On Coral Sands

Harbour Island, Bahamas

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One of the first things you'll notice when you arrive at the Coral Sands Hotel is the colour scheme: not the bedroom en suite, but the beach and the sea. The translucent turquoise blue of the sea is perfectly complemented by famous pink sand that's fine as sugar - although this beach is much too good to eat! The hotel is perched on a bluff overlooking the ocean so you're ideally situated for admiring this truly spectacular view. Harbour Island is a great Bahamas destination and you'll be able to appreciate the winning combination of long, tranquil sunny days, refreshing sea breezes and balmy nights as well as a multitude of seaside activities.

The Coral Sands Hotel lies at the centre of this island paradise and makes a virtue of its relatively small size to offer the kind of warmth of hospitality you'd expect in a country inn. You'll feel instantly welcome in this friendly hotel. But don't think that fewer rooms means any compromise in terms of choice or amenities. The hotel offers a great range of accommodation and superb recreational facilities.

Accommodation is organised into three buildings with options to suit a variety of budgets. For vacationers seeking competitively priced accommodation Coral Sands offers rooms in the Arawac building with commanding views of the pool, beach and the elaborately landscaped hotel grounds. There's convenient access to the library, TV room, billiards room and the Poseidon Restaurant. The accommodation is fully air conditioned throughout and all rooms are comfortably furnished with luxury linens and towels, hairdryer, telephone and in-room safe. Everyone has access to an ocean front terrace, there are many rooms that enjoy the benefit of a private terrace, so if your idea of chilling out on vacation involves being completely alone, this is the place to do it.

More luxury is on offer in the Caribe building. Rooms here are newly decorated in classical colonial style with stylish dark-stained wood floors. The furnishings continue the colonial theme, with ottoman sofas as well as writing desks, coffee tables and large walk-in closets. Deluxe two room suites are available with a bathroom and a separate reading room or lounge with TV. The Caribe building offers the closest access to the beach and ocean. If you want to sunbathe in total privacy you should reserve the 'Loft' suite with sun deck. This apartment sits in splendour at the very top and center of the Caribe building. Its commanding position gives the most spectacular panoramic views of the beach, ocean - and surrounding island and you have your very own rooftop sundeck for perfecting your tan.

The newest accommodation at Coral Sands is the Lucaya building, constructed less than five years ago and completed to the high standards and with the individual style and attention to detail that is the hallmark of the hotel. Paths wind from the hotel to the beach through a lush tropical landscape rich in exotically coloured tropical blooms and scattered with groves of sea grape trees. The style here is 'plantation chic'. Immaculate sand-color tiled floors set the tone of understated glamour. Guests opting for a luxury master suite enjoy private access to not just one, but two separate terraces with ocean views - one off the main living area and one off the bedroom.

The dining opportunities on offer at the Coral Sands reflect the resort’s general atmosphere: there’s a heavy emphasis on hearty, traditional Caribbean fare, and the range of seafood on offer is very impressive.

The Coral Sands Hotel is a great choice for groups wanting to arrange a reunion or extended families vacationing together as some suites can be combined to accommodate large families or other groups and additional rollaway bedding is often available on request. Families will be impressed by the policy of allowing children less than 12 years to stay free in a room with paying adults. A baby sitting service is also available although there is a fee for this.

If lounging on the beach isn't enough for you Coral Sands try your hand at some of the multitude of watersports on offer: kayaking, snorkeling and boogie boarding are all available on site or close to hand. Scuba diving instruction is available through the hotel making this most special of watersports very accessible for the novice - don't miss your chance to explore the depths of the ocean and marvel at some of the weird and wonderful wildlife that dwells beneath the surface. Landlubbers are also catered for with car and bicycle rental at the hotel. There's golf nearby and a lit tennis court at the hotel. For evenings or days when you don't feel so active there's a well equipped library, a games room with a pool table, board games and big screen TV. If you feel the urge to explore further afield take a tour of the nearby islands or rent a boat for a day out.