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.
The pool at Graycliff in Nassau.
Graycliff No visit to Nassau is complete without a visit to Graycliff, the legendary hotel and restaurant set in an 18th century former pirate’s mansion that has become one of the Caribbean’s luxury hotspots, home to everything from a world-renowned cigar factory to a chocolate factory and the Bahamas’ only winery. And then there’s the restaurant, the endlessly romantic hotspot that is a favorite of celebrities the world over. And if you aren’t a celebrity, you’ll be instantly made to feel like one.
For Marley lovers, it’s a true destination.
Marley Resort and Spa Just off the lobby there is a room, equal parts shrine and gallery, that honors the late Bob Marley and his impact on the world of music. It’s filled with vintage prints, a video and even some of Marley’s own guitars — and somehow you just seem to feel his energy in the room. But there’s more than the Marley name to this hotel owned by Marley’s wife Rita, a property discovered by the couple on a trip to Nassau in the late 1970s. Today, it’s a rustic, 16-room beach resort right on a prime stretch of Cable Beach with an intimate spa to boot. (If you want to splurge, go for the six-bedroom Beach House villa).
Compass Point The Marley isn’t the only hotel in Nassau with a musical background. Compass Point, the colorful beach resort on the northwestern coast of the island, began life as a recording studio founded by Chris Blackwell (incidentally, the producer who first signed Bob Marley), and while Blackwell is no longer involved, the property has still retained quite a bit of cool. Set right on the sea, it’s comprised of a collection of breezy bungalow-style cottages, along with a spa and one of Nassau’s best eateries. (The whole fried snapper is legendary).
A Stone’s Throw Away This is a traditional bed-and-breakfast, set up a small hillside from a lovely little beach, blessed with a gorgeous view of Nassau’s brilliantly blue water. There are just 10 rooms, all bright and airy, the kind of place with an honor bar for the things you need. It’s a place that makes you feel a world away from the Nassau you think you know. It’s a portal to the old Bahamas, a quaint, charming, endlessly warm hotel.
Blue Sail, above, is a hotspot.
Sandyport Beach Resort If you want to experience Nassau like you live here, this is the way to do it. The bright, pastel units come with full kitchens, loads of space and a prized location in the Sandyport community a short drive from Lynden Pindling International Airport. There’s a marina, a shopping village and, perhaps most importantly, the toes-in-the-sand Blue Sail restaurant that doubles as the property’s beach club.
Ocean West There’s a growing trend of “residential” resorts in the region, and Ocean West is precisely that, a homey, very well appointed 10-room boutique with a stunning pool and a great location for jumping off to explore what is the most beautiful corner of the island. It doesn’t hurt that right next door is Sapodilla, the Bahamian fine-dining eatery that is one of Nassau’s gourmet destinations.
— CJ