Whether it’s zip-lining in Costa Rica or hiking in Iceland, I love having far away adventures. I’ve enjoyed all of these exciting experiences, but a little while ago, Robert and I realized that we needed a short getaway so that we could just relax and recharge.

Travel Wish List: With the limited amount of time afforded by a four day trip, we were looking for a place that would hopefully fulfill our list of travel wishes.  First, we wanted a beautiful destination that was relatively easy to get to.  Second, once there, we wanted to simply rest by the water in a fairly casual yet attentive hotel or resort. Finally, we still wanted a location that had some interesting attractions and nice dining opportunities if we decided to venture out of our cocoon.

Happily, we found this and more when we were invited last month to stay at the recently opened Warwick Paradise Island- Bahamas Resort.  This 4-star, adults-only (18 years old and over), all inclusive resort turned out to be just what we needed.

And, as an added bonus, this property was only about a half of a mile away via bridge from Nassau, the capitol of this archipelago nation. Well known for being Christopher Columbus’ first landfall in the New World, and the haven for famous pirates including Blackbeard, Nassau is rich with history, culture, and cuisine.

Getting to Nassau, Bahamas :  From Albany International Airport, Robert and I took a one stop flight to Nassau’s Lynden Pindling International Airport.   While we took Delta, other airlines including American and United travel from Albany to Nassau as well.

After gliding through Bahama’s immigration and customs offices, we were met by a Majestic Tours representative to drive us the thirty minutes to our destination. As this country was formerly an English royal colony, driving is on the left hand side of the road, and English is the spoken language.

With a collection of over 50 hotels and resorts world wide, Warwick Hotels and Resorts (WHR) has been specializing in luxury accommodations for over thirty years. And having enjoyed staying at both the Warwick New York and the Warwick Seattle, I was fairly confident that this particular property would be a good choice as well.

Upon arrival at this Warwick, my assumptions were confirmed.

WHR had invested millions of dollars into newly transforming what was formerly known as the Paradise Island Harbour Resort.  We discovered that this property now included 250 rooms on 12 floors, five dining options , two bars, a fully equipped fitness center, as well as entertainment facilities and activities.

The staff was very attentive, and, once we checked in, we each received a purple wrist band. We needed to keep this band on for the duration of our stay as it identified us for security reasons as guests, and it provided us with access to the resort’s amenities.  This included all meals and snacks; alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages; standard Wi-Fi internet access from the “beach to the bedroom;” daily activities and nightly entertainment; non-motorized water sports; use of the fully-equipped fitness center; and gratuities, taxes, surcharges and 7.5% Value Added Tax (VAT).

As I mentioned before, Robert and I were looking for a casual trip where we could stay in an unpretentious yet fun environment.

So I was happy to see that this resort including the lobby easily fit the bill.

After checking into our spacious room overlooking the Nassau Harbor, we grabbed some lunch at the Verandah, the resort’s buffet style restaurant. A nearby poster informed us of the different cuisine that would be offered each night.

Then we found two lounge chairs by the pool, ordered drinks from a very helpful server, and I actually relaxed by reading a book. Off to the side were a group of guests having a lot of fun playing volleyball in the pool.

Later that evening, Robert and I joined General Manager Ben Davis and his lovely wife Cecile for dinner at the resort’s Edgewater Grill. This steak and seafood restaurant was located on the waterside overlooking the Nassau harbor. The restaurant is complimented by a 10,000 square foot Sunset Terrace and adjoining boardwalk. (Note: a surcharge may apply at this particular restaurant).

While dining on delicious grouper, the Davis’ provided us with entertaining stories of their lives, and it was nice to learn that each couple had a daughter living in NYC. Mr. Davis told us more of the multimillion dollar renovations that had taken place and of our proximity to many attractions in the area. This included Cabbage Beach which was  a close walk away with dining and shopping nearby.

After we said our goodbyes to Mr. and Mrs. Davis, we considered seeing what evening entertainment was available at the the resort’s Junkanoo room. As we learned, Junkanoo is a parade similar to Mardi Gras that Bahamian’s celebrate various times of the year.

 

There would be music, but instead, we decided to simply enjoy the view of the beautiful night scenery from the balcony of our room. We would be taking a ride into downtown Nassau early the next day for an Art & Dine tour with Islandz Tours. Then we’d explore some more of the area’s culture before heading back to the resort’s for some for fun in the sun.