This year I was fortunate enough to be able to take a trip to the Atlantis in the Bahamas for my senior summer vacation.
I had been begging my parents to go for years as I had been a few times on a day trip during a cruise. Yet, I really wanted to experience it fully. I wanted to stay overnight, eat all the delicious looking food I had eyeballed during those day trips, and practically live in their waterpark.
So for my final vacation before starting college, my parents agreed to take me. Let me tell you, it was worth every penny and I've been wanting to make a travel review about my experience for a while. So this is my unofficial but honest travel review of the Atlantis in The Bahamas.
1. Aesthetics (5 out of 5 Starfish).
That's me with the ice crystal sculpture.
Andrea Collins
Ok, this place absolutely gorgeous both inside and out. Just looking up images you can see this place is filled with long, white sandy beaches and aesthetically pleasing sights all over. The Atlantis is every Instagrammer's dream with its clean-cut lines and popping colors. The architecture is also done in an elegant manner to make you feel as if you are staying in royalty. My favorites were the Pegasus fountain, flying fish fountain, the ice crystal sculpture (at least that's what I called it), and the fireball in the casino
2. Waterpark (5 out of 5 Starfish).
The "Leap of Faith" waterslide, straight into a shark tank.
I loved the waterpark! If I had to say my favorite part of this whole trip, it would be that. The waterpark has an array of slides. All ranging from the daring "Leap of Faith", a slide with a straight drop into the shark tank to the mellow "Challenger Slide" where you can duel with friends. I highly recommend if you go, check out their Lazy River. It's anything but lazy, yet I guarantee that you will have the time of your life on it. If you get tired of the waterpark, there are plenty of private beaches to choose from and work on your tan.
3. Bedrooms (5 out of 5 Starfish).
I will say, I'm always skeptical about hotels that spend a lot of time on their decorations and amenities because I feel like they do not spend much time on the guest-rooms. Usually, the beds are hard, the hot water barely works, and you're lucky if you can get your tv on. I'm happy to say that this was opposite of the fact. The bed was comfortable, the bathrooms were spacious, and the tv did work. Also included with the room is a sound system for your phone. However, make sure you're on wifi or you have an international phone plan. Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, etc. do not work here. I used the wifi the whole time as it is spread throughout the resort.
4. Food (4 out of 5 Starfish).
"Nobu", one of the fine dining options at the resort.
The only disappointing part about this resort is the food. The problem wasn't that the food wasn't good, because, for the most part, it was. The issue was that there wasn't much to choose from. There's one main buffet called "Poseidon's Table" which is buffet style and included just about everything you can think of. It was good, but it was quite pricey, around $30 dollars per person for breakfast and only going up from there. There are other casual diners poolside or dockside near the marina, but they were still expensive. To switch it up, you had access to higher-end restaurants such as "Nobu", "Olives", or "Casa de Angelo" to name a few. We actually went to "Casa de Angelo" on our last night and it was the best meal that we had the whole week. It was hard to find a variety to eat because you couldn't explore outside of the resort because of how secluded it was.
5. Casino (5 out of 5 Starfish).
The giant fireball in the casino I mentioned above. I loved this thing, I wanted to take it home and put it in my living room.
I know what you're thinking, why are you doing a review on a casino? Aren't you underage? The answer is yes, I am underage in the United States, but in the Bahamas, I am not. In the Bahamas, the legal age for both drinking and gambling is 18. I've always wanted to play games in a casino to see what all the noise is about or why my Nana will stay in one for hours and never get bored. Also, I always thought this casino was especially pretty too. For my first experience gambling, I had a lot of fun and the Atlantis has an array of machines to play. They had everything from old school hand cranks to digital roulette.
6. Atmosphere (5 out of 5 Starfish).
The crab cage, as I call it. This was in the secret room that we explored.
Sheree Collins
This place has both a calm and relaxing atmosphere with a hint of excitement and adventure. You do things such as relax by the pool or read a book by the sea. The halls were always quite near the staterooms, no one was staying up late partying. Yet, there is excitement in the air. In the atriums, you're surrounded by loud music, lights are flashing, and there is always a bar having a happy hour. I mean, you even have a whole waterpark outside your door if you get bored of relaxing by the pool. For me, one of the most exciting moments was finding a secret room behind the main fish tank. It was comprised of smaller rooms, each containing a different type of fish. To this day I wonder how many people actually know that the area I explored exists.
7. Overall Experience (4 out of 5 Starfish).
I truly did love the Atlantis in The Bahamas and it will be a trip I won't soon forget. It won't be a trip I'll take again anytime soon as it is very pricey to go. This place is truly gorgeous, my photos and others photos don't truly do it justice. This resort is filled with fun and excitement for all ages alike. The reason it doesn't get 4 out of 5 Starfish is the food. I wish the quality had been slightly better at the lower price range, there had been a wider variety, and I wish that it had been cheaper too. I highly recommend this place and think you should take a "Leap of Faith" and go experience it for yourself.
