It’s the shoreline that makes Grotto Bay especially suitable for families. Alongside the calm waters of Castle Harbour, the resort’s small beach barely gets a ripple of waves. The water is so still in fact, that it recently added a floating water park featuring a huge inflatable slide and trampoline about 30 yards from shore—a family-friendly romp within eyeshot of Grotto Bay's two other waterfront attractions. Both located on a pier adjacent to the resort, Ana Luna Adventures operates a 44-foot catamaran, which is available for half- and full-day sailing and snorkeling charters around the east end of the island; and Dive Bermuda takes guests on adventurous SCUBA adventures of all kinds, including dives to nearby sunken shipwrecks. The resort was named after the subterranean caves on property, and the nearby coastline is enchanting, with many natural caves and intimate coves.

Spread across 21 bougainvillea- and hibiscus-draped acres, the resort has 201 rooms housed in 11 cottages. Their styling is a bit too "old-style tropical" for our taste (think: faux bamboo night tables, rattan headboards, and a color palate of brown and beige) but they’re clean and comfortable. For those who choose the all-inclusive option, there are two bars and three on-site restaurants, which serve Continental cuisine. Tip: Truly memorable massage are offered at the Grotto Bay’s Nature Spa, located deep inside one of the resort’s stalagtite-laden caves; treatment tables are nestled inside raised pergolas, which are housed on floating platforms above a freshwater lagoon.