My husband and I spend a long weekend getaway here, and by the 4th day we were so bored and ready to go home! The location is very secluded, with a beautiful beach and pool. But, the restaurant is dead quiet at night with very little interaction with any other guests and limited dining options all together. In fact, most days we had the pool and beach to ourselves...at the end of April beginning of May! It was so dull. One day we took bikes outside the resort and needed to thwart off a mugger on a bike who rode up next to me and attempted to pull my wristlet off! Getting to Freeport/Lucaya was also cost-prohibitive, so we felt "jailed" in OBB. Add to all this that the staff was minimally hospitable. We love the Bahamas and are going back this year, to Paradise Island. We will, in the future, try Freeport or Lucaya but will NEVER go back to OBB. If you want a vacation with near zero interaction with others, limited dining and recreation options, then this is a place for you. Otherwise, give it a pass.

We had a great visit to Old Bahama Bay the week between Christmas and New Years. The staff is wonderful, friendly and helpful. The location is remote, with limited dining/menu options at the resort, but what they have is great (especially breakfast!). The setting is beautiful, great pool and a great spot overall if you are looking for a quiet vacation to relax and enjoy the beautiful weather. Our rooms were spacious and clean, with large bathrooms, quiet at night - and a wonderful patio overlooking the beach. We loved our visit to Old Bahama Bay!

We just finished a 6 night stay at the OBB hotel over Christmas and I have to say our experience was mixed. There is certainly plenty to like about the OBB, but frustratingly, there are so many little details that get missed that they’re sure to rankle with some guests. We understand that the hotel is undergoing a management reshuffle, and it was plain to see that they were in a state of transition.

We took advantage of the Endless Weekend Package, which included a King Oceanfront Suite, an amenity on arrival, breakfast and dinner, and airport transfers. Our arrival was delayed due to problems with our Bahamasair flight, so the reception staff seemed unprepared for us. Whilst we were provided with a room key, we were later to discover that we hadn’t actually been checked in when we arrived and the hotel had no record of us staying the first night. Needless to say, there was no amenity on arrival, but we were too tired and hungry to be concerned about that. We were, however, glad to have been collected at the airport by Kale, the hotel’s driver and a local Bahamian celebrity, who ended up becoming our regular companion and tour guide. On the way from the airport, Kale offered to stop by the supermarket so that we could pick up groceries to stock our room, which we duly did. I would definitely recommend doing this – it is very difficult to get anything other than basic items once you get to the hotel. We regretted not getting a few more things, as you feel a bit stranded once you get to the hotel.

The room that we were assigned was adequate – king size bed, kitchenette and LCD tv. Our room was missing some vital items – bottle opener, pots and pans, so we ended up not consuming most of the groceries that we’d purchased. The air conditioning didn’t work at all during out stay. We had reception sent up maintenance, but to no avail. In the final analysis, this didn’t matter too much because the breezes coming in off the water kept us very comfortable. The view from our room was gorgeous. It was quite something to wake up each morning and look straight out to the sea. Also, the free wifi connection accessible within the room and throughout the resort is super fast – one of the best and most reliable connections I’ve come across.

The biggest drawback to the hotel is its remoteness from the rest of civilization. There is really not much else to see or visit in the West End, and it costs $140 for a return taxi trip to Freeport/Lucaya. That makes life tough. Whilst lots of folks will be happy to laze by the pool, we couldn’t do that for 6 days so eventually had to come up with some alternative options. Unfortunately, the tours and cruises working out of Freeport/Lucaya refuse to come and pick up from OBB. You can hire a small car for $80 a day, which isn’t a bad option. In the end, we got Kale to take us out for some day trips in his taxi. On one day, he took us to Port Lucaya, Gold Rock Beach and the Lucayan National Park. On another day, he took us to Dead Man’s Reef, Fern Tree Gully and some of the other local landmarks. On our last night, Kale took us to the Fish Fry night at Smith’s Point. This was probably the highlight of our trip – dancing with the locals and trying some of the local delicacies was a fantastic experience. Kale is a super friendly and knowledgeable tour guide, who is very passionate about the island, its communities and his job as a guide. We would strongly recommend people calling upon his services if they want to see some of what the island has to offer beyond the confines of the hotel – just ask for him at reception. Its also a very affordable option – essentially the taxi fare plus a tip.

Pros:

• The hotel is beautiful.
• The pool and the manicured grounds are picture postcard perfect and the fitness centre is excellent (free weights, machines and treadmills).
• Lunch and breakfast at Tiki’s beach hut were very good. I got a kick out of having grits for breakfast for the first time. The only dinner option, Bonefish Folley’s, was a bit more hit and miss, although we had some excellent meals there too.
• Without exception, all of the staff were friendly and approachable.

Cons:

• The main constructive feedback I’d give to the hotel management is that given the hotel’s isolation on the island, they really need to think about putting on some evening entertainment – I understand they used to have something different happening every night, but this was gradually phased out. Time to bring it back!
• Also, there really should be a complimentary shuttle bus into Freeport. It’s a bit stiff to expect guests to pay $140 on taxis just to have a meal outside the hotel.
• The hotel website promotes its onsite activities, but trying to use them can be a bit potluck. We wanted to borrow some bikes, and we were told that if we could see any, we should just jump on them! Eventually, bikes were located, but the chains were hanging off, so not much happening there.
• Rooms should be fully stocked so that guests can make proper use of the kitchenette.

All in all, a lovely hotel which is probably perfect for older guests or people just wanting to lounge by the pool with a book. However, if you like to explore, try out different restaurants or check out the nightlife then this is probably not a good option.

This was perfect for a thanksgiving weekend trip. The Facilities and staff are first class! The beach bar provides hot food and cold beverage's. Fantastic!