Atlantis Bahamas Review – The Good and the VERY Bad
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Our family had been wanting to visit Atlantis for years and we finally saved up enough to visit this world-famous resort. We were so excited to stay at this well-known resort and experience all the waterslides and pools.
But we were disappointed to find that this outdated hotel was not worth the money, in my opinion. So to save your family the heartache we experienced, I’ll tell you exactly why… and where to stay in Nassau, Bahamas instead.
Are you thinking about visiting the Atlantis Resort on your vacation to the Bahamas? I would think again!
Staying at the Atlantis Bahamas was a huge disappointment for our family. So I wanted to give an honest review of Atlantis so you can decide if it’s worth it for your family.
It’s not often that I have to write about a hotel that I DIDN’T like. When I plan a vacation, I am very thorough. I go through every review I can, and I read Pinterest and watch YouTube videos… all to make sure I am spending my money wisely and making every vacation the best I can.
Because to be honest, I can only take (or afford) so many vacations a year. And I’m guessing it’s no different for you!
See Related: What You Need To Know Before Flying With Kids
(This Atlantis Bahamas Review is my honest opinion, I was not compensated in any way by either the Atlantis Resort of Baha Mar)
Is It Worth It To Stay At The Atlantis, Paradise Island, Bahamas?
I’ve been wanting to visit The Bahamas mostly due to the famous swimming pigs. And I’ve known about Atlantis for a long time. To me, it always seemed like something that was out of my financial reach. Until this last spring, when I decided if I was going to be in The Bahamas, I needed to stay at the Atlantis. Right?!?!
Wrong! The Atlantis turned out to be one of the worst resorts I’ve stayed at in a really long time. Even the kids didn’t like it. When considering the Atlantis Bahamas resort worth, the high price did not justify the experience we had. The memories created and the overall quality of the stay were disappointing.
And when I write reviews, I always give honest ones and this review of Atlantis is no different.
PS – You can book your tour with the Swimming Pigs HERE! It was by far the best thing we did in the Bahamas!
Location and Resort Overview
Paradise Island Location
The Atlantis Bahamas Resort is nestled on the stunning Paradise Island, a gem just off the coast of Nassau, the capital city of the Bahamas. Spanning approximately 685 acres, Paradise Island is renowned for its breathtaking beaches, crystal-clear waters, and vibrant coral reefs. This idyllic setting makes it a haven for beach lovers and water sports enthusiasts alike. Whether you’re looking to relax on the soft sands of Atlantis Beach or explore the underwater wonders of Paradise Beach, this location offers a slice of paradise that lives up to its name.
Getting to Atlantis Resort
Reaching the Atlantis Bahamas Resort is a breeze, with several convenient options available. The resort is about a 30-minute drive from Lynden Pindling International Airport (NAS) in Nassau. Taxis and shuttle services are readily available at the airport, making the journey to Paradise Island straightforward. Alternatively, for a more scenic route, you can take a ferry from Nassau Downtown to Paradise Island, which also takes around 30 minutes. Once you arrive on the island, a short taxi or shuttle ride will bring you to the resort. This ease of access ensures that your vacation can start as smoothly as possible, allowing you to dive into the Atlantis experience without delay.
The Atlantis Resort
Atlantis Bahamas opened in 1994 and it’s pretty obvious that it has not been updated since then. It looks like they haven’t done much upkeep at all, to be honest. Certain areas and experiences, such as the Cove beach, are exclusive to hotel guests.
The main lobby is amazing. I will give it that. First walking in, really took our breath away. The wide, open decor made us feel like we were in another world. I was truly impressed with the main entrance of the Atlantis. Dolphin Cay is a premier attraction offering interactive programs with dolphins and marine life.
However, the rooms are VERY basic. We opted for the middle of the pack, the Royal Towers. The price and luxury of the 5 towers rank like this (cheapest to most expensive):
- The Beach – very basic and furthest away
- The Coral – somewhat upgraded and near most of the food and shops
- The Royal – the iconic towers
- The Cove – upgraded suites
- The Reef – super luxury suits and penthouses
The Royal is the middle, and main, tower at Atlantis. It’s also the most iconic tower so we decided to upgrade our room and pay extra to not only stay in the Royal Towers but to have an ocean view as well. You only live once, right?
The only nice thing about our room was the view. In hindsight, I wish we would have saved the money and stayed at the Coral Towers. The Royal was not worth the extra money.
If I can be honest in this Atlantis Bahamas Review… the rooms were no different than a Motel 6. Outdated and small.
The only good thing about the room… our view.
One really cool thing about Atlantis is that the bridge that connects the two main towers is actually a giant suite that rents for $25,000 per night. It’s called the ‘Michael Jackson’ suite due to him visiting there often. Our room was on the same level and we got a great view of this. Too bad it was empty… it’s usually rented by celebrities!
The tower itself was nothing special. It didn’t have a lobby like most hotels do. So if you wanted a snack or even just a cup of coffee (or a strong drink) you had to walk to the other side of the resort. Expect at least a 10-minute walk for even the most basic necessity.
The (very small) lobby doesn’t even have an employee there. So hopefully you don’t have any questions or need any assistance.
We took a few minutes to walk around the casino, but if you are traveling with kids, there really isn’t anything to do here.
Hotel Towers at Atlantis Bahamas Resort
The Atlantis Bahamas Resort boasts five distinct hotel towers, each offering its own unique charm and amenities to cater to a variety of preferences and budgets.
- The Royal Towers: As the flagship tower of the resort, the Royal Towers are centrally located and offer iconic views of the ocean and the resort’s stunning landscape. This tower is perfect for those looking to be in the heart of the action.
- The Coral Towers: Positioned near the vibrant Marina Village, the Coral Towers provide comfortable rooms and suites with private balconies. This mid-range option is ideal for guests who want to be close to dining and shopping options.
- The Cove: For those seeking luxury, The Cove offers upscale rooms and suites with private balconies and breathtaking ocean views. Located on the western side of the property, this tower provides a more exclusive and romantic atmosphere.
- The Reef: A family-friendly option, The Reef features spacious rooms and suites equipped with kitchenettes and private balconies. Situated on the eastern side of the property, it offers a more relaxed and home-like environment.
- The Harborside Resort: This residential-style tower is located on the marina side of the property and offers spacious villas with fully equipped kitchens and private balconies. It’s perfect for guests looking for a more independent and extended stay.
Each tower at the Atlantis Bahamas Resort offers its own set of amenities, including pools, restaurants, and bars, ensuring that guests can find the perfect fit for their vacation needs. Whether you’re seeking luxury, family-friendly accommodations, or a romantic getaway, the Atlantis Bahamas Resort has something to offer.
The Dining Options at the Atlantis Resort
This Atlantis Bahamas Review wouldn’t be complete if I didn’t mention the food as well!
You’ve probably heard this several times already but the food at the Atlantis is VERY VERY expensive. Everything in the Bahamas is expensive but the Atlantis takes it to a whole new level.
Now take that added expense and put it on some of the blandest food you’ve ever eaten. And that’s what you get at the Atlantis.
We were actually really excited to go to The Bahamas and indulge in a lot of seafood or local authentic cuisine, but we did not find that at the Atlantis. Instead, we ate mostly pizza, burgers, and sandwiches. Despite the variety of dining options available, the quality did not meet our expectations.
Do you know how disappointing it is to travel to the Caribbean in hopes of some good seafood and end up paying $100 for a pizza and some drinks? Yeah… it sucks.
And while lots of people say “Well all of the Bahamas are expensive”, that’s just not true. You can go to any restaurant right outside of the Atlantis for half the price. PLUS, downtown Nassau has amazing authentic cuisine that is super cheap (and supports the locals).
If you have like a gazillion dollars to spend at the Atlantis, then go to a nice restaurant. But if you want to be able to afford another vacation in your lifetime, you’ll probably be stuck eating at some of the smaller restaurants.
Dining at Margaritaville just outside (walking distance) of Atlantis was the most affordable way to eat and had the biggest portions. But I could eat that in the States so, again… disappointing.
The buffet was decent. But again, you’ll find very basic American-type food there. If you do want to check it out, go for brunch. Dinner is almost the same food but twice the price. If you time it right, you can go mid-morning, fill up, and have a light dinner.
The Service At Atlantis Isn’t Great
The staff at Atlantis weren’t friendly. I’m sorry, but they just weren’t. From the dining staff to employees in the pool area. We always felt like we were annoying to anyone we asked questions to.
When talking to a local taxi driver, he pretty much confirmed this for us. The laws for working in The Bahamas are very strict and you cannot get a visa if you are a foreigner. And the hotels pay locals a really low rate to work and have a huge turnover. So it might be that they just really don’t enjoy their jobs, and it’s pretty obvious.
Head over to Margaritaville. The food is better and more reasonably priced. But you’ll still wait hours for your food.
Even the service at restaurants is horrible. Expect to spend at least 2-3 hours at each dinner. Not because it takes that long to get a table. It takes that long to get your food.
Beware if you are traveling with young kids. Bring some snacks and maybe a tablet to keep them occupied. If we walked out of the restaurant in under 3 hours on any given night, it was considered a miracle.
Atlantis is Old and Needs Updating
I know we really wanted to stay at the Atlantis because it had a lot of hype to it. But honestly, that’s all there really is. It was probably a really nice resort 10 years ago. But it’s very clear it hasn’t been kept up very well. This is an honest Atlantis Bahamas review to inform potential visitors about the current state of the resort.
The rock formations are all chipping and have paint missing.
The lazy rivers look a little too green for my liking!
And the aquarium tanks were all really cloudy. The sharks swimming around the Leap of Faith (the most popular water slide) were in a small aquarium with NOTHING inside. Like literally no coral, no plants, no rocks… nothing!
I actually found it very disturbing that so many sharks were in such a small space with nothing but glass around them. I think Atlantis needs to get rid of this attraction. They could easily fill the tank with tons of coral and colorful fish and the ride would be just as fun and exciting.
I can’t honestly do an Atlantis Bahamas Review without mentioning these issues. They were heartbreaking.
Lounge chairs were basic plastic. The food was like eating at a strip mall. And the pools were very basic. What I mean by that is… they looked like every other hotel pool. I’ve honestly seen MUCH better pools and decor at local resorts in my area.
Atlantis is Confusing and Not Well Laid Out
Oh, and the layout of the aquaventure water park is really confusing. Like, horribly confusing. Their printed maps don’t make any sense. They show you where each thing is located, but not what path to take to get there. We got lost and turned around several times.
And again, the staff wasn’t much help. Each time I asked how to get somewhere, they would just point and walk away, or not respond at all.
It started to become a game where when we actually found the correct waterslide we were looking for, we would jump up and down and high-five each other.
There are also specific attractions designed for younger kids, such as kiddie slides and play areas, which can be challenging for parents to navigate in the large, busy environment.
And don’t forget the dumb wristbands. In order to go on any waterslide, you need to get a wristband from a certain hut. And you need your resort card to get those. So it became like a 3-step process to get the wristbands to even go on the rides in the first place.
And each day is a new wristband. So each day, you have to find the hut to get a wristband before you can go on any rides (and of course, the wristband huts are not near the waterslides).
Atlantis also has a private area you can pay a little extra for that comes with things like a storage locker and reserved chairs. We really considered this for a minute, but then I saw the ‘private’ area and it was basically the same as every other area and just had small storage boxes in between each chair.
Save yourself the hundred dollars this cost and just get yourself a beach chair lockbox. We used this and it worked perfectly.
What We Enjoyed About the Atlantis
The waterslides were a lot of fun… even though there were not too many of them. But the Leap of Faith was really thrilling. And we really enjoyed the not-so-lazy river. Despite its flaws, the resort can be a good choice for a family vacation.
The not-so-lazy river… was actually a lot of fun and we did this several times.
The Dig was done really well and the kids enjoyed walking through this and seeing all the fish and relics from the lost city of Atlantis. There was even a small place where you could pet starfish and sea cucumbers. Guests can also interact with sea lions at Dolphin Cay, which is part of their marine animal rehabilitation and education programs.
But even the Dig only took us about 20 minutes to walk through. Not worth an entire stay at Atlantis.
One positive thing I will say about my review of Atlantis is that the beaches are amazing. We went to several beaches, both public and resort, while in the Bahamas and the Cove beach was particularly the best. The sand was soft and white and really clean. The water was clear and not too deep. The kids actually preferred this beach over any pool at Atlantis.
Get my bathing suit here!
The great thing about Cove beach is that it’s only open to Atlantis guests (cruise ship passengers were not allowed there) but no one checked so I’m not sure how they can say that.
We also really enjoyed Marina Village. You will find lots of shops (too expensive to buy anything from!) but also a lot of food places. The pizza place, deli, Frankie Gone Bananas, and some smaller places to eat are over here.
And each night they have a really cool parade. The kids really loved it. There was lots of dancing and singing and drums going on. But again, you can go to Marina Village without being a guest at Atlantis.
Review of Atlantis Bahamas: What I Wish We Would Have Done Instead
If I could redo the trip and still feel the need to stay at the Atlantis, I would have booked a room at the Coral Towers instead. Not only are they more inexpensive than the Royal Towers, but the coral pool was a hundred times better than any pool around Atlantis.
Here are some photos of 2 different pools around Atlantis…
And now here are some images of the Coral pool… such a difference!
I’m not exactly sure why the nicest pool would be next to the cheapest parts of Atlantis… but a lot of things about Atlantis didn’t make sense!
Right by the Coral pool was also a great area to walk around. Probably the nicest on the entire property.
All the cheaper restaurants and movie theatres were in the Coral Towers as well. So we ended up going there every night anyway. The Royal Towers only really have a casino, and we don’t gamble so we had a pretty long walk just to get to the Coral Towers every night.
Even the ice cream parlor was in the Coral Towers!
Atlantis Bahamas Review: Should You Stay At The Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas?
The Atlantis is an iconic resort and has always been on my bucket list. At the end of the day, I’m glad we had a chance to check it out. But I think it would have been fine to stay for just a day or two.
After the first day, the kids went on every waterslide and tested each pool and they were bored. We ended up booking an excursion to Blue Lagoon Island on our third day, just to have something else to do.
Or consider getting a day pass to check out the Atlantis water park, take a few iconic photos, and be on your way. Trust me, you’re not missing anything if you don’t actually stay at the property.
And lesson learned… read the reviews online and always trust them. And hopefully, you’ll listen to this review of Atlantis!
If you enjoyed this Atlantis Bahamas Review, check out this:Is Atlantis Bahamas Safe To Visit For Families and Tourists?
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