Nowhere quite like Bermuda
As I'm not a fan of long haul flights, the British Airways direct flight from Gatwick is just over 7 hours and is ideal. We departed Gatwick shortly after lunch and arrived on the island before dinner – perfect!
Bermuda is often confused with other Caribbean islands - in fact it isn’t part of the Caribbean at all and the seasons are completely opposite. Summer in Bermuda is between May and October, making it a fabulous long-haul summer destination. The island is just off the coast of the US and makes for a great ‘shop & flop’ holiday along with NYC.
We stayed at the only all-inclusive resort on the island, Grotto Bay Resort, which is set on its own private beach overlooking a wide bay of calm water. It's perfect for families - my son spent the best part of his days either in the pool with his new friends, or enjoying the inflatable waterpark which provided hours of entertainment.
I absolutely love the Grotto Bay Resort – it is regarded as a 3.5 star hotel, however I would suggest otherwise, not least of all because the a la carte all-inclusive plan is amazing. The food is all gourmet, well presented and delicious. Over and above the usual food & drink that is included, guests receive a transportation pass which gave us unlimited use of the public ferries and buses.
Not to be missed are the two caves that are on the property - how many times can you say your resort has its own cave you can swim in? The water is crystal clear and we braved the cold to have our daily dips! In the second spa, you can enjoy the most amazing spa treatments over the caves water - what an experience.
It's true about the beaches in Bermuda - prior to ever going I always thought it was a marketing trick in travel brochures, but there are beaches that are pink and the sea is turquoise.
Bermuda is not cheap, but that’s what makes it so appealing. Salaries and standard of living is high, but so is the cost of living. There is very little crime and you feel completely safe travelling outside the compounds of the resort. Bermudians are some of the friendliest people you will meet.
Here are some other interesting facts about Bermuda which I bet you never knew:
- There are absolutely no snakes on the island.
- Car hire isn’t possible. Public transport is widely used or else you can take a taxi, or hire a scooter and discover the island at your own pace.
- Bermuda was a British colony, so you still very much feel the British influence in everything from architecture to afternoon tea.
- Bermuda has the most golf courses per square mile of anywhere in the world; the most famous is Port Royal Golf Club Course, home of the PGA.
- It is the wreck diving capital of the world, with over 300 wreck sites to explore.
I’ve been fortunate enough to visit and/or stay at all the hotels on island; Grotto Bay Beach Resort, Cambridge Beaches Resort & Spa, The Reefs Hotel & Club, Rosewood Tuckers Point, Elbow Beach, Coco Reef Resort, Rosedon, both the Fairmont’s and Newstead Belmont Hills and each of them have own star qualities depending on the experience you wish to have.
There really is nowhere quite like Bermuda.