Grotto Bay Beach Hotel

Paradise

Grotto Bay Beach Resort is about five minutes from the Airport. The people were extremely friendly upon arriving at the resort. Our bags were taken to our room immediately by a very friendly bell boy name Will. He answered our questions and gave us some very good recommendations. Grotto Bay Beach Resort is very beautiful. The view from our room was spectacular. Every where you looked was just beautiful.. The pool area and the beach was just lovely. We ate most of our meals at the Resort. Some may think it to be expensive but we found most places to be comparably priced. We ate in the Palm Court every evening. The food was good. Our server James was so nice and friendly.

It takes approximately 21/2 hours to get there from Boston.

It couldn’t have been better.

My wife and I had a great time at the Grotto Bay. Our room had just been remodled, and everything about it was first class. We liked the pool and they even had a cave with limestone formations right there that we could explore . The food was good, but a little higher than a cute restaurant just a block away. We were able to SCUBA dive from their dive-shop boat.

Traveler's tip on local attractions

Saint George is just a short distance away, and you can catch a local bus from the front of the resort for a few dollars.

very restfull and quiet

Ideal for the traveler that is looking for a place to unwind. The staff is always always unseen but available if requested and ready to serve. Location is the best for the relaxing guest.

Traveler's tip on dining

Breakfast and lunch is great, dinner was good in quality but preperation was suspect. Room service delivery was non-existant the only time we requested it. Recommend Swizzle Inn for dinner, located five minutes up the road.

Not a single complaint from us

Our stay at the Grotto Bay Beach Hotel was a splendid one. The accommodations were great, the service and the staff were wonderful. My wife was absolutely delighted with the amenities they offered and we would gladly re-visit the resort.

Traveler's tip on getting the most out of your stay

Like most places the food and liquor can get pricey. We suggest you round up the necessities and keep them in your refrigerator. Save the extra funds for souvenirs and other extras

WONDERFUL first visit to Bermuda!!!

This was my first visit to Bermuda and the Grotto Bay seemed to have it all: beautiful beach, great food, comfortable rooms, easy access to bus line (to go into town), on-site rentals for kayaks and mopeds, and even underground swimming caves! The staff was attentive and friendly, but it seemed that during peak times there weren’t enough of them on deck and things got a little backed up.

Traveler's tip on getting the most out of your stay

Don’t buy the hotel meal plan - there are far too many good restaurants in Hamilton and St. George that you’ll want to try. Do buy a bus pass - the cheapest, easiest way to go all over the island. Do be prepared to spend a good chunk of money as food (and most everything else) is quite expensive on the island (about double the cost as in the States). Do be prepared to have a wonderfully memorable trip! Enjoy!

Nice small hotel

This was our second time in Bermuda and we came for a few days. I was pleasantly surprised with the peace and quiet. Water and Beach were very nice and relaxing, food was good and the room very comfy.

Traveler's tip on recreational activities

We rented rafts at the beach, great to just float and sun at the same time.

Bad Service and Overpriced

To start with, the bell staff insisted on taking our one small bag to our room. They got rude with me when I tried to take it myself. The guy angrily shouted at me, "Maybe you didn’t here me, I said leave your bags right there!" The front desk staff was incredibly rude when asked the simplest questions, like where the caves are. They advertise "Cave Dinning" on their website, what they don’t tell you until you get there is that it costs $350 to eat in the cave. All of the brochures they have for activities on the island are terribly outdated, so plan ahead. The on-site dive shop, which advertises helmet-diving, doesn’t actually do it, which was disappointing. They closed down the pool-side bar and grill on a Saturday night for a private party, so, despite having paid thousands of dollars to stay there, if you wanted to get a drink you needed to go all the way up the hill to another building. Speaking of the drinks, they were watered down and ridiculously overpriced: ~$10 for a piña colada that you would have to drink 50 of to get even the slightest bit buzzed. They made a huge deal of us not having reservations for dinner (we were planning to eat at the poolside grill, but it was closed for the party). We were told that we would have to wait three hours. We left for 5 minutes, came back, talked to someone else (who checked the same reservation book), and we were seated right away. The dinner mediocre at best. Think New York Steakhouse prices and Denny’s quality food.

Can’t wait to go back !

We chose Grotto Bay by the price and description, had never stayed there before. When we left the airport on our way to the hotel (by transport pre-arranged by Expedia)we looked across the small inlet and said, Wow, look at that place, wouldn’t it be great to stay there. Well, we did - that gorgeous array of pastel lodges, white tents and private pink-and-turquoise lagoon was ours to enjoy for the week. Great service, room with ocean view and private patio,helpful staff. The resort is also conveniently located on the island. We highly recommend Grotto Bay Beach Resort !!!

Traveler's tip on getting the most out of your stay

The public Bermuda bus to St. George’s and Hamilton stops right in front of G.B. Get a 1-or 2-day pass and travel by the cute, pink air-conditioned Bermuda buses. They travel different routes and you get a sightseeing tour on every trip. Passes also allow you to use the ferries.

enjoyed my stay

Bay was calm and enjoyable for swimming and snorkeling. Caves were an interesting/unique touch! Hotel had character and local flavor -- not "cookie cutter" like some of the bigger resorts. Convenient to bus line -- very short ride to airport and St. Georges. Facilities were very clean -- great housekeeping service! Only cons: Breakfast options were a bit limited (either cold continental or a somewhat pricey full buffet). "Oceanfront" rooms are not right on the beach, (but a very short walk -- and views from the top floors are nice). I wish the beach/pool bar stayed open a bit later; it typically closed before sunset. Overall, though, a great place to stay!

Beautiful, close to everything

Better than expected

Great family value, relaxing and private

Perfect for little children

This is the first time we took the kids to Bermuda and they definitely enjoyed their stay. The beach was small, but perfect for the little ones and warry free for the parens because of the still water. Another plus - the hotel is close to the airport. 20 minutes after we arrived the kids were already swimming. Food - fare, the Swizzel Inn is just around the corner.

Nice property- good value

If you’re looking for a nice property and a good value, this is a good place to consider. Not as stuffy as some of the other higher priced hotels, this place offers water views, a clean, comfortable room, nice pool, and even a cave to swim in. The drawbacks are the proximity to the airport (but there are not many planes in and out), and the beach is okay, but certainly not one of the magnificient beaches that are around this island. Breakfast was pretty good, and we never ate dinner at the hotel, so no comment. Do yourself a favor, and explore the island to get the most out of what it has to offer.

Traveler's tip on getting the most out of your stay

Renting a scooter enhances your stay dramatically- you travel at the same speeds as the cars, making it easy to stay with the traffic. The scooter provides flexibility and the opportunity to explore all there is to see on this beautiful island. Be careful as you ride on the opposite side of the street, and the several rotaries can be a challenge for rookies.

Nice scenery, everything else mediocre

The view was very nice, the water great and the food terrible. The staff was not overly friendly or helpful. They did not seem to be very interested in attending to guests’ satisfaction or needs. It is doubtful that we would go back to this hotel.

You cannot get the all-inclusive option through Expedia and the resort does not allow you to upgrade upon arrival. They do allow you to purchase a meal plan. Don’t do it - go out and eat!

Bad choice

I read all the reviews posted and thought this was going to be a nice place. I admit that I am very picky about the hotels I stay in, but I took a chance on this one because we were going with friends and this was the hotel they chose. I was not happy at all. The rooms were ok at best. New toilet, sink, tub in the BR, but I found hair everywhere. That totally disgusts me. The ground level rooms felt like they were in a basement. I saw a RAT walking on the grounds near my room in the middle of the day. We saw roaches outside our room almost every night. The pool was small and so was the beach. The only perks were that the beach was clean and the dive shop was right on the beach, so it made water activities like snorkeling and kayaking very convenient. I would never stay there again. Too far from everything and did not have a resort feel at all.

Traveler's tip

Stay at a hotel closer to Hamilton. Most of the restaurants worth going to are in that area and staying at Grotto Bay costs $50 USD per night in taxi rides to Hamilton and back. Mickey’s Bistro was GREAT. Everything is expensive in Bermuda - don’t cheap out on the hotel. It’s not worth it!

Great place for kids

very well kept hotel, may not be as fancy as others in Bermuda, but could walk to the beach and pool. Wonderful caves to swim in and explore, fish fed everyday and could snorkel right off the beach. Could walk to the Swizzle Inn; amazing Sunday brunch at the hotel!

Very relaxing stay

Hotel room was very clean and well-appointed. Location was perfect with a balcony overlooking the bay. Service in the restaurants was slow at times but the evening meal should be leisurely. The grounds were beautiful. Nice beach with extras like fish feeding pond adjacent to beach where you can snorkel. Caves to explore and even swim in. Prices for water sports were rather high. $30/hr for kayaking; $24 for a day of snorkelling. Activities desk was not as helpful it could have been.

Traveler's tip on getting the most out of your stay

Bring (or buy) your own snorkel equipment and do not buy the MAP for meals in the hotel, so that you are free to explore the island and its many attractions and restaurants. Buy a bus/ferry pass for 7 days.

Grotto Bay Beach Resort

Beautiful location with convenient access to water and water sports. A reasonable rate for an average hotel. Facilities are in need of cosmetic maintenance but acceptable. Front Desk personnel need some personality but all other staff we encountered were pleasant and helpful.

Traveler's tip

We LOVE Bermuda, the island, the people & the culture. If you want a safe method to see all the island has to offer, get a bus pass and ride the "pink busses". If you want inexpensive food, head into downtown Hamilton and check-out their local deli’s and sandwich shops. Otherwise, and average lunch will cost around $50.00 dollars for two people and dinners will cost around $75.00 to $100.00 for two.

A terrific, comfortable base from which to experience Bermuda

We had a great stay here. The location is more than convenient (5 min from the airport but with little to no airport noise), the grounds are beautiful, and one of the island’s most highly recommended dive shops is on the premises (along with other amenities). The people are very nice, and the food is excellent.

Would go back

It was very much what we expected. The service was very good. The hotel was well maintained and the rooms clean and comfortable. We had an ocean/bay front room close to the small private beach which we enjoyed. We also enjoyed Prospero’s Cave, one of the two located on the property. It was a bit of a walk to the main building, but we didn’t find that a problem. We found it well situated. There is a bus stop by the resort entrance. The Swizzle Inn is within walking distance, and the airport and St. George’s only a short ride by bus or taxi. It was a bit rainy for June during our stay. We would go back again and hope for better weather.

Not sure about this one....

A few things occurred while I was at Grotto Bay that made me think twice about it. First of all, the front desk staff - though pleasant - were not the most helpful. For example, we called the front desk to ask a question and the staff member didn’t know the answer. He stated he would look into it and get back to us right away - he never did. Also, our room was not cleaned one day by 5pm. We asked several people to rectify this situation and got several different answers. When we finally - very frustated - called the front desk to get it cleaned once and for all, we were accused of leaving the "do not disturb" sign on all day (untrue) and we were shuttled around to three different staff members who were accusatory and argumentative. When we finally stated that we "were paying a lot of money for this room, we don’t want to argue, we just want the room made up", we were told that all we had to do was "ask nicely". About 40 minutes later, a housekeeper knocked on our door looking extremely sullen and mad. With barely a word, she entered into the room and started cleaning. Not the best experience, I have to say. Also, I would not recommend the food at the Grotto Bay - we had only one meal - the full breakfast - and it was terrible and horribly overpriced. Overall, I would not recommend this hotel.

Great hotel with a great location in Bermuda

Just returned from a 3 night stay at the Grotto Bay Resort and I have to say it was a very welcoming and relaxing place to stay. To start off, you can’t beat the location. Its less than a 5 minute cab ride from the airport across the bay (despite the proximity to the airport we were never once bothered by any plane noise!) The grounds are beautifully maintained and the beach and heated pool were fantastic. Even though there were plenty of other guests there, we never felt it was noisy or crowded. The bay has very calm clear waters and it was great to be able to snorkel the 2 shipwrecks right off the property. They also have their own crystal caves there which we were free to explore and swim in! The hotel staff couldn’t have been more friendly and helpful. We were accidentally given a room with a king bed instead of 2 doubles when we arrived and they fixed the problem in minutes and had our bags transferred to the new room for us. The rooms themselves are very nice with a balcony/patio overlooking the water, flat screen television and marble bathrooms. We found ours to be quite spacious for 2 people. The pool bar/restaurant was probably my favorite for eating, but unfortunately it is only open for lunch and the Monday night Bermuda bbq. We also appreciated that they had quite a few options for breakfast depending on what you want to eat. I would certainly recommend this hotel to others and we plan to return again in the future.

Traveler's tip on getting the most out of your stay

The hotel is a very short walking distance to the Swizzle Inn, Crystal/Fantasy Caves, a really good ice cream parlor (I think it was called Bailey’s), and a small store for snacks, beer, wine, etc. Also, the bus stops right out front which we found was the easiest way to see everything on the island.(10 min to St. George and around 20 min to get to the Aquarium and Hamilton)

Needed to stay longer!

Nice beach, nice pool, nice bar, two caves..one you can swim in!

Traveler's tip on nightlife

Strongly recommend the Swizzle Inn. It’s within walking distance.

Great place to stay!

Grotto Bay was wonderful! It had everything you need for a nice relaxing vacation-great restaurants, pool, private beach, and public transportation was right in front of the resort.

next trip

the hotel was wonderful,we appreciated the frig in our room . the food was great resturants gave a superb menu! wait staff very friendly .Actually all staff went out of their way to help you any way possible(especially Debbie at front desk). Pool was always clean and the beach was beautiful.only down would be the way the resort is built is a bit diffucult for phyically challenged.we would return on next trip.

Traveler's tip on getting the most out of your stay

If you arrive before check-in time ,find a place to change so you can hit the beach and pool.Or leave your luggage and go out for lunch!

Wonderful trip

The resort was beautiful and well cared for. We were there for 5 days and enjoyed every second of it. It is walking distance to the Swizzle Inn and there is a bus stop right out front. There are caves to explore right on the property that you can even swim in. Two sunken boats out front for snorkeling and concierge like none we have met. When we would tell what we wanted to do she would call people she knew, set it up with discounted rates and give us detailed instructions on how to get there and who to ask for. The resort has 2 mid week partys. We went to the second one on thursday night which was a Surf and Turf bar-bq and the spread was amazing. You could make a meal at the salad bar which included, oysters, crab legs, sushi, shrimp cocktail, and many kinds of salads. As good or better than any cruise buffets we have been to.

Traveler's tip on recreational activities

If you are comfortable driving a boat, rent the Beach comber from aquatic bermuda. Was one of the best days of my life.