60 South Shore Rd., Paget; 441/236-3535 or 800/223-7434; www.mandarinoriental.com/bermuda), a Mandarin Oriental property with truly splendiferous beach and grounds; its regular (deluxe) hotel rooms and more isolated sybaritic cottages offer Old World style and newfangled amenities, ideally combining small hotel ambience and service with big resort amenities, including a superlative new spa and marvelous eateries. Pink Beach (South Rd., Smith's; 441/293-1666 or 800/355-6161; www.pinkbeach.com), member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World, opened in 1947 as one of first cottage colonies and still retains that dowdy-chic-summer-retreat-for-wealthy-Northeast-families look and ambience; the classic vernacular cottages (each holding several suites though, darling, you can rent an entire building, like John Travolta, LeAnn Rimes, or The Boss) are bracketed by two stunning beaches, and its ultra-comfy rooms, upmarket facilities, supremely secluded location, and excellent eateries lure honeymooners and families alike. Fairmont Southampton (101 South Shore Rd., Southampton; 441/238-8000 or 800/441-1414; www.fairmont.com/southampton) fulfills anyone's fantasies of a large resort hotel: hilltop location with magnificent views, gorgeous grounds and beach, executive par-3 golf course, tennis courts, scintillating restaurants, marina, lively lounge, sterling shops, top-notch business facilities, kids' club and arcade. The term "cottage colony" was supposedly coined at Cambridge Beaches (30 King's Point Rd., Sandys; 441/234-0331 or 800/468-7300; www.cambridgebeaches.com); aside from its unmatched romantic beach setting, the deluxe enclave never rests on its laurels, having spectacularly redone its pool (now a multi-tiered Infinity wonder) and added a Pacific Rim-inspired bistro to its already-inspired culinary clutch. Waterloo House (Pitts Bay Rd., Hamilton; 441/295-4480; www.bermudasbest.com) is an elegant group of 19th-century buildings fronting miniature courtyards that spill down a hill right to the edge of Hamilton Harbour; the look and style are sun-never-sets British (period burnished and inlaid hardwood furnishings, brass sconces, mahogany crown moldings and wainscoting, and more) with state-of-the-art necessities like WiFi access.

For moderate choices, we love Rosedon (off Pitts Bay Rd., Hamilton; 441/295-1640 or 800/742-5008; www.rosedonbermuda.com), a country estate in the city, thanks to its tranquil setting just minutes from Front Street's activity; the individually decorated rooms (usually combining contemporary touches like plasma screen TV/DVDs with classic carved inlaid armoires or four-poster beds) are either in the charming former turn-of-the-century mansion or in buildings surrounding the pool and luxuriantly landscaped interior courtyard. Surf Side Beach Club (South Shore, Warwick; 441/236-7100 or 800/553-9990; www.surfside.bm) is a cluster of self-contained apartments on a cliff overlooking the water; while its beach is tiny, the complex does have a small spa and restaurant and its fully-equipped units are comfy with astonishing ocean views at an affordable rate. Grotto Bay Beach Resort (11 Blue Hole Hill, Hamilton Parish; 441/293-8333 or 800/582-3190; www.grottobay.com) strikes a pleasing balance between colonial and contemporary, contrasting bold abstract artworks with beamed ceilings and hardwood floors; its location is utterly stunning, with several caves forming natural pools, and features all the resort trappings you'd want without the trap (high prices).

Central budget accommodations are harder to find, but you can't go wrong with Salt Kettle Guest House (10 Salt Kettle Rd., Paget; 441/236-0407), where several airy whitewashed cottages front the marina (Winslow Homer painted his famed Salt Kettle scenes from the 200-year-old dining room where a hearty English breakfast is served). Clairfont Apartments (6 Warwickshire Rd., Warwick Parish; 441/238-3577 or 800/334-8649; www.clairfontapartments.com) enjoys a supreme hillside location, just five minutes' walk to Warwick Long Bay beach; the sizeable studio and one-bedroom units, all with fully equipped kitchens, are fresh, clean, and rigorously maintained.