Like everyone else says, the Salt Kettle House is wonderful. Hazel, her family, and everyone there is extremely friendly; an attitude that spills over to the other guests, all of whom were repeat visitors. I am very glad that we decided to start our trip at the Salt Kettle House.

Although my wife had been to Bermuda 35 years ago I had never been despite bugging her to take me. When the opportunity came, we did the requisite research of the Island, its flavour(s) and places to stay. We DO NOT DO Hotels!!
No matter the number of times we looked on sites, including our fall back of Trip Advisor, we kept coming back to Salt Kettle House. We made arrangements, through Lisa, who is Dear Hazel's right hand in the office. We arranged 6 nights in the "Apartment" which is a separate accommodation with a 3 piece, a full kitchen with a real fridge, sitting room looking out to the City of Hamilton across the bay and comfy Queen Bed. The Apartment has its own tiled veranda over the Salt Kettle ( which is a small bay which the House backs on and was where privateers landed their booty to avoid the tax man in the 1800s!).
Hazel is a gem. Every morning she greets the guests, asks what you did the day before, your plans for today and offers recommendations. At 83, she knows, and is known, by everyone on the island!
Son, John, is the right hand to his mom, and cannot do enough to ensure all is to your liking.
We found the full breakfasts to be more than enough to carry us until time for a glass...and a snack mid afternoon. The kitchen was handy for preparing meals, or the wonderful takeaways available from the "Market Grocery' stores in Hamilton City.
The ferry (Salt Kettle ferry stop) is 3 minutes away and it goes directly to Hamilton,. Another 5 minutes gets you to the Bus Depot where any bus, to anywhere on the island can be found. Individual fares are pricey, but a must is to purchase the pass (at the Hamilton Ferry Terminal) which will get you all busses and ferries (BE SURE TO ASK FOR THE "ALL FERRY AND BUS" pass). We bought the week pass, senior rate, for $49...
You must STOP at the tourist information office right by the Ferry Terminal in Hamilton and speak to Alison Overbridge. We did, and she gave us everything we needed to know, to go to, and all were great!!
Busses and walking are the best option. The roads are SOO narrow and the traffic is a challenge..No one we met who lived there suggested an of-islander hire a scooter! Take the Bus!
Remember, stops are marked by a coloured post..Blue away and Pink back toward Hamilton.
Consider the Botanical Gardens, the Aquarium (if you go here, have lunch at "Rustico",( just across the bridge from the Aquarium in Flatt's Inlet Hazel recommended it, and it was right!) Busses both directions stop right near by. Somerset town and the Docklands with its Commissioner's house (and mural..a must) are but a few of what can be seen. Don't forget St. Davids/ St. Georges and Hamilton City with its parks, galleries and museum and Fort Hamilton.
Do fit in a Glass Bottom Boat tour with "Captain Tony on his Coral Reefer". (No other!) It's small size means everyone has a place, all the time, over the reef! Tony is a marine Biologist and life long Bermudian. His tours are extremely informative. A must. We had 10 guest join us from Salt Kettle and everyone said it was the highlight of their trip! And He picked us up from the Salt Kettle Ferry dock!

Over all, we stayed 6 nights, but could/should have added two more.
A wonderful stay, met some very nice folks, with whom we remain in contact, and had not one complaint. Enjoy.

We recently stayed here for a week. Hazel and her family are extremely hospitable! The staff is very nice. However, based on the previous reviews and Frommer's recommendations (Frommer highly recommended this guest house), I was expecting a beautiful boutique bed and breakfast (like the ones you find here in New York, out in the Hamptons or North Fork), which it was not. It's a quaint, family run bed and breakfast. Clean and charming. The property is right on the harbor - but it's not really a beach. Also, the included breakfast is very simple, consisting of eggs, toast, pancakes or cereal. The eggs and pancakes were often burnt. The poached eggs resembled more hard boiled eggs. I guess you get good value for your money, as the property is relatively inexpensive for Bermuda standards.

TRANSPORTATION/ACCESSIBILITY TO SOUTH SHORE BEACHES
The Salt Kettle ferry to Hamilton doesn't run as often anymore, especially during the weekends or holidays. The buses don't really stop nearby, and you would have to go back to Hamilton then take a bus from Hamilton to get to the South Shore beaches (or take a cab or scooter), even though Paget is just across from the South Shore beaches. Buses go from the east to west end of the island, not really north and south. Paget is also residential, which makes it great and quiet, but far from restuarants and a little out of the way from beaches. We cooked most nights, but during the nights we decided to eat out, we took a cab since we weren't comfortable driving the scooter at night.

OVERALL
It was a good experience. I felt safe and relaxed. Hazel, her family and staff were very accomodating and hospitable! I am glad I went, but I probably won't return - this is partly because of my general sentiment about Bermuda. I think Bermuda's a great place, but I won't return anytime soon. I feel like there are more beautiful islands/places to see and experience.

My wife and I stayed at the Salt Kettle House for eight nights the first week of July 2011. We booked our accommodations based on the recommendations we found here on Tripadvisor. As others have already written, I highly recommend the Salt Kettle House at the risk of never being able to book a room there in the future because of its increasing popularity. We were met at the airport and driven to Salt Kettle which enjoys harbor frontage across from Bermuda's capital Hamilton. The owner Hazel met us at registration and introduced us to her son John who was taking over the management of this family business. We had the use of a large air-conditioned double with private bath at the back of the house. We paid $85 per night per person. At our first Salt Kettle breakfast my wife and I were amazed at the large number of house guests we met with major multiple return visits here. One personable New Jersey couple have visited at this house for more than 25 consecutive years! This was more the rule than the exception with everyone we met at breakfast. We had no unfavorable experiences here and would book here again. We recommend the purchase of the Bermuda unlimited public transportation pass which you can purchase at the Hamilton ferry ticket office. Unlimited travel on all Bermuda public transportation (bus and ferry) for a week for about $45 per person. Bermuda motorbike rentals are somewhat pricey at about $60 per day. My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed our stay at the Salt Kettle House and are counting the days until our return there next time.