The Grotto Bay Beach Resort appeals to those wanting a resort vacation in Bermuda at a reasonable price. It’s set in 21 acres of landscaped gardens in Hamilton Parish and consistently receives good reviews for its high standards and value for money.
Accommodation comprises 201 rooms, situated in 11 low-rise buildings. All rooms are virtually identical in terms of size, around 250 square feet, and amenities. Ocean Front rooms are located close to the water while Ocean View rooms on the hillside. Superior rooms are located on the first floor while Deluxe Rooms are located on the second or third floor. Ocean Front Deluxe rooms are the most expensive category and Ocean View Superior the cheapest. All rooms are within easy walking distance of the beach, restaurants, swimming pool etc. and were refurbished at the start of 2013.
Standard in-room amenities include an en-suite bathroom, mini-fridge, coffeemaker, iron and ironing board, cable TV, safe, and telephone. All rooms have a private balcony or patio with at least a partial view of Castle Harbour, a natural harbour separating Hamilton Parish and St George’s Parish. Wireless internet access is available for a fee and charged per device.
Grotto Bay has a good range of leisure facilities. There’s a private beach on Castle Harbour with plenty of loungers. The hotel’s dock lies at the eastern end of the beach and is home to two water sports concessions. Blue Hole Water Sports rents motor boats, windsurfing boards, kayaks, rafts, and snorkel gear, while Triangle Diving offers scuba diving trips and courses. A free-form swimming pool overlooks the beach and boasts swim-up bar and a deck with additional loungers. The hotel also boasts 4 tennis courts and a small gym with a weights machine and treadmills.
A unique feature of the hotel is the caves located in the grounds. Prospero’s Cave is one of the most unique settings for any spa in the world, never mind Bermuda. At the Natura Spa you enjoy a variety of spa treatments surrounded by stalagmites, stalagmites, and a crystal-clear underground lake. It’s a truly unforgettable experience. Guests of the hotel can also take a dip in the waters of Cathedral Cave.
The caves at Grotto Bay are not the only ones in the area. Hamilton Parish is riddled with them. The Crystal Caves are perhaps the most spectacular, though you have to pay to see these. Caves can also be seen just across the road from the resort at Blue Hole Park (free entrance).
Grotto Bay has a good selection of restaurants and bars. Palm Tree Court offers casual dining and a relaxed atmosphere. Afternoon tea is served here daily. The Hibiscus Room is more formal. The Bayside Bar & Grill serves hamburgers, salads and sandwiches. For a change of scenery and menu you can walk to the Swizzle Inn. The pub offers live entertainment nightly and is famous throughout the world as the home of the rum swizzle. It also has free WiFi. Bailey’s Ice Cream is just across the road and sells a huge selection of homemade ice creams, yoghurts, and sorbets.
Grotto Bay offers room only and all-inclusive rates. All-inclusive rates include breakfast, lunch, dinner, alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, tennis, and non-motorised water sports. It’s not the same type of package you’d get at say a Sandals resort (where an all-inclusive package would include say golf and scuba diving etc.) but it’s as close as you’ll get in Bermuda.
Car rentals are forbidden on the island but visitors can rent a scooter to get around. Oleander Cycles are one of the main rental companies in Bermuda and have a branch at Grotto Bay.
Grotto Bay is on bus routes 1, 3, 10, and 11. All these services run between Hamilton and St George but take different routes. You’ll be surprised how many of Bermuda’s best tourist attractions can be reached by bus. Catch bus number 1 to Hamilton and you could visit John Smith’s Bay, Spittal Pond, Palm Grove Gardens and the Botanical Gardens on the way. For the Bermuda Aquarium or Shelly Bay catch bus 10 or bus 11. From the Central Terminal in Hamilton you can catch buses to all areas of the island including Dockyard and the beaches of South Shore Park (Warwick Long Bay, Horseshoe Bay etc.). For a good overview see our guide to the island’s bus routes. If you’re planning on doing a lot of travel on public transport you can save a bit of money by purchasing a bus and ferry pass from the front desk.
The historic town of St George is just 4 miles from Grotto Bay. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is packed with interesting attractions such as the Bermuda Perfumery, St Peter’s Church, the State House, the Deliverance, the Bermuda National Trust Museum, the Unfinished Church, and the Tucker House Museum. In the summer months you can catch a ferry from here to Dockyard. Tobacco Bay is just north of the town and is one of the best beaches in Bermuda for snorkelling.
LF Wade International Airport is only 1 mile from Grotto Bay. Guests staying here enjoy the cheapest and quickest taxi ride on the island. You’ll certainly appreciate the location after a long flight. Although all the buses noted previously stop at the airport, guests should note that local transport regulations don’t allow passengers to board with large suitcases. Don’t worry about being disturbed by the noise from planes during your stay though. There are only a few flights to Bermuda each day and the resort isn’t on their flight path (click on the interactive map below to see the orientation of the runway).
Grotto Bay is great, we enjoyed the resort. I have nothing bad to say, all was wonderful. They have the best staff. Seek out E Michael Jones. What a wonderful man. He knows everything about Bermuda.
My husband & I honeymooned in Bermuda in 1984. Stayed at a hotel that is no longer there(townhouses now i think). We returned about 20 yrs later and stayed in the Grotto. We loved it. Food was excel. svc. also great and room was very nice. Thinking of returning next yr. Glad to hear Grotto still doing all inclusive.
A clean, lovely, quiet resort on the east end of the island. Bus stops right out front, walk to Crystal Cave, plan to pay for wifi internet, they even gave us a free upgrade to oceanfront!
Really cool place. Nice beach,bar and food. From the airport you are dropped off first! We are going back.
The Grotto Bay was one one of the most extraordinary all-inclusives I have ever been too. The place was immaculate, the food was excellent, and the service was wonderful. From start to finish I was treated like royalty! I can’t wait to go back!
Great location & great value. Nice accommodating staff and good dining in Hibiscus Room. Beach/Poolside bar/restaurant is great for quick bite & drinks during day. Be sure to take the MAP Plan, as dining out in Bermuda is very very expensive.
21 annual trips to BDA are testimony to our love for Bermuda – the last 7 trips spent at Grotto Bay. This is a lovely well managed mid priced property which is perfect for a good relaxing holiday. The beach, while not ocean front, is on the bay, which is perfect for those not wanting to be bounced around in the hard surf.
Great value. No surprises. Everything we expected with the added plus that we had the feeling that the staff at the Grotto Bay really were appreciative of having us as guests.
I was here with my father, sister, and cousin back in April of 1982; I was ten years old at the time.
I have such wonderful memories, especially of the beach (unbelievably calm and clear waters – perfect for children), pool, and caves. We even rented a (circa) 16ft power boat and had a blast skimming across the bay.
It rained one day and my sister and I sat inside either in the lobby or in one of the dining areas (along with a bunch of other kids who were staying at the hotel) and watched the early 1970s animated version of Charlotte’s Web; in retrospect, I think it was the very first time I had ever seen it.
My father and cousin (then 38 and 20, respectively) rented scooters and took my sister and me all over the island.
Of all the vacations I ever took as a boy (and there were many, on the average of one or two per year), our stay at this wonderful little hotel remains firmly entrenched in my mind as the best one ever.
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The hotel was clean, comfortable and has beautiful views from the balconies of the bay. The beach is clean and offers enough lounge chairs with umbrellas for no extra charge. We stayed there in late July and the weather was beautiful all 5 days. The staff was kind and very helpful. We plan to go again next July. The meal plan is a giant cost saver. Sometimes it can be very difficult to get restaurant reservations in the summer months.
My husband and I got married in Bermuda in July and stayed at Grotto Bay for our trip. It was wonderful. The breakfast was very good. The views were amazing and our rooms were very clean. All the staff was super friendly and very attentive. It was an amazing experience to swim in the caves as well. We would go back in a heartbeat.
Gorgeous gardens and a lovely room with a great view. Most of the staff were good, just the odd one needed a little bit of extra training. Anyways the place offered plenty of things to do for kids and adults alike. We went snorkelling and the water was so clear – it was amazing. Overall we had a pretty good time and would go back here.
This place is just what we were looking for. The room contained every modern convenience and was spacious and clean. The room attendants and other personnel were very good and we had a wonderful view of the harbor. There are many leisure facilities too. Will definitely visit Bermuda again.
This is a beautiful resort in a great location. Loved the room with its view of the wonderful gardens from the balcony. Great if you wanted to go anywhere too. There’s a bus stop right outside the main entrance and both St Georges and St David’s are only 10 minutes away. Had many conversations with the locals who were all warm and friendly, just like the staff.
Wonderful place to stay at a price that won’t break the bank. I would certainly go back here.
Can’t understand some of the other reviews about this place. We had a great time from start to finish. The people were great and the service was excellent. Bermudians are such friendly people. The grounds were picturesque and the place even had its own caves. Plus, you always felt safe when you were travelling around, unlike the States.
This hotel is worth every penny. I booked it here and it was great.
We have stayed there twice and have enjoyed it both times. Location is what it is all about. We were there off season, so we had the pool, beach, hot tub nearly all to ourselves. The bus stops right outside the door and with the bus pass, we could go to St. Georges and Hamilton whenever we wanted. We will return.
I am surprising my husband for his 40th and I have been staying at a small inn always on the Island but this year we needed full service due to bringing our 9 month old – and i feel this hotel will be an excellent choice – i sure hope I am right – looks inviting and I am now very excited it’s more full service for us with the baby .
This hotel is horrible! Staff was very rude and the rooms are so dated. Pool is so small and dirty and the beach is so tiny you have to fight for spots.! I would never go back to Grotto bay EVER! Worst experience in my life
The Grotto Bay Resort is an excellent choice. The people are very accommodating as is every Bermudian we met.
The two restaurants have great food and selections. The all inclusive is worth every penny. When at the pool bar ask for Duane, he will make a great drink for you if you just can’t think of what to have. We will be back !!!!!!
I have stayed here twice and have always enjoyed the stay. It isn’t fancy but feel that it was well worth the price. It is convenient to the airport and the Swizzle Inn is right up the road. The bus stops right out front so you can get anywhere you need to go!
Bermuda is generally quite expensive and this probably offers the best value for money that you’ll find.
There’s a gas station just up the road that sells sandwiches and pastries. Also, the Swizzle Inn is a good alternative to the hotel restaurants. It’s just a few minutes walk away.