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The Atlantis ResortA marine-themed family resort and hotel in the Bahamas.
Atlantis Resort on Paradise Island: Is it, indeed, paradise in the
Bahamas?
You've seen those ads, right? The ads are ubiquitous: A family floats on an inner tube, smiling as a shark swims overhead. Oh yes, it's Atlantis on Paradise Island, in the Bahamas. Come on, the ad beckons, vacation here and live in luxury amongst wall-length tanks and aquariums teeming with sharks, manta rays and tropical fish. Sounds pretty fancy, huh? Well, it is fancy. And it's special, at least in terms of the architecture and abundant marine life. Much of the Atlantis Resort on Paradise Island is indeed eyeball candy of the most fantastical kind; a living mural, a testament to the beauty of the underwater world. But, sharks aside, I found the overall stay at Atlantis to be a quality experience only in terms of being a gorgeous child-friendly family vacation, with opportunities to spend a lot of money at every turn. For a luxury resort, the staff were, while not disrespectful, not exactly accommodating, either. The dining establishments and even poolside bar-type food were to a one incredibly expensive (eight bucks for a hot dog!) and the quality of most entrees was not worth the price. What is there to do? There are 11 pools in Atlantis, 6 of which are very large. There are also 6 marine habitats (it is the largest outdoor aquarium in the world), the aforementioned casino, shops, a golf course, gym, day spa, and the Discovery Channel children's day camp. In other words, plenty to do in a beautifully-appointed resort. Are the resort hotels all the same? There are three hotels within the Atlantis resort complex. The Royal Towers is the most upscale and expensive; within the Royal Towers is the even more exclusive Imperial Club which has private access via separate elevators. Included with a stay in the Imperial Club are continental breakfast and afternoon teas. The rest of Royal Towers offers guest rooms or suites, water views from every suite, with a sofabed in the living area. Royal Towers really is something to see. One entire side has the famous underwater streets, where Atlantis guests walk past massive tanks and giant grouper, sharks and other lazily look at you as they swim slowly by. The Coral Towers is centrally located, with mid-range prices. It also offers a choice of either guest rooms or suites with a sofabed. Coral Towers is near the Predator Lagoon and the resort's casino. The Beach Tower is the most affordable of the three, and the furthest away from the center of the resort. The Beach Tower does not offer guest suites, only single rooms with either one king bed, or two double beds. It is near the Lazy River Ride and River Pool. How are the resort pools? We spent most of our time at the Rippler Kids' Pool and Slides. This probably shaped our opinion that Paradise Island is best considered a family vacation destination. It was crowded, literally teeming with children and aggrieved-looking caretakers. However, the water slides really are a lot of fun. The slides are of various sizes, from short slides for toddlers all the way up to the Mayan Temple water slide; this biggest slide has a long line and an attendant to help keep the older kids in order (I saw an attendant be brusque and impatient with a young boy who was afraid of going on the Mayan Temple slide). Several adults can attest to the fun of this waterslide! Also a lot of fun is the Leap of Faith water slide. In this one, vacationers slide in a tube through the gigantic shark tank. And so, is it worth it? The marine life and quasi-Mayan architecture make for a very interesting experience, but the hotel room decor needs updating, the lounge chairs are nearly always "saved" by hotel towels, and the staff is slow to respond to the needs of their guests. The beach is populated with people trying to sell their wares and crafts (albeit politely), and the resort grounds are populated with timeshare salespeople, also hawking their product. Knowing this before you go, as well as being armed with some useful money-saving tips, should help you have a better time during your stay at Atlantis on Paradise Island. It is genuinely beautiful. Despite its shortcomings, Atlantis is a nice luxury vacation resort for families with school-age children. Related, on Suite 101: Atlantis Resort - The Best and The Worst Copyright Jennifer Miner and Suite 101. Any unauthorized use will constitute an infringement of copyright.
The copyright of the article The Atlantis Resort in Luxury Vacations is owned by Jennifer W. Miner. Permission to republish The Atlantis Resort in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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