The Ocean Club is the grande dame of Paradise Island, and the most romantic place to stay in Nassau. It opened in 1962 as a hideaway for celebrities and the international elite, and has been part of Four Seasons since 2017. Small by Bahamian resort standards, with 90 rooms, 12 suites and five two-bedroom villas with plunge pools, it sits on 35 acres of terraced gardens inspired by Versailles, crowned by a restored 12th-century Augustinian cloister. In front stretches a long, soft beach on the north shore, close to Cabbage Beach. There are three pools, including the adults-only Versailles Pool and an infinity-edged Ocean Pool, a spa of eight Balinese-style treatment villas with private gardens, six floodlit tennis courts, and access to the adjacent 18-hole Ocean Club Golf Course designed by Tom Weiskopf. Dining is led by DUNE by Jean-Georges, with French-Asian food and a Caribbean twist on a deck above the sand.
Location and getting around: the resort is at One Ocean Drive on the quiet eastern side of Paradise Island, a few minutes by car from Atlantis and about forty minutes from Lynden Pindling International Airport. Expedia lists complimentary access to Aquaventure, the pools and beaches of Atlantis, with daily shuttles, which gives families the best of both worlds. Downtown Nassau is a short taxi ride over the bridge. Valet parking is free.
The rooms: rooms and suites are spread across low buildings along the beach and gardens, many with ocean views and balconies. The villas have private infinity pools and kitchens and suit families or two couples travelling together.
Who it suits: honeymooners, anniversary trips and anyone who wants seclusion, service and a beautiful beach. Families are welcome, and the complimentary Kids for All Seasons club takes children aged four to twelve.
Good to know: this is one of the most expensive hotels in the Caribbean, and a nightly resort fee and destination fee are added on top of the room rate, so check the total when booking. Breakfast is usually extra. Book DUNE well ahead for sunset tables.
Why stay here
- ✓Beachfront on the north shore
- ✓Versailles Gardens and cloister
- ✓DUNE by Jean-Georges
- ✓Adults-only Versailles Pool
- ✓Balinese-style spa villas
- ✓Ocean Club Golf Course access
- ✓Kids for All Seasons club
- ✓Free valet parking
Good questions
How big is The Ocean Club?+
It has 107 accommodations: 90 rooms, 12 suites and five two-bedroom plunge-pool villas. That makes it far more intimate than the big Nassau resorts.
Can guests use Aquaventure at Atlantis?+
Expedia lists complimentary access to Aquaventure and the Atlantis pools and beaches, with daily shuttles. Confirm the current arrangement with the hotel when you book.
Are there extra fees?+
Yes, a nightly resort fee and a destination fee are charged on top of the room rate. Breakfast is usually extra too.
