Nine Beaches

Nine Beaches, Bermuda

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Very many vacation resorts claim to be ‘destination with a difference’. The Nine Beaches resort on Bermuda really is.

Nine Beaches is located right on the western tip of the beautiful Atlantic island, in the parish of Sandys. Like everywhere in the small, closely-knit country, it’s not very far from the capital, Hamilton. In fact, the best way to get to the Nine Beaches is by ferry. When you get dropped off at the resort’s very own private jetty you’ll be met with a drink, and shown to your accommodation.

As you stroll along – your baggage being carried for you, naturally - you’ll notice how this resort gets its distinctive name: it really does have nine beaches. Because the resort is built on a narrow promontory, it has two stretches of coastline all to itself – one facing east, the other west. Into the rock of this nature have hacked nine coves, each one with its own quiet, deliciously sheltered white sand beach. All of the accommodation is either on the beach or just a couple of moments’ walk away from it.

You won’t be stuck in any tower blocks at the Nine Beaches. All accommodation is in individual soft-sided cabanas. Each of these has a view of the Atlantic Ocean. Some are set on the beaches themselves, some on the hillsides behind the coves – and a few are even built our on stilts over the water, and linked to the mainland by walkways. Although each cabana is furnished to a similar, very high, standard – the interiors are the work of internationally-recognized designer Lynn Wilson - the prices vary a little depending on your cabana’s exact location and level of privacy. That’s not to say that you’ll be living in your neighbors’ laps all the time: all the cabanas enjoy great privacy, but some are more remote than others!

Inside, the cabanas are beautifully furnished and equipped to make your stay as pleasant as possible. You’ll notice two interesting features. First, there’s no air conditioning. Because the walls of each cabana are soft and ‘breathable’ a natural flow of air keeps temperatures at a pleasant level. You also get to take advantage of the great Bermudan climate: regular sea breezes keep the temperature ‘just right’ nearly all the time. The sailcloth walls also make the cabanas surprisingly weatherproof – when Hurricane Fabian hit the island in 2002 they withstood the storm force winds much better than many more apparently solid structures.

Second, you’ll notice that each room comes equipped with its own mobile phone. One of the ways in which the Nine Beaches aims to stand out from the competition is to offer an extremely high level of guest service: the staff don’t expect you to come to them if you have a problem, they’ll come to you – and if you make use of your phone, they can come to you wherever you are in the resort! This spirit of embracing technology pervades the environment at Nine Beaches. Not only is there Wi-Fi network access for laptop users: there are a couple of web-ready workstations for business people who can be bothered to heave their own gear all the way out to Bermuda. There’s even a virtual repository of MP3s to download on to your iPod so you can take some great music with your wherever you go on the island or around the resort.

There’s a lot to do at Nine Beaches, too. Activities are generally priced separately, but the resort is phasing in an ‘all-inclusive’ system that will allow you to do whatever you want for a single flat fee. The resort itself has facilities for all kinds of watersports, plus land-based activities such as guided horseback riding and tennis. If you love golf – and there’s a good chance that’s the main reason you’ve come to Bermuda – then the resort concierge will be more than happy to arrange for you to have some time on one of the island’s many courses. If you want to keep fit, there’s a fully-equipped fitness center. For those who simply want to chill out and relax there are, of course, all nine of those fantastic beaches – every single one of them open for you to enjoy.

There’s a great selection of food and drink on offer, too. Nine Beaches’ main restaurant is Hi Tide, which serves a great selection of local produce cooked to suit all tastes. If you’re feeling particularly romantic, why not avail yourself of the services of the resort’s Barefoot Gourmet? He’ll prepare a romantic meal for two for you to eat on one of the beaches – so if you’re at the resort celebrating a wedding or anniversary, or you’re just having a romantic break, you can make sure you do it in real style!

If you’re planning on vacationing on Bermuda, visit the Nine Beaches. It’s a ‘resort with a difference’ – with a difference.