The Pelican Bay at Lucaya

Grand Bahama, Bahamas

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Grand Bahama has been known for a long time as one of the central hubs of Caribbean – at least as far as tourists are concerned. That’s great for the island’s economy, but not so good for those who want a quiet break on one of the world’s most famous island paradises. How to escape the crowds in some of the huge resorts that have sprung up in recent years?

The Pelican Bay at Lucaya is, perhaps, the answer. The Pelican Bay advertises itself as a ‘boutique’ hotel – the kind of place that prides itself on individual service and a relaxed, laidback attitude without lots of noise and fuss.

The extent to which its being successful at promoting this kind of vacation in this kind of place is evident from how popular the hotel is. Central to its way of doing things is the promotion of a kind of old-world philosophy – so that the hotel advertises itself as having the best of both American and European hospitality. That adds up to a great combination of style and service.

The accommodation is superb in itself. The Pelican Bay at Lucaya is situated right on the edge of the Caribbean itself, and none of the rooms and suites are very far from the ocean. One of the many ways that the hotel stands out from the crowd is that it actually has more suites than rooms – nearly half as many again – which is based on he fact that many vacationers seeking the boutique hotel experience like a little room in which to spread out. The hotel’s standard guest rooms are very impressive, too, none of them being more than three hundred yards from the sea and many having their own private balconies for you to laze around on if even that short distance seems like too much of an effort.

The hotel’s suites are truly impressive – you get a full 750 square feet of space for your money, and the kind of benefits and amenities that you would expect to go with it. Each suite even has a dataport, so if you need to check back on what’s going on in the office all you have to do is plug in your laptop!

There’s an excellent array of activities on offer, including golf and the usual range of Caribbean watersports that most vacationers look forward to enjoying. Lucaya beach – world famous for the quality of its sun, sand and surf – is just moments away. If you feel like a game of golf you’re within easy reach of several of the island’s best courses. Those who feel like some gentle walking without the need to swing a five-iron around will be pleased to find themselves within just a few minutes’ walk of the legendary Lucaya Market – a great place to look around during a morning’s exploration of the locale, and one of the first places you should go on the island If you’re looking for some interesting local souvenirs to pick up.

Dining at the Pelican Bay at Lucaya is also a real pleasure. Although the hotel doesn’t have the same number and range of dining options as some other, larger resorts, it does have the distinction of being host to one of the Bahamas’ best eateries, the Ferry House Restaurant. According to the Miami Herald, the Ferry House is one of the Bahamas’ ‘best kept secrets’. Offering an interesting and eclectic mix of modern American and Caribbean cuisines, it’s certainly an eating experience not to be missed. The combination of spectacular waterside views, excellent service, superb, innovative cooking and a warm, ‘buzzing’ atmosphere means that the Ferry House has every right to its growing reputation as one of the Caribbean’s leading restaurants. If you want a slightly less formal atmosphere, you can also sample the more down-home fare on offer at Yellow Tail’s Bar and Grill, which is open all day long and serves a variety of meals, snacks and alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.

For those who like to have their vacation thoroughly planned for them, the Pelican Bay at Lucaya offers a number of packages, including all-inclusive deals and golf, wedding, honeymoon and anniversary specials – as in everything they do, the staff and management of the hotel do their level best to make sure that everything works to suit you, no matter which particular vacation package you’ve signed up for.

If you want the sensation of truly personal service without the expense of signing up for a hugely expensive VIP vacation package, the boutique hotel experience offered by the Pelican Bay at Lucaya is probably one of the best deals around. This is one hotel that isn’t going to stay a well-kept secret for very long!