The Fairmont Southampton sits perched on the highest point in Bermuda and is the island’s largest resort hotel. Spread over 100 acres in Southampton Parish, it offers a huge range of amenities including an 18-hole golf course, 8 restaurants, a spa, private beach, and 2 swimming pools.
A huge choice of 593 rooms and suites are available. Although none can be considered cheap, there’s a variety to match differing budgets. All offer a work desk, flat-screen TV with a good selection of cable channels, DVD player, telephone, coffeemaker, hair dryer, iron and ironing board, and safe. WiFi is available throughout the hotel for additional charge but is free if you join the Fairmont President’s Club.
Moderate Rooms are the cheapest category. They are 450 square feet and offer a choice of one King or two Queen-size beds, an en-suite bathroom, and a balcony with table and chairs with a view of the hotel buildings. Fairmont Rooms, Deluxe Ocean Rooms, Deluxe Harbour/Golf Rooms are the same size as Moderate Rooms but have better views. Fairmont rooms have partial views of the ocean or the Great Sound, while Deluxe Ocean Rooms are high up on the fifth or sixth floor and offer an uninterrupted view of the Atlantic. Deluxe Harbour/Golf Rooms have balconies overlooking the Great Sound or the golf course.
Enjoy superior service and amenities by staying on the Fairmont Gold Floor. Rooms here are more luxurious and feature marble bathrooms, opulent furnishings, and one King or two Queen-size beds. Guests can choose from Harbour View Rooms or opt for the slightly more expensive Ocean View Rooms. A variety of suites are also available. Stay here and you’ll also enjoy access to the Fairmont Gold Lounge. It serves a complimentary breakfast, tea and coffee throughout the day, and cocktail canapés in the evening.
The hotel offers numerous dining options. Start your day off with a perfect view and breakfast in the Windows on the Sound. After a morning dip, lunch on the beach at the Cabana Bar & Grill. The Fairmont’s beach bar offers tropical cocktails, cold beers, burgers, sandwiches, and salads. Diners can enjoy contemporary Italian cuisine at Bacci or seafood at the Ocean Club. The Waterlot Inn is one of Bermuda’s finest steakhouses while the Newport is the hotel’s take on a British gastropub. The Fairmont Southampton also offers 24-hour in-room dining and unique delights such as a private dinner for 2 on the beach.
The Fairmont Southampton boasts an impressive array of leisure facilities. The Turtle Hill Golf Club is an 18-hole par-three golf course designed by Theodore Robinson. It offers magnificent ocean views and features water hazards and dramatic changes in elevation. The tennis centre boasts 6 courts and a pro shop. Lessons are available from the hotel’s resident tennis professional. The private beach is quite large and is most easily reached by taking the complimentary shuttle service. Guests enjoy use of loungers, umbrellas, showers, and lockers. Dive Bermuda are based here and offer scuba diving trips, diving tuition, snorkelling tours, and equipment rentals (kayaks, snorkelling gear etc.). Up by the hotel there’s a large outdoor swimming pool with a Jacuzzi and a children’s pool.
The Willow Stream Spa is one of the highlights of the hotel. The 31,000 square foot facility is the largest in Bermuda and offers 15 treatment rooms, a beauty salon, saunas and steam rooms, relaxation lounges, a large fitness centre, a sundeck with Jacuzzis. There’s also an indoor swimming pool reserved for spa customers until 6.30 pm (after this time it’s available to all guests).
The resort is one of the best on the island for families. There are a variety of programmes for kids and toddlers. Babysitting is also available.
The Business Centre on the Mezzanine Floor offers all of the business services that the travelling executive might need. The Fairmont Southampton also has extensive meeting and conference facilities and can comfortably accommodate groups of up to 1,500 people. The 7,400 square foot Mid-Ocean Amphitheatre, fitted with the latest multimedia technology, makes a great conference venue. The hotel is also a popular location for destination weddings.
The Fairmont Southampton offers a good selection of high quality shops. The Island Shop, Crisson Jewellers, AS Cooper & Sons, and the English Sports Shop all have branches here.
Attractions within walking distance of the hotel include the Gibbs Hill Lighthouse and the wonderful public beach at Horseshoe Bay. Options for guests looking to dine outside the hotel include the Dining Room and Henry VIII. The nearest supermarket is the Heron Bay MarketPlace. To reach it, leave the hotel at the Middle Road entrance and walk east for about 15 minutes. Alternatively catch bus number 8.
Getting around the island couldn’t be easier. The hotel offers a complimentary ferry service to its sister property in Hamilton. The capital offers a wealth of bars and restaurants plus attractions like the Perot Post Office, Bermuda National Gallery, BUEI, and Fort Hamilton. From Hamilton Ferry Terminal you can catch a ferry to Royal Naval Dockyard and, in the summer, onto St George. Buses leave the Central Terminal for all areas of the island. To save money on public transport buy a bus and ferry pass from the front desk.
The Fairmont Southampton is situated on South Road in Southampton Parish. Bus number 7 passes here on its way from Hamilton to Dockyard. Attractions on the route include Elbow Beach, Warwick Long Bay, Jobson’s Cove, Church Bay, Somerset Bridge, and Fort Scaur.
Tourists can’t rent cars in Bermuda so if you want to get around on your own transport you’ll need to hire a scooter. Smatt’s Cycle Livery has a branch here but any of the scooter rental companies will deliver bikes to this hotel.
A section of the Railway Trail passes through the hotel’s grounds and is great for walking and cycling. Go east and along the route you’ll see Warwick Pond, Paget Marsh, and the Botanical Gardens.
Had my best family vacation here. Can’t wait to go back.
Have stayed on the concierge floor may times – always very nice. Sorry the Newport Room is closed as it was first class. The Waterlot Inn used to be good, but in recent years the food and service are a great disappointment. Won’t ever go back to the Waterlot again – it reached rock bottom last year!
The Waterlot is atrocious. Shoddy service and substandard food. They couldn’t even cook a foie gras correctly after three tries. The steaks were nothing special, definitely not worth the price. It is unfortunate the Newport Room is closed, for that was the hotel’s shining star.
If you like the beach and plenty of leisure facilities eg. golf, tennis, fitness center, this is definitely a good choice. The water is also beautiful for diving and snorkelling. Only ate here once, which was very tasty, but make sure you make a reservation for dinner or you might have to wait a spell.
It’s worth paying a bit extra if you stay here and getting a Gold Floor room. Your floor has its own check-in and the room we stayed in offered great views. Housekeeping did an excellent job of keeping the room clean and tidy and the members of staff who dealt with us were very courteous and polite. The Gold Floor deal also offers a free buffet breakfast and afternoon tea.
The room was beautifully decorated and lovely and clean. The staff were friendly but at the same time professional and Horseshoe Bay Beach is right next door. The best thing about it for us though as a family was that they offer a complimentary children’s programme. We would go here again.
Terrific place to stay. Too many good things to mention. Great location and views, own golf course, fantastic leisure facilities, and even a free ferry to Hamilton if you want to see the capital. Friendly staff and great service. Can’t wait to get back here.
I can’t believe there is a better place to stay on the island. If anybody thinks there is, please let me know.
Luxury, spectacular views, the rooms are lovely. The people are the friendliest we have known on our travels. The Waterlot Inn is very classy, and the beach is wonderful.
This hotel was a major dissapointment. A very large business conference was booked the same days of our vacation. We had long lines for everything, difficulty in getting dinner reservations (if at all. The good news is that they have frequent shuttle service – the bad news is that you need it for virtually everything (including restaurants, water shuttle, beach and tennis courts. I would recommend checking with the hotel to determine if any large groups are scheduled for the same time. If so, avoid it!
You can easily walk from the Fairmont beach to Horseshoe Bay beach, one of the best in Bermuda.
Bermuda has never really been a great place to bring kids. This is one of the few hotels that caters to children and has a dedicated program. They play ping pong, do arts and crafts, games, go swimming etc. The charges are pretty reasonable to.
This is the only hotel in Bermuda with its own golf course.
The hotel does have its own beach but it is a fair distance from the hotel. They do offer a frequent bus shuttle service between the beach and the hotel though.
If you’re going to dine here I’d recommend the Waterlot Inn. Expensive but a great steak house with excellent service.