Best Resorts in the Bahamas: Atlantis, Baha Mar, Sandals Royal Bahamian and Club Med Columbus Isle

Early evening on Paradise Island, the Royal Towers glow above the marina while guests drift between the casino floor, the aquarium corridors and the beach bars. A few miles of coast away, Cable Beach fills with the clink of cocktail glasses at the pools, and farther out in the islands a quieter resort faces the open Atlantic. The Bahamas holds a handful of resorts big enough to be a destination in themselves, spread across New Providence, Paradise Island and San Salvador, and this is a look at what each one offers.

What are the best-known resorts in the Bahamas?

The names that come up first are Atlantis on Paradise Island, Baha Mar on Cable Beach in Nassau, Sandals Royal Bahamian, also in Nassau, and Club Med Columbus Isle on San Salvador. Each one is built around a different idea of a vacation: a giant ocean-themed playground, a modern beachfront complex, an adults-only all-inclusive, and a remote island retreat.

Atlantis Paradise Island

Atlantis is an ocean-themed casino resort spread over 154 acres, with several hotel towers, a waterpark and a marine habitat. The Royal Towers were built when the resort officially opened on December 11, 1998, and The Cove, a luxury tower of 600 suites, followed in March 2007. The idea runs through everything: corridors look onto tanks, and the whole place feels like a city built around the sea.

The marine habitat is home to more than 65,000 aquatic animals from 250 species, among them dolphins, sharks, sawfish and stingrays. Dolphin Cay is a marine conservation and education center where visitors can interact with dolphins in a controlled environment.

Aquaventure, the waterpark, brings slides, river rides and pools, and the beaches stretch for five miles of white sand. Families, groups and anyone who wants everything on one property will find it here. The casino and a golf course round out the evenings and mornings.

Baha Mar on Cable Beach

Baha Mar sits on Cable Beach, on the island of New Providence, across a 1,000-acre complex. It groups three hotels, a Grand Hyatt, SLS Baha Mar and the Rosewood, and it also includes private residences. It opened in April 2017 after a long redevelopment meant to revitalize Cable Beach, the most popular beachfront destination on New Providence.

Golf players will notice the Tournament Players Club course designed by Jack Nicklaus. The three-hotel layout lets you choose a mood, from the big-resort energy of the Grand Hyatt to the quieter, more refined feel that the Rosewood name suggests. It suits couples, groups of friends and travelers who want a polished base close to Nassau.

Sandals Royal Bahamian

Sandals Royal Bahamian is the only Sandals resort in the Bahamas, and it is in Nassau. It is adults-only and designed for couples. Fine dining is spread over 10 specialty restaurants, and unlimited cocktails and premium liquors are included, along with a variety of water sports and free PADI scuba diving.

The resort comes with a private offshore island, a small escape from the main beach. Swim-up rooms are available, and the highest level of them includes Elite Butler service and private Rolls Royce airport transfers. Honeymooners and anniversary trips are the natural fit.

How do the big resorts compare?

They differ most in who they are built for: Atlantis for families and spectacle, Baha Mar for a flexible multi-hotel stay, Sandals Royal Bahamian for couples who want everything included, and Club Med Columbus Isle for a calmer island escape.

Families and groups

Atlantis is the resort with the most for children to do, with its waterpark, its marine habitat and the dolphin center. Everything sits on one property, so a family can spend days without leaving. Club Med Columbus Isle also offers some family-friendly options, and teenagers can join Junior Club Med in July and August.

For travelers who prefer an all-inclusive format with a family angle, Melia Nassau Beach is an all-inclusive resort in Nassau. Meliá counts it among its family hotels. Meliá hotels may offer free stays for up to two children, though the offer can vary by property.

Couples and adults

Sandals Royal Bahamian is the clearest choice for couples, since it is adults-only and its all-inclusive format covers dining, drinks and water sports. Club Med Columbus Isle is described as perfect for couples and adults seeking a romantic or serene getaway, and 26 activities are included in the stay, with 30 more available on demand.

Waterskiing and wakeboarding at Club Med are offered only in summer, and scuba diving there costs extra. At Sandals Royal Bahamian, by contrast, PADI scuba diving is free. That difference matters if diving is the reason for your trip.

Casinos, golf and nightlife

Atlantis has a 60,000-square-foot casino with 85 table games and over 700 slot machines, and a 7,100-yard golf course. Baha Mar offers its Jack Nicklaus-designed course. For a night out beyond the resort walls, Margaritaville on Paradise Island is open daily and hosts karaoke and a Junkanoo Rush Out with a parade and costumes on Fridays, and a Saturday night party with a live DJ and local Bucket beer.

Which island has which resort?

Each resort belongs to one island, and the Bahamas is an archipelago, so the choice of resort is also a choice of where to sleep. The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism lists hotels, mega resorts and fishing lodges across many islands, among them Nassau and Paradise Island, Grand Bahama, the Abacos, Eleuthera and Harbour Island, the Exumas, Bimini, Andros and Cat Island.

New Providence and Paradise Island

Paradise Island holds Atlantis, and the Margaritaville restaurant stands in the Ferry Complex on Marina Drive, the only Margaritaville restaurant in the Bahamas. On New Providence, Baha Mar and the Sandals Royal Bahamian are both in Nassau, and Melia Nassau Beach is there as well. Delta had announced a seasonal non-stop service between Minneapolis and Nassau, a sign of how the Nassau resorts draw visitors from the Midwest.

San Salvador

Club Med Columbus Isle is on San Salvador Island, and the airport is 5 minutes from the resort. Transfers are not automatically included in the package, but they can be arranged through private services or with the resort. A local clinic is 5 minutes away, and the hospital is in Nassau, 1 hour’s flight from the resort.

Great Exuma

Sandals Emerald Bay on Great Exuma closed on August 15, 2024, and it is being transformed into a Beaches Resort. It will be family-friendly and will keep the same beach and golf course, with enhanced kids and teen clubs, a water playground and new dining options.

The reopening date has not been announced, so it is not a place to plan a stay around yet. Sandals Royal Bahamian in Nassau, recently renovated and with its own offshore island, is the alternative.

Good to know before you go

The U.S. State Department rates the Bahamas Level 2, “Exercise increased caution”, and says most crime occurs in Nassau on New Providence and in Freeport on Grand Bahama.

Resort stays here are mostly about what is included, so compare packages carefully: Sandals Royal Bahamian bundles drinks, dining and water sports, while Club Med charges extra for scuba diving. The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30, which matters when choosing dates.