Summary
I visited Bermuda (4 nights) in July 2018 – over the July 4th holiday weekend – as part of a long weekend family getaway. 4 nights is the new 3 nights for us – we used to do 3 nights for these short beach/leisure trips but we have decided that 4 nights is a must for us to be able to relax with both the kids. We went with our dear friends (husband, wife, 2 year old son) whom we often travel with but this is our first trip together with our kids. The weekend getaway was very relaxing and the weather cooperated nicely. Bermuda is interesting because it has Caribbean type weather (occasional but very short rain showers) but is located off the coast of South Carolina so the peak season is from May to September and it represents a very short 1-3 hour flight from the East Coast. Historically, Bermuda got less visitors because its peak coincides with nice weather in the US but with Zika virus impacting the Caribbean and investments being made in hotels and infrastructure, Bermuda is resurging as a travel destination. We had a wonderful visit – Bermuda is a mature-infrastructure (albeit old) island (and thus it feels quite safe) with an established downtown in Hamilton and many wonderful beaches, caves and hot spots to visits along the island. There are no Ubers / rental cars on the island so one is limited to taxis (which price fairly and are all metered) and mini-electric vehicles. All in all, a wonderful, easy getaway.
Accommodations
We stayed at the Rosewood Bermuda which is a wonderful beachfront property at Tucker’s Point. Staying at the hotel gives access to the awesome beach club which is easily accessible by shuttle or a fun golf cart ride. The hotel staff was the absolute best starting with the first person I met – front office manager Marlon Guevara. He is a spectacularly friendly and warm guy and every person who works at the hotel is just as wonderful. I had the privilege of meeting Paul Telford – the hotel’s Managing Director and just from one conversation you can tell you are speaking with one of the industry’s finest. The team was so gracious in upgrading us to a Villa which, besides the extra space with 2 kids, gave access to our own personal golf cart for the whole trip … it allowed for roaming the property, visiting the beach club and easy access to our home away from home. The hotel also had an excellent babysitter service which we used for multiple nights – and which we tend to always use when we travel – so we got a few nights out just adults. We always have dinner with the kids, put them down, then do adult dinner / drinks somewhere on property so we are close by. The best hotels give u the same sitter each night for consistency and of course the Rosewood did wonderfully with this service. We will certainly be back!
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Activities
While the island is small, there are a number of fun activities to make a long weekend or week-long getaway really worth it. The Horseshoe Bay Beach is the most famous and popular beach – go early in the day to beat the cruise ships. It has a nice area protected from waves so kids can more easily play in the beautiful waters. The Crystal Caves are another super popular, unique destination on the island – they are located very close to the Rosewood. Our favorite activity was the pure beach and pool relaxation at the private Rosewood Beach Club (next time i’m going to definitely play Golf at the hotel’s beautiful course. Bermuda was also a perfect destination for our regular family/friends photoshoot with Flytographer on the Rosewood property/beach which was so fun! Family and friend pictures are truly our favorite souvenirs.
Dining
Our favorite restaurants and meals on our visit included the local famous hotspot Pickled Onion Restaurant and Bar (American/International). While it is dubbed as fine dining, the newly-opened Sul Verde (Italian) at the Rosewood is a great casual, nice restaurant with inviting outdoor seating overlooking the golf course. We enjoyed a nice meal at Ruby Murry’s (Indian) and really loved our last night dinner of eclectic pizzas/pastas at the family-friendly La Trattoria & Pizzeria (Italian) downtown near Front Street. Next time we will make it to The Wharf (American/International) and definitely sit outside for the harborfront views. Of course our daily meals at the Rosewood’s Island Brasserie (Breakfast) and the Rosewood Beach Club Restaurant (Lunch) were perfect ways to relaxingly enjoy our days in Bermuda. Walking along Front Street in the rpbustly busy but quaint downtown was so nice because it reminded us how different Bermuda is from other island getaways but has so much of what we love about them.
Recommendation
I would certainly recommend a long weekend (4 nights is perfect) in Bermuda during the summer-ish months – between May and September. We had a great, relaxing visit and enjoyed the local hospitality, dining and activities. As with most Caribbean or Caribbean-type destinations, the hotel itself can really make or break the trip because so much of the stay (dining, activities, relaxation etc) happens there. The Rosewood, Fairmont and Elbow Beach tend to get the most attention but the Rosewood had everything we needed in one place and we were so thrilled with the choice. There are new hotels being built on the island in the coming years so there will be even more visitation to Bermuda is also a perfect place to go with friends because everything is chill and easy. The Island has an older feel but also feels safe to go beyond the hotel walls. Overall, a great, easy getaway from the East Coast and we’ll likely go back in the future! Enjoy your trip!
