We’re still not allowed to travel out of state or internationally due to COVID-19. I am itching to get out of New Jersey for a few days. But since I can’t go anywhere for the foreseeable future, I’m reminiscing about some of the trips I’ve taken over the past couple of years.
Now, I won’t claim to be a travel expert or a true travel blogger. I just thought it would be fun to reflect on some of my past travels since it may still be a while before I can visit a new place. Fortunately, I’ve saved lots of notes on each place I visited, and I’m excited to relive some of my adventures!
My first travel post is going to be one of two posts talking all about Atlantis in the Bahamas. This first post will cover some general information about the resort. I’ll finish it off in part two with some packing tips and some of the activities at the resort. I’m not one of those daring travelers who venture into obscure places, so I won’t talk to you about unknown hidden gems. But I’ve come away with some tips for each place I’ve visited and I want to share them!
The view of the resort from our room in the Royal Towers.
Where to Stay at Atlantis
Atlantis is huge. There are a multitude of towers that you can stay in, plus suites and villas for larger groups and families. There’s even a harbor, should you be so lucky to have a yacht. (Kudos to you if you do. I’m super jealous.) Where you decide to stay will depend a lot on how many people are in your group, what your budget is, and how concerned you are about proximity to everything the resort has to offer.
Before my husband and I booked our reservations, I scoured tons of blogs and TripAdvisor forums to determine which tower would be the best one for us. We decided on the Royal Towers. As a couple traveling on our own with no children, it was great. The location of the Royal Towers is central to pretty much everything else on the resort. They were also middle-of-the-pack in terms of budget, which was perfect for my husband and me. One of the more budget-friendly towers was under construction when we were there (I think it was the Beach Towers); otherwise, we would have stayed there to save even more money.
The Royal Towers were very nice, and I have no complaints about our accommodations. If you’re willing to spend a bit of money, but still want to be mindful of your budget, I’d recommend staying there. Otherwise, The Beach or The Coral towers may be better for you. If budget is not a concern, consider the Reef or the Cove. The Cove has a private beach and an adults-only pool, though it’s much pricier. The Reef is also more expensive, but if you’re traveling with a large group, you’ll have more room if you stay in one of their suites.
Another view of the resort from our hotel room, at a slightly different angle.
When to Go
We stayed at Atlantis from May 20 until May 25, 2018. It was a great time of year to go. The weather was warm, but not unbearably hot. The resort wasn’t overly crowded, even on the days the cruise ships were docked. We rarely had trouble finding chairs by any of the pools and the lines for the slides weren’t long. On the nights we didn’t have dinner reservations, we never had to wait for a table. So, while this is the only time I’ve visited the Bahamas, I’d recommend going to Atlantis at the end of May.
Should I get a meal plan?
When you book a vacation at Atlantis, you have the option to purchase a meal plan. My husband and I didn’t, and I’m happy about that. The meal plans are expensive. When we compared everything at the end of our trip, we actually spent less on food than we would have spent on a meal plan.
When we booked our vacation, I remember thinking that the meal plans were pretty limited. Only a certain number of restaurants on the property accepted them. It looks like things changed though, as there are a lot more options on their website now than I remember seeing when we were there. Still, if you’re traveling with adults only, I’d forgo the meal plan.
The meal plans also do not include lunches or tips. When I mentioned that my husband and I spent less on food than we would have spent on a meal plan, that was with lunches and tips calculated into everything. Keep that in mind when you’re trying to decide whether or not to purchase a meal plan.
What about safety and cleanliness?
Safety should be a concern when traveling anywhere, whether domestically or internationally. And obviously, nobody wants to stay in a filthy hotel room! (Or maybe you’re okay with that. If so, that’s cool.) Fortunately, when staying at Atlantis, you most likely will not have to worry about either.
Our hotel room was clean and well-kept, which I expected, but the cleanliness of the resort itself took me by surprise. The public areas around the pools and water slides were very well-maintained. I rarely saw so much as an empty water cup sitting near an abandoned pool chair. Even the bathrooms in the public areas were clean. I still wouldn’t walk in them barefoot and I still used the hover-and-squat method to pee, but they weren’t as disastrous as I expected.
If you’re worried about safety, whether you’re traveling with young children or solo, I’m fairly certain you’ll be fine. (I only phrase it that way because anything can happen anywhere, but I wouldn’t consider Atlantis dangerous or unsafe.) You still need to be aware of your surroundings and follow basic safety precautions. However, I never worried about my personal safety while we were there, nor did I worry too much about my belongings. Whenever we went on the water slides, we left our beach bag on a chair and covered it with towels, and everything was fine. We didn’t keep anything of great importance in the bag, so if something had gone missing we wouldn’t have been too upset. But we never had any problems leaving our sandals and sunglasses behind for a short amount of time.
What else should I know about Atlantis?
Like I mentioned above, I’ll be following up this post with a second post, and I think that should cover the bulk of it!
If you’re considering a trip to the Bahamas, and you’re not an adventurous traveler, I highly recommend staying at Atlantis. Whether you’re going as a family with children, or just looking for a relaxing vacation with your significant other, you won’t be disappointed.
