Bermuda's Large Hotels

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Bermuda's Large Hotels

For those on business, conference or vacation

An impartial list. No one from this website receives any commissions or rebates from any property.

Recommended hotels are shown in bold. Some have the facilities shown by the following symbols. Hotels shown with 5-2 Stars reflect the symbols shown on Expedia.com. Large (resort) hotels have business and incentive meetings all year. Usually, they have their own private beach, gardens and pools, other luxury facilities, sports, shops, beauty salon, cycle livery, bars, restaurants, nightclub. Most have lower rates from November to March, the off season. Some are on or close to Bermuda's public sector bus or ferry routes.

- 5 Star hotel	- 4 Star hotel	- 3 Star hotel	- 2 Star hotel
- business center	- business facilities	- Ship view	- dining
- disabled access	- fitness	- golf course	- meeting room
- pool	- public buses	- public ferries	- shopping
- walking area

Preface

We'll gladly list all known Bermuda guest properties in all categories and don't charge them a cent for it. We do not charge any commission for listing them or receive any other benefit from doing so. All we ask in return for including their website as a reputable and reliable Bermuda resource with a free courtesy weblink after we've checked them out just to confirm if they do indeed have the facilities claimed - again at no cost to them at all - is that they reciprocate with a free courtesy web link to our site at http://www.bermuda-online.org showing us as a reputable, extensive and reliable Bermuda resource.

We've long advocated that free mutual courtesy hyper links - web links, links - are not just in Bermuda's best interests but specifically in the interests of our visitors. Free courtesy links to websites, as we recommend, provide on all the Bermuda web sites that carry them a unique service to our visitors.

How? They normally show, directly from the web sites of hotels or guest houses or apartments concerned, full details of their histories, operations, prices and services, plus what transportation options, public (for example, buses or ferries) or private (such as rental mopeds or scooters or cycles) are near them. Sorry but when web sites are not linked to us and don't show us as a Bermuda resource, we can't link to or recommend them. See our Links and Mentions policy at http://www.bermuda-online.org/links.htm.

Internet Access

Prospective clients who are internet savvy should check this out well in advance. Properties are asked to inform this author when they offer Free WIFI or WIFI or other Internet services to their clients. It can be hugely important that where you stay has wireless (WI-FI) Internet either as a standard or an optional extra throughout the property, giving clients the ability to send and receive not only emails but ftp files and attachments including digital photographs. Many clients assume wrongly that they will have these same abilities on their business visits or vacations, via their laptops or the property's, as they do in their homes and places of employment. But this is not the case. Some Bermuda properties don't have rooms or suites with wireless Internet access. Instead, if they have internet access at all, they may limit their service to Internet rooms for passengers to send and receive text emails only, no attachments such as photographs. Those who travel to wonderful places like Bermuda want to be able to email photos, including where they stay of course, back home to their families, friends and colleagues. If they cannot, it's a significant opportunity wasted for both clients and properties in terms of publicity and more clientele.

Disabled access

Elbow Beach

60 South Road, Paget Parish, PG 04.Or P. O. Box HM 994, Hamilton, HM DX, Bermuda . 235 rooms, plus 98 suites and cottages. Phone (800) 223-7484 in USA or (441) 236 3535 directly. Fax (441) 236 8043. Reservations 1 (800) 223 7434 in the USA. Rooms from about $685 a night. Owner: Prince Khaled bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, a prominent member of the Saudi Arabian Royal Family. Open for over 101 years. In October 2009 Managers at Elbow Beach announced the closure of its main hotel (235 rooms) on November 30 - which could stay empty for 3-4 years. General Manager Frank Stocek said it will be closing 60 percent of the resort's rooms and all of its food and beverages sector, resulting in the loss of approximately 160 jobs, half of which are held by Bermudians, spouses of Bermudians or those with Bermudian status, due to poor bookings. Mr. Stocek said the current economic climate played a major factor in the owner's decision to hold off on its master development plan for the 101-year-old resort and instead focus on a smaller upgrade and a more intimate resort. Although, he added, they planned to go ahead with larger developments in three or four years. The 98 suites and cottages will remain open while renovations to the main building are underway. It is expected a scaled-down version of the main building will open in March 2010 after a $10 million refurbishment. This will include a refurbished lobby and a new recreation room as well as the complete renovation of the free-standing Bermuda Room, which will be restored to its authentic 1908 design and become a luxurious meeting and banqueting venue for small groups, weddings and social functions. Also under the axe are the South Shore resort's main lobby and two popular eateries, The Seahorse Grill and the Veranda Rum Bar. In 2009 the hotel was named one of the world's top 500 properties this year by Travel + Leisure Magazine. However, the accolades were not enough to save it in the current climate. Elbow Beach's partial closure will have a huge impact on Bermuda's brand and the hospitality industry. Heads of Bermuda's international business community have expressed their dismay on the impact Elbow Beach Hotel's indefinite closure will have on their industry.

Taxi fare from/to airport from $25 per taxi for 1-4 passengers or $35 for 5-6 passengers. The hotel first opened in 1908 as the South Shore Hotel. The resort is now part of Mandarin Oriental’s portfolio of luxurious properties. Elbow Beach is managed by the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, which is registered in Bermuda and part of the Jardine Matheson Group - but with most of its operations in China (and its administrative territory Hong Kong), Singapore and elsewhere in Asia. It also manage hotels in Miami, New York, Hong Kong, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, London and Macau.

The hotel is 5 minutes by taxi from the city of Hamilton. It is a luxury four-star/diamond resort hotel and and cottage colony (Fritholme Gardens), combined. It is on 50 lush acres of its own botanical gardens. It offers both the atmosphere of a full-service hotel and selection of garden cottages, executive villas and condominiums. All hotel units have 53-channel television. For tennis, there are 5 newly resurfaced plexi-pave courts, 3 lit for night play. There is also the Deep night club. It is near the 7 bus route. It is constantly enhancing its facilities. In May 2003, the hotel opened its new $1.4 million water treatment plant. It replaced the old waste system which piped sewage 800 yards out to sea. It processes 60,000 gallons of sewage in 24 hours, yielding only pure water for irrigating the hotel's extensive gardens. In 2008, new CCTV cameras were installed to improve security at the hotel. The CCTV upgrades to the property have doubled coverage across the resort to 36 cameras with a state-of-the-art digital command centre and a new electronic patrol monitoring system. The hotel has also increased security officer coverage to a group of 20 and has a pre-existing entry and egress point alarm system and emergency alarms in high visibility areas. Nearest beach is the hotel's private part (the western part is public) of Elbow Beach, to the south of the hotel. For other beaches, see beaches.

Fairmont Hamilton Princess

This historic hotel is the oldest in Bermuda, a landmark. It first opened on January 1,1865.

Princess Louise, after whom the Princess Hotel was named

The opening date was just two years after Her Royal Highness Princess Louise, who was the fourth daughter of Queen Victoria, visited Bermuda and called it "a place of eternal spring."

She was a frequent visitor in the 1880s, to escape the cold of Canada where her husband was the Governor General. Married in 1871 and by many accounts not a happy one, her husband was the Marquis of Lorne from Scotland who later became the 9th Duke of Argyle. Certainly to escape the often bitter Canadian climate and probably her husband too, she visited Bermuda many times. She was Bermuda's first official tourist of Royal blood and an accomplished artist in water colors and oils. Because of her appreciation of the military, the Guard of Honor it provided for her wedding and the artwork she did for it, one of Scotland's most famous British Army units to serve in Bermuda, The Argyllshire Regiment, was renamed to honor her. It carried her insignia for many years in its own - and served in Bermuda for two years under the name in the late 1920s - before it became The Argyllshire Highlanders. A Canadian organization owns her art in Canada and lent them to Bermuda for a 1998 exhibition.

The hotel quickly became a beacon to travellers and saw Bermuda go from a winter destination for wealthy New Yorkers who arrived by steamship to a spring break capital for east coast college students to a destination for discerning travellers looking for something different from what other Islands offer. Later, the hotel had many connections with Mark Twain, a frequent visitor there. From the day it opened, hotel became part of the fabric of the Bermuda community. It was when Bermuda's nascent tourism season was winter, when guests arrived by steamship from New York and stayed on the island for months, when horses and buggies transported passengers along dusty roads. In those days, as ocean liners entered Hamilton Harbour and sailed past The Princess, it was tradition for our staff to welcome them, dressed in white jackets and waving pink handkerchiefs. Over the years it had its fair share of celebrities, including Mark Twain who was known to recite poetry while smoking a cigar on the veranda. The hotel has played a leading role in more recent Bermuda tourism. A key ingredient in the hotel's success from the start was the loyal, dedicated and professional staff, many who have been there for more than 20 years and the commitment by the hotel's various owners since the opening, who have kept the Grand Dame tastefully decorated and equipped with the latest furniture and fixtures, and first-class hotel amenities. This hotel also played a significant role in Bermuda's economy.

While most Bermudians and residents know the hotel has a very interesting past full of intrigue and colorful characters, many do not know that the property was an important spy centre that involved the man some consider to be the inspiration for author Ian Fleming's James Bond, Agent 007. Also known as the "Pink Palace", the hotel played an integral role in World War Two as a covert agent for the Allied Forces fighting against tyranny and oppression on the war's many fronts. It denied the Germans both knowledge and information. Charged with "defensive" censorship, 880 "examiners" - mostly British but with American personnel too - read commercial and personal mail, packages and pouches that were sent across the Atlantic to and from Europe and Nazi Germany in order to delete any potentially harmful information.

The operation was essentially the filter through which all correspondence in the Western hemisphere was inspected. To the average person during World War Two, censorship during times of war was a routine activity. It didn't generate much interest. And that's exactly how British Intelligence authorities wanted it to look because behind the walls of 13 rooms within the hotel, top secret sleuthing, a la James Bond, was taking place. Even the majority of the "examiners" didn't know what went on behind closed doors. Under the leadership of British Intelligence officer William Stephenson, a Canadian some say was one of the real-life inspirations for the literary and movie super-spy James Bond, the co-ordination of the secret "offensive" censorship took place in the 1940s. According to an article entitled The Princess Spies written by CIA officer Thomas F. Troy, who died earlier in 2008, espionage experts used technologically-advanced techniques to break into letters and packages in order to produce and plant "forgeries useful in propaganda and blackmail operations." The group of experts could obtain the contents of any package leaving no trace of their tampering. Using innovative techniques for the time they could even extract a letter from an envelope without cutting, steaming or replacing it with a forged replica. Their work proved to be so useful to the combined efforts of the war that Sir William called the censorship initiative "a political weapon of very special importance . . . credit to all concerned." The hotel has many other fascinating connections to the legacy of James Bond and to victory of the Allied Forces in World War two.

In September 2007 the hotel was bought by private real estate company Goodman Hospitality Investments, based in Seattle, Washington, although it will still be managed by Fairmont Hotels & Resorts (until then, the owner) the Canadian luxury-hotel operator. It has other fine hotels in Canada and elsewhere.

The newly renovated (2007/2008) Bay Wing of the Fairmont Hamilton Princess has been renamed Bermudiana House. The official opening was June 2008. Bermudiana House reflects the hotel's heritage, to help create a truly local experience for guests. It has the look and feel of a luxury home with its island inspired decor featuring a classic design consistent with the rest of the hotel.

The hotel overlooks picturesque Hamilton Harbor, has extensive uninterrupted views of it, with nice gardens. It is an eight minute walk from the City of Hamilton and the ferry terminal. It is not served by buses. Most visitors do not know that this hotel was the international headquarters during World War II for a considerable number of male and female British censors who invariably paid very considerable attention to and often impounded mail going between Germany and the United States. They acted in complete accord with the FBI and other organizations on the mainland. Sadly, their quarters at this hotel have been shuttered up. (They could be made into a unique attraction for visitors and residents).

Nearest beaches are Clarence Cove and Deep Bay, both - like this hotel - in Pembroke Parish. These beaches are on the North Shore. The nearest South Shore beach is Elbow Beach in Paget Parish. For other beaches, see beaches. Other South Shore beaches are much further away, east or west.

Fairmont Southampton Princess

593 rooms. South and Middle Roads, Southampton Parish. Or airmail at P. O. Box HM 1379, Hamilton HM FX, Bermuda. Reservations 1 ( 800) 223 1818 in the USA or ( 800) 268 7176 in Canada or (441) 238-8000 directly. Fax (441) 238-8968. E-mail southampton@fairmont.com. 593 rooms, 1500 guests, 853 staff. Newport Room 239-6964; Rib Room 239-6966; Tennis Club 239-6950; Waterlot Inn 239-6967; Whaler Inn 239-6868; Wickets Brasserie 239-6969; Windows On The Sound 239-6963. Taxi fare from/to airport from $35 per taxi for 1-4 passengers or $45 for 5-6 passengers. Near the 7 and 8 bus routes.

Another Bermuda hotel in the Fairmont Hotels & Resorts Inc. stable. Bermuda's largest hotel, it is on the second highest point of Bermuda. In 1972-74, when it was built, almost 100% of the construction materials came from Canada. It is a 100-acre estate facing the South Shore ocean and Great Sound on the north side. It is a luxury resort hotel. Major improvements have included a new spa, pool and beach area. There are lovely gardens and its own challenging, executive golf course. It has sophisticated and flexible meeting facilities, a variety of restaurants and services. It was built in 1972 from scratch by its first owner, the American multi-millionaire Daniel Ludwig. Sixty percent of hotel guests are in conventions. It has received numerous Bermuda Government Tourism awards. The Princess-to-Princess (linking both the Fairmont Hamilton Princess and Fairmont Southampton Princess) ferry is very popular with guests. Nearest beach is the one belonging to this hotel, reachable by the hotel's beach shuttle. For other beaches, see beaches.

The last three-and-a-half decades have seen the hotel — originally called the Southampton Princess — play host to some of the world's best-known and wealthiest celebrities and dignitaries. It introduced Bermudian breakfasts to hotel guests more than a decade ago The traditional island fare quickly became hugely popular and hundreds of plates of codfish and potatoes are now served there to locals and hotel guests every Sunday. Guests have included the Saudi royal family's stay in the late 1970s, which saw fresh lamb's milk flown onto the Island every day for more than week; Bill Cosby and his wife; US presidents, including George Bush senior; Tony and Cherie Blair; The Queen and Prince Philip (though they always stayed at Government House); James Belushi. The four-star hotel opened with 600 rooms but now has 593 — the missing seven having been transformed into a lounge on the exclusive Fairmont Gold sixth floor, a "hotel within a hotel" for the richest clients. Millions of dollars have been spent on renovations over the years and the hotel now features a state-of-the-art spa, though the footprint of the site remains the same as in 1972, when then-Governor Lord Martonmere performed the official opening. The Southampton Princess was the brainchild of American businessman and shipping magnate Daniel K. Ludwig, who also owned its sister property, the Princess Hotel in Hamilton. Canadian Pacific Hotels bought both properties in 1998 and took over Fairmont Hotels and Resorts the following year. The hotels were then renamed the Fairmont Southampton and the Fairmont Hamilton Princess. In September 2003, the Fairmont Southampton was damaged by Hurricane Fabian and closed for renovations until April 2004.

In August 2008 Fairmont Hotels and Resorts applied for planning permission to build 130 villas on the grounds of this hotel. Some units will overlook the golf course but the fairway itself will remain intact. The golf course will remain as a par three 18-hole golf course, much as it exists today. The mixed-use development of fractional units, townhouses and villas will now only result in the relocation of the 14th green and tee, plus a new 18th tee and green. Since acquiring the hotel in 1998, the Fairmont group has invested $122 million in remediation work and facilities upgrades, following Hurricane Fabian. The consultants say fractional units for sale and rent are necessary to create additional product offerings for tourists.

However, in January 2009, arising from the economic downturn that has so hugely affected Americans in particular, the hotel's best clients by far, the hotel announced 35 job losses, in the first signs of recession hitting Bermuda's tourism product. Plus, it closed half of its guest rooms until April 2009. In addition, restaurants were closed on a rotating basis based on hotel-occupancy rates, until the 2009 summer season.

In 2009 it realigned its operations to meet the shift in demand from high end to mid-range visitors as the economic crisis takes further effect. Previously, it focused mainly on the luxury tourist market, but the introduction of the new cost-conscious traveler in 2009 has seen the resort transform the way it does business. The hotel has adapted its restaurant offerings to match the change in clientele, lowered costs for guests and offered unprecedented room discounts to attract those looking for value for money in the current financial climate.

Grotto Bay Beach Resort

Phone (441) 293-8333. Fax (441) 293 2306.Reservations 1 (800) 582 3190 in the USA or 1 (800) 463 0851 in Canada.

With several man-made beaches, 4 plexi-paved cork-based tennis courts and exercise room.

It is the only hotel in this category that is locally owned - by a group of investors.

It recently underwent a US$8 million renovation, with many guest rooms completely refurbished and with new decor throughout. With several restaurants.

Tucker's Point Hotel & Spa - opened April 17, 2009

P. O. Box HS 85, Harrington Sound HS BX, Bermuda. Telephone (441) 298-4000. Castle Harbour. Brian Young, general manager since 2010. On 200 acres of waterfront. It is in the exclusive and private residential area of Bermuda known as Tucker's Town. The $350 million, 200-acre development includes a residence club, estate and town homes, villas. Owned by Bermuda Properties, which purchased it in 1958 when it was still Castle Harbour Hotel. The boutique hotel, designed to five-star standards, also offers a conference venue for Bermuda's established international business community. The centre piece is the Manor House, perched above Castle Harbour. Each of its rooms is decorated in a classic British style of artwork and furnishings, while the bathrooms feature deep soaking tubs, as well as expansive balconies and terraces with water views. The suites come complete with bars with ice makers and fireplaces, while the rooms are fitted with Wi-fi, VOIP telephony and IP-TV. The Palm Court, which is lined with palm trees, leads from a croquet lawn to a horizon pool overlooking a lush grotto and Harrington Sound. The spa has 10 tranquil treatment rooms and a Silver Tag hydrotherapy suite, with the women's salon offering manicure, pedicure and styling. There is also a barber shop. The 1,900 square-foot fitness centre is fitted with aerobic and cardiovascular equipment, in addition to weights, offers private wellness and conditioning instruction, while the dive and watersports centre provides dive adventures aboard the 31-foot Tidal Pull exploring shipwrecks and underwater caves. Diners have the Point Restaurant, accessed via an English long bar facing Palm Court. Point Terrace and the wine room, with its barrel-vaulted ceiling and selection of new and old world wines, provides a more private experience, along with al-fresco dining poolside at the Mahogany Terrace. The conference facility comprises computers, translation, IT support and secretarial services, in addition to satellite conferencing and a projection screen. There are two swimming pools, a golf course, beach and tennis club and more.

Guest rooms range in size from 530 to 1,200 square feet with luxury bathrooms and terraces with views of Castle Harbour and Harrington Sound. Rooms cost guests from $600 and $2,000 a night. They feature luxury bathrooms and terraces with views of Castle Harbour and Harrington Sound. Each room has a spacious balcony with a view of Castle Harbour, a flat screen panel TV, Wi-fi, fireplace, wet bar and walk in closets. They also have a luxury five-fixture bathroom with a stand alone deep bathtub. The rooms also come with amenities such as portable phones and I-pod/Mp3 docks and 24-hour room service.

A resurrection, reconstruction and reconstitution of the Castle Harbour Hotel, which opened in 1931 and closed in 1999, under a new name after the latter's demolition. The Castle Harbour Hotel was a landmark first planned by the British Furness Withy shipping organization in 1923 and first opened on November 1, 1932. Furness Withy built both the original Castle Harbour Hotel and the Mid Ocean Club. After World War 2 Furness Withy of the UK lost interest. The property and extensive land were bought by Bermuda-based Bermuda Properties Ltd, headed and owned by Juan Trippe. He was the founder of the original Pan American World Airways. It was a direct result of his interest in Bermuda after Pan American flew between Bermuda and New York from 1937.

Possible new hotels

A planning application has been submitted to build a Ritz-Carlton Hotel on Par-La-Ville car park in the City of Hamilton, creating 330 new jobs and injecting $200 million into the economy. The proposed hotel would have street level boutique shops along Church Street and Par-La-Ville Road, 150 guest rooms and suites and a further 60 luxury residential apartments including roof top gardens and a swimming pool. With its prime position in the centre of Hamilton’s financial district and directly across the road from the Bermuda Stock Exchange, it is anticipated the hotel will attract a high proportion of business clientele. There will be landscaped grounds to the rear and a 20,000 sq ft underground conference hall – another tilt at the corporate and business market that will be key to the success of the venture, which is being pitched as a business hotel and residence. Two major restaurants are to be included – on the top floor a lounge and grill would look out from one corner, enjoying commanding views towards City Hall and the heart of the Hamilton. Backers of the ambitious idea are headed on the Island by United Resorts Inc. The idea of building a hotel on the car park at the corner of Church Street and Par-La-Ville has been in existence for years but has suffered a number of stalled efforts despite speculative interest previously shown by the prestigious Regent Hotel group. In the latest proposal the hotel would be 135ft high with seven floors above ground level and incorporating features within the roof space. It would have three levels of underground parking for 500 cars, a central outdoor courtyard and a small amphitheatre and fountain area at the rear that links to the Par-La-Ville public park. The Corporation of Hamilton has extended the developers’ exclusivity period for the site until December 29, 2006. The developers are eager to move forward and have asked for the planning process to be speeded up after lodging the proposal with the Department of Planning. The project follows guidelines prepared by former Tourism Minister and now Premier Ewart Brown and the Corporation of Hamilton’s development brief. The Par-La-Ville public park would be extended slightly northwards in “overpasses” to the hotel and connect directly to the hotel’s courtyard. There would be 15,000 square feet of shops and the 60 apartments, varying in size between one, two and three-bedrooms, would be for sale to Bermudians and non-Bermudians.

Southampton Beach Resort (planned, not yet built)

Won't reopen until 2011. South Road, Southampton Parish. Or by airmail at P. O. Box HM 1070, Hamilton, HM EX. On its own 33-acre peninsula of picturesque landscaped grounds, with 13 acres along the South Shore bordered by three private pink sand beaches on three natural bays, via a very steep hill from the main South Road to the hotel. It is near the # 7 bus.

The old Sonesta Beach, later the Wyndham Bermuda Resort and Spa (as pictured), was demolished. The new five-star 150 -room hotel is being built by Scout Real Estate Capital on the 32-acre oceanfront site in Southampton and is expected to open in 2011 as a US$300 million investment. It will be the first hotel of its size and kind built in Bermuda in decades. It will have 150-rooms, with individual beach villas around three beach coves, a luxury spa and fitness center, several pools and restaurants and shopping venues. Scout acquired the Bermuda site in 2006 with backing from New York-based financiers Lehman Brothers. Scout's other properties and investments include The Harbor View Hotel & Resort and The Kelley House on Martha's Vineyard and various properties totaling 6,000 acres on the Big Island in Hawaii.

In July 2008 Scout announced the hotel is to be turned into "one of the most environmentally-advanced beach resorts in the world". It is to build the five-star hotel using recycled copper and concrete from the original construction, and will run the 32-acre oceanfront property on solar power. They say the new resort will be LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)-certified, according to US Green Building Council guidelines, and will "consume less energy and water per square foot than any other resort on the Island. With the Southampton resort, we will use whatever we can which is good for the environment. On the water side, we will try to preclude the need to purchase any water. There is a large underground tank already there which we will be keeping, and we will have our own water purification tank as well. We will use grey water, such as in the bathrooms and gardens, as much as we can. Once demolition takes place, concrete and copper will be recycled to serve as the fill in the new hotel's foundations. The last part of the demolition will take place shortly. The copper is now being shipped to the US to be melted down and then used in the new resort as the architects decide. It is all about recycling and making things sustainable."

Guide to all	Hotels Large and Hotels, Small	Cottage Colonies & Private Clubs
Guest Houses	Cottages, apartments, efficiency Units