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Monday, December 5, 2011Flights to Freeport were dirt cheap, so my girlfriend and I packed up and headed to Grand Bahama Island for a little R&R! Not having high hopes, I wanted simple beach and sun. This is exactly what we got and more...
We decided to stay at the Radisson Grand Lucayan, since they were having a sale and we also had points to use. Knowing that the property is tired and Grand Bahama Island is not as touristy as Nassau, we were at ease with no surprises upon check in. Note: Posh`s...head straight to Atlantis to one of their premium rooms. Freeport is not for you.
At check in (we arrived at noon) we had fully expected to be told our room was not ready, and to kill the afternoon. It was a nice surprise to find that they had our room ready and we were able to get checked in and settled and head straight to the beach and pool! The grounds of the hotel are the selling point. A gorgeous infinity pool along with several other pools and a beautiful white sandy beach took our worries away about the dated room. In no time we were chilling under the sun and ordering drinks at the swim up bar.
The room itself was an upgraded ocean room with a beautiful balcony overlooking the pools and ocean. No complaints. The room was average size and definitely aged, in need of an entire overhaul. Still it was clean and the beds were comfortable so for the minimal amount of time we spent in there, we were ok with it.
Be sure to arrive to the larger infinity pool early as it fills up. My favourite was the loungers in the water overlooking the ocean where you could spend the entire day. Since we were there in the shoulder season, we were some of the only guests at the property and had the place to ourselves!
We dined at the Willy Broadleaf for breakfast and found it was not the most appetizing. The second morning we went to the Plantation cafe and ordered breakfast sandwiches and coffee which the sandwiches took almost half an hour to prepare. Service can be very slow here but you have to roll with it. We also ordered pizza and beer one afternoon at their pizza joint and not only was the pizza worse than some frozen ones I have had, but the beer was expired. The management here is super friendly and they made sure to replace our drinks immediately.
China Beach Grill was also a miss and after a forgettable lunch poolside, we decided to take our dining experiences off-property and across the street. At the Port Lucaya Marketplace where you will see many of the cruise passengers roaming, you will find the better dining options. We tried most of the restaurants and did not have one bad meal. Even the breakfast was great at several of the restaurants you will not miss if you take a walk through the small village of shops and restaurants.
The shopping here is definitely nothing to bring out the cards for. In fact, come here if you want a low key, low budget vacation where there are few distractions. My cards had time to cool off in the room of the hotel, and my bags weighed the same going home as they did on the way there which is unheard of for me! (Note: there is a small pharmacy across the street for water and snacks)
The only purchases we made were at the liquor store and cigar shop. The hotel does have a casino that is very small and not something I would recommend you waste your time or money on. Our evenings were filled with casual but yummy dinners usually consisting of fresh seafood, and sitting on our balcony or on the beach catching up. Just what we needed :)
Next up for me is to scope out Nassau for the best of the best! The people of Grand Bahama Island were so friendly and I felt so safe there, I will be back when it is time for rest, privacy, and relaxation again.
