Harborside Trip Report

Trip report for our Harborside Atlantis week, July 11-18, 2009.

I am not an owner. I rented from an owner via Redweek.

Direct flights to/from Reagan were a breeze on US Airways. $89 fare each way. Bags cost $15 on the way to Bahamas, free to fly back from Bahamas to USA. Baby slept for the 2 hour flight.

Check-in was a breeze. Room was not ready until check-in time of 4 PM, though, and we were there at 11:30 AM or so. Ate a lunch at the poolside restaurant at Harborside and walked the harbor to pass some time. What amazing yachts docked there, huh? Assigned to building 3, the 4th floor. Room was just what we had hoped. Crib and high chair for the baby were delivered just after we arrived. Crib mattress was very flimsy, but the baby was so tired each night from the go-go-go that he slept fine in it. Tuesday night our A/C broke. Being 92 during the day and 82 as an overnight low, the room quickly warmed up to the 80’s and was sticky as heck. We were moved to building 5, upgraded to a larger room w/ balcony with pool view (2nd floor). Even more pleased with this room. More floor space for the baby’s trucks and toys, plus the balcony to relax and eat on. Stunk to have to pack up, move, and unpack again in the new room, but worth it thanks to the comped upgrade.

Packed too many clothes and not quite enough food. With the washer/dryer, we did a small load per night of wet/sandy clothes. We spent most of our time in bathing suits during the trip. Next time we’ll use the luggage space/weight for even more food.

We packed a soft-sided zip-up cooler with lots of lunch meat, frozen chicken, pasta, and the like. Also took along thing like Stove Top Stuffing, cereal, snacks, Pam spray, Skillet Sensations, frozen shrimp pasta meal, peanut butter and jelly, cheese, and much more. Still ended up dropping over $100 fast on items like bottled water, soda, butter, bread, and milk at the grocery. The sundry shop at the resort must be avoided. It was $8 for 32 oz of milk there, $7 for a loaf of bread. Items are usually about double what they are in the states, with some items much more than double. Restaurants on the resort are very high. Pizza is $7 a slice, a Rueben sandwich at Murry's deli was $16, a can of soda is $3.50, etc. Plus, the baby is not great at sitting and waiting quietly at slow-service eateries, so it is best for us right now to cook for ourselves. Since there was no issue with customs (Bahamas customs is only an issue if you are bringing in enough food for commercial use), we’ll pack more of our own favorites to cook next time. Two small burners and a microwave. We tried the convection oven on the micro to not great results. I guess using a micro convection oven is an art form we’ve not mastered.

Resort is not very handicap/stroller friendly. Lots of places that the wife and I had to carry the stroller down flights of steps with no ramps or elevators in sight. No doubt that the Bahamian laws on handicap accessibility is not as strict as US laws. We had no problem with it, and in the few cases that the wife or I were pushing solo here usually was an Atlantis staff member nearby who’d offer to help carry the stroller & baby.

Speaking of staff, they were great. From shuttle drivers to housekeepers to blackjack dealers and more, everyone was kind and helpful. They seem to understand that their island and job depends on tourist dollars, and they value the visitors.

Ferry to Nassau is the best value in town. $3 per way for a lovely boat ride with a great information piece from a tour guide. Took a horse and buggy ride for $20 plus tip for the three of us. The baby loved petting the horse and riding the carriage. When the baby’s hat flew off in the wind, a local scooped it up and sprinted to catch up to us in the buggy. Great people at every turn, I found.

Pools are great. Splashers pool is heaven for kids. My son loved every second of it. The slides, the water cannons, the nets to climb .. and for parents there are even spots that are shaded in and under the huge playset. Wonderful. Sampled the adult slides, which are all a blast. Slides and pools are there for the taste of a 100 year old Grandma to a 1 year old toddler, and everyone in between.

Played daily at the casino. Wife and I used to be Vegas regulars (before the baby), so we are knowledgeable gamblers. The blackjack rules are not ideal for the player (dealer stands on soft 17, split aces only once, no surrender) but still a good time. Wife and I took turns playing during baby nap time or after baby bed time. Played all week and left up $70. Tables can get crowded at night and when a bunch of cruise ships are in port, but overall a very nice casino.

Did the Cove Beach daily, usually late afternoon as the sun’s rays were lighter. Found this to be the least crowded and nicest beach. Water is crystal clear. Fish swim right around your legs. Surf is very light and safe. Wonderful beach.

The baby loved the aquariums, as expected. We hit the Baltimore Aquarium often, so we knew he’d love it. This was even better than Baltimore due to the way they present the fishes in such a dramatic fashion. The dig is great for kids, the underwater tunnels, etc. We spent a goodly portion of time daily taking it all in. The Manta Rays are breathtaking. The baby also loved the rope bridge. He could have scooted back and forth all day on it. He is so light that when he walks on it it barely wiggles, and he just thought he was the king up there on it.

We’ll have to wait a few years before my son can do the Dolphin/Sea Lion experience, climbing wall, power tower, etc .. but I know he’ll love them all when he’s old enough.

Transportation was easy. Folded up the stroller and used the Harborside busses all of the time. They are quick and easy.

Filled up my 2 gig memory card with photos before the last day of the trip! My son did not stop giggling and smiling the whole week, so it was easy to load it up with great snapshots. It is great fun for him, but also great learning. On the trip he learned to say fish, bus, blue, and yellow (well, his versions are ba-boo and yell-yo)… not bad for 14 months. He got to see the ocean for the first time, hear steel drums for the first time, and was sliding down the baby slides solo by the end of the week.

So, we had him at Disney World at Christmas and Atlantis in July. I must say that Atlantis ranks right up there with Diz in terms of a great family location. In fact, we just might give Atlantis a slight edge due to the beach and aquariums.

We had a glorious time and will be back.

Very few complaints: Food prices (knew that coming in), pools technically close at 7 (although it is not really enforced, folks are usually back in the water at 7:10PM and stay late), Splashers playset does not start operating until 10 AM (when kids tend to be up at 6-7 AM, it could be open earlier), taking the Harborside timeshare tour when you are a Harborside guest (but not yet owner) only nets you $50 while guests at other towers or resorts get $125 for their time, only 2 of the 5 “arms” that spit out water at the Harborside pool were working all week (kids love that thing), not stroller friendly.

Hi John,

Since you just came back, could you please help me.

We are a family of five and will be staying at Harborside in September.

Everybody is saying that transportation is expensive, should we rent a car?

Also everybody is bringing food, is there a Wal-Mart? or a decent grocery nearby?

Thank you

We were there the same week and we are a family of 5. This was our 5th trip to Harborside, and we still love going there! I do NOT reccommend renting a car...the Bahamians drive on the left side of the road, and this can be very confusing on traffic circles and in town. We always take a taxi or get a driver from the airport to Harborside. For an extra tip, the driver always stops at the grocery store and liquor store so we can run in to pick up perishable foods. I always pack a full suitcase of food and snacks-this saves us hundreds of dollars! Harborside also has a shuttle that will make grocery store runs, but this takes valuable time from my vacation--having a driver stop at the store is the way to go!

Thank you John for the information.

How much would a taxi cost for the five of us from the airport and is food at the grocery really expensive.

Also are there shuttles at the airport, sometimes that is cheaper.

Also since we are coming from Canada I do not know if we will have a hard time bringing meat and fruits, sometimes this is not allowed.

Thank you

I posted in your other thread on costs of transport. Check that.

As for food, I see no difference in bringing food in from Canada than USA. Bahamas is an independent country for the past 36 years. I would not figure that their customs dept would look at Canadian foodstuff any different than US food.

I would not try fresh fruit. Frozen would be fine I'd guess.

Hi John:

Sounds like a fun time. Do you own at the Atlantis then? I am a Marriott Timeshare Owner and really want to stay here next June 2010. Boy is 18, girl is 14. But it is sooo hard to get in. I want to exchange my Marriott, through Interval International, but will be put on a wait list. Need to really confirm vacation plans up but have some time. Thanks a bunch.

No, I am not an owner. Visited Atlantis 5 years or so ago, before having any kids. Stayed in the Coral Towers and paid through the nose for a small, out-dated single room. Got sucked into the timeshare presentation with the $150 in casino chips they offered with free buffet breakfast. Did not buy, but that turned us on to Harborside. When we wanted to go back to Atlantis with a child, we knew to search for Harborside condo rooms. Rented from a fellow here on Redweek. Going back through another owner here on Redweek in November.

As for rates of cabs, I have another thread here outlining that. For current rates contact the congiere who will send you info on everything from cabs to busses to limos ....

http://www.harborsideresort.com/conciergeServices.php

Please do not buy from Atlantis, if you want to buy a timeshare there. They charge way high rates. I'd look on places like Redweek or other such sites for owners looking to get rid of their payments.

Just wondering how much it cost for three people to get a cab and stop for food on the way.

Depends on how long you take to shop. Negotiate with the cabby up front on the cost. Ask him directly how much it will be if you stop at grocery store for 30 min. You should get a quote for about $80-100 total is my guess.

Great report!! Stopping for a cab for food is a drag. And carrying it in your suitcase is too. We order our groceries online before we arrive - the delivery company brings it right to the room so we don't have to shop in not so friendly food stores in Bahamas. I don't like to waste my vacation time on grocery shopping. There are one or two services in Bahamas but we used FoodStoreToGo.