We can’t say it enough: The Bahamas is open for business, from Cat Island to Eleuthera, Harbour Island to Exuma, Bimini to Long Island.

But Nassau remains the country’s travel hub, its most complete — and popular — destination.

And while you may have been to Nassau before, you may not be familiar with its hidden gems, the small hotels that are a beautiful, very different way to experience the destination.

Whether you’re looking for a hip boutique luxury hotel, a rustic beach resort or a culinary Mecca, Nassau’s small hotels offer a marvelously diverse range of experiences for every kind of traveler.

These are our favorite small hotels in Nassau, Bahamas. (Note: all photos and video were shot on-location in mid-September 2019 after Dorian).

Yes, there’s a movie theater at a 30-room boutique hotel. And it’s glorious.

The Island House The newest boutique hotel in Nassau is a standout at the edge of tony Lyford Cay, a world-class hotel where you get boutique service and design with the sort of amenities that even large resorts aren’t creative enough to come up with. That means things like on-site squash courts, a co-working space and, yes, a complete cinema that shows first-run movies — along with an exceptional Bamford Spa. The 30-room (24 rooms and six suites) hotel, which first opened in 2015, bills itself as not just a place to stay, but a “gathering space” for the local community, and that emphasis on local engagement makes for an energetic, fun, place to stay. Hotels don’t get much cooler than this. Period.