The $4.2 billion Baha Mar resort in Nassau, Bahamas is the buzziest new development in the Caribbean for good reason.
The sprawling property hosts three distinct hotels along 3,000-feet of pristine white sand beachfront: the playfully pink, 299-room SLS Baha Mar that thrums with chic South Beach party vibes; the luxuriously low-key, 238-room Rosewood Baha Mar; and the 1,800-room Grand Hyatt Baha Mar that’s a haven for vacationing families.
Baha Mar also boasts a 100,000-square foot oceanfront casino that’s the largest in the Caribbean, an 18-hole Jack Nicklaus Signature golf course, nine tennis courts, 10 pools and more than 30 restaurants, bars and lounges.
It’s no wonder the resort is a magnet for all manner of vacationers, from bachelorette partiers snapping Instagram pics by the SLS pool to babymooning couples checking out the property’s daily “Flamingo Parade.”
Here, five can’t-miss highlights from a weekend in Baha Mar.
Beaches and Pools
Luxuriating on soft white sand beaches and swimming in the tranquil, turquoise Bahamian waters is essentially why everyone is here.
If you’re planting an umbrella in the sand on the ever-popular Cable Beach, which stretches languidly across the property, there are free-to-use stand-up paddleboards, single and double kayaks, water hammocks, floating lounges, personal floats, snorkels, and masks. You can also rent Jetsurf boards and Seabobs via Baha Mar’s Exploration Center.
For those who prefer to simply relax and soak up the Bahamian sunshine, perhaps with a cocktail in hand, Baha Mar has 10 pools and a multitude of outdoor bars, the buzziest being the scene at SLS, which throbs with hip-hop beats during the day and offers full-service luxury cabanas.
Dining
Carna by Dario Cecchini, a new steakhouse created by the legendary Tuscan butcher profiled on Netflix’s Chef’s Table, is Baha Mar’s reigning culinary crown jewel. The steak here is predictably top-notch, spanning the usual cuts and sides to gloriously sumptuous Australian and Japanese Wagyu slabs.
Don’t miss the standout Dario’s Sugo Pappardelle slathered with crunchy beef trimmings and tendons–the Carna dish that best marries nose-to-tail butchery and Italian fine dining–or the Chopped Steak Dario, a perfectly seasoned and charred puck of meaty heaven that looks like a humble burger patty. Wash it all down with a bottle of bold Italian red from Carna’s expansive wine list.
Head to Japanese joint Katsuya for fresh sushi and an excellent “Lobster Dynamite,” Shuang Ba for high-end Chinese (Chaozhou-style truffle dumplings, anyone?) and wood-fired pizza at Fi’lia.
Outside, there’s an array of airstream trailer food trucks near the beach for casual lunches, including an Umami Burger, a poke shack and a taco truck.
Nightlife
The most enjoyable outdoor tipple can be found at T2, a laid-back cigar bar outside the casino where you can puff a Cohiba and watch flames leap from a pyrotechnic lake at night. It’s also worth grabbing a pre-dinner drink at the Rosewood’s clubby, wood-paneled Manor Bar, where bow-tied barkeeps serve classic cocktails.
The Skybar at SLS, from the same nightlife mavens who operate the original Skybar on Hollywood’s Sunset Strip, provides sweeping views of the island and bottle service tables.
Head to the high-octane Bond nightclub–which has been frequented by celebs including Justin Timberlake and Will Smith–for private banquettes and DJs spinning a nocturnal soundtrack that would likely keep 007 himself up all night.
Wildlife
Baha Mar employs a full-time flamingo wrangler, and it’s well worth checking out a daily feeding of the elegant pink birds as well as the afternoon Flamingo Parade, when staffers actually walk them around the property.
You can feed, touch, and even swim with nurse sharks and sting rays at Baha Mar’s on-site wildlife sanctuary. If you have extra time and want to commune with even more exotic critters, book a short flight to Exuma island to frolic with wild Bahamian beach pigs.
Luxury Amenities
Golfers will be drawn to Royal Blue, Baha Mar’s 18-hole, par-72 Jack Nicklaus golf course, where they can rent the finest clubs from Callaway, Titleist, Taylor Made, PXG, and Itobori. And tennis players can avail themselves of the Baha Mar Racquet Club, which features six professional hard courts, two Har-Tru clay courts, and one grass court.
Extreme high-rollers can charter Eternity, Baha Mar’s own 200-foot superyacht. The over-the-top vessel has seven guest bedrooms, indoor and outdoor dining and living areas, a plunge pool, two Waverunner jet skis, a Cobra jet tender, paddleboards, snorkeling gear and deep sea and shallow reef fishing gear.
It sleeps up to 12 guests and is attended by a 24/7 staff including a personal chef. Charter it through sparkling Bahamian waters to visit Harbour Island, Berry Islands and Eleuthera, or simply make like Leo in The Wolf of Wall Street and host an epic party on a rented superyacht. But this level of over-the-top luxury doesn’t come cheap: an overnight island tour starts at $55,000 a night.
If that’s a tad too rich for your blood, you can always rent an entire private island near Baha Mar for a mere $10,000 a night. Just check with the concierge.
Of course, the easiest expenditure of all is simply gambling at the high-roller tables at Baha Mar’s oceanfront casino, which remains virtually empty during the day, when most guests are outside sunning themselves.
Watch aficionados who want to eyeball high-end timepieces can window shop at the Rolex, Breitling, Hublot, Tag-Heuer and other luxury outlets that stud the casino floor. However you choose to rack up room charges, don’t forget to hit Baha Mar’s ESPA spa for a restorative massage and steam before flying home.