Hi friends! It’s been a while, but today I am excited to share a recent trip my husband and I took to the Bahamas. This was our first visit to the Bahamas and we stayed at the Grand Hyatt Baha Mar. Prior to booking the trip, I didn’t know anything about the new Baha Mar area. Once I booked the trip and started sharing our plans with friends and family, I was surprised how much hype this area was getting. All of the positive feedback plus the details found in the blog world made me even more excited for this trip!
From NY, the Bahamas is a three hour direct flight which makes the Bahamas a great option for a long weekend. We stayed at the Grand Hyatt for 4 nights, but due to our flight times, we were able to enjoy just about five complete days at the resort. I booked our reservation directly through the Hyatt to make sure we earned Hyatt rewards points. The main reason that I chose the Grand Hyatt was due to the great experience we had at the Andaz Maui last year. The Andaz resorts are actually owned by Hyatt.
I booked us a ‘king view room’ which ended up being upgraded to a suite. We didn’t ask for an upgrade, so we were pleasantly surprised when we opened the door. Our suite had a full kitchen, living room, bedroom, washer/dryer and two balconies. It was brand new and beautifully decorated. I think the change of rooms was a result of us arriving at the resort well before our check-in time. The only downside to this room change ended up being the location of the room. We were on the 20th floor, which mean that both balconies had great views of the ocean, but also a parking lot and the water park that is in early stages of construction. Our room was on the far west side of the West Tower. I suggest keeping this in mind when you check into the hotel, especially if the view is important to you. Also, be sure to remember that Baha Mar is a large resort. You will not be able to hear the ocean from your balcony at the Grand Hyatt, as it is set the farthest away from the beach.
Overall, we were very happy with our stay at Baha Mar. The resort is new and kept very clean. The Grand Hyatt also offers perks you may not find at other hotels. Similar to our stay at the Andaz, complementary flavored ice water and Sun Bum SPF were provided at all towel stations throughout the resort. Personally, I think this is such a nice touch.
We were only staying in the Bahamas for five days, so we new that we wanted to stay at the resort to max the relax. We at breakfast, lunch and dinner on-site. When you are planning your trip, I would recommend doing some research on the restaurants – they are not cheap. However, although food and drinks are expensive at Baha Mar, we felt that the portions were appropriately sided and the quality was excellent. We definitely felt like we got our money’s worth.
Before diving into the gluten-free travel guide portion of this blog, I will share a bit about the resort itself. Baha Mar is about a 10-15 minute car ride from the airport. It has three hotels on the grounds; Rosewood, SLS and Grand Hyatt. Each hotel has its own vibe and all are beautiful in their own way. The Rosewood is the most expensive and exclusive of the three. The pool is reserved for only Rosewood guests, but we were able to walk around the grounds. It is so beautiful and serene! The SLS appeared to be the smallest of the three hotels and appeals to a bit younger crowd. Also keep in mind that the west side of the SLS will face the waterpark which is currently under construction. The SLS pools are exclusive to SLS guests with loud music at all times. On Saturdays, one SLS pool hosts a pool party from 11am – 5pm complete with a blaring DJ, champagne and fog machines. If you couldn’t tell already, this is not my scene. The music from this pool party could be heard three pools away at the Grand Hyatt. But hey, if pool parties are your thing, you go girl. If they’re not, I suggest going to the beach on Saturdays where the music can’t be heard. The third resort is the Grand Hyatt. It is the largest of the three and has the most amenities. All Grand Hyatt pools, spa and casino are available to Baha Mar guests. Additionally, the bars and restaurants throughout all three hotels are available to all guests.
We had some delicious dinners on this trip. I have to mention how well trained all of the waitstaff was at each restaurant. Each restaurant has is own unique cuisine, bar menu and all around vibe. The staff at each restaurant {or bar} was very knowledgeable on the menu offered. We also felt that everyone who helped us was happy to do so and very friendly. Great service just made the trip that much better. I would recommend making reservations ahead of time {and possibly before you arrive} because the restaurants book up quickly. Our room had a tablet that allowed us to easily book dinners reservations. This was actually a really nice touch because it was Baha Mar guide at our fingertips.
On to the food! In my research prior to this trip, I had a pretty tough time finding gluten-free recommendations. With Baha Mar being a new resort and the Grand Hyatt being a higher-end hotel, I was pretty confident I would have a positive experience on my search for gluten-free meals during our stay. Although not all restaurants have gluten-free options on displayed on their menu, everywhere we went was accommodating and welcomed my questions.
Must Eats at Baha Mar
- 3 Tides: The Salmon was delicious and they offered gluten-free bread with honey butter.
- Fi’ Lia: AMAZING! I had one of the most simple yet delicious pasta dishes ever; Cacio e Pepe with gluten-free penne. I have been trying to re-create it since we got home.
- Carna: Mary’s Organic Chicken with a side of fries (be cautious of the fries).
- Cafe Mademoiselle: Very limited gluten-free options, but great coffee.
- Drift Bar and Pool: Gluten-free buns for burgers and sandwiches, salad and pizza (although I would skip the pizza).
- El Jefe: Guacamole, salas and chips
Must Drink – Rosewood, SLS, Library Rosewood
- Costa: Located on the grounds of the Rosewood and has the most serene outdoor dining area. We enjoyed a glass of wine in the outdoor bar area and agreed that it was one of the best locations at Baha Mar. The restaurant is surrounded by coy ponds and tropical trees. Although we didn’t dine here, sitting at this bar made me 100% feel like I was on vacation. A MUST see!
- H20: A great swim up pool bar at the Grand Hyatt. My husband suggests traveling with a beer coozey to keep your drink cool at the pool.
- Manor Bar: Located in the Rosewood. This bar has an cozy, old school feel and every liquor I could think of. The bar tender on the night we visited was top notch, and was able to make great recommendations on the wine as well.
- Monkey Bar: Located in the lobby of the SLS, which is beautiful! There are tons of seating areas for large or small crowds. Have a drink here to start or end your night.
The only restaurant we were not happy with on our trip was The Swimming Pig. We felt that the service was slow, the food wasn’t great and overall it wasn’t our kind of atmosphere. I would recommend skipping this restaurant on your stay because there are many other excellent options.
Thanks for stopping by! If you visit Baha Mar, let me know in the comments! Also, don’t forget to follow me on Pinterest and Instagram for new updates.
Between our trip to the Baha Mar and putting together this blog, the Bahamas was significantly impacted by hurricane Dorian. From resort staff to the sweetest taxi driver who took us to the airport, so many people made our vacation a great one. We are sadden to think that many of them had homes, friends and family impacted by the hurricane. If you would like to donate, you can do so directly through the Baha Mar website (click here).
