Omar is the bartender at the lodge at Fernandez Bay Village. He makes the very best Margarita! He uses all fresh ingredients. Lemons, limes and oranges are sliced thin then muddled. He then adds simple sugar and an entire bottle of high quality tequila. It was great!
Know before you go for a wonderful time at Fernandez Bay Village Fernandez Bay Village is one of the gems that requires one to manage one’s expectations before booking this property and arriving for a stay. The rustic accommodations are just steps from the waters edge on a beautiful untouched 3/4 mile beach. This is the place to come to when looking for an all natural, rural, Bahamian island. The locals welcome their visitors as family and will ensure their guests are well cared for. However, because this island is remote and rural, so are the amenities the island can provide. Rest, relaxation, tranquility, quiet, sea, sand and sunshine are in abundance. The occupancy during our ten day stay fluctuated between 8 to 14 guests. The property and the units are clean and well maintained. The units are also basic. We were in Sea Breeze. This unit, like the others, is built of stone walls with a brick tiled floor, and a sliding glass door that only locks from the inside. Sea Breeze has a king bed with two bedside tables with wall mounted bedside lamps. There are two rattan chairs with cushions, with a rattan side table and table lamp. For clothing storage there is a small 3 drawer rattan dresser and a hanging rod above this dresser. The until also includes a small refrigerator, with a coffee pot on a small shelf that is hung above the refrigerator. A small AC unit, the ceiling fan, and ceiling light complete the room. The bathroom is a garden shower. This area is open to the stars at night, and the sunshine, or rain, during the day. The garden shower does have very high stone walls for privacy. The potty, towel hooks, and corner shelving unit were well protected from rain even with this open air construction. Just outside the unit is a small patio with a table, 2 chairs, umbrella, and a gorgeous view of the sea. On the beach each unit has 2 beach beds with an umbrella. What the unit does not have includes a way to lock the unit from the outside, nor is there an in-room safe for securing personal property like passports. There was not a hair dryer nor were there any electrical plugs in the bathroom. The unit does not include USB charging stations and the electrical plugs available did not simultaneously support all of our devices that required charging. The unit does not have a phone, TV, radio, or clock. We loved our accommodations but we also knew before our arrival that this is what we were booking. The staff is friendly and eager to please. The food is island inspired with many fresh preparations of tuna, snapper, shrimp and lobster. Keep in mind that this island has limited resources and the staff can only prepare food that is available on island. The menu did have limitations and dinner entrees ranged from $30-$60. If one is a picky eater there may be difficulty in being satisfied with the meal options. We enjoyed our meals but we are also very flexible. There is a small bar on the property opened in the evenings. This bar is also limited in what liquor is available for cocktails. We went to the local liquor and grocery store and found the options there were equally as limiting. By rental car the island can be seen in one long, full, day. Keep in mind the roads are rural. The main road has broken, washed out, black top - full of potholes. The side roads are dirt and crushed shell, also pitted with potholes. And in this we found the charm of this beautiful island! At the end of the road lies the ocean breeze and another private, gorgeous view of the water, surrounded by lush greenery and mangroves. While FBV has kayaks, paddle boards, and snorkel gear, all outings are self guided. Accompanied excursions are not readily available. We inquired about boating day trips and found out this isn’t available unless one is willing to do a full boat charter which would be pricy, if a boat and captain were to be available. One last concern, in Feb the island has small invisible biting insects not deterred by DEET, nor long pants and long sleeves. Pack your antihistamine of choice and your anti itch creams. And of course pack your sunscreen. Island prices for such are high. If after reading this review you are still interested in this island adventure, you are going to have an amazing trip. We Loved! our adventure on this lovely unspoiled authentic Bahamian island, and our stay with Fernandez Bay Village. Cat Island is the perfect place to separate from the world and enjoy nature at its best.…
This boutique resort is a true gem for those that want to experience a true slice of the Real Bahamas. If you need opulence, marble halls, casinos, and flashy entertainment, this is not the place for you. But, if you love peace, the quiet lapping of calm clear water, nature, a slower pace away from it all, come to Fernandez Bay Village! Our family of four stayed in Seagrape House, one of the rustic native stone cabins. The outdoor shower was refreshing each day. The bay itself is one of the most pristine beaches we have ever seen. When the wind is low, the water is crystal clear and like the biggest swimming pool in the world. We enjoyed kayaking down the creek at the end of the bay and finding secret lagoons, private beaches, a blue hole, and seeing baby sharks and sea turtles. Each night the kind and caring staff cooked meals just for us. And of course we loved our personal bartender, Dom, who was also great at playing chess with our daughters! With no TV's and distractions, we reveled in time with our family and conversations with locals and other travelers. We really enjoyed meeting Sandra and Richard at the end of our stay and getting their perspective on owning the resort. We truly felt welcomed and that we had the royal treatment, "Out Islands" style! We will be back!…
This was my first real Vacation (with a capital “V”) since the pandemic started. A return visit to Fernandez Bay Village had been on the books for 2020, but was by necessity moved to 2021 – and I frankly wasn’t sure that was even going to happen. But we truly needed the respite, and a trip to one of our socially-distanced-by-definition happy places was just the ticket. So we endured paperwork and tests and made it happen. Ownership has changed hands since my last visit, and with it (and the pandemic), some changes in how things are run – certainly nothing that would be noticeable to a newbie. But I’ve been visiting periodically for nearly 2 decades, so… it was all I could do not to step behind the bar and mix my own drink at the honor bar at happy hour. Friendly bartender Dominique (aka Skip) filled the void nicely. Dinners and breakfasts were now plated and ordered from a menu, instead of a buffet, but the lovely ladies in the clubhouse took care of that neatly. (While I didn’t necessarily miss the dinner buffet, I did miss the continental breakfast, which offered a lot more choices.) The beach is just as lovely, the lodgings are just as rustic-chic, and the setting just as beguiling, as they have ever been. The faces of the people may have changed, but they are just as warm and welcoming. Special kudos to Kisha – handling everything from the front desk to the required nasal swabs – who is charming, upbeat, efficient and well-versed in all things Cat Island and FBV. Can’t wait to come back!…
This was our first visit to Cat Island and we really enjoyed the native stone buildings at Fernandez Bay on the quiet crescent beach. We stayed during lockdown and the staff were AMAZING! They made us feel like royalty and were so friendly. Marshall made sure we had coconuts every day to drink in the morning. Keisha & Crystal both were amazing cooks and hosts. Omar was friendly, knowledgeable about the island and accommodating at the bar. Our room was cleaned mysteriously every day while we ate breakfast. Our daughter celebrated her birthday while we were there and the staff made a special cake for her. We hope this property maintains the friendly casual environment for many years to come. If you are looking for a place to feel like you are on island time, this is your place. We hope to return in the near future.…
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