For the past ten years I have been traveling to harbor island. It’s a quick one-hour flight from my hometown Miami. I love Harbor Island! It has one of the best beaches in the world! And the “Brilanders” as the locals call themselves really are the friendly people.

I have tried many different hotels on the island over the years and Pink Sands Hotel is by far my favorite.

Now under new ownership I eagerly awaited a fresh experience and it didn’t disappoint! The food was unbelievably delicious, a vast improvement from a few years ago. They also added two dining areas with air conditioning in the Main House. Believe me after a long hot day in the sun A/C is very much welcomed.

The rooms have also been updated with better linens, IPOD docks, flat screen TV’s and they are very nicely decorated. The best addition yet is the media room. Super convenient, very easy to check emails (sorry I love MAC and they have MACS), reading a book, etc. Super cushy. (You use to have visit the maintenance department for one old clapped out PC, yuck for the price you pay). Huge improvement!

And of course the gym….which my husband is thrilled about. It’s near the pool and it’s pretty state of the art for little Harbor Island.

The service, as always, was fantastic! After so many years I feel like the staff is family, constantly greeted by name with a smile! Violet and Gina at the front desk are extremely attentive; you will definitely be taken care of! Anything you need, reservations, golf carts., scuba, fishing, etc. Christopher was one of the many great servers who waited on us day and night; he made us feel so welcome.

Pink Sands also has a fantastic lunch spot- the Blue Bar is the best seat on the island. (I recommend the cracked conch with a Bahama Mama) The terrace overlooks the gorgeous PERFECT pink beach and crystal blue waters. It’s heaven on earth...

All in all I am very happy I came back to Pink Sands. I am thrilled to see all of the improvements and I recommend it for any Bahamian enthusiast.

Harbor Island is a gem and Pink Sands is divine.

I just returned from spending 4 days at the Pink Sands in Harbour Island and am missing it terribly.

When I arrived at the hotel, I was impressed with the open air lobby and fell in love with the shell accentuated chandeliers and dark woodwork. It was very open and inviting. I was surprised at how friendly and hospitable the owners of the hotel were, they seemed to know every guest and went quite out of their way to make sure you were having a great experience. They felt like the mayors of Harbour Island. The hotel itself is a series of Bungalows, it is not cheap but if you are seeking privacy, tranquility and a village feel, this is the hotel for you. There were a couple of small weddings on when I was there and I couldn't help fantasize about having my own there - they were so romantic! Be sure to check out the boutique at the hotel, I went to all of the shops on the island (except for Mae Mae which was closed while I was there) and found they had the best selection of jewelry, swim suits and island wear.

The beach is what it is all about. My bungalow was a 2 minute walk to the beach. I think they should name the beach Pink Powdery Sands, because it was so soft. The water is clear and tranquil. Directly above the beach is the Blue Bar which was where I spent every morning having breakfast overlooking the water. Everyone was really friendly and quite funny.

The food on the island is great, but pretty similar at all the restaurants. I recommend trying Sip Sips, Aquapazzo or The Coral Sands for lunch and The Landing, The Pink Sands and The Rock House for dinner. If you want to check out a more local experience have a Kalik (local beer) at JJ's. When I was there they were watching a basketball game, the locals are major Laker's fans. You can then go on to Gusty's, Tropic Hut or Vic Hum's for some dancing and rum punch.

I have to say I am missing the little slice of heaven I experienced in Harbour Island, now its back to the NYC grind!

This was our first trip to Harbour Island and we found the town was quaint with very friendly residents. We stayed in the Bimini Cottage at Pink Sands. It is a nice two bedroom cottage with a great view and easy access to the beach. It does require some attention. The living room ceiling fan did not work, there is no TV in that room (if guest want to watch TV together/out of their bedrooms), and there is no dining table to use for room service. The bathrooms, closets and bedrooms are nice, but less than what you get with most 4/5 star accommodations. Service was consistent and good, but nothing special/pretty typical of any hotel or resort. Food at the resort and in most places (Acquapuzza, Rockhouse,etc) is very expensive. If you visit Harbour Island or Pink Sands, prepare to spend lots of money on food. Prior to going, we had read this in other reviews. Although prepared to spend more on food, this was way more than we expected. Still, I think the cost of food and the resort would be acceptable if we had felt the resort gave four star service and had four star accommodations. The grounds are poorly maintained. It was obvious the grounds had been neglected for quite some time. It is true that roosters and hens roam freely on the resort and island. That (sort of ) added to the charm/quaintness of the island They did not disturb my sleep (although you will hear the roosters morning and evening). If you are a light sleeper, you should consider this before a visit. It was disturbing to have chickens roaming (and leaving their droppings) around in the Blue Bar eating area. I think something can be done to keep them away as we did not experience this when we visited and had dinner at The Rock House. A big plus: The view of the ocean/beach from the the Bimini Cottage was great. Unfortunately, to see it meant we paid a huge price and was less than thrilled.

The beach is beautiful but the resort is dated and the rooms are dark and in desperate need of refurbishment. For over $700 a night we had a toilet that didn't flush, cracked floors in the bedroom and old hard towels. Definitely not what we're used to from our previous vacations! We found Quince, the reservations manager, particularly rude and unhelpful. In short, we would strongly recommend not staying at this hotel. Stay at The Landing or The Rockhouse. Both are lovely with great restaurants.