SLS Baha Mar - Hotel Review | Condé Nast Traveler

"First impressions? The scent is what you first notice: fragrant fresh flowers, at all hours, through the lobby and common spaces. They should bottle it. The space is large, but softened with its decor: bouquets everywhere, velvet sofas, stacks of coffee table books. The high ceilings and white walls let the whole space feel sunlit. Who else is at the hotel? American families who want a convenient holiday without sacrificing taste or style, more than a few trendsetters who enjoy poolside dancing. What about the rooms? We had a suite, which was large and self-sufficient: a huge kitchen with crockery and a dishwasher, and living space with couches, two bathrooms, and an enormous balcony with views over the pool and toward the glowingly blue Caribbean. Everything was white, from the walls to the pillows. It added a breeziness and beachy vibe, but the room could benefit from a few more considered touches if we have to be picky. How was room service? Fantastic grilled cheddar cheese sandwiches, chicken fingers, and loads of fries. Though there are plenty of high-end restaurants available in the hotel, room service is just giving the people what they want. Can't argue with that. What else? Ocean access is excellent; the pool is fun and chic. Gym is huge and air-conditioned. There are 12 restaurants, each at different price points and that suit different palates. The pub, open 24 hours a day, was a favorite. So is it worth it? Baha Mar, the three-resort complex in Nassau, the Bahamas that opened in stages in 2017/2018 (beginning with the Grand Hyatt and now complete with Rosewood )makes repeat beach weekends actually easy to pull off which is the biggest draw. And not just because all that separates New Yorkers from its two-mile-long coast are a few episodes of Real Housewives in-flight on JetBlue or Delta (direct flights go from 12 other U.S. cities, too). The SLS has an adults-only pool serving rosé and avocado fries (every bit as good as they sound). There is a grown-up approach to embracing the destination. Former chief curator of the National Art Gallery of the Bahamas John Cox oversees a 2,500-piece collection of local art, and heads up what we think may be one of the greatest hotel gift shops anywhere, where all-local artists create and sell handbags, picture frames, and clothing; it's like having your own arts and crafts market in the hotel." - Erin Florio