Recapping Our Trip to the Bahamas

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::dusts off keyboard::

I’m beginning to wonder when I’ll actually realize my real-life capacity versus my imaginary capacity or ability to get things done before I leave for a trip. Pardon the radio silence from the blog this past week, but we left for the Bahamas on Saturday and got back late Wednesday night.

Yesterday Raleigh was slammed with severe weather, tons of rain that caused flooding, and now today it’s very windy but the skies have opened up to let through peeks of blue.

Speaking of blue skies, I want to tell you a bit more about our trip!

So this whole idea started with my mom mentioning that it would be fun to go on a tropical vacation sometime, and with the impending birth of my sister’s first baby, we thought “well, it isn’t going to get EASIER to travel with more kids coming into the family, so let’s go now”!

We chose the Bahamas since it wasn’t a Zika risk for my sister. After a bit of research, we landed on Atlantis on Paradise Island. My parents had been before (athough it had been 30 years) and it looked like a fun place that all ages could enjoy.

Travel day was quite long, but the flights themselves were fairly short. Going through customs (both arriving and departing) was easy, so the whole act of leaving the country and arriving in the Bahamas was very smooth.

My sister and Mike had their own room, and Justin and I decided to split a suite with my parents. We wanted to have a meeting/hangout room where we could spend time when the kids were sleeping. When we actually walked into our room, my mom and I kept looking at each other confused about the size. It seemed much bigger than the one we booked, and it also definitely wasn’t renovated like the website had said either.

There was plenty of space for us and the room location worked out well.

Atlantis has a lot of pools, and a lot of waterslides for kids over 48 inches (neither of my boys was tall enough). They have a fantastic kids area for kids under 48 inches, as well as a few different kid pools. If you or your kids like swimming in pools and playing near the water, there is plenty of that! The boys were able to do the Rapids River, which was a lazy river with a few parts that picked up speed through rapids, but they needed a life vest.

Justin, Mike and I did a few of the crazy adult slides. One of them, Leap of Faith, was the most thrilling water slide I’ve ever been on in my life! It was terrifying but also very fun.

The days were spent tag-teaming the kids, playing with them at the Splashpad/Water play structure, and then one adult going back to the room to nap with Emily. Sometimes the boys took a break and went back to the room, other times they stayed with the adults. The grounds are absolutely picturesque, and the intention is to stay outside as long as you possibly can!

We went to the beach one day, which is just a short walk from the main pool area, and the boys loved splashing in the waves. The water was crystal clear and the views were beautiful.

There was a pretty good variety of pool-side places to eat lunch, which we used, but the prices were astronomical. It’s one thing to expect a slightly higher expense at a resort, but the prices at some of the eateries on the property were crazy high.

By the last full day, the kids were getting weary from all the activity and while the adults probably would have stayed one more day if they were able, it was clear that it was time to go home. Our last night we had a really lovely family dinner down by the Marina and enjoyed the evening together.

As an influencer, and as someone who is always curious about where other families like to vacation, I want to share a few things that surprised me so you feel fully prepared should you decide to vacation here.

First, the prices of food and drink are extremely high. Second, everything outdoors on the property near the pools closes at 5:00pm. It was a ghost town at 5:01pm. This was disappointing to me and seemed like such a waste. Third, we were surprised by the negative and unhelpful attitude of the majority of the staff on the property. We learned that this is likely cultural and when we were asked for our feedback upon leaving the country, there is a place where you can rate how the “attitude of the Bahamian locals” was during your trip. Some staff members were very kind and helpful, but others were so rude it was actually kind of shocking.

We also inquired about our confusion about our room, which was not what we originally booked. The space worked but we wanted to understand how we ended up there. The hotel manager shared that since the renovated suites were already booked, they put us in a non-renovated suite with extra space. That worked out fine, but we wish they would have been clear about that upon check-in. The suite we were in was old, the handles fell off in the shower, and one of the toilets was leaking which led to a few handymen coming into the room to assess the problem. I want to be clear here that the actual layout of the suite worked great for our family, and in the grand scheme of things it didn’t really matter, but when you pay for a certain type of room and instead are quietly ushered into a different room with no explanation, it can cause a bit of questioning. I also want to share that after we asked about our room confusion, Atlantis apologized that our original room was booked, and offered a discount on our next stay which was kind.

The positives of Atlantis are that there is a lot to do, especially for kids ages 6 and up. I wish my kids had been about 5 years older so they really could do all that they had to offer! The kids also really enjoyed all the caves and underwater viewing of the fish and sharks. There are a lot of things for adults to do as well, and it’s truly a beautiful place to visit. It’s relatively easy to get to and I’ve never seen anything like it in the United States.

So, would I recommend it? I’d say if you are aware that you’ll be spending a pile of money on food, and if you have children over 48 inches, you’ll enjoy Atlantis. If you are traveling without kids, you may enjoy some of the nicer restaurants and private pools. There really is something for just about anyone there, you simply have to be prepared to pay for it!

At the end of the day, we all had a fun time and the kids absolutely loved it–and that was the goal of our tropical vacation.

Here are a few more photos from our trip. . .

 

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Rena says · 02.07.20

Such a great idea to have a family holiday! I see it was fantastic!
xx from Bavaria/Germany, Rena
http://www.dressedwithsoul.com

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Heather Reed says · 02.07.20

I appreciate honest reviews, thank you!

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Katharine says · 02.07.20

I appreciate your review. It sounds like maybe next time you book a vacation though you should do more research? I feel like you would have known before hand that things close early or the prices are really high…

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Kate says · 02.07.20

Yes, more research beforehand would have been helpful. I didn’t take the time to do much! Research is helpful for planning, which is why I wanted to share a few things that surprised me from this trip.

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Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog says · 02.07.20

Gosh, looks like you had so much fun, I’m jealous! Love the photos so much! ❤️✨

Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog
http://charmainenyw.com

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amber says · 02.07.20

It seems like every places sticks it to you on the food. When people are looking at vacations, I think they are looking at the cost per night/per person. So the locations need to be competitive. But what are you going to do once you are there? You have to eat. Amusement parks are the same way. When a fast food chain triples there costs for the customer if they are in the park but outside because they can or maybe have to to afford renting space in the amusement park.

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Kate says · 02.07.20

Exactly, you are kind of trapped with food prices. So, being prepared for it is the best way to not let it surprise you!

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Darby Falb says · 02.07.20

What kind of camera did you use for your pictures? I know you have mentioned it before, but I can’t seem to find it!

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Kate says · 02.07.20

I use my iphone as well as a small Canon Powershot when I travel!

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K says · 02.07.20

Love your blog! I recommend all-inclusive resorts – esp with a large group and/or kids – once you get there, you don’t have to pay for anything- ever. No worrying about what things cost, being hungry if dinner wasn’t to your liking (second dinner is always an option!) or where your wallet is while you enjoy the pools/ocean!

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Kate says · 02.07.20

Yes my sister recommended doing an all-inclusive!

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Michele says · 02.07.20

I assumed it was an all inclusive. We stayed at one for our honeymoon inSaint Lucia and it was really great to not have to worry about money. We don’t drink, so we didn’t even have to worry about paying for alcohol! Having heard that Atlantis was expensive and pretty high end, I just thought it was all inclusive…surprised to learn it’s not!

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Sara says · 02.07.20

Glad your family had a good time on your trip! My family went to the Bahamas once when I was 10 years old and it was our worst vacation for a lot of reasons. First, was a serious car accident on the way to the resort that ended in a hospital visit, then both my dad and I got sick on the trip and then to top it off we had a similar experience with the attitude of the staff.

Our room was moldy and the staff people were incredibly unhelpful and had a bad attitude as well. You are not alone in that assessment! For that reason, we have never gone back and have enjoyed trips to our favorite place in Florida instead.

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Kate says · 02.07.20

oh man I’m so sorry to hear that!

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Laci says · 02.07.20

You are the second influencer that I have read mention the room they booked was not what they actually got! Yikes!

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Kate says · 02.07.20

really?!

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Bridget says · 02.07.20

The prices seem average for resort dining. I wonder, and please don’t take this in a negative way, if you are so used to comped trips due to the nature of your work that you hadn’t realized how expensive resort pricing is.
I stayed at a downtown Hilton last week and a basic burger was $20.00. Then again I travel frequently so nothing surprises me.

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Kate says · 02.07.20

I can kind of understand why you think that as there are a lot of travel influencers who receive comp’d trips, but that is not in the norm for me. I expected higher than usual prices, but $40/head for a child at a buffet dinner was surprising to learn.

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Lauren says · 02.07.20

Frustrating to learn, as you know your three kids most likely didn’t eat $120 worth of food at a buffet dinner. I understand resort pricing as well, but I wish places would be a little reasonable!

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Bridget says · 02.07.20

That’s exactly what I mean!! The breakfast you did at the Grand Floridian (excluding Emily because she would be free) would have cost $150.00. Resort prices are crazy, and the last few you stayed at (Disney, the Biltmore) were comped so I’m thinking that’s what it was. Just a thought. I’ve always wanted to go to Atlantis but I’ve heard so many negative reviews lately I’m not going to risk it not being as great as I have it in my mind. Thank you so much for being honest about your experience. I think I’ll stick to one of the Disney cruises where you just hang out at Atlantis for the day, not a full fledged trip there.

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Joanna says · 02.07.20

I thought the same thing, that clearly Kate didn’t pay for any food in Disney if she thought $40 for a meal was astronomical!

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Shara says · 02.07.20

Food in the bahamas is crazy expensive – even if you try to grocery shop and prepare meals yourself. I’m surprised that you encountered negative or unhelpful attitudes. We went to Exuma (which is much less built up than Paradise Island) and the locals were absolutely wonderful and always helpful and friendly!

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Megan says · 02.08.20

Same! My husband and I lived in Nassau for work a few years back and the people were incredibly kind and friendly! I bet its hard to deal with foreign resort guests PLUS cruise ship tourists all day everyday. (Although I certainly recognize its their job). So many foreigners hang out at Atlantis on a given day.
And yes, food in the Bahamas is at least double what you pay in the States. I couldnt believe how much groceries cost us!

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Anita says · 02.07.20

Hospitality is all about great food, comfortable room and a warm welcome. It seems simple but so many places get it so wrong!

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Kristin S says · 02.07.20

Once on a cruise I remember being in port in Freeport. My mom looked over toward Paradise Island and proceeded to tell a story of her family vacationing in the Bahamas in the 60’s and she and her siblings took a tiny boat over to Paradise Island. It was the only way to get there. It was an uninhabited island at the time. Nothing there. Just locals taking tourists over there on tiny boats. They spent the day there.

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Kate says · 02.07.20

Wow that is amazing!

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Rachel says · 02.07.20

Food in the Bahamas is expensive because it’s all imported. Duh.

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Kate says · 02.07.20

I’m not questioning WHY it’s expensive, I’m stating a few things I noticed while we are there.

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TJM says · 02.08.20

You know, it costs nothing to be kind.

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Danielle says · 02.08.20

Yes it’s all imported, but there’s also a 12% tax tacked onto the already high price. Plus the 15-20% tip.

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Lindsey says · 02.07.20

Was the food any good? Did you do a meal plan? We are going in March and haven’t made a plan for food. Would you suggest eating off resort? Thanks!

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Kate says · 02.07.20

We were advised not to do the meal plan and I am glad that we didn’t. And yes, go into the little shopping area by the Marina to eat!

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dj says · 02.11.20

This may sound a bit overboard but taking a small carryon or suitcase with food is not a bad idea. My husband and I and our two children went to Atlantis 2 years ago and we also had heard of the extreme cost of eating at the resort. They charge not only for the food but the tax and resort tip on top is what makes it over the top. After a consulting with several friends they too packed food. We had a small kitchen in our room so we packed: oatmeal, peanut butter, jelly, granola bars, beef jerky, tons of snacks for the kids, and anything easy that we could. We also stopped at the grocery store and stocked up on bread a some fruit. It wasn’t hard at all to pack a small cooler, pack up a lunch and head to the pool. While I am not someone who normally likes to travel with food, it definitely saved a lot of money, especially when my kids would have never eaten $40 worth of food. We did go out a few times at restaurants close to the marina and Jimmy Buffetts margaritaville. Hope this helps

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Katy says · 02.07.20

Were you comped in any way for this trip?

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Kate says · 02.07.20

No. All sponsored content is labeled. If you don’t see #ad or a disclosure, it is not sponsored.

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Courtney says · 02.07.20

How did Emily do? We are starting to travel with a young toddler and older children, wondering if you had tips for hotel sleeping.

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Marissa says · 02.07.20

Was just at the resort next to Atlantis 2.5 weeks ago, called the Riu, and that’s adults only and all-inclusive.
It was wonderful and we got to walk through Atlantis at night and see the fish and the grounds as well. If you’re a couple looking for a trip to the Bahamas for an affordable price, that’s the place to go! They have two heated pools and a swim up bar and 5 restaurants at the hotel.
Just in case anyone else is interested in a Bahamas vacation 🙂

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Kate says · 02.07.20

That is great to know, thank you for sharing this info!

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Marissa says · 02.07.20

Thank you for an honest review!

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Steph says · 02.07.20

Thank you for the honest review!!

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Livia says · 02.07.20

Which property at Atlantis did you stay at and did you look at the other properties? Looking to go next year but can’t tell which of the many hotels/condo properties are the best!

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Kate says · 02.07.20

The Coral.

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TIFFANY says · 02.07.20

I have been several times. I think it is best for tweens and teens… they literally ‘play’ all day long. Harborside is condos you can rent (on redweek). Stop at the grocery on the way (yes more $$ than USA but still cheaper than the buffets), we use one suitcase just for food PB, jelly, packaged snacks, etc… There are ways to save money but you have to work and be prepared. and I agree, the workers at totally snotty there. My boys wanted to play ping pong. Older nearby kids get ‘swiping’ the ball when they would hit into bushes – then they had to go all the way to the front desk for one ball (at a time) – after 3 visits, they cut my kids off! now I know why the other kids were swiping the balls. I mean for the price I am paying you should be giving me 50 balls/day if i want! hence, we now bring our own.. 🙁 like i said, there are ways… but its ALOT of planning. But for tweens/teens – there really is nothing like it.

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Mary Kathryn says · 02.07.20

I highly recommend all-inclusive in Mexico! We love to go because all food and drinks are covered and the service we receive in Mexico is impeccable!

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Kate says · 02.07.20

I’ve heard that from more than one person!

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Deanna says · 02.11.20

Yes to Mexico! You will not find friendlier service and better food! Love Playa del Carmen and Cabo <3

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mel fishjohn says · 02.07.20

What happened to your brother and his wife? Weren’t they supposed to join you on this trip?

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Kate says · 02.07.20

Yes they were! They had something come up at the last minute and couldn’t join. We missed them!

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Sarah says · 02.07.20

Sounds like a great trip with some high and low points. Just curious, what travel stroller do you use? Thanks!

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Kate says · 02.07.20

IT’s the uppababy foldable stroller, g-lite I think is the name!

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Irina V says · 02.07.20

But how was the ocean? Was it warm enough to swim? I always prefer the sea/ocean instead of the pool but I guess the pool is easier for the kids? I am glad you ended up having fun and didn’t let the small stuff ruin your vacay.

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Heather Mayberry says · 02.07.20

My husband and I have been to Atlantis twice. We stayed at Harborside, which is straight across the marina from Atlantis. You get all of the perks of Atlantis without actually being on their property. All of their rooms are villas with washers and dryers and full kitchens. The staff was amazing and sweet, and I bet they’d honor your discount if you ever go back. The first time we went we were blown away by the food cost. The second time we went we traveled with food that was allowed to take into the country (peanut butter, snack bars, granola, etc). Both times we took one trip to the grocery store and just cooked in our room. The food there, in our experience, was expensive and nothing to write home about. I will also say that we also took these trips without children and both saw how difficult it would be to have children in a place like that. Especially since there’s nothing to do after 5 if you’re not 18 or over!

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Cynthia says · 02.08.20

We went to Atlantis in August 2019. My son is 10 and there were many things to do at Atlants after 5pm! Free movies for kids in the theater, art studio to do a wide variety of crafts, pool parties with movies some evenings, Bahamian parade on Wed and Sat nights at the Marina, swimming until 8pm, game arcades, and the tween or teen nightclubs which my son went to every night and made lots of nice friends – they have board games, video games, a dj who plays games with the kids, and other activities.

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Holly says · 02.07.20

Sounds like research ahead would have been useful. The meal plan would have worked best for your family…Free breakfast and dinner for kids under 6.

https://www.atlantisbahamas.com/dining/diningplans

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Kate says · 02.07.20

We actually researched the dining plan and are very glad we chose not to do it. It wouldn’t have worked for how we wanted to do meals at the resort.

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Corrie Baumgartner says · 02.07.20

Couldn’t agree more on the things you said. The food was insanely ridiculously expensive and the staff just wasn’t overall friendly or helpful. However the grounds and pool were perfect for us.

Just wanted to recommend Beaches Turks and Caicos to you for the future. First, the travel day would be about the same. Second, the resort is all inclusive so you never pay OR better yet tip! The staff was over the top friendly, kind, and welcoming. All staff- even the housekeepers would strike up the most genuine and kind conversations. Third, the water is like nothing I’ve ever seen…while the Bahamas was gorgeous, the water in Turks was heaven on earth. There is a fantastic water park, great kiddie area, and lots of pools throughout the property. Just something to check out in the future.

Happy Travels!

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Ramona says · 02.07.20

What a nice family photo! All-in-all it sounds like it was a pretty fun getaway. p.s. Your parents look so young! 😉

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Lynn says · 02.07.20

Anywhere you go in the Caribbean is very expensive. It’s the exchange rate. I went to the Bahamas over 40 years ago, and it was pricey then! It was also quite undeveloped, Paradise Island only had a couple of small hotels. I think seeing the enormity of Atlantis would make me sad…sometimes it’s nice to leave things be! I think your family would be just as happy stateside, Florida has some lovely resorts..

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Char says · 02.07.20

We have owned at Harborside at Atlantis for ten years. February is off season with fewer guests, so the rides are closed at 5pm. It does get darker earlier. Safety is hard to maintain in the dark.
Living at Harborside allows us to eat many meals in our condo— a money saver. Also, check the daily activity sheet. It outlines many activities for children under 6– we use it daily. Come again to Atlantis for a great family vacation.

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Hilary says · 02.07.20

Thank you so much for this review! My daughter is about Emily’s age, but this seemed like a great family vacation spot in the future. Little details like your long walks, food prices, etc. are really important to hear about, especially with kiddos. Those are the kinds of things you don’t really think about til you get there. We honeymooned at an all inclusive in Punta Cana, DR and it was amazing. Sounds like all inclusives are the way to go!

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Audrey C says · 02.08.20

I was so interested to read this post about your trip and experience at Atlantis. My family and I visited for the first time over Thanksgiving in 2000 and have gone back probably 8 times since then – always staying in the Royal towers or The Cove. While it has been several years since our last visit (I’d say 5) I am disappointed to hear about the bad service and state of the room you were given in the Coral towers. One thing that did disappoint us on our last visit was how the hotel allowed cruise ship passengers to rent day passes to the water park/pool areas. We were there in March and it was totally over run with non-hotel guests very early in the morning making it almost impossible to find a spot by the pool unless you got out there at the crack of dawn. I have so many fantastic memories of visiting Atlantis from before they even built the crazy water park area that exists now, I hope as it continues to grow in popularity they are able to get back to the hospitality and level of service I remember from 20 years ago. I hope if you ever decided to go back you give it a chance in warmer weather, stay in the Royal towers and go when the kids are tall enough to really get to do it all – I think it would make a world of difference to your experience. As for myself if I were to take a trip to the Bahamas now, as an adult without children, I would elect to stay at the One and Only or the newer Baha-Mar.

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Stel says · 02.08.20

Looks like a lovely trip, all in all!
We went to Mauritius in 2018 – fantastic 5 star hotel, room almost on the beach, still the best buffets ever, included in the price. BUT – our little beach was filled with coral, so you had to wear reef shoes, or could swim in the man-made tidal pool or small swimming pool. Still, the whole setup was facing west, so the sunsets were out of this world, and my kids (then 14, 10) loved the “glass-bottomed” boat, paddle boating (lovely calm waters), also a day day out on cat. And the price…US2700 for our family of 4, 7 nights, 5 nights 5 star half-board (full would have been total overkill) incl flight from South Africa 😉

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Michelle says · 02.08.20

I’m be been to the Atlantis and a i also thought the staff was a put off. When you buy anything… too is included in the price.. so they don’t really have to work for a tip if you know what I mean. No reason to be nice if you’re already getting the money….

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Jillian says · 02.08.20

Having traveled with children several times I would highly recommend an all inclusive (we really like Mexico). The kids can eat whenever they are hungry and you in advance how much the vacation will cost. I know some people complain about the food but with kids it just makes things soooo easy!

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Emily says · 02.08.20

We took a cruise that stopped for on day in Nassau. We learned that it is cheaper to book a room at the Comfort Inn Suite about a mile away, where you get 4 wrist bands for free entry to Atlantis. This was cheaper than 4 days passes for our family. We checked in but never made it to our actual room. We had heard how expensive food was so we had a ton of hearty snacks and drinks that we brought on the cruise ship that we were allowed to carry with us through the park. Just helpful ideas if anyone is interested in checking out Atlantis. It was definitely a bucket list place for us!

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Danielle says · 02.08.20

We, too just spent 5 days at Atlantis (also spent 2 days in Nassau) and had the exact same
experiences as you (minus the room situation). It was a beautiful resort with so much to do! Yes, we were also shocked by how expensive the food was. We knew before hand that it was going to be pricier, but the 12% tax plus the 15-20 % tip on EVERYTHING got to be a little much. We are travelers, and have been to many beautiful places around the world. We were a little disappointed with the high cost of everything in the Bahamas. I get most of their goods are imported, but its not like we were out in the middle of nowhere (like the islands of Tahiti). We were a 45 minute plane ride from Miami. I’m not sure why everything is so expensive, but it’s definitely a place we won’t be going back to.

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Rachael says · 02.08.20

We were there the exact same time. I saw you at Splashers one day! Glad you guys enjoyed yourself. We just got home to Minnesota tonight.

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Claire says · 02.09.20

It sounds like an excellent family hliday, how special to make memories with your family. Thanks for sharing it with us!

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Jennifer says · 02.09.20

We love Atlantis, but I totally agree about the food being expensive and didn’t like how they close all the pools early. I can understand the slides that have to be monitored, but leave that main pool open until 10pm-swim at your own risk. After our first trip, I did pack cereal bars, Rice Krispie treats, PB crackers, etc for kids to snack on. 3 boys are hungry all the time! Poolside food was high, but not like $40 buffet ha ha. We also ate several dinners at Marina restaurants, but loved Nobu near casino. Yes, it was expensive but we loved it Also, once you play at casino and scan your player card, you get discounted room rates😊. It is a beautiful resort and looked like your family had a great time.

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stee says · 02.09.20

I’ve heard from lots of people that the hospitality and value at Atlantis has gone way down in the past 10 years.
We stayed at the Riu next door. All inclusive and a lovely staff that remembered your name and always were helpful and friendly. So I don’t think it is a Bahamian thing but an Atlantis thing.

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Gina says · 02.10.20

I just assumed it was an all-inclusive resort. Thanks for your review! I was considering a trip to Atlantis, but will not go there since I only go to all-inclusive resorts when traveling to the Caribbean.

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Ashley says · 02.11.20

Completely off topic, but where are your boys’ suits from? Love them! Looks like a great family trip!

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Kelsey Farley says · 02.12.20

This was really helpful! I have wanted to go there since Mary Kate and Ashley went!!

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Evelyn Nunes says · 02.12.20

Looks like a really fun trip. Thank you for sharing the tips!
As a Brazilian living in the US, I totally get the cultural shock. There is nothing like customer service in the US!

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Raegan Bergstrom says · 06.12.20

Hi Kate, a while ago while on this trip you posted a pic with a great sarong type of cover up that I think was from Amazon. I’ve tried searching around for it, is there any way you could share that link? Love your blog so much, thanks for keeping it so real!

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