We chose Bermuda for its reputation for being safe/friendly as we were travelling with a baby. Lived up to it - we left a wallet with credit cards and lots of cash on a bus stop bench and it was turned into the police station intact (including all the cash) within a few hours! Most people go out of the way to make you feel welcome. We found the island very safe, long as you don't rent a scooter, (locals tell us that 8 people have died and there have been dozens of serious injuries in just 6 months this year). That said, the trade off for such a pleasant, clean island experience is the price! Expect to pay a lot for accomodations and food. We picked 9 Beaches as it was a little less expensive than other options and the "cabanas" (think deluxe tents) sounded adventurous. We loved the beaches and coves at 9 Beaches - so many beautiful and secluded little beaches to discover, great swimming, and very very scenic. Great to be right on (or even literally over) the water. Staff very helpful and super friendly- our refrigerator stopped working and someone came to replace it within 20 minutes, also we left our leftovers from dinner at the bar and someone came all the way out to our cabana in a golf cart just to bring us 3 pieces of leftover pizza! Good watersports center with kayaks, scuba, snorkeling gear (bring your own snorkel/mask and save $30 rental fee). We loved sitting on our little deck and seeing ocean all around us, just steps from two beaches on either side. We had a really amazing cabana at the tip of a little rocky peninsula, truly a unique experience. The grounds were nicely landscaped. The pool is small, but really the many beautiful little beaches (and two larger beaches) are the main attraction at 9 Beaches. However, the "cabanas" are really tents and drawbacks include the noise - you hear the ocean waves, it can be downright deafening if it is windy outside, and rain/storms are only "romantic" until you can't sleep due to the racket! Also, when there is driving rain or high waves, water may get in under the door, or even waves splashing up through the floor in the case of the cabanas that are on stilts over the ocean. There is a big can of bug spray in each cabana (says "for flying or crawling insects" on the can - great), though we didn't have any problems with bugs in April. The furnishings are not as nice as you'd expect considering the expense - rugs were pretty heavily used and need to be replaced, there was only one tiny closet, and no dresser. There are baskets that slide under the bed and a couple of drawers in the coffee table to store your clothes. There is a small shower, no bath, and a small sink. Very small bathroom. This is not the resort to pick if you are looking for an elegant, luxurious experience, but really fun for families (there were plenty of kids of all ages) and people who would rather commune with nature than be pampered in a spa or eat in fine restaurants. The restaurant was good but not great, we only went once. The menu is kind of limited and there are not a lot of options on the resort - basically, you can eat at the bar (burger and fries about $12, pizza $14), at the restaurant (entrees upwards of $23, most are $28 and up), or room service (same prices as the bar food, but with a $4 delivery fee). Because of the lack of variety, I'd recommend not getting the all inclusive option. Breakfast buffet is included regardless, and you may want to have meals at restaurants at the nearby Dockyard area or in the little town near the resort anyway. My favorite - the Salt Rock Grill, a scenic 15 minutes walk from the resort entrance, has a 3 course early bird special for $23, and a great variety and quality of food including decent sushi. Almost anywhere you eat in Bermuda will cost around $90 for dinner for 2 with drinks. We just bought some rum at the airport duty-free shop on the way in to Bermuda to make our own Dark-n-Stormy's in our cabana, and picked up some food at the local grocery store for picnic lunches on the beach. Then we went out for a few nice dinners. This let us keep the expenses down and was really fun! So, in a nutshell, we will go back - we really loved the unique, funky atmosphere at 9 Beaches, and the beautiful, natural beaches and lush foliage. The resort is casual and relaxed. But don't go if you don't like the idea of being "close to nature" and will freak if you see a bug in your room, or if you are looking for elegance and fine amenities.
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