Grand Lucayan Beach Resort – a great visit in the Bahamas
Port Lucaya Marketplace
What a delight it was to be able to spend three nights on Grand Bahama Island, the fourth largest island in the Bahamas chain. It had been years since I was in the Bahamas, but never on that island. There are about 700 islands in the Bahamas chain, but quite a few have no inhabitants.
My visit was highlighted by my stay at the Grand Lucayan Beach & Golf Resort on the southern coast. It is the biggest and nicest hotel on the island.
With 900 rooms and about about a mile of beachfront, I was lucky to get a room with a great view of the beach and ocean. It also came with a fabulous deck perfect for island viewing, tanning and napping.
Check in is done at the Manor House and then you proceed to your room, which could be in another wing. You are given a wristband which allows you to go anyplace within the property and to be re-admitted if you leave.
The resort is absolutely lovely with much to do. For example: golf, tennis, swimming in the ocean or the pool, shuffleboard, a kid’s club, a nearby casino and nearby shopping at the Port Lucaya Marketplace.
You can journey away from the hotel to do such things as swim with the dolphins, deep sea fishing, scuba diving or a trip to coral reefs. And the hotel offers wifi.
When you’re feeling a bit hungry, you have your choice of seven dining locations at the hotel. My favorite was China Beach, though I had excellent breakfasts each morning in Willy Broadleaf’s. The buffet features plates full of wonderful fruit. Of course let’s not forget about the waffle, pancake and omelet station.
Packages are available, but generally speaking rates this time of year (through the end of the year) range from about $179 to $199. As in most hotels, rates are based on where the room is located so an oceanfront room is more than the others.
It’s my opinion that spending more for an oceanfront, as nice as it is, is usually not worth the extra cost. You can take that money and use it for meals or tours.
The national currency is the Bahamian dollar, which is equal to the U.S. dollar.
The Bahamas are on Eastern Time, your cell phone will work, though most likely there will be roaming charges, the island is 96 miles long and 17 miles wide, the primary religion is Baptist and 85 percent of their economy comes from tourism.
And one final thought, very important indeed, be careful crossing the streets. In the Bahamas they use the English system of driving on the left, which means when you cross a street you first look right. It took me a few times to learn that.
Now would be a good time to think about booking your winter vacation at the Grand Lucayan.
Call 855-582-2926 or go to grandlucayan.com.
Eddie Applefeld is a Baltimore native and a graduate of Towson University. He has been in the broadcasting profession for over 30 years. Currently he is the Promotions Director of WCBM radio. Before that, he was part of the Rouse & Company show on WQSR, host of a cable TV show called Dining Out and adjunct instructor at Towson.
His past accomplishments include being named a finalist in Baltimore Tourism’s Employee of the Year Program and winner of Toastmaster’s Speaker of the Year contest. He was also twice a heartthrob for the American Heart Association’s gala fund raiser.