Site Inspection at Grand Hyatt Baha Mar

The resort is located about 15 minutes from the Lynden Pindling International Airport. There are plenty of taxis waiting outside the airport, so planning a transfer ahead of time isn't really needed. After checking in and receiving your bracelet, you will be told whether you are staying in the East or West Tower. The bracelet you are given at check in is your key to your room and entrance to the waterpark. So make sure you have it with you if you are planning on going to the waterpark. If booking The East Tower is a little older and the rooms are slightly smaller. The East Tower also has tubs vs showers if that is important to families needing that. The West Tower is newer and the decor in the rooms is slightly more modern. The only negative that I saw staying at the West Tower was on weekends, the sister resort SLS has a DJ and loud music and even being on the 18th floor was still pretty loud. Not all rooms have full balconies. Some are just ones so if your client wants a full balcony you can make that request. If booking Reserve (floors 21-28) you get your own check in desk, an assigned butler, happy hour from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm and breakfast pastries with coffee and tea in the private lounge. I wasn't able to see all of the different room types as it was spring break and they were sold out.

The resort is very large. It's a decent trek from the rooms to the pools and the beach, but there are ramps around the property for people with wheelchairs as well as elevators. The property has six heated pools. Each pool has its own menu so if you like something that you ordered at one pool and you're at a different pool the next day, the lunch menu is not the same. Being that it was spring break, the chair situation at the pool was bad. If you didn't come by 7:00 am to put your belongings down, you would have a hard time finding seats. There are signs around the pool areas that note if workers see that you have not been at your chair for 45 minutes or you just had towels but not personal belongings, then they will remove it and give your chairs up. I did ask the site specialist if the chair issue was something that was only during that week since it was spring break. She said that the hotel had been practically sold out for the last four months, so it was problematic, not just during that week. If you want to ensure that you have seats during your stay, and you don't want to get up at the crack of dawn, you can reserve cabanas. Something that is worthwhile here is depending on which cabanas you book, the amount of the cabana serves as your food and beverage credit. So, for instance, if paying $400 for the day, you can get the cabana and $400 to spend on food and beverages. Not all of the cabanas work this way. Some just give you a bottle of champagne and fruit platter, but you still pay for the cabana. So when booking, pay attention to the description of the inclusions.

The Baha Bay Waterpark is made up of different sections. The big slides have a height requirement of 48 inches. Turtle Beach has smaller slides for smaller kids. Stingray Cove is a big climbing splash park with tipping buckets, slides and water sprays. There is also a lazy river and a wave pool. There is truly something for everyone here. Keep in mind cruise ship passengers come here with day passes so the lines can get long to the big slides.

Breakfast can be eaten at the buffet in Regatta or Cleo. It has a pretty hefty price tag. Adults are $44 and kids (6-11) are $18. If booking Prive, one benefit is complimentary breakfast for two, which is huge in savings when going for multiple days. There is also Cafe Madeline and Starbucks. The line at Starbucks is usually long in the morning. All restaurants automatically charge a 15% service charge plus VAT. Kids under five can eat free here, too. You need to make reservations at most of the restaurants or else you will be waiting a long time for a seat. Reservations can be made online prior to the trip.

The Kids Club has a fee of $77 per session for the morning and afternoon. Session options are from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm and 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm. The evening session is from 6:30 pm to 10:30 pm and costs $88. If you want your child to have dinner there, it is an additional $25. Food is either hot dogs, spaghetti, penne pasta or chicken tenders. There is also an arcade that just opened in December of 2023. There is a sanctuary to visit with stingrays and turtles that have different experiences during the day for an extra cost. You can go visit the flamingos, view the aviary, feed the birds or go play mini golf.

In the evening, you can either listen to music in the jazz club (they are in the process of expanding it to fit 300 people), play some tables or slots in the casino or do some shopping at the luxury stores. I would say there is no actual entertainment for kids in the evening. You can go visit the pretty singing and dancing fountains outside, have yummy milkshakes and ice cream at The Sugar Factory or go to the arcade.

I recommend the Grand Hyatt Baha Mar to clients looking for a fun family getaway or a luxurious adults retreat. You can go as a couple or go with a group of friends. You can swim at the beach, visit the various heated pools or have some fun at the water park! You can also satisfy your palate with simple dishes like pizza or do the five star dining experience with foods from many culinary backgrounds. You can't go wrong with visiting this resort. Contact me and let me plan your Baha Mar vacation.

This trip report is part of our ongoing series on travel to Bahamas. In need of further inspiration? Check out Melissa Ranallo’s trip report, Trip Report at Baha Mar in Nassau, Bahamas.