Frommer's Review
The chosen "watering hole" of big-game fishermen since the 1950s, this resort is better than ever following multimillion-dollar renovations. Its 81-slip marina often makes it a favorite stopover with the yachting crowd from Florida's east coast. The resort's restoration has been called a rebirth, and its patrons -- mainly boaters, divers, eco-adventurers, and the deep-sea and bonefishing elite -- have remained loyal. Both the resort and marina facilities have been improved. The guest rooms and the dining and drinking facilities were completely overhauled. Accommodations are now well furnished, both the guest units in the main building and those in surrounding cottages. All rooms have patios or porches opening onto the marina and the club's swimming pool; the ground-floor cottages are more spacious than the standard bedrooms and have tiny kitchenettes and refrigerators. The small bathrooms are well maintained and come with shower stalls.
If you want to charcoal-broil your catch at the end of the day (hotel staff can arrange all sorts of fishing charters), you can use one of the outdoor grills. This hotel is also the best place for food and entertainment on the island.
Island in the Stream -- Nevil Norton Stuart, a Bahamian, came to Bimini in the late 1920s and purchased the Fountain of Youth, a Prohibition-era bar, renaming it the Bimini Big Game Resort & Marina. In 1940, Stuart reclaimed land in Bimini Harbor, constructed a marina, and added several cottages along with a desalination plant. Thus began the legend of one of the most highly publicized sportfishing meccas in the world.
Film stars, including Judy Garland and Sir Anthony Hopkins, among others, have lodged at the club, and Martin Luther King, Jr., visited twice. Of course, no one immortalized the island as much as Hemingway, who called it "My Island in the Stream."
Today the complex has grown to more than 50 rooms, including cottages and penthouses, and it's owned by the rum maker Bacardi International. In the 100-slip marina, you'll find enormous sportfishing boats, costing more than several million dollars, proudly standing alongside simple outboard-powered runabouts.
Facilities:
Restaurant; 3 bars; pool; all nonsmoking rooms
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.
