Normally travel posts take a long time for me to compose. I like to absorb and reflect on the time spent in another city or country. But this one I just couldn’t wait to publish. Our recent Bermuda family vacation was such a precious experience. The country and culture of Bermuda is unlike any other I’ve experienced. Their economy hinges on tourism so the attitude toward tourists becomes incredibly welcoming. There’s no sense of, “oh look, here come the invaders.” Instead, everyone local wants to chat, share their story, and showcase their gem of an island to you.
For our few days in paradise we had the tremendous pleasure of staying at The Hamilton Princess hotel. Let’s just get this out on the table: it’s pink so I was immediately smitten. And it was the prettiest twenty minute taxi ride from Bermuda’s airport, sitting directly on the harbor. While the hotel brings about a secluded, oasis-like feeling, it’s only a few blocks from bustling downtown Hamilton. We were in a room that offered access to their Gold Lounge. Let me tell you, that place was worth its weight in…well, gold. There’s a dedicated staff and concierge (all of whom became Colton’s fast friends). Additionally, they have a variety of food presentations as well as complimentary soft drinks throughout the day. We’d pop in for water, drool-worthy oatmeal raisin cookies, and to fuel up on delicious breakfast every day. While it’s slightly more expensive than the standard room rate I highly recommend booking there if you can swing it. You’ll easily get your money’s worth.
Having a napping toddler, it wasn’t easy for us to get far from the hotel or make big excursions. So we were grateful for all of the amenities on property. We ate at Marcus’s, a restaurant of Marcus Samuelson’s that sits on their property. We also did one round of room service and grabbed a quick bite at their more casual Crown & Anchor dining space. And at least once a day we dipped into the heated saltwater infinity pool. Wow oh wow I could have lived in that water. Nicely enough, a portion of the pool is made kid-friendly with water jets and a deep shallow step Colton could crawl around on.
Okay, here’s the clincher and cream of the crop about our hotel: they have a complimentary jitney shuttle that drives you to their private beach club across the island. We’re talking hammocks in the water, pirate ship play areas for the kids, and even an on-site restaurant. The water in their cove is shallow enough that you can walk hundreds of feet before it even hits your waist. Not that this is a goal of mine, but it’s probably the most Kardashian-esque I’ve ever felt (and I mean that in a good way).
Overall, this Bermuda family vacation was one-in-a-million. You know how some hotels and destinations claim to be ‘super kid-friendly and welcoming of families,’ but you arrive and feel like you’re getting stares from staff and guests alike? We didn’t experience a single moment of that. Everyone who worked at Hamilton Princess and all the locals we encountered were tremendously sweet and gracious to all three of us. I would go back in a heartbeat (like, right now). So to give you a feel for the island I wanted to share a bunch of pictures from our time there. Plus, at the bottom of this post are a few places we recommend or that were recommended to us and we didn’t have a chance to visit. Enjoy! xx
recommendations
Dining
Activities + Excursions
Shopping
