Ariel Sands Beach Club

It all depends on your expectations

I recenylt surprised my wife with a weekend get-away to Bermuda. The night before the trip based on reading reviews of the hotel, I seriously considered re-booking. I am glad I didn’t. The hotel is older and needs updating but the rooms are clean and comfortable. There is no food nearby so you have to rent scooters or take a taxi. The views are great, the beach is great, the staff is very friendly. Note, this is not a NEW hotel. If that is what you are looking for, look elsewhere. Overall, its a nice cozy little collection of cottages.

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

Don’t be afraid to rent scooters. After a few days, you feel comfortable and I reccommend a moonlit ride up to St Georges’ parish! :)

Impressed

Hotel due to be rebuilt. Rooms slightly tired due to forthcoming construction but were clean & tidy. Certainly recommended for a quiet peaceful vacation.

Beautiful Bermuda

Upon arrival at the Ariel Sands it was inviting and had a terrific view of the turqouoise ocean. The staff was friendly and attentative. Every cottage had a wonderful view of the ocean and the property. My only disappointment was my room arrangement. I had specifically asked for twin beds and upon arrival was told they only had a room with a kingsize bed. It was finally agreed that a rollaway would be brought to the room. I would have preferred a much more comfortable bed to a rollaway but it didn’t interfere with my having a wonderful time at the resort and on the island. The food was plentiful and delicious and again, the beautiful view of the turqouise ocean was breathtaking from the Acqua Restaurant. Hodgson Taxi provided us with transportation around the island and I highly recommend his service. He was accommodating, informative about the island and very responsive. We attended the Jazz Festival on Thursday night and enjoyed the wonderful sounds of Lionel Ritchie as well as the greatest seafood I’ve ever had at an outdoor festival. We enjoyed wonderful dinners at The Lobster Pot and Portofino Restaurants in Hamilton. There’s plenty to see and do in Bermuda from shopping to snorkeling, swimming or just relaxing and everywhere you look you get lost in the beautiful turqouise colors of the ocean...fantastic views!! I recommend Bermuda to anyone looking for a piece of paradise within a short plane ride from New Jersey.

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

Since you are dependent on a taxi or if you have skills to drive a moped, planning your day around the island is key. Hodgson Taxi provided sightseeing at a reasonable rate. Trying to decide on an activity or just lounging on the beautiful beaches in Bermuda is a very difficult decision!

Ariel Sands, Bermuda? Beautiful!

We stayed in one of the rooms close to the hotel’s private beach and saltwater pool along with an ocean view. The room was clean and modern; comfortable with private bath, TV, small refridgerator, hair dryer, and clothes iron and ironing board included. Hotel staff was most courteous and helpful. Dining room service at the Hotel’s "Aqua Restaurant" was likewise very good and courteous, though pricey (as one should be prepared to expect for most everything in Bermuda). A better value was found by ordering dinner with room service; half the cost without sacrificing quality of food, even with the extra charge of $5.00 per person. Beautiful grounds! Dinner at the restaurant on the patio with moonlight over the ocean, or breakfast with the sunshine and an ocean breeze in the morning; no matter what you decide, Ariel Sands is a sexy place to stay if you pick the right week weather-wise! -C&L

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

Expect higher prices for goods and services since, as an island, all goods and services must be imported. Traffic on Bermuda has become heavier. My strong personal recommendation is to purchase tokens, or all-day passes which enables you to ride the public transportaion bus and/or ferry system, or take a cab. Some restaurants and other services include a gratuity with your bill; some do not. Be alert to this detail when it comes to tipping.

A real gem

The location of this hotel is outstanding. Unfortunately, the plan is to convert it to fractional ownership so they were not taking rebookings or reservations beyond September. If they don’t provide any rental or hotel accommodations it will be a real shame as the location and it’s two salt water pools make it a real gem.

A Nice Place

The best thing about the hotel are the two, sea fed salt water pools, one shallow, and one with deep water. They are great for swimming. The water by the beach has too many large, underwater rocks and is difficult and a little dangerous to walk on. The food is good, but dinner is overpriced, as is common for a lot of hotels. The hotel service was generally good. I do recommend Ariel Sands.

Relax is the word of the day

Ariel Sands was definitely worth every penny we spent. Each room has its own private entrance, with two patio chairs overlooking the ocean. The room was clean, and we had a great housekeeper who did turn-down service each night. The natural saltwater pools were really cool, and there is great snorkeling without even leaving the property. Everyone was very relaxed and friendly--a great place to spend a vacation. The restaurant was expensive but worth going for one night.

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

Bermuda is all about relaxing, and that means sometimes things are closed! Most stores are closed after 5 and on Sundays all day. Make sure you flag down the bus when it comes by, or it may pass you by. The beaches are fabulous--we recommend Elbow Beach for tranquility and beauty, and Horseshoe Bay for the great waves. Hamilton is the place to go for dinner, usually, so think about that when you’re booking your hotel. Ours was 10 minutes away.

Private Beach on Bermuda

This is not the most grand guest house to stay, but for its location, the proximity to the beach, the privacy, the friendliness and the really good breakfast (if you so opt), it is a wonderful choice.

Wonderful time!

This was our first trip to Bermuda and we highly recommend a visit. Can’t wait to go back! Very private and laid back atmosphere at Ariel Sands. It is a snall resort compared to others on the island which is what we were looking for. We were celebrating our 7th anniversary and my husband’s 40th birthday. We had a wonderful stay. The staff was attentive and courteous. Room were clean and decorated nicely (Tommy Bahama furniture). Every room has a gorgeous view of the ocean. Salt water pools were fun, especially floating on rafts in them. The hotel pool is a bit small but was perfect for our needs. Breakfasts included in package were great. Sat right by the water every morning and had great food. Would recommend this hotel and would stay there again if we go back.

Nice room, beautiful location, relaxing. . . service a little slow

The hotel was wonderful in terms of it’s location, setting comfort and ammenities. The only problem I encountered is they seem to be a little understaffed and the choices at the restaurant were limited. Perhaps this is because the hotel is changing hands in the near feature. The room was very comfortable and extremely clean. The setting was beautiful.

Disappointed

We drove through the property and had lunch on the beachfront deck a few years ago. Based on that experience and reviews read on Expedia in May 2007 we went to Ariel Sands. This was our fourth trip to Bermuda. We were very diasappointed in the condition of the hotel, the lack of maintenance of our room and the overall ambiance of the property. Our specific room was tired and in need of update although it had been mentioned in the hotel website that it was recently renovated. When attempting to enter the room unlocking the door/slider was difficult and unsecure. On first entering you noticed a hole in the rug by the door and there was a smell of mold. In paticular; there was visible black mold in the tub surround, ceiling and closet. The overhead electric fixture did not work properly. There were unsightly broken floor and wall tiles in the bathroom. Plumbing fixtures were not working properly and the toilet ran continually. All of this was a distracton while in the "Deluxe" room.

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

We have been to other high end Bermuda accomadations. We will not return to Ariel Sands.