Review of Grotto Bay Beach Resort in Bermuda

I had the opportunity to stay at the Grotto Bay Beach Resort in Bermuda for 3 nights in mid March on a travel agent familiarization trip courtesy of the Bermuda Tourism Board.

At first, I was a bit disappointed to hear that we were staying at Grotto Bay since I never considered it one of the top hotels in Bermuda but after we stayed there, I can honestly say that I would return without hesitation to Grotto Bay and I would send clients there in a minute.

The hotel is located very close to the airport, in fact, you can see planes landing from the pool and beach area. I was never once disturbed by the noise and the fact that it is a 5 minute cab ride from the airport makes it very easy and, inexpensive, to get to Grotto Bay.

The first thing that I noticed about the resort was the truly friendly staff. I wasn’t allowed to touch my suitcase once it was removed from the van. It was made very clear that we are guests and we are going to be treated as such during our stay. We left our luggage at the front of the hotel until our rooms were ready and we immediately started on a tour of the resort guided by Anthony, the food and beverage manager.

This hotel is not huge, which really adds to the beauty of it. It is on over 20 acres of beautifully landscaped grounds but it is relatively easy to navigate. When I say relatively easy to navigate, what I mean is---- all beachfront hotels in Bermuda are built on higher grounds so is order to get to the beach and some of the beach front rooms, you are going to be walking up and down some pretty steep hills and steps. For those who have walking difficulties, you will want to request rooms closer to the lobby and there is always someone to drive you around the property if needed.

One of the unique features of Grotto Bay is that they have their own crystal caves where they hold weddings and private dinners for two, story telling for the kids and swimming in the ice cold waters. It is an interesting place to hold a wedding- I think I would prefer the beach but it is different.

Speaking of the beach- it is private and lovely- not huge but certainly large enough for the hotel guests. Honeymoon Beach is an ideal spot for a wedding. It is set off a bit from the main beach for privacy. They also have a water sports area that offers non motorized water sports, as well as a boat launch for fishing excursions, etc. There is a nice pool and Jacuzzi as well, that I didn’t use. This was definitely a working trip- not a vacation- so there was no time to relax by the pool.

Grotto Bay is the only resort in Bermuda to offer an all inclusive plan which makes it very affordable. Unlike most all inclusive resorts, you don’t need a bracelet to indicate that you are on the all inclusive plan. You can order off the regular menu and there are no buffets for dinner. The food was GREAT! We had dinner 2 of 3 nights at Grotto Bay and we ordered right off the same menu as the rest of the restaurant patrons. I had steak one night and fish the next, with appetizers, salad and dessert. You could have rolled us out of there. The raisin bread was to die for. The chocolate dessert (can’t remember the name) was heavenly. Wait staff efficient and friendly. The all inclusive plan offers breakfast, lunch and dinner and unlimited alcoholic beverages. Another nice feature is the plan also includes unlimited Bermuda transportation passes. This is definitely a plus for an island where dining tends to run a bit high.

New to the all inclusive plan- the menu will be changing frequently for those who want more variety. New to the resort will also be a spa. Right now, massages can be arranged but there is no actual spa on the resort. There is a small fitness center but I really didn’t look at it since I got enough exercise walking back and forth from our rooms. Also, the entire resort was going to be set up for wireless internet soon.

Rooms--- we were in the newly renovated deluxe beach front rooms. Bed- super comfortable. Mini fridge in the room with a coffee maker was a nice touch. There was no tea in the room so I took some from the afternoon tea and brought it back with me. The bathroom amenities were very nice. My only suggestion was that I would have liked some more hooks or towel racks and the newly renovated bath could have used more storage shelves. The view was sensational. Even though it was mid March, I sat out on the balcony to relax and enjoy the view.

Internet service was spotty at best and currently only available in the main lobby or by the pool. One of my associates could never log on so her internet fee was refunded. I can’t remember the rates completely but I think it was $6 per hour or $30 for 4 days. I took that plan since it seemed to make more sense.

I do have some pictures of Grotto Bay as well as the 9 other resorts we visited (Cambridge Beaches, Pompano Beach, Elbow Beach, Fairmont Southampton, Fairmont Princess, Pink Beaches, Newstead, Tuckers Point and Rosedon.) If you have any specific questions, please email me at mindy@myvacationlady.com.

As a travel agent, I am typically more critical of resorts than the average traveler but I was truly impressed with Grotto Bay Beach Resort and would have no hesitation recommending it to clients who want a nice beachfront resort in Bermuda that offers good value and great service.