Fifteen minutes after being picked up from Nassau airport in a Cadillac SUV, I arrived at the manor-style driveway of Rosewood Baha Mar, where a small troupe of staffers in navy blue blazers and crisp white shirts greeted me by surname. Before I could get my bearings, my rolling suitcase was already waiting for me at the front desk, and a receptionist offered a choice of two welcome drinks: a Flamingo mocktail or a Switcha, a local limeade spiked with rum.

Baha Mar, the 1,000-square-acre upscale resort in the Bahamas, is a marvelous beach getaway for those who like nonstop action and high-touch customer service. There is a water park with 24 rides, an 18-hole golf course designed by Jack Nicklaus, a Vegas-style casino, endless poolside lounge chairs with cabana attendants, and three hotels, including the Grand Hyatt Baha Mar and SLS Baha Mar, totaling 2,200 rooms. However, Rosewood Baha Mar is arguably the most elegant, drawing a more discerning and spendy crowd.

The lobby was stately and colonial, with polished marble floors, handpainted murals of palm trees, and scented with lavender, ginger, and lemongrass. A courteous bellhop escorted me to my ocean-view room, offering helpful tips along the way: where to book water adventures, how to open my terrace door, and how to unlock the room with my gray wristband.

After a bite at The Palms at Baha Mar, a casual poolside restaurant, I wandered around the mega-resort. There was a lot to absorb—pink flamingos, a surf simulator, a private beach club, a thousand slot machines, a circular pier, uphill water coasters, a swim-up aquarium with sharks and tropical fish, food trucks, jet skis, celebrity-branded restaurants, swimming pools of all sizes, and a white sandy beach with cerulean blue waters. Everywhere I looked, there were families swimming, eating, shopping, drinking, laughing, surfing, tanning, and Instagramming—it was quite a feast for the senses.

By the time I finally got back to Rosewood Baha Mar (there are no straight paths, so it’s easy to get lost), I found myself taking a deep breath and relishing its calmer vibe, lushly landscaped pathways, mellower poolside scene, and hushed hallways. It already felt like home.

Here, my full review of Rosewood Baha Mar in the Bahamas.

The Rooms

The hotel is shaped like a horseshoe with 226 guest rooms, all with at least one private terrace, divided between two towers (pro tip: the east tower gets better sunset views). Rooms on floors one through six are considered garden views, owing to the thick canopy of palm trees that grow in the courtyard, while those on floors seven to 12 have ocean views. The guest rooms are decorated in a Bahamian manor style with nautical touches—think white shiplap walls, rattan furniture, white porches, and beachy artwork.

My standard ocean-view room was a generous 500 square feet and furnished with a four-poster king bed, a three-seat sectional sofa, a writing desk, ample closet space for two, and a glass hutch that held a Nespresso coffee maker, art books, and assorted figurines. The marble-lined bathroom had a separate shower and water closet, along with double pocket doors that let in natural light if you’re soaking in the deep tub.

Large suites and standalone villas are also available, including a six-bedroom, 6,200-square-foot residence with an infinity pool and chef-ready kitchen overlooking the beach.

Food and Drink

Rosewood Baha Mar has five restaurants and bars, the newest and arguably nicest being Café Boulud The Bahamas. It features some of chef Daniel Boulud’s classic French dishes, served in a handsome dining room filled with Bahamanian artworks. Costa offers refined Mexican dishes in plantation-style cabanas set over a koi pond and surrounded by palm trees.

Just past the lobby are The Library, a light-filled lounge for breakfast and afternoon tea, and the Manor Bar, a wood-paneled saloon that serves smokey cocktails. The most casual is Tingum on the Sand, a cafe for traditional Bahamian breakfast and lunch.

If none of those suit your taste, Baha Mar has over 20 other restaurants to choose from, including a kosher Asian Latino grill, a haute Chinese restaurant, an artisanal pizzeria, and a chophouse by Marcus Samuelsson.

Activities and Experiences

It’s all about being near the water, and Rosewood Baha Mar offers three main areas for that. The fan-shaped cabana pool is set in the courtyard and offers plenty of places to read, take a dip, or drink cocktails. The squiggly-shaped lagoon pool is closer to the sea and invites more kid- and family-friendly play. Then there’s Cable Beach, famous for its soft white sand. A private area is roped off for Rosewood guests and offers more space and nicer beach chairs than its neighbors.

Whichever spot you choose, beach and pool attendants will set up your chairs, adjust your umbrella as the sun moves, and bring fresh juices, lobster rolls, gelato—even Champagne with French fries—at the push of a button. Day beds and cabanas can be reserved for an additional cost.

The resort’s well-equipped fitness center is on the lower floor, while exercise classes are held outdoors regularly, including flamingo yoga on Sundays (with actual flamingos).

The full menu of experiences available at Baha Mar is too long to list, but each room is equipped with a tablet that lets guests make bookings directly, whether it’s court time at the new John McEnroe Tennis Center or a half-day boating adventure with a reef expert.

The Spa

Sense, Rosewood’s in-house spa, has seven rooms that offer Bahamian-inspired treatments. The Gullah Geechee Tea Tox is a 90-minute session that includes a cleansing hot drink made from Indigenous plants, and a detoxifying body rub with neem oil. Facials, manicures, pedicures and aromatherapies are also available.

Family-friendly Offerings 

While the entire resort is already family-friendly, the hotel does offer several kid-specific perks. Rosewood Explorers is a clubhouse with supervised activities, such as sandcastle building, kite flying, pizza making, finger painting, and marching in a Junkanoo parade. Three sessions are held each day, and do not require advanced reservations or added fees—which means you can drop off the troublemaker at the last moment.  Other made-for-children activities include cooking classes, a wildlife sanctuary with stingrays and sea turtles, and a mini-golf course. 

Accessibility and Sustainability 

There are accessible king rooms on the lower floors with wider doors, handlebars for the toilet and shower, a transfer shower with a seat, a lower sink vanity, as well as lower light and air-conditioning controls.

Sustainability efforts include a ban on single-use, in-room plastics, reusable stainless-steel water bottles (which guests can keep), and water refill stations throughout the hotel, including the beach.

Location 

Everything at Baha Mar is within walking distance. The resort is huge, so comfortable shoes are recommended for anyone planning to explore. Local taxis are available, but Uber and Lyft are not.

How to Get the Most Value Out of Your Stay 

Rosewood Baha Mar does not offer any loyalty programs, but the hotel is part of American Express’ Fine Hotels & Resorts collection. Rosewood Elite is an invitation-only program available to select travel advisors, and it comes with perks like room upgrades, hotel credits, and early check-ins.