Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
W
Guesthouses:
These are Bermuda's least expensive accommodations. The larger
guesthouses are old Bermuda homes in garden settings. Generally, they've been
modernized and have comfortable guest rooms. Some have swimming pools. A
number are small, modest places, offering breakfast only; you may share a bath-
room with other guests, as well as have to “commute” to the beach.
Another option is renting a
villa
or vacation home. Villa rentals are like renting
someone's home. At some, you're entirely on your own; others provide maid service.
Most are on or near a beach. It is generally safe to consider this an expensive option.
Private
apartments
offer fewer frills than villas or condos; the building housing
the apartment may not have a swimming pool or even a front desk. Apartments are
available with or without maid service.
Cottages,
or cabanas, offer the most independent lifestyle in the category of vaca-
tion accommodations—they're entirely self-catering. Some open onto a beach, and
others surround a communal swimming pool. Most of them are fairly basic, consist-
ing of a simple bedroom plus a small kitchen and bathroom. For the peak summer
season, make cabana reservations at least 5 or 6 months in advance.
Several U.S. and Canadian agents can arrange these types of rentals.
Bermuda
Realty,
Atlantic House, 11 Par-la-Ville Rd., Hamilton (
&
441/292-1793;
www.
bermudarealty.com), specializes in condos and villas and can arrange bookings for a
week or longer.
Rates & Reservation Policies
The rates that we list throughout this chapter are “rack rates”—the rates you'd be
quoted if you walked in off the street. These are helpful for purposes of comparison,
but almost no one ever pays the rack rate, especially at the big resorts. By booking a
package deal that includes airfare, or just by asking for packages and discounts at the
hotel when you make your reservation, you can usually do much better. At small
hotels and guesthouses, the rates quoted here are much more likely to be accurate.
Before you book anything, read “Package Tours” in chapter 2.
All room rates, regardless of meal plan, are subject to a 7.5% tax, which will be
tacked onto your bill. A service charge (10%-15%) is also added to your room rate in
lieu of tips. Keep in mind, the service charge does not cover bar tabs.
Note:
The rack
rates we list in this chapter include tax and service charge unless otherwise noted.
However, we strongly encourage you to confirm what the rates include when you
reserve, to avoid any misunderstanding.
Bermuda's high season is spring and summer. Most of Bermuda's hotels charge
high-season rates from March (Easter is the peak period) through mid-November. A
few hotels have year-round rates, and others charge in-between, or “shoulder,” prices
in spring and autumn. If business is slow, many smaller places shut down in winter.
For the purposes of grouping hotels in this chapter, any hotel with most rooms
costing more than $400 is very expensive, with expensive in general being rooms
costing $300 to $400 a night. For the most part, moderate rooms rent for $200 to
$300 a night, with anything costing under $200, believe it or not, classified as
inexpensive.
Note that some hotels offer a wide range of rooms. For instance, one guest at the
Elbow Beach Hotel might be paying a price that can be categorized as “moderate,”
whereas another might be booked at a “very expensive” rate—it all depends on your
room assignment. So even if you can't pay $400 per night, it might be worth a call to
see if a cheaper room is available.
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