Gay Travelers: Protesters' Views v The Bahamain Gov't
Gay cruises to The Bahamas continue to meet protestors from anti-gay groups, including the landing of Rosie O'Donnell's gay and lesbian cruise ship in Nassau in 2004. "If you're gay, stay away," signs greeted arrivals at the port. "Go home!" was another placard greeting. Most of these protest groups are comprised of homophobic churchgoers who want gay visitors to bid adieu.
The Bahamian government has made it clear that they do not share the sentiments of these conservatives. Members of the government have personally gone to the cruise-ship docks to welcome gay and lesbian visitors. But all things considered, whether or not to visit The Bahamas is a sticky choice to make for gay and lesbian visitors seeking a carefree vacation. "When you're on holiday," said Betty Parkinson of Miami, Florida, "you don't really want to deal with hate-mongers waving their nasty placards in your face. What fun!"
Nassau
Big changes are in store for the tired old megaresorts of Cable Beach, including the Radisson Cable Beach Hotel, Wyndham Nassau Resort, and the Nassau Beach Hotel. In the spring of 2005, the government of The Bahamas and the Baha Mar consortium reached an agreement to redevelop these beachfront properties into a megaresort. The project is expected to cost $1.2 billion, and work is slated to begin in 2007. At the center of the project will be a gigantic Las Vegas-style casino. All of the hotels will be overhauled, and plans call for the opening of two 18-hole championship golf courses, a spacious luxury spa, and a 25-acre ecowater park. This gigantic undertaking will also involve moving the hotels further back from the sea to increase beach width.
Paradise Island
Atlantis, Paradise Island (tel. 242/363-3000; www.atlantis.com), is undergoing a $600 million facelift. Two new towers will be built--a luxury all-suite hotel and a condo hotel--as well as an expansion to Atlantis' existing water-themed attractions. This massive expansion is slated to be completed by late 2006. The resort is hoping to construct an 18-hole golf course on Athol Island as well as a new dolphin-encounter attraction for the water-themed park.
Visitors will delight in a new restaurant, Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill, headed by chef Nobu Matsuhisa, the co-owner of Nobu restaurants, with partner Robert De Niro. Nobu and Flay's restaurant will replace Five Twins in the Atlantis Casino.
Marina Village currently features 19 retail shops and four distinct restaurants including Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichtens' Cafe Martinique. The other dining options feature Italian, seafood, and Bahamian cuisine.
Atlantis has purchased the old Club Med to incorporate into its massive sprawl. However, the popular Club Land'Or (tel. 800/552-2839; www.clublandor.com) is continuing to operate as an independent entity and will not be absorbed into the Atlantis pile.
Freeport
The biggest resort on Grand Bahama Island, the Crowne Plaza Golf Resort & Casino at the Royal Oasis (name subject to change), continues to languish in mothballs. This has always been a troubled property. To add to its woes, it suffered a major disaster of damage during the hurricanes of 2004. As of October 2005, no additional progress has been made toward its restoration. Presumably, the government is looking for a developer or a hotel to take it over. In the meantime, it sits rotting in the hot Bahamian sun. For more information on future developments, call the Freeport Tourist Office at tel. 242/352-8044 or visit www.grand-bahama.com. But know that the staff here won't have any news until there is some news.
In a more positive development, divers are discovering one of the island's newest inns, the Bell Channel Inn (tel. 242/373-1053; www.bellchannelinn.com), which offers its own full-service dive shop and private boat from a location on the water near Port Lucaya. You don't come here for luxurious bedrooms, but each unit is well furnished and comfortable, and most contain small refrigerators. The hotel boasts 32 units, each with a private balcony and two full size beds with a sofa. On site is a seafood restaurant and bar, serving the catch of the day. Single tank dives go from $35 to $240, depending on the number of dives you take.
The Berry Islands
Chub Cay Marina & Resort (tel. 877/234-CHUB; www.chubcay.com) is involved in a massive construction project. A new clubhouse and 57 new villas are scheduled to open. The first of these have been completed, and a new marina should open sometime in 2006, perhaps in the spring. Other facilities to open, also in 2006, will include a spa and two restaurants.
Elbow Cay
Hope Town Harbour Lodge has seen its historical Butterfly House, Upper Road, Hope Town (tel. 242/366-0095; www.hopetownlodge.com/butterflyhouse.htm), bloom into a more modern cottage with air-conditioning units installed in each room and new furniture throughout the house. This two-story house contains a full kitchen, living room/dining room, and a deck with ocean views, among other facilities. The cost for up to four people is $250 a night, up to six people, $325. To vacation here, a one-week minimum stay is required.
The Abacos
Sporting a new 20,000-gallon per day water maker, Green Turtle Club & Marina, (tel. 866/528-0539 or 242/365-4271; www.greenturtleclub.com), has begun construction to its entrance channel into White Sound. to The resort hopes to once again host the Green Turtle Yacht Club Fishing Tournament in 2006. Another addition to the resort will be free access to high-speed wireless Internet connections everywhere on the property.
Long Island
Two new villas at Cape Santa Maria Beach Resort, (tel. 242/338-5273; www.capesantamaria.com) have officially reopened for rentals. They will offer amenities including kayaks, snorkeling, and fishing excursions. Additionally, the resort is constructing 2 new buildings to add to its present core.
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