All Inclusive Fun at the Warwick Paradise Island-Bahamas Resort – Albany Times Union (blog)

The Warwick Paradise Island-Bahamas Resort: A view of the harbor from our room.

Whether its zip-lining in Costa Rica or hiking in Iceland, I love havingfar away adventures. Ive enjoyed all of these exciting experiences, buta little while ago,Robert and Irealized that we needed a short getawayso that we could just relax andrecharge.

Travel Wish List: With the limited amount of time afforded by a four day trip, we were looking for a placethat would hopefully fulfill our list of travel wishes.First,we wanteda beautiful destination that was relatively easy to get to. Second,once there, we wanted to simply rest by the waterin a fairlycasual yet attentive hotel or resort. Finally,westillwanted a locationthat had some interesting attractions and nicedining opportunities if we decidedto venture out of our cocoon.

Happily,we foundthis and more when we were invited last month to stay at the recently openedWarwick Paradise Island- Bahamas Resort. This 4-star, adults-only (18 years old and over), all inclusive resort turned out to bejust what we needed.

And, as an added bonus, this property was only about a half of a mile away via bridge from Nassau, the capitol of this archipelago nation. Well known for being Christopher Columbus first landfall in the New World, and the haven for famous pirates including Blackbeard, Nassau is rich with history, culture, and cuisine.

Getting to Nassau, Bahamas : From Albany International Airport,Robert and I took a one stop flight to NassausLynden Pindling International Airport. While we took Delta, other airlines including American and United travel from Albany to Nassauas well.

Afterglidingthrough Bahamasimmigration and customs offices, we were met by aMajestic Tours representative to drive us the thirty minutes to our destination. As this country was formerly an English royal colony, driving is on the left hand side of the road, and English is the spoken language.

With a collection of over 50 hotels and resorts world wide, WarwickHotels and Resorts (WHR) has been specializing in luxury accommodations for over thirty years. And having enjoyed staying at both the Warwick New York and the Warwick Seattle,I was fairlyconfidentthat this particular property would be a good choice as well.

Upon arrival at thisWarwick, my assumptions were confirmed.

WHR had invested millions of dollars into newly transforming what was formerly known as the Paradise Island Harbour Resort. We discovered that this propertynow included250 rooms on 12 floors, fivedining options , two bars, a fully equipped fitness center, as well as entertainment facilities and activities.

The staff was very attentive, and, once we checked in, we each received a purple wrist band. We needed to keep thisband on for the duration of our stay as it identified us for security reasons as guests, and it providedus with access to the resorts amenities. This included all meals and snacks; alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages; standard Wi-Fi internet access from the beach to the bedroom; daily activities and nightly entertainment; non-motorized water sports; use of the fully-equipped fitness center; and gratuities, taxes, surcharges and 7.5% Value Added Tax (VAT).

As I mentioned before, Robert and I were looking for a casual tripwhere we could stayin an unpretentious yet fun environment.

Warwick Paradise Island Bahamas: Lobby sitting area

So I was happy to see that this resortincluding the lobby easily fit the bill.

After checking into our spacious room overlooking the Nassau Harbor, we grabbed some lunch at the Verandah,the resorts buffet style restaurant.Anearby poster informed us of the different cuisine that would be offeredeach night.

Buffet themes at the Verandah

Thenwe found two lounge chairs by the pool, ordered drinks from a very helpfulserver, and I actually relaxed by reading a book. Off to the side were agroup of guests having a lot of fun playing volleyball in the pool.

Later that evening, Robert and I joined General Manager Ben Davis and his lovely wife Cecile for dinner at the resorts Edgewater Grill. This steak and seafood restaurantwas located on the waterside overlooking the Nassau harbor. The restaurant iscomplimented by a 10,000 square foot Sunset Terrace and adjoining boardwalk. (Note: a surcharge may apply at this particular restaurant).

Blackened grouper at the Edgewater Grill

While dining on delicious grouper, the Davis providedus with entertaining stories of their lives, and it was nice to learnthat each couplehad a daughter living in NYC. Mr. Davis told us more of the multimillion dollar renovations that had taken place and of our proximity to many attractions in the area. This includedCabbage Beachwhich was a closewalk away with dining and shopping nearby.

After we said our goodbyes to Mr. and Mrs. Davis, we considered seeing what evening entertainment was available at the the resorts Junkanooroom. As we learned,Junkanoo is a parade similarto Mardi Gras that Bahamians celebrate varioustimes of the year.

Warwick Paradise Islands entertainment or Junkanoo Room

Therewould be music, but instead, we decided to simply enjoy the view of the beautiful night scenery from the balcony of our room. We would be taking a ride into downtown Nassau early the next dayfor an Art & Dine tour with Islandz Tours. Then wed explore some more ofthe areas culture before heading back to the resorts for some for fun in the sun.

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All Inclusive Fun at the Warwick Paradise Island-Bahamas Resort - Albany Times Union (blog)