Atlantis - No Wheel Chair or Stroller Access
Written: Jul 11 '01
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Beautiful, lots to see, shark tunnels and aquariams.
Cons: no stroller or wheel chair access- to expensive
The Bottom Line: Having no wheel chair or stroller access makes for a very annoying vacation. Natives bothering guests. Expensive.
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| donnatheo's Full Review: Nassau |
The Atlantis Resort is magnificent in many ways, but the drawbacks were so negative that I have to give it a declining vote.
In February I went to Nassau in the Bahamas and stayed at the Atlantis Resort. The major problem stemmed from the fact that I went as a "nanny" to my niece and nephew. And, I don't mean that my niece and nephew were the problem, their behavior was terrific even at the precarious ages of 4 and 2. The Atlantis Resort, in all it's splendor, is not built for stroller or wheelchair access. The entire resort was a struggle to navigate and get around. I found that any trip across the resort took at least 10 minutes longer each way with the stroller, having to go through all the back alleys, and hallways that were deserted to get to the 1 set of elevators to get to anywhere I wanted to go! I got lost several times and the kids were scared and whiney because we just kept wandering around. It was so maddening, there were some aquariums and fish ponds that we could not even get to, due to no ramp access. Actually, there was probably only 3 or 4 ramps in the entire complex, but stairs everywhere and only one set of elevators. There was even times when I had to rely on complete strangers to help me lug the double stroller with both kids in it up a flight of stairs. The resort is humongous and very elite so there is no excuse for no ramps. I kept complaining to everyone there and they said they realized the problem. It was designed before the baby boomers decided to travel with their kids, was their excuse.
The Atlantis Resort is divided into several towers, each but attached by long corridors. I stayed in the Beach Towers. The rooms here were 360.00 a night, but they amounted to little more than a cheap hotel room with two double beds. Very small, dinky rooms, with a nice view of the beach.
The entire resort is famous for it's giant aquariums, that are quite a site to see. I thoroughly enjoyed the glass shark tunnels and small shark ponds all over the resort along the walkways. These little shark ponds (with huge sharks in them) are just a foot or so off of the walk ways with no walls or barriers to protect humans from falling in. It made me continually nervous to think that my niece or nephew could be shark bait at any moment, by simply falling into one of the pools. I asked the shark keepers why they took such a risk, and they said that even if a human fell into the shark pool they wouldn't be eaten because they keep their sharks so well fed they wouldn't want to eat them.
There are many restaurants, and bars throughout the resort. The prices range from the buffets at 30.00 a plate to 75.00 a person at the upscale restaurants. Remember to bring a shirt and tie and evening dress for the upscale restaurants.
The resort offers many water slides and pools scattered among the different towers. One of the water slides passes through a shark tank at the bottom! There are bays, boat rides, jet skis, snorkeling and free scuba lessons in one of the many pools. There is also water and land aerobics, which were fun. There is a library to check books out of, but you are not allowed to take these books to the beach or you will have to pay 250.00 fine if you bring back a water stained book! Go figure - where were the cheap paperbacks? Oh yeah, they were in one of the sundry shops selling for 18.95! Yes, everything, from a small candy bar at 2.95 to a water bottle priced at 6.95 was outrageously expensive.
The beaches are beautiful with the white sands and crystal blue water. The water is chilly in February - go later for warmer water. The native Bahamians are quite annoying, in that they are allowed to walk up and down the beaches begging you to buy something from them. If you are a women you will not enjoy being alone on the beach or walking around alone. The Bahamians have an unabashed way of coming on to women alone, which made me feel very uncomfortable. At least two of them asked me to marry them as I walked past them, and one told me that I had a perfect body!
The casino, which I only walked through, was always busy. The cigarette smoke smell was minimal. The drawback, was that I had to walk the kids in their stroller through the casino if I wanted to get anywhere, no avoiding it.
Beautiful resort, not meant for people in wheel chairs or families with children. Too pricey for what you get.
Recommended:
No
Best Suited For: Couples
Best Time to Travel Here: Jun - Aug
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