Tips on Accommodations

The Bahamas offers a wide selection of accommodations, ranging from small private guesthouses to large luxury resorts. Hotels vary in size and facilities, from deluxe (offering room service, sports, swimming pools, entertainment, and so on) to fairly simple inns.

There are package deals galore, and they are always cheaper than "rack rates." (A rack rate is the official published rate that an individual pays if he or she literally walks in from the street. These are the rates we've listed, though you can almost always do better -- especially at the big resorts.) It's sometimes good to go to a reliable travel agent to find out what, if anything, is available in the way of a land-and-air package before booking a particular accommodation.

There is no rigid classification of hotel properties in the islands. The label "deluxe" is often used (or misused) when "first class" might have been a more appropriate term. "First class" itself often isn't. For that and other reasons, we've presented fairly detailed descriptions of the properties so that you'll get an idea of what to expect. However, even in the deluxe and first-class resorts and hotels, don't expect top-rate service and efficiency. When you go to turn on the shower, sometimes you get water and sometimes you don't. You may even experience power failures.

The winter season in The Bahamas runs roughly from the middle of December to the middle of April, and hotels charge their highest prices during this peak period. Winter is generally the dry season in the islands, but there can be heavy rainfall regardless of the time of year. During the winter months, make reservations 2 months in advance if possible. You can't book early enough if you want to travel over Christmas or in February.

The off season in The Bahamas -- roughly from mid-April to mid-December (although this varies from hotel to hotel) -- amounts to a sale. In most cases, hotel rates are slashed a startling 20% to 60% off. It's a bonanza for cost-conscious travelers, especially for families who can travel in the summer. Be prepared for very strong sun, though, plus a higher chance of rain. Also note that hurricane season runs through summer and fall.

MAP vs. EP, or Do You Want the AP?

All Bahamian resorts offer a European Plan (EP) rate, which means that you pay for the price of a room. That leaves you free to dine around at night at various other resorts or restaurants without restriction. Another plan preferred by many is the Continental Plan (CP), which means you get a continental breakfast of juice, coffee, bread, and jam included in a set price. This plan is preferred by those who don't like to start their day by looking around for a place to eat breakfast.

Another major option is the Modified American Plan (MAP), which includes breakfast and one main meal of the day, either lunch or dinner. The final choice is the American Plan (AP), which includes breakfast, lunch, and dinner. At certain resorts, you will save money by booking either the MAP or AP because discounts are granted. If you dine a la carte often for lunch and dinner, your dining costs will be much higher than if you stay on the MAP or AP.

Keep in mind that dining at your hotel at night cuts down on transportation costs. Taxis especially are expensive. Nonetheless, if dining out and having many different culinary experiences is your idea of a vacation and you're willing to pay the higher price, avoid AP plans -- or at least make sure the hotel where you're staying has more than one dining room.

One option is to ask if your hotel has a dine-around plan. You might still keep costs in check, but you can avoid a culinary rut by taking your meals in some other restaurants if your hotel has such a plan. However, these plans are rare in The Bahamas, which does not specialize in all-inclusive resorts the way that Jamaica and some other islands do.

Before booking a room, check with a good travel agent or investigate on your own what you are likely to save by booking on a dining plan. Under certain circumstances in winter, you might not have a choice if MAP is dictated as a requirement for staying there. It pays to investigate, of course.

What the Hotel Symbols Mean -- As you're shopping around for hotels, you may see the following terms used:

• AP (American Plan): Includes three meals a day (sometimes called full board or full pension).
• EP (European Plan): Includes only the room -- no meals.
• CP (Continental Plan): Includes continental breakfast of juice, coffee, bread, and jam.
• MAP (Modified American Plan): Sometimes called half-board or half-pension, this room rate includes breakfast and dinner (or lunch instead of dinner, if you prefer).

The Right Room at the Right Price

Ask detailed questions when booking a room. Specify your likes and dislikes. There are several logistics involved in getting the right room in a hotel. In general, back rooms cost less than oceanfront rooms, and lower rooms cost less than upper-floor units. If budget is a major consideration with you, opt for the cheaper room. You won't have a great view, but you'll save your money for something else. Just make sure that it isn't next to the all-night drummers.

Generally, all first-class or deluxe resorts feature air-conditioning, but many Bahamian inns do not, especially in the Out Islands. Cooling might be by ceiling fans or, in more modest places, the breeze from an open window, which also brings the mosquitoes. If sleeping in a climate-controlled environment is important to you, check this out in advance.

If you're being your own travel agent, it pays to shop around by calling the local number given for a hotel as well as its toll-free general reservations number, if it has one. You can check online and call a travel agent to see where you can obtain the best price.

Another tip: Ask if you can get an upgrade or a free night if you stay an extra few days. If you're traveling during the "shoulder" periods (between low and high season), you can sometimes get a substantial reduction by delaying your travel plans by a week or 10 days. For example, a US$300 room booked on April 12 might be lowered to US$180 by April 17, as mid-April marks the beginning of the low season in The Bahamas.

Transfers from the airports or the cruise dock are included in some hotel rates, most often in a package plan but usually not in ordinary bookings. This is true of first-class and deluxe resorts, but rarely of medium-priced or budget accommodations. Always ascertain whether transfers (which can be expensive) are included. On some Out Islands, the hotel or inn will send someone to pick you up at the dock or airstrip with advance notice.

When using the facilities at a resort, make sure that you know exactly what is free and what costs money. For example, swimming in the pool is nearly always free, but you might be charged for use of a tennis court. Nearly all watersports cost extra, unless you're booked on some special plan such as a dive package. Some resorts seem to charge every time you breathe -- and might end up costing more than a deluxe hotel that includes most everything in the price.

Some hotels are right on the beach. Others involve transfers to the beach by taxi or bus, so factor in transportation costs, which can mount quickly if you stay 5 days to a week.

The All-Inclusives

A hugely popular option in Jamaica, the all-inclusive resort hotel concept finally has a foothold in The Bahamas. At these resorts, everything is included -- sometimes even drinks. You get your room and all meals, plus entertainment and many watersports (although some cost extra). Some people find the cost of an all-inclusive holiday cheaper than if they'd paid individually for each item, and some simply appreciate knowing in advance what their final bill will be.

The first all-inclusive resort chain in The Bahamas was Club Med (tel. 888/WEB-CLUB [932-2582]; www.clubmed.com), which has a presence on San Salvador, in the Southern Bahamas. This Club Med has more of a luxurious hideaway atmosphere; it's not a swinging-singles kind of place.

The biggest all-inclusive of them all, Sandals (tel. 888/SANDALS [726-3257]; www.sandals.com), came to The Bahamas in the mid-1990s, when it opened the Sandals Royal Bahamian on Cable Beach. This Jamaican company is now walking its sandals across the Caribbean, in Ocho Rios, Montego Bay, and Negril. The most famous of the all-inclusives (but not necessarily the best) ended its ban against same-sex couples.

Rental Villas & Vacation Homes

You might rent a big villa, a good-size apartment in someone's condo, or even a small beach cottage (more accurately called a cabana).

Private apartments come with or without maid service (ask upfront exactly what to expect). This is a more no-frills option than villas and condos. The apartments may not be in buildings with swimming pools, and they may not have a front desk to help you.

Many cottages or cabanas ideally open onto a beach, although others may be clustered around a communal swimming pool. Most of them are fairly simple, containing only a plain bedroom plus a small kitchen and bathroom. In the peak winter season, reservations should be made at least 5 or 6 months in advance.

Hideaways Aficionado (tel. 877/843-4433 in the U.S., or 603/430-4433; www.hideaways.com) publishes Hideaways Life, a pictorial directory of home rentals throughout the world, with full descriptions so you know what you're getting. Rentals range from cottages to staffed villas, and even whole islands! On most rentals, you deal directly with the owners. At condos and small resorts, Hideaways offers member discounts. Other services include specialty cruises, yacht charters, airline ticketing, car rentals, and hotel reservations. Annual membership costs US$185.

Sometimes local tourist offices will also advise you on vacation-home rentals if you write or call them directly.

Bahamian Guesthouses

Many Bahamians stay at a guesthouse when traveling in their own islands. In The Bahamas, however, the term guesthouse can mean anything. Sometimes so-called guesthouses are really like simple motels built around swimming pools. Others are small individual cottages with their own kitchenettes, constructed around a main building in which you'll often find a bar and restaurant serving local food.