The Reef at Atlantis

The Reef rooms were very nice, and we loved the aquariums and sea life, beaches, and waterpark. Atlantis is a beautiful place, and we had a good time, but the price and what we got for it left us disappointed. We travel a lot and can overlook some cost if the service is amazing. Instead, over our few days there, staff at several restaurants seemed not to care and to want to move us along as quickly as possible. More than once an order was forgotten or came out wrong. I work in the service industry, and I’d be embarrassed if my staff treated customers that way. For a resort that costs this much, the poor service was a real surprise.

The location is beautiful, and there are plenty of activities, especially for kids. But much of the resort looks worn, and the service often felt poor. At times, I felt like we were an inconvenience instead of a priority. We chose Atlantis expecting a luxury family getaway, but the experience didn’t match the price. I’ve stayed at true five-star hotels around the world, and this isn’t one. Be ready to pay five-star prices for three-star service. I won’t be back.

We had a spacious ocean-view room with a nice view, and the pool had a good shallow area for children. The beach was clean, swimming vests for kids were available, and there were lots of activities. Our three-year-old enjoyed the see squirts activity. The resort is enormous, though, and we stayed at The Reef, far from the kids club, so we didn’t use it. Bring a stroller. Getting around and finding activities was a struggle. Reservation details didn’t say where activities were happening, so I repeatedly had to run around with my daughter, ask for directions, and queue at several concierge and ticket desks without getting clear guidance. The AI in the resort app was useless. A DHL package I received couldn’t be brought to the hotel, so I stood in more lines and eventually had to pick it up at the other side of the resort. At $500 a night, walking an hour to get a package is incredible. It felt like everyone working there had started that day and was confused. Costs were extremely high. The sea lion activity was $300 for 30 minutes, and just watching cost another $35. Oceanfront sun-beds were a whole contest: people left towels to reserve them for hours, while others had to lie in the sand or settle for a bed without shade. Lifeguards didn’t monitor it. The ocean water was very cold too. We might come back if desperate for a quick vacation, but will look elsewhere for warmer water and a smaller, easier resort.

We loved our stay at The Reef at Atlantis on our Bahamas trip. The room was modern, fresh, well maintained, clean, and spacious, with breathtaking ocean views. Staff were friendly and professional and made us feel welcome. The Atlantis experience was unforgettable, from the pools and beaches to the famous waterpark and marine exhibits. After all the excitement, The Reef was a peaceful, relaxing place to return to. It gave us access to everything while keeping an upscale, quieter atmosphere. We’d return in a heartbeat.