The Paradise Island Harbour Resort was a good value. It included a beautiful harbor, man-made beach and pool. The service was so-so and so were the rooms. The public areas needed some cleaning and the food was okay. For a budget friendly vacation I was pleased.

From all of the online reviews I pretty much expected a low-budget property, but was ok with that because of the all-inclusive and kids club (I'm traveling alone with my 6-year old). The property is dated and in need of updating/renovation. The dinner was average as was the breakfast - we went at 9:30a and they ran out of boiled eggs (the buffet closes at 11:00a), although we asked a few times the eggs were never replenished. My most frustrating experience, though, was the lack of the advertised kids club. After breakfast (about 10:30a) we went to check out the kids club, we were told they were on the 2nd floor but were on a nature walk and would be back shortly. We went back at about 11:00a and a lady met us there and informed us that they no longer had a kids club (although prominently advertised on the website), but that there were other activities geared towards the kids. We went to the pool for the activities and it was bingo that included everyone - not my idea of an activity geared toward the kids. I went to the front desk and explained that the kids club was one of my main motivations for staying at the hotel vs. elsewhere. I was told that since it was after 11:00a then I would be penalized a night if I checked out. I find that extremely lacking in customer service given that they are falsely advertising. Finally, the pool was freezing, the hot tub was broken and the beach is a strip of sand facing the harbour full of boats. I'm very frustrated and checking other hotel options when I type my last character.

Just got back from a 5 day 4 night stay. Upon arriving I was hit with what they called an energy surcharge of $8.00 per day ($32.) When I questioned it I was told that it was in the paperwork. I showed it to the lady at the front desk and asked her to show me where it said that. She couldn't find it. She went into the back and came out with a paper she printed out stating it. What was worse was that when I got home, I had been charged $50 instead of $32. Have still not been able to resolve it. The room was terribly outdated, not close to anything and what's worse is there was rust stains all around the toilet. Under the open sink there were cobwebs and dirt that was never cleaned any of the 4 nights. The food for the all inclusive and mediocre at best. Each day the entrees were fewer and fewer. The best part of it was the salad bar. Upon check out (3:30 am) I had to call back because no one was at the front desk...not a big deal, but when the guy came out it was obvious he was asleep and was annoyed that I woke him. He looked at me and said, "what do you want?" I said I needed to check out and handed him the room keys, he swiped them and then asked my room. I told him and he then got some scissors to cut the wrist band off of me. I said that it was ok I had already done it. He then responded "then what do you want from me?" The taxi driver was standing there and when we got in the cab he said that this guy was always this rude, that he caught up on his sleep there because he had 2 jobs. I am a retired travel agent and still retain many of my old clients. When they express an interest in a place I haven't been, I'll go and check it out first. I obviously will not recommend Nassau.

My wife and I just got home from here yesterday. We had an awesome 7 nights here. We were booked here for 9 nights. It’s kind of funny and freaky but the resort closed the doors after 3 nights. Legally we weren’t the new owner’s guests or problem. They didn’t have to do anything for us. But they did. They paid for 2 nights in the Riu Palace while they reopened the Harbour Resort.

We didn’t like the Riu Palace the room was so damp my passport curled up in the safe, the bedding felt like it just came out of the washing machine. They pushed 2 small beds together to make 1 queen size bed. The food wasn’t very good, the pool and pool deck area only has sun for about 2 1/2 hours a day because it’s on the north side of the U shaped building. The beach was nice but you get bugged every 2 minutes to rent or buy something from a seadoo to drugs. You had to rent a lawn chair. We couldn’t wait to get back to the Paradise Island Harbour Resort!

When they brought us back to the Harbour Resort we were welcomed back with genuine hugs and handshakes. The staff is awesome and genuinely cares for you! Most of them remember you by name. They upgraded us to one of the penthouse suites on the top floor. We had a furnished living room with a nice big wet bar, 2 balconies, a side window, 2 TVs and 2 full bathrooms which was nice. The food was excellent because they aren’t cooking for thousands of people! I had an omelette of my choice made in front of me every morning alongside a pile of bacon, sausages and pancakes. The dinner is different every night. In between meals you can order food at the pool side bar. The swimming pool area and private beach are great. There’s a free introduction to scuba every morning. The sun shines from morning till night and nobody bugs you. It’s a short walk to the big public beach. The rooms are good, clean, cool and dry. We didn’t go there to stay in the room anyway. They have an entertainment guy named Sean he will keep you entertained from morning till night if you want. He is really good with little kids right up to us big kids. He had a bicycle tour the other morning and my wife was the only one who showed up for it. She had 1 1/2 hour one on one bicycle tour around the island and came back with flowers in her hair. He’s awesome we shut the lobby bar down every night to him getting everybody dancing or doing karaoke if it was karaoke night. One night a week is Bahamian night. The dinner is Bahamian, then there is junkanoo music and dancing in the lobby bar area and Sean will get you right in there with them. We had really good bartenders the girl’s name was Shelly and another guy who’s name I forgot treated us like we owned the place.

They have their own dock and we took a Party Cat Cruise right from there. We went for a tour past the rich and famous peoples multimillion dollar homes then went to an island for drinks, snorkeling and an excellent barbeque on a beautiful sand beach.

I went scuba diving with the Bahamas Divers dive store in the lobby. It was good.

This resort doesn’t have a very high rating on the internet but to me it’s a hidden gem. I rate it a 10 star. It can only get better with the new owners who adopted us for the last 4 nights.

The all-inclusive price was awesome compared to Sandals or the Riu. We figured if we went out to eat it wouldn’t hurt to miss a hotel meal because we didn’t pay very much for the package. The food was so good we didn’t go out to eat. With what it costs at the other all-inclusive resorts you might be walking away from a $ 50. + meal if you go out.

We walked around Atlantis resorts while we used their water park and casino and it felt we were in Las Vegas. I wouldn’t want to stay there. There are too many people and if I want a Vegas atmosphere I’ll go to Vegas.

We can’t wait to go back there!

I highly recommend the Paradise Island Harbour Resort if you don’t need all the glitter and glamour and want to relax in peace in the Bahamian atmosphere you go there for.

Darryl