By Robert DiPano
CJ Contributor

GRAND BAHAMA — The motto here is “what you want, whenever you want it.”

Whether you desire hot chocolate sauce on your conch fritters, swim-up frozen cocktails, or a wedding with a few hundred people with an indoor backup, you can find it at this luxury beachfront resort.

Grand Bahama’s Grand Lucayan is situated on a seven acre, palm-lined tropical beach just seventy miles off the coast of Florida.

Travelers may recall past vacations to the Holiday Inn, Westin, or Our Lucaya. Well, those are experiences of the past as Hong Kong operator Hutchison Whampoa, Ltd has pumped millions into renovating and converting the resort into what it is today — and it’s quite a different experience.

A 15 minute ride from the airport in Freeport gets you to the Grand Lucayan, and while there is plenty to do close by, you may not even find a reason to leave the resort.

Unlike some Caribbean hotels that are set back from the water, the Grand Lucayan is unique in its proximity to the sea, affording the direct beachfront experience a large number of travelers are searching for without having to seek out more exotic locales.

Guests have three residences to choose from: the 10-story Breakers Cay building, the low-rise Lighthouse Pointe facility, and the Lanai Suites (home to the twenty four hundred square foot presidential suite).

Relax on the beach, grab a signature cocktail, and cool off in one the property’s five pools or poolside cabanas.  Schedule a round of golf at the Robert Trent Jones Jr.-designed Reef Course, or a tennis lesson the surface of your choice—grass, red clay, Australian Open, or hard court.

Hungry?  The Grand Lucayan offers a choice of casual and fine dining options featuring both Bahamian and international inspired cuisine.  Finish off a meal with a fine cigar or after dinner drink at the Havana Cay cigar lounge.

Thirsty?  Follow the nightly Junkanoo to cocktails at the manor house.  Whatever you decide, be sure not to miss the handmade gelato at the café or the Sunday brunch at Willy Broadleaf.

Worried about your physical wellbeing after sampling the cocktails and cuisine?  The Grand Lucayan houses a twenty five thousand square foot wellness complex, offering daily yoga, spinning, and fitness classes, as well as massage and body treatments at Senses Spa.

The Grand Lucayan has something for everyone, and in Grand Bahamian style, allows guests to do everything — or nothing at all.

— CJ