For a girl whose vacation portfolio includes backpacking through Europe, trekking through Jordan and road tripping through New Zealand, being trapped inside a resort for four whole days was a frightening idea. But in the spirit of trying something new, I took the plunge and flew down for a visit at the Atlantis resort in the Bahamas.
I arrived perturbed, with a mind full of preconceptions fuelled by my travel snobbery. But over the course of one beautiful long weekend, my biases were shattered one by one. These are my confessions.
Myth: The resort looks much bigger in the brochure than it is in real life
Mega resort equals a mega marketing budget with a staff made up of sneaky people trying to trick you into thinking their resort is a lot bigger and better than it actually is, right? WRONG! Before my trip I combed through the resort website reading up on all the activities and studied the giant map, the entire time assuming what I’ll actually see would be a smaller and less impressive version of what the site portrays. Little did I know that this completely inaccurate preconceived notion would be shattered within the first 20 minutes of being on the property.
Upon checking in, one of the extremely friendly staff walked me to my room. After setting down my luggage, he parted the curtains of the giant window so I could get a first look at my view. Cue jaw drop. What I saw didn’t just resemble the idyllic photos on the resort’s website, it looked exactly like it. The pools were giant and uncrowded, the greenery was lush, and the property looked huge! He spent the next few minutes pointing out the highlights of the resort, most of which were too far to be seen from my window. Luckily, he said, there’s an all-day shuttle service that makes it easy for you to get to all corners of the property.
Myth: The beach will be crowded
A mega resort is often located on a mega property, which almost always means that it is flanked by a mega beach. And that ultimately means there is more than enough room for resort guests to stretch out and claim their own lounging spot without bumping elbows with their sunbathing neighbour.
When I visited Atlantis, the resort was at full capacity. That’s nearly 10,000 eager sun worshippers competing for loungers on any of the three giant stretches of beach that surround the property. Fortunately, it never took me more than ten seconds to claim my own piece of the paradise. Going for a stroll towards the end of the beach strip made me feel like I was all alone on a private island.
Myth: I’ll be surrounded by screaming kids all day
Atlantis is a family friendly resort where all ages are welcome. But if you happen to be allergic to tiny humans, rest assured you can find solace in the uber stylish adult only Cain at the Cove pool area. Daybeds and private cabanas dot the edge of a 9,000 square foot pool, where loud music keeps the South Beach like atmosphere pumping all day. In the mood to roll a few dice? No need to walk over to the casino, since there is a gaming pavilion right next to the pool.
Even outside of the Cain at the Cove, it’s rare to come across unhappy children because they are too busy having a good time. Which leads me to my next point.
Myth: I’ll get bored after the first day
If there is one thing Atlantis has mastered, it’s the ability to cater to every possible human interest imaginable.
For the wee ones there is Atlantis Kids Adventures, hands down the coolest kids club I have ever seen! Throughout the day, children ages 3-12 can immerse themselves in interactive games where they play detective, pirate, wizard, or put on stage performances and even a three ring circus. At their disposal are several themed rooms including a Lego construction centre, a grocery store, a Victorian dollhouse, a game room, a computer room, and an arts and crafts room. There’s even a super-secret mystery room that I got a chance to see, and what became one of my favourite moments of this entire trip! But, like every kid that visits the super-secret mystery room, I have been sworn to secrecy and therefore can never, ever share the life-changing experience that happened in that room. Let’s just say, Willy Wonka would be jealous.
For the teens, there’s Crush: the ultimate nightclub for guests ages 13 to 17. Parents can rest easy knowing the environment is completely safe, and teens can breathe a sigh of relief knowing there is nothing boring or lame about this place. The 14,000 square-foot space boasts an internet lounge, iPads, a gaming room stocked with Kinect for Xbox 360, a floor-to-ceiling gaming tree with 24 gaming consoles, ten private gaming cabanas, and much more. A live DJ keeps the tunes playing and the bar serves delicious mocktails and snacks all night long.
The entire family can play together in one of the 11 pools sprawled across the property, meander slowly down the mile-long lazy river, or get your heart pumping on one of the exhilarating water slides. You can snorkel, scuba, snuba, view wildlife from a distance, and even get up close to it with a shark viewing adventure, a stingray feeding experience, or a swim with the dolphins. Atlantis is home to the largest open-air marine habitat in the world, with 20-million gallons of fresh and salt-water pools and lagoons full of sea life!
Finally, if mom and dad just want to do their own thing they can spend their time playing 18 holes at the Tom Weiskopf designed golf course, playing a round of tennis, catching a movie in the Atlantis theatre, relaxing at the Mandara spa, or curling up with a good book at the library.
And this doesn’t even cover all there is to do at Atlantis. No matter what your interest is, you’ll find something to do here.
Myth: The food will be terrible
What I pictured was me lining up for pizza and hamburgers at a buffet just slightly more exciting than the menu at this restaurant. What ended up happening was me frantically trying to see how many meals I could fit into a day in order to experience as many of the fabulous restaurants at Atlantis as I could.
The resort features several celebrity chef owned establishments like Olives, the rustic Mediterranean restaurant by Chef Todd English, Café Martinique, which serves up French cuisine by Chef Jean-Geroges Vongerichten, and Nobu, where you’ll find impeccable Japanese food by Chef Nobu Matsuhisa.
My favourite of them all was the bold Southwestern cuisine at Chef Bobby Flay’s Mesa Grill. The menu is made up of rich and spicy southwestern specialties designed by Flay and available only at the Atlantis resort. Some of the best items on the menu are the Bahamian spiced chicken skewers with yogurt cilantro sauce, pan seared local Mahi-Mahi with island curry sauce, and the red and black pepper crusted filet mignon.
For a taste of truly authentic Bahamian cuisine, hop in the resort shuttle and make your way over to chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s Dune. Located in the spectacular One & Only Ocean Club, Dune is a great place to enjoy a lunch comprised of fresh salads and small plates on a patio overlooking the beach. Best item on the menu is the sour and spicy authentically prepared Bahamian Conch salad.
Myth: It’ll be too expensive
This is another place where Atlantis takes the cake. No matter what your budget or family size, Atlantis has an accommodation option that’s right for you. From the casual and family-friendly value accommodation in the Beach Tower starting at an affordable $278 per night, all the way up to the swanky and sophisticated oceanfront rooms of The Cove, picking a place to stay that’s right for you is a stress-free process.
At the end of four awesome days at the Atlantis resort in the Bahamas, I realized that my fear was mere paranoia. For some odd reason my “don’t knock it till you’ve tried it” mantra failed to extend to mega resort vacations. Luckily I was horribly wrong.
So Atlantis, thank you for opening up my mind to a whole new world of magical vacation possibilities. Planning a sunny escape just became a lot more exciting.
Quick facts: Nassau, Bahamas
Best time to go: Between Christmas and New Years to catch the Junkanoo parade
Worst time to go: The months from June till November can be a bit rainy
Do take the time to familiarize yourself with all the offerings of the Atlantis resort. There’s tons to do!
Don’t be afraid to leave the property. Downtown Nassau is just a short taxi ride away and offers great duty free shopping and a huge crafts market
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