We visited the Meliá Nassau Beach resort in the Bahamas, located next to a breathtaking beach.
At the spectacular Cable Beach, one of the best beaches in the Caribbean, this all-inclusive resor t is the perfect base for those seeking turquoise waters and heavenly beaches to get some rest before heading home.
You don’t need many excuses to go and escape to the Bahamas. Just the sound of the name relaxes you. You can almost make out its 700 islands and cays from the coast of Florida, while Nassau, its capital, can be reached in three hours from its namesake county on the outskirts of New York City.
However, after spending some time roaming the Big Apple, the best argument to get my family on board for a few days at this resort is that the Meliá Nassau Beach is the only all-inclusive and kid-friendly resort in the Bahamas – this oasis of peace sits along a white-sand beach over 300 metres long and offers activities specifically geared towards children. So, everyone’s happy.
Time flies on the plane, as we plan our last days of holiday in one of Nassau’s most emblematic spots. And the tenminute transfer to the resort passes dreamily whilst we admire the turquoise-blue Atlantic.
Arrival at the Meliá Nassau Beach is an immersion in an aquatic holiday within itself, with a decor that emulates the hues of the ocean and a soundtrack of waves, seagulls and footsteps on the sand – a genuine paradise.
From the start, the whole family enjoyed the idea of spending a week in the water – the little ones in the sea, enjoying various activities, and the grown-ups at one of the three pools, or getting a drink at the pool bar.
THE LEVEL, A BOUTIQUE HOTEL WITHIN A HOTEL
To begin with, we get a truly personalised concierge service at The Level, a distinctive element of Meliá in the Bahamas; it’s a hotel within the hotel, with huge, high-ceiling rooms with sea views, a private beach area and every service imaginable both on and off the premises.
Before long, we’ve already enjoyed our first cocktail with a light snack, and the children have thrown themselves
headlong into their holiday on the sea: from the pool to the sea, from kayak to Zayak, and from the water hammock to the water mat, which fits almost eve yone.
Meliá Nassau Beach also offers a programme of activities designed for all ages. In the Kids & Co. playground, the children enjoy various supervised activities – educational fun, films, video games and more – all the way into the evening, while we parents finally get to enjoy our firs romantic dinner alone.
To find our way around the huge variety of food on offer at the resort, we let ourselves be guided by the hotel’s manager, Pablo Cogolludo, a man as unique and interesting as the resort he runs.
Pablo has forged his career between the Ritz Carlton in Washington D.C. and New Orleans, and has worldwide responsibility for food and beverages within the Meliá group. Few understand American tastes, or the great gastronomic offering of the hotel group, like he does.
Over the next few days we follow the hotel’s roadmap, alternating between breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as opting for ‘island chic’, ‘resort casual’ or ‘beach wear ’ in restaurants and bars with various cuisines and styles.
DIVING INTO GASTRONOMY
Our gastronomic tour of the Meliá Nassau Beach passes through an a la carte breakfast at O’Grille, seas of pasta at Aqua, coriander tacos and the fusion of Peruvian and Japanese cuisine at Nikkei, the conch fritters of EstaVida and the exceptional steaks of Black Angus.
As if that weren’t enough, to this fine culinary offering we must add the Caribbean and the Bahamian Nights, where a buffet of local dishes surrounds the pool. The hotel is fille with live music and you’ll also see the costumes, drums and traditional dances of the Caribbean Junkanoo.
IN THE KIDS & CO. PLAYGROUND, THE CHILDREN ENJOY VARIOUS SUPERVISED ACTIVITIES – EDUCATIONAL FUN, FILMS, VIDEO GAMES AND MORE –.