Walking on a Dream at Baha Mar

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – September 28, 2021 – InFlorida went international to the beautiful Bahamas! When we got the invite to see and enjoy the Baha Mar, it was an easy "yes." It is THE PLACE to spend your getaway, whatever the occasion, take my word for it.

From start to finish, and yes, I’m talking flight to flight, the Bahamas are my favorite islands to visit. Traveling is fun, it’s adventurous, especially when you are going somewhere you’ve never been before. However, it can be stressful, we have all been through this. When I tell you this trip has been a PLEASURE from the minute I landed in Nassau, there are no lies.

The Grand Hyatt Baha Mar sent a beautiful car to escort myself and my guest from the airport to the resort. Our driver was delightful, as was every single person we encountered on this trip. I was elated by the kindness of every individual, every step of the way. As soon as we arrived at the resort, the concierge took our bags, we checked in and our bags were waiting for us in our room.

We were ready for a fun first day. We freshened up and Vanessa, the savvy Director of Communications, took us on a tour that blew us away.

Every square inch of the Baha Mar resorts are carefully curated with explicit attention to detail. Every room felt like a new experience. All of the artwork was produced by local artists. The entire property felt like a dream as we walked through botanical gardens filled with beautiful plants and eclectic decor. I felt myself taking deep breaths of fresh ocean air.

Lunch with Vanessa was on the itinerary which made our stay a breeze. If you’re a fish taco lover, like myself, you will gush at the menu offered by Costa at Rosewood Baha Mar. Mahi Mahi Fish Tacos, accompanied by Ceviche De Camarone, Pescado Zarandeado: fish of the day and a spicy margarita is the key to this gal’s heart. I was perfectly full and couldn’t possibly eat another bite… until we were offered Traditional Churros for dessert, served with chocolate and caramel sauce on the side. Needless to say, we ate MANY more bites.

We're big animal lovers at InFlorida, so after lunch, we took a walk around the resort and found ourselves at The Sanctuary, where many beautiful sea creatures found themselves a new home away from home. An aviary sat tucked away with sweet little birds we could walk amongst and feed. 

It was a hot day, and coming from two Florida girls, that says a lot. We couldn’t wait to hop into our bathing suits and cool off at the pool, one of six, I might add. We dipped our toes in the Fortune pool and grabbed drinks at the H2O swim-up bar, what more could you ask for? We ordered a couple of strawberry daiquiris and soaked up the sun, while staying nice and cool under a beautiful Bahamian palm tree.

I looked over and saw a couple drinking two fruity, yellow cocktails. They advised me to order a Goombay Smash, which ended up being our drink of choice for the remainder of our getaway. After the pool, we got ourselves ready for dinner, in style. We had a bottle of wine we wanted to sip on while we did our makeup, room service came up, opened our wine, provided glasses and made us feel right at home.

Celebrity Chef Marcus Samuelsson's Marcus at Baha Mar was a relaxing stroll through the resort and upon arrival, we were treated like royalty. Marcus’ Cornbread for the Table with Hot Buttered Rum was the perfect start to a perfect evening, along with a refreshing Adelaide Spritz. My guest and I split Ms G’s Conch Salad: Conch with Pineapple, Peppers, Red Onion & Sour Orange. Calling all ceviche lovers, this was a MUST HAVE. We were both in a seafood mood, my guest ordered the Rock Shrimp & Grits: Bacon, Creole Worcestershire XO, Zucchini & Herb Butter. I ordered the Spaghetti Piccadilly: Crab, Uni, Lobster & Calabrian Chili. Let’s just say, bellies were filled, laughs were had, smiles from ear to ear made our faces hurt in the best way, and this was only day one.

Post delicious dinner, we found some Quick Hits at the Baha Mar Casino, the largest casino in the Caribbean, nestled in the center of the lobby. Gave a Vegas feel, but with floor to ceiling windows and a beach view, pretty much the whole package if you know what I mean. I feel inclined to mention that the music played in said casino throughout the day was absolutely on point, I said it out loud many times to myself and my guest, she agreed.

Day two. Waking up easy, a beautiful view from our balcony, we started our day in bathing suits with a Starbucks in hand, took a walk with some resident flamingos and relaxed by our soon-to-be favorite pool at the resort, with a cave connected to The Sanctuary, our underwater friends swam beside us as we stayed cool under the shady rock formation.

We enjoyed our coffee and headed to the Baha Bay Waterpark. To preface, I haven’t been to a water park in years. The last time I went down a slide of any sort was in my early teen years. We went down every slide AT LEAST twice, each experience filled with uncontrollable laughter. We felt like kids again but we needed a break from all of the action, so we grabbed some tubes and drifted down the lazy river. All in all, it was an experience we’ll talk about for years to come.

Something was calling out to my nose as I walked out of Baha Bay… El Jefe, a funky pink food truck offering some much needed Carne Asada Nachos, beachside. The bluest water I’ve ever seen was channeling me with a salty aroma. After a quick bite, we secured two lounge chairs and immediately made our way into the beautiful blue water, unwound on floating rafts, collecting shells and a sun-kissed glow from the Bahamian fireball above. After some much needed R&R, we grabbed a glass of champagne at the H2O swim up bar before getting ready for another delicious meal.

Dressed and ready, we made our way to Master Sushi Chef Katsuya Uechi’s Katsuya by Starck at SLS Baha Mar for a dining experience we’d NEVER forget. Tonight, sushi was on the menu. Some cocktails were in order, so I ordered a Burning Mandarin: Absolut Mandarin Vodka, serrano chili, lemon juice, orange juice & a splash of cranberry, topped with a slice of Jalapeno. My guest ordered the unfiltered house sake, both fresh and delicious. 

We split Yellowtail TarTar Jalapeno Nori Crisp, topped with Kaluga Caviar and Truffle Oil, alongside Wagyu Gyoza. Need I say more? Both of us were in the mood for sushi, so I ordered the Katsuya Special: Tuna, Hamachi, Salmon, Scallop & Crab Roll wrapped in Cucumber. My guest ordered the Lobster Roll: Dynamite Spicy Lobster & California Roll… BIG flavors. We were perfectly full, ready to live it up on our last night at the Baha Mar.

Live jazz echoed through the casino. We followed the sound until we arrived at the Jazz Bar, a sleek cocktail bar with an elevated stage behind the mixologists crafting inventive cocktails for their listeners. Wine-Down-Wednesday with The Essence was an absolute blast. Featuring Charisa Smith on vocals, Torriano Barrett on saxophone, Victor Johnson on piano and Jermaine Taylor on drums, everyone in the lounge was on their feet, dancing and singing along. After Wine-Down, it was time to wind down. What a perfect end note to a getaway we’ll never forget!

Our departure wasn’t a goodbye, but a see ya next time, because we’d be crazy not to revisit the Grand Hyatt at Baha Mar. Like I said before, when InFlorida received the invite to stay at the Baha Mar Resorts, it wasn't a hard decision to make. Our experience there solidified that decision. Writing this review took me back to our little slice of paradise that I would highly recommend to anyone looking to getaway and experience breathtaking sites, delicious cuisine, exceptional service and treasured memories.