Grand Hyatt Baha Mar in Nassau, Bahamas Review

The resort destination of Baha Mar includes numerous shops, restaurants and hotel properties, although the largest, Grand Hyatt Baha Mar, is a favorite of visitors because of its participation in World of Hyatt. Other hotels in the 1,000-acre entertainment and gaming resort complex include Rosewood and SLS.

Grand Hyatt Baha Mar is a World of Hyatt Category 6 property, which means a redemption night for a standard room starts at 21,000 points during off-peak. The resort is a popular meetings and social event destination as it has 200,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor event space.

Grand Hyatt Baha Mar Location

Grand Hyatt Baha Mar in the Bahamas is near Nassau and its international airport (less than a 15-minute drive), although there is no free airport shuttle. Taxis and transfer services are easy to find, which means you can be at the resort pool in no time once touching down in the Bahamas.

The Baha Mar complex is enormous with its own casino, pools, restaurants, bars and beach areas. Guests of Grand Hyatt Baha Mar can use many of the facilities of its neighboring hotels within the complex and make room charges at Rosewood or SLS (in turn, guests there can do the same at Grand Hyatt Baha Mar). It’s essentially three hotels in one.

Design elements at Baha Mar

Grand Hyatt Baha Mara is in the center of the property and flanked by its two smaller, luxury-resort neighbors, Rosewood and SLS, and is to the side of a new water park under construction as part of Baha Mar. As you enter the complex, there are fountains, swaying palm trees, art and modern furnishings everywhere. For frequent Las Vegas visitors, it almost has a tropical Vegas feel given the size and scope of the amenities. Dancing water fountains and fire display shows take place regularly around the resort.

Guests receive a rubber wristband to use as a room key as well as to access all the facilities around the resort and to make room charges. There is no fumbling around with room keys, cash or credit cards here.

Food and beverage options at Baha Mar

No one can say they left hungry with more than 40 dining options around Baha Mar.

While Grand Hyatt Baha Mar is not all inclusive, there are restaurants for every taste, from pan-Asian to fresh Bahamian seafood with food prices at different levels, too.

Stix Noodle Bar has an exhibition kitchen where diners can watch the chefs pull traditional Chinese noodles. Authentic Mexican guacamole, sopes and other snacks are available at the beachfront Airstream food truck known as El Jefe. There’s Hawaiian poke, Latin American seafood, fresh Italian cuisine and even an ice cream shop.

Celebrity chef dining is another highlight here and includes a wide range of options:

• Streetside by Chef Marcus Samuelsson that mixes a bit of New York Harlem with Caribbean flavors.

• Master sushi Chef Katsuya Uechi rolls the perfect sushi platters at KATSUYA by Starck.

• Butcher Dario Cecchini offers a traditional steakhouse experience at Carna by Dario Cecchini.

• Chef Daniel Boulud prepares classic French meals at Café Boulud.

You’ll want to make reservations to assure you get into your favorite spot, but there are so many choices that it is hard to decide.

In addition to great dining, there are plenty of places to order a drink. These options include everything from cocktail bars with live music to a Starbucks, a cigar bar, a Champagne bar with afternoon tea, a classic late-night British pub and beachfront drinks from roving servers.

Globalist members of the World of Hyatt loyalty program are treated to their typical breakfast amenity, which includes ordering what they wish off the breakfast menu at 3 Tides Fish House or access to the Grand Club lounge (depending on current COVID restrictions).

Accommodations at Baha Mar

The rooms and suites here are spread across two enormous towers overlooking the pools, beach or the resort’s dancing fountains. All rooms have either a full or Juliet balcony to take in the views. Contemporary furnishings and Hyatt’s signature Grand Bed are the norm for each room, although rooms in the two towers vary in look. They offer either a flashier casino-style design or more modern and upscale look.

Ocean view King rooms are favorites for their sea vistas. Among the many suite options is the Grand Executive Suite, which can have views of either the island or the wide open ocean. Tablets by the bed allow guests to play games or learn more about the resort, and Keurig coffee makers in the rooms are a nice touch.

Suites range in size from one to three bedrooms and come with a kitchenette and laundry facilities. These are excellent options for families that need more space and want more flexibility during their trip.

Grand Club accommodations are the club-level option here, which gives guests more benefits. Popular among them is access to the Grand Club for complimentary breakfast, all-day refreshments and evening snacks. This is a great option for couples or families looking for a quick bite, and in the morning, it is a great way to have breakfast without the extra charge. Guests can pay for the upgrade with cash or points, and top elite members in World of Hyatt receive an upgrade based on availability.

The Reserve is a separate, hotel-within-a-hotel concept that has a private entrance and butler service for guests staying there.

Amenities at Baha Mar

First and foremost, all of the resort facilities are linked by a central area, which is where the casino is. You will find everything from slot machines to gaming tables here at the largest casino in the Caribbean. Of course, if you traveled to the islands, you don’t want to spend all of your time indoors.

Start with one of the seven pools available to Grand Hyatt Baha Mar guests. They feature whirlpools, waterfalls and swim-up bars, and one pool even has a built-in aquarium in a shaded cave where you can watch fish and sharks swim by you. Plus, there is a rock jump where you can climb up 15 feet and then plunge into the pool below for fun.

If you want more privacy, there are cabanas available for rent, divided between adults-only and family sections.

Make time for the flamingo parade where you can see the local birds in their pink splendor. Flamingo yoga, where the tall birds wander around you while you stretch is one of the many popular activities available to guests. There is a free boat that takes guests to Balmoral Island, where a beach club with dining and more activities await. Visitors can also see dolphins and stingrays in their natural setting.

Other things to keep you busy, perhaps out of the sun, include an arts center where you can practice your talents, a spa with two dozen treatment rooms and a supervised kids club. There is also a culinary kitchen where guests can participate in cooking classes and an 18-hole Jack Nicklaus Signature golf course. If you are an art lover, the convention center has the largest collection of Bahamian art in the country on display.

Surprisingly, the hotel is pet-friendly. Not surprisingly, there is a $30 nightly resort fee, which includes quite a few exciting things like non-motorized water sports like kayaks and stand up paddleboards, daily bottled water, and GoPro camera rentals. The fee also includes access to an impressive fitness center facility.

» Learn more: Grand Hyatt versus Hyatt Regency

How to get there

The resort is less than 15 minutes by car from Nassau Lynden Pindling International Airport. With most major North American airlines flying to Nassau, finding an option where you can earn or redeem miles shouldn’t be too difficult.

Unfortunately, Delta, American and United don’t have award charts as they use dynamic pricing like Southwest, which can make it difficult if you want to know how many miles to save for a future vacation without knowing the dates yet. Your best bet is to input potential dates into their booking tools from your city and view a wide range of dates to get a feel on costs.