We celebrated our 1 year anniversary at Sandals Emerald Bay, Great Exuma, Bahamas from June 3 - 10, 2010. The previous year we were married at Sandals Grande Antigua. Just when we thought nothing could top our Antigua trip, Sandals Emerald Bay did just that! This resort is a former Four Seasons and has been newly renovated and 'Sandalized' to perfection! From the moment we arrived to the second we left we were truly treated like royalty! Being an all butler resort your every need and want will definitely be met. The grounds are gorgeous with tropical flowers everywhere. The rooms are spacious and well kept. The food and drinks are plentiful - you certainly won't go hungry! The beach is the best we have ever seen - the water bluer than the sky and the sand as soft as powder. There are NO vendors on the beach which was a nice alternative to many other Caribbean beaches.
Most days we were able to relax to the fullest by the pool in a cabana. We would notify our butler that we had reserved a cabana or umbrella and he would proceed to stock it with towels and a cooler full of drinks to our liking. Not once did we have to order our drinks from the pool bar, as our butler was great at anticipating our needs. Before we would even realize we were thirsty he was delivering a frozen concoction to us in our cabana or while we were floating in the pool. AMAZING service!! Our butler also served our lunch in our cabana each day which was so nice to not have to get dressed to go to a restaurant.
This resort has 183 rooms and 5 restaurants. We hear they are planning to add many more rooms and several more restaurants in the coming year. We highly recommend visiting this resort before the new additions are made because as of now it's not overcrowded and it has such an intimate feel. We were told that rates will definitely go up once additional rooms and restaurants are added. We certainly want to return once the renovations have been made to experience the changes and additional upgrades compared to our first visit.
There are lots of great excursion that I encourage you to participate in, including free daily snorkeling trips! This was the best snorkeling we have ever done. We were taken to a fairly shallow location that included several large blue holes where the ocean floor would literally be open with millions of fish inside. Some of the blue holes were 30 feet deep - AMAZING!!
Another excursion not to miss is the Thunderball Grotto tour. This is a full day tour where you are taken to see the swimming pigs (yes! pigs!), nurse sharks, giant iguanas, among other exotic sea life. A stop is made on a 2 mile long sand bar in the middle of the ocean with unbelievable views! Lastly, you are taken to the underwater cave, Thunderball Grotto - where a James Bond flick was filmed, among other movies. You can snorkel inside the cave or you might choose to jump through the top of one of the many openings into the 30 feet deep waters which are filled with the most colorful fish you will ever seen. Truly an unforgettable experience!
Brittan and Casey Wood, Greensboro, NC
PS-Don't miss the golf course - Sandals Emeral Reef Golf Course - Greg Norman Design! Even if you aren't a golfer, at minimum, you must either walk the course or take a (free) guided tour in a golf cart - the views are absolutely stunning!! We typically make it a point not to return to the same resorts or locations as there are just so many more to experience but we will definitely be returning to Sandals Emerald Bay in Great Exuma, Bahamas, because, as they say, it truly is 'better in the Bahamas'!!!! :)
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