Omar is the bartender at the lodge at Fernandez Bay Village. He makes the very best Margarita! He uses all fresh ingredients. Lemons, limes and oranges are sliced thin then muddled. He then adds simple sugar and an entire bottle of high quality tequila. It was great!
Know before you go for a wonderful time at Fernandez Bay Village Fernandez Bay Village is one of the gems that requires one to manage one’s expectations before booking this property and arriving for a stay. The rustic accommodations are just steps from the waters edge on a beautiful untouched 3/4 mile beach. This is the place to come to when looking for an all natural, rural, Bahamian island. The locals welcome their visitors as family and will ensure their guests are well cared for. However, because this island is remote and rural, so are the amenities the island can provide. Rest, relaxation, tranquility, quiet, sea, sand and sunshine are in abundance. The occupancy during our ten day stay fluctuated between 8 to 14 guests. The property and the units are clean and well maintained. The units are also basic. We were in Sea Breeze. This unit, like the others, is built of stone walls with a brick tiled floor, and a sliding glass door that only locks from the inside. Sea Breeze has a king bed with two bedside tables with wall mounted bedside lamps. There are two rattan chairs with cushions, with a rattan side table and table lamp. For clothing storage there is a small 3 drawer rattan dresser and a hanging rod above this dresser. The until also includes a small refrigerator, with a coffee pot on a small shelf that is hung above the refrigerator. A small AC unit, the ceiling fan, and ceiling light complete the room. The bathroom is a garden shower. This area is open to the stars at night, and the sunshine, or rain, during the day. The garden shower does have very high stone walls for privacy. The potty, towel hooks, and corner shelving unit were well protected from rain even with this open air construction. Just outside the unit is a small patio with a table, 2 chairs, umbrella, and a gorgeous view of the sea. On the beach each unit has 2 beach beds with an umbrella. What the unit does not have includes a way to lock the unit from the outside, nor is there an in-room safe for securing personal property like passports. There was not a hair dryer nor were there any electrical plugs in the bathroom. The unit does not include USB charging stations and the electrical plugs available did not simultaneously support all of our devices that required charging. The unit does not have a phone, TV, radio, or clock. We loved our accommodations but we also knew before our arrival that this is what we were booking. The staff is friendly and eager to please. The food is island inspired with many fresh preparations of tuna, snapper, shrimp and lobster. Keep in mind that this island has limited resources and the staff can only prepare food that is available on island. The menu did have limitations and dinner entrees ranged from $30-$60. If one is a picky eater there may be difficulty in being satisfied with the meal options. We enjoyed our meals but we are also very flexible. There is a small bar on the property opened in the evenings. This bar is also limited in what liquor is available for cocktails. We went to the local liquor and grocery store and found the options there were equally as limiting. By rental car the island can be seen in one long, full, day. Keep in mind the roads are rural. The main road has broken, washed out, black top - full of potholes. The side roads are dirt and crushed shell, also pitted with potholes. And in this we found the charm of this beautiful island! At the end of the road lies the ocean breeze and another private, gorgeous view of the water, surrounded by lush greenery and mangroves. While FBV has kayaks, paddle boards, and snorkel gear, all outings are self guided. Accompanied excursions are not readily available. We inquired about boating day trips and found out this isn’t available unless one is willing to do a full boat charter which would be pricy, if a boat and captain were to be available. One last concern, in Feb the island has small invisible biting insects not deterred by DEET, nor long pants and long sleeves. Pack your antihistamine of choice and your anti itch creams. And of course pack your sunscreen. Island prices for such are high. If after reading this review you are still interested in this island adventure, you are going to have an amazing trip. We Loved! our adventure on this lovely unspoiled authentic Bahamian island, and our stay with Fernandez Bay Village. Cat Island is the perfect place to separate from the world and enjoy nature at its best.…
This boutique resort is a true gem for those that want to experience a true slice of the Real Bahamas. If you need opulence, marble halls, casinos, and flashy entertainment, this is not the place for you. But, if you love peace, the quiet lapping of calm clear water, nature, a slower pace away from it all, come to Fernandez Bay Village! Our family of four stayed in Seagrape House, one of the rustic native stone cabins. The outdoor shower was refreshing each day. The bay itself is one of the most pristine beaches we have ever seen. When the wind is low, the water is crystal clear and like the biggest swimming pool in the world. We enjoyed kayaking down the creek at the end of the bay and finding secret lagoons, private beaches, a blue hole, and seeing baby sharks and sea turtles. Each night the kind and caring staff cooked meals just for us. And of course we loved our personal bartender, Dom, who was also great at playing chess with our daughters! With no TV's and distractions, we reveled in time with our family and conversations with locals and other travelers. We really enjoyed meeting Sandra and Richard at the end of our stay and getting their perspective on owning the resort. We truly felt welcomed and that we had the royal treatment, "Out Islands" style! We will be back!…
This was my first real Vacation (with a capital “V”) since the pandemic started. A return visit to Fernandez Bay Village had been on the books for 2020, but was by necessity moved to 2021 – and I frankly wasn’t sure that was even going to happen. But we truly needed the respite, and a trip to one of our socially-distanced-by-definition happy places was just the ticket. So we endured paperwork and tests and made it happen. Ownership has changed hands since my last visit, and with it (and the pandemic), some changes in how things are run – certainly nothing that would be noticeable to a newbie. But I’ve been visiting periodically for nearly 2 decades, so… it was all I could do not to step behind the bar and mix my own drink at the honor bar at happy hour. Friendly bartender Dominique (aka Skip) filled the void nicely. Dinners and breakfasts were now plated and ordered from a menu, instead of a buffet, but the lovely ladies in the clubhouse took care of that neatly. (While I didn’t necessarily miss the dinner buffet, I did miss the continental breakfast, which offered a lot more choices.) The beach is just as lovely, the lodgings are just as rustic-chic, and the setting just as beguiling, as they have ever been. The faces of the people may have changed, but they are just as warm and welcoming. Special kudos to Kisha – handling everything from the front desk to the required nasal swabs – who is charming, upbeat, efficient and well-versed in all things Cat Island and FBV. Can’t wait to come back!…
This was our first visit to Cat Island and we really enjoyed the native stone buildings at Fernandez Bay on the quiet crescent beach. We stayed during lockdown and the staff were AMAZING! They made us feel like royalty and were so friendly. Marshall made sure we had coconuts every day to drink in the morning. Keisha & Crystal both were amazing cooks and hosts. Omar was friendly, knowledgeable about the island and accommodating at the bar. Our room was cleaned mysteriously every day while we ate breakfast. Our daughter celebrated her birthday while we were there and the staff made a special cake for her. We hope this property maintains the friendly casual environment for many years to come. If you are looking for a place to feel like you are on island time, this is your place. We hope to return in the near future.…
We have been home for a month and everyday we talk about how fabulous our trip was. I am sure we will go back and we never go back anywhere! The owners and staff were so friendly and they made us feel so welcomed. The owners were on property and spent time with all of us. Kisha, the resort manager, made everything happen perfectly. Cannot stress enough how nice everyone was. Lots of time was spent at the open air bar where the view is beautiful. Omar is the bartender and he is the best, very friendly and helpful. Loved how he would have my favorite drink ready as we arrived when he saw us heading his way. He knows how to mix a great drink and will happily mix new owns. Meals are served in an open air dining room with a thatched roof which looks out on the bay. Every night we had a beautiful sunset followed by some divine dinners. Then it was back to the bar before calling it a day. We were there over Mother's Day and the staff went out of their way to make our dinner special that night. They made us cards and a paper rose and then fixed a special dessert for us. We appreciated the trouble they went to because we weren't with our children. We stayed in a cottage at the far end of the beach. It was perfect for the two couples. The beach was only a few steps out the front door and great snorkeling was just a few steps beyond that. The view was stunning. It was fun watching the boats come in and anchor for a night or two. Fernandez Bay Resort is a quiet resort. If you want to relax, read, eat, and drink this is the place to go. Thank you to everyone at Fernandez Bay Resort for making our vacation one we will never forget!!…
Fernandez Bay Village A lovely resort with lots of cozy seating areas inside and outside, all in an elegant yet inviting natural style. The beach and the bay view are fantastic. The Canadian owners are very sympathetic and keep this jewel in perfect condition.
The moment my husband and I arrived at Fernandez Bay Village we were graciously and enthusiastically welcomed. We checked in mid-afternoon and our initial view was from the dining room looking over the water; it was stunning. The Coconut Palm cottage was perfect for the two of us. The ocean was just a few yards away from our cottage and the unobstructed view of the ocean from our front porch provided amazing views of the sunrise and sunset. We relaxed under our private cabana area on the beach in front of the cottage, and were just a few steps away from the clubhouse that provided indoor and outdoor dining and an outside bar area. The food was excellent, the service great, and the drinks generously poured by Omar, the bartender, who felt like a long lost friend from the moment he took our first order. We used the complimentary kayaks, snorkel equipment, and paddle boards, to see the sites in the ocean and “creek”, and rode the bikes through the nearby neighborhood. Crystal arranged for us to get a rental car to tour the island, and took us to pick up and return the car. She and Kisha managed all our requests and provided great suggestions for activities at the resort and other places o the island. Sandra and Richard, the owners, spent time getting to know the guests, and the entire staff treated us like family. We stayed five days/nights and never once lacked for anything we needed or wanted. I cannot say enough good things about FBV. We will definitely return next year!…
What a beautiful place other friends of mine have stayed here they love it Omar is great at the bar the view is amazing you can park your boat right out front I don’t know a more wonderful place Recluse yet lots of locals and visiting sailing and motor yachts! Green flash sunsets!
FBV has one of the most beautiful beaches in the Caribbean, and is one of the most friendly and inviting resorts in The Bahamas. This pilot friendly resort is so laid back and accommodating. If you liked the previous owners (Pam and Tony, who were here since the 80s), you'll love the new owners (Sandra and Rich, Canadian pilots who were guests many times and want to keep the charm with careful updates and ecological sense). We loved our stay and will be back in a couple of months. It's a great destination for a pilot fly out adventure!
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