We returned from a great trip to the Bahamas last summer greatly refreshed. I wanted to submit a review of the Westin Our Lucaya in Freeport, Bahamas.

The Westin Our Lucaya is less than a 30 minute drive from the Freeport airport by cab. It was under $20. We had no trouble telling our driver where to go. There were a few other people arriving at the same time (from our flight, I think) so check-in was somewhat slow. I did not see a separate Starwood Preferred Platinum check-in area. They initially declined to give me access to the Royal Beach Club floor. As I persisted, a manager got involved and agreed to give me key access to the floor with the lounge on it. We were upgraded to a suite.

Our room was fairly new and had a great view of the ocean. It really displayed the great location of the hotel. The bed was a Heavenly Bed. Although the shower was a Heavenly Shower, it appeared to suffer from low water pressure and a ragedy shower curtain.

The lounge was well-staffed and stocked. At breakfast, there were typical cereals and breads. Snacks were light in the evenings. There was even a computer to use, and free drinks throughout the day. The staff were great. And the rest of the resort was top-notch with lots of activities and food/drinking options. The walkways, gardens and beaches are very well maintained. There are several pools to use, including a lap pool. There is a gym and spa at one end of the property, although I did not visit during my stay. As a guest, I think you also have access to the Sheraton facilities next door. I peeked over there one day and generally found the Westin to be nicer (as you would expect) and more elegant. The Sheraton has stuff like waterslides that would be more appropriate for families. Indeed, there were many more kids running around over there than at the Westin.

We ate at one of the on-site restaurants one evening called Churchhill's. It offers steaks and American fare at typical hotel prices. We got out for under $100 each, including relatively poor service. The buffet restaurant appeared to be a decent value and my wife ate there with her friends one day. She had good things to say about it.

Besides that, Grand Bahama Island does not offer much to do. Others told us that the snorkeling was mediocre, so we avoided it. We weren't there to be tourists, but just to relax, so the Westin suited us just fine. The only tourist activity we did was swimming with the dolphins -- a little pricey, but lots of fun. The company was called Unexso.

Review by J.H..

Posted at August 16, 2006 4:26 PM