Description:
First the quick deals: We spent six days five nights at the Sheraton, in a fairly spacious double for approximately $200 a night.
The hotel is operated together with its sister resort, the Westin Our Lucaya, and the two effectively have their own private secluded beach area. Guests from either resort are free to use the facilities of the other, and in many ways outside of the room buildings, it's difficult to tell where one begins and the other ends.
In all likelihood, you'll fly into Freeport's "International" airport; the hotel has a guest desk outside of arrivals. It takes about twenty minutes by cab to get to the resort, and the cab fare for five of us was about $35.
The Sheraton itself is nice enough -its taken care of, but it definitely has a sort of "used" feeling. Not really in a bad way, but just in the sense that the hotel feels a little old. But since you're not really in the Bahamas to see the inside of the hotel, that's not really that big of a problem.
There are several pool areas, including an amazing Westing "endless" pool, but the best parts are the beaches. Hotel guests can easily get beach beds to lay out on. We went during the beginning of May, before the heavy summer travel, so things may be worse at other points in time, but during our stay we never felt crowded despite the hotel being somewhat busy. I should mention quickly the somewhat absurd towel card system. When you check-in, you get a towel card for each person registered. Every day, when you go outside, you need to turn the towel card in at the towel hut and get a wrist band and towel, so that you won't get hassled by the hotel staff as to whether you're a guest of the hotel (it seems that a lot of cruise visitors try to come and spend the day, and this is meant to prevent it). Lose the towel card, though, and that's an extra $25 at check-out.
A couple quick observations:
- We had problems with our telephone that the front desk really didn't seem interested in fixing. They kept wanting to make the call for us and connect rather than fix our problem. The TV signals were off, too.
- Resort fees! Be aware that there are mandatory resort and service fees. Our $125 base fare was $200 after taxes for a room with four people.
- There are several bars and restaurants on the complex; they aren't bad, but are a little overpriced.
- Mandatory 15% tipping. Deal with it.
- Calling to the US = expensive. Buy a calling card meant for the Bahamas.
- Casino on site.
- Outside of the marketplace across the street, there is very little to do near the resort.
Overall, we tremendously enjoyed ourselves and I would highly recommend it for a nice escape.
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