Frommer's Review
Sitting atop Bermuda's highest point, this resort is the largest and most luxurious property on the island. It overlooks the ocean, the bay, and its own good beach, located in front of the hotel. The hotel's beach is sheltered in a jagged cove, flanked by cliffs, and studded with rocky outcroppings lashed by the tides. The bedrooms were revitalized with a modern, English-inspired decor, and a spiffy new glossiness was added to the cavernous-looking lobby. The atmosphere is mahogany-trimmed conservatism, glowing and rich-looking and perhaps a little uptight and stuffy to the party-loving Carnival cruise crowd. This mammoth resort stands on 40 hectares (99 acres) of undulating and verdant land that looks gloriously manicured.
Often compared to its sibling in the City of Hamilton, the Fairmont Hamilton Princess, the Fairmont Southampton is located on the beach, whereas the Fairmont Hamilton is situated close to shops and attractions. We don't think it's the place for those who want an intimate, romantic hideaway; in fact, its biggest drawback is that it's a favorite with conventions and tour groups. Nonetheless, it and Elbow Beach are the finest choices for the well-heeled family who want to stay at a place where virtually everything is on-site -- from sports to beaches to a wide selection of dining.
The Fairmont Southampton is decorated in 18th-century English style, with well-upholstered furnishings. Baronial staircases connect the public rooms, situated on three floors. The plush guest rooms are arranged in wings that radiate more or less symmetrically from a central core. This design gives each luxurious room a private veranda with a sweeping view of the water. Rooms are generally spacious, with one king or two double beds. Bathrooms, which come with tub/shower combinations, tend to be modest. For those who can afford it, the choice spot here is the Fairmont Gold floor, a hotel-within-a-hotel, pampering its guests in ultimate luxury on the top floor, offering an array of services from shoeshines to private check-ins. The Gold Floor offers complimentary continental breakfast, newspapers, and the use of a fax and VCR.
The cuisine is among the island's finest -- we recommend several of the resort's restaurants even if you're not staying here. In a place this large, it's hard to keep an eye on quality, but the Fairmont Southampton does admirably well. This is a mammoth operation, but the hotel has wisely split its dining into smaller enclaves. The dining rooms include Windows on the Sound, a three-tiered palace reminiscent of Mayfair in the 1930s and New York's Rainbow Room; through 6m-high (20-ft.) arched windows, you can see the islands of Great Sound. Other choices include Wickets, Newport Room, the Whaler Inn, and the Waterlot Inn. Some of the island's finest Italian cuisine is served in the on-site Bacci. Nightlife is a bit staid here, and not every restaurant has a bar that's open to nondiners (the Waterlot Inn and the Whaler Inn do). Jasmine's Lounge has live music, usually a jazz combo, beginning at 8pm.
Guests who don't want to leave the premises enjoy a self-contained village of bars, restaurants, shops, and athletic facilities that are among the island's finest. Everyone's favorite pool is a re-creation of a Polynesian waterfall, with streams of heated water spilling from an artificial limestone cliff. You can swim here even during cold weather, thanks to the greenhouse above. A trolley carries guests around the sprawling acreage of the Fairmont Southampton grounds; and a ferry boat reserved for guests only goes from the Waterlot Inn to the piers of the Fairmont Hamilton.
Facilities:7 restaurants; 2 bars; private beach club; 1 pool (outdoor); par-3 18-hole golf course; 6 tennis courts; health club; spa; sauna; dive shop; moped rental; summer children's program; business center; room service; massage; babysitting; laundry service; dry cleaning; nonsmoking rooms; rooms for those w/limited mobility.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without
notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before
planning your trip.
