When we travelled to Bermuda we decided to stay in two different locations on the island. One because you can’t hire cars in Bermuda and two we just like to try new places.

Bermuda has always been a place I wanted to visit. The beaches look amazing and the flight wasn’t as long as the Caribbean from the UK (7hours to be precise).

We booked our trip before our baby was even due so we had no idea what kind of traveller he would be.

His older brother was an angel and obviously has the “travel bug” is his genes but we had no idea what the newest addition would be like, thankfully he too loves to travel and the flights were a breeze! Anyway on to our review at the outstanding Fairmont Bermuda (you already know it’s going to be fantastic)

We decided on the Fairmont Southampton mainly because of its close proximity to Horseshoe bay. Horseshoe bay is famous for its beautiful pink sandy beach. It’s one of the main reasons we wanted to visit Bermuda.

I thought pictures were edited of the beach and that upon close inspection the sand wouldn’t really be that pink but to my amazement the tiny grains were infact PINK!

The Fairmont Southampton is located in (can you guess?) in Southampton, south of the island. It took us approximately 30 minutes to get to the hotel by taxi costing around $60. We had the friendliest taxi driver ever! Great way to start a trip!

We didn’t pre book our taxi and just got one outside the airport which was simple enough. However you can book a transfer with the Fairmont by clicking this link for their website.

The fairmont is the perfect location for exploring all the local beaches and activities. It boasts 667 rooms making it the largest hotel on the island.

We arrived late in the evening and were greeted by the friendly staff at the fairmont. Check in was swift and as we made our way to our room I couldn’t help but keep thinking “the shining” it reminded so much of the movie I kept expecting to see two little girls at the end of the corridor!! The dark wood interior made the place feel old and cosy.

I’m very funny with places, I know instantly if I’m going to like the place and the fairmont had a great feel to me! I loved that the check in lady knew we were tired from the flight and told us to come back the next day for information about the hotel and island.

When we woke the following day and explored the hotel we were so excited as the place looked amazing.

As we walked in our first thought was “wow it’s huge” we had a superior room with two king sized beds. My favourite thing about the room was the walk in wardrobe, with three big cases it was nice to not be tripping over them all the time!

The room was bright, fresh and spotless with a great sized balcony looking out to Gibbs Hill lighthouse.

The bathroom had his and her sinks (great for families with babies as we needed to fill one sink bowl at night to sterilize the babies bottles with cold water sterilizing tablets, we could then use the other sink to wash in) and a separate room for the bath and toilet.

The toiletries the fairmont provided smelt divine! So much so I’m trying to get hold of some here in the UK!! Fresh towels were provided when needed and the bathrobes were luxurious and comfortable.

The safe was located in the walk-in wardrobe, something we always use to store our passports, tickets and other important valuables.

There were some great information books about Bermuda in the room, everything from restaurant recommendations to excursions on the island.

All rooms either have a view of the sea or gibbs lighthouse which is what we had and loved.

The Fairmont has 3 pools within the grounds but unfortunately for us the day we decided to have a pool day it was over cast and so windy!! Still my son had a blast! There’s a small slide for kids that my son thought was great. He’s 5 years old so I’d say the slide could be used up to age 10ish.

The Fairmont actually has 3 swimming pools, they also have an indoor pool which I tried to have a nosy at but couldn’t get in with my room card so I asked and was told it is open to public 6.30pm-12am. It’s mainly for members of the Willow Stream spa who have access to a sun deck with outdoor hot tubs! Would have loved to have tried these but 6.30pm is a little late with kids.

The Fairmont actually have their own private beach, East Whale Bay next to Horseshoe bay. They have cute little pink vans that take you down to the beach, so you don’t have to walk. They operate every 10 minutes or so, we were never waiting long for one.

There are comfortable sun beds on the beach and a bar to grab a drink. It was always pretty quiet when we went down which was lovely as when there’s a cruise ship in, Horseshoe bay can be pretty busy, so it’s great to be able to escape the crowds and enjoy some peace at the Fairmont’s beautiful beach!

There is a surf shop, café, beach towel hut (remember your towel card) and you can rent out things like snorkel equipment, paddle boards and kayaks. So, no fear of getting bored here.

Next to the private beach are 6 tennis courts which are complimentary for guests you just have to hire tennis rackets and balls. If you are looking to improve whilst on the island then the Fairmont offer lessons either private or as a group.

The Willow stream spa looks amazing and I was slightly jealous of all the people lounging around whilst I was trying to keep two children entertained. The spa offers many indulgent treatments such as body massage, facials and salon services in its 15 treatment rooms.

As I mentioned above the spa is adults only which I completely understand who wants kids running around when you’re trying to relax!! There’s a hot tub, sauna, steam room and healthy meals to enjoy on the gorgeous outdoor deck.

One thing I did notice was that the lounging chairs looked extremely comfortable, I notice and appreciate this as I have a bad back.

There are plenty of restaurants to choose from at the Fairmont, 10 to be exact! We do like to have a nice meal after being out all day exploring but also, we don’t want it to be too formal with small children, nothing like being in a beautiful restaurant and your kid having a major melt down! So, we ate at the Jasmine lounge. It’s located near the hotel lobby and has a more relaxed lay back feel.

We often sat in the sofas for our dinner. I have to say the food here was excellent! With all my allergies I went for chicken and mash, it was simply delicious! My husband had the pizza and said it was the nicest pizza he had ever had!

We were really surprised how good the food actually was. The drinks are pricey here but they are all over Bermuda. We didn’t actually eat at any of the other restaurants as we loved the feel of the Jasmin lounge and the food just kept us coming back!

One thing I wish we had been told at the beginning of our stay was that kids eat free at the hotel when an adult orders a meal! Our son used to eat his tea a bit earlier then us when we were out and about.

If we would have known he could eat for free in the hotel it would have been nice for him to eat with us and have a snack late afternoon. We only found out on our last night! So make sure you ask about this if you are staying at the fairmont.

There is a beautiful seafood restaurant that overlooks the private beach at the Fairmont. The views are breathtaking, sadly for us our son wouldn’t eat seafood!

We ate out breakfast at the wickets in the sound restaurant which looks out over the grounds and sea. The windows are floor to ceiling so the views are amazing! Great way to start the day. We were on a breakfast plan which we booked when we booked the trip.

When we went to breakfast there was everything you could imagine laid out! From cereal, fresh fruit, pancakes, full English to a gluten free station. We just went up and helped ourselves after being shown to our table!

Then we got a bill for breakfast! When we said we had breakfast included they then told us we could only eat from a certain area. We should really have been told this before we ate but never mind the bit extra we paid was well worth it as the breakfasts at the fairmont are brilliant.

We couldn’t fault the food at all and I was so happy they had a little gluten free area with its own toaster too. Very impressive! It was lovely to be able to have croissants and chocolate for breakfast something I hadn’t had in years!

Like I mentioned above, the Fairmont have shuttle buses that take you around the grounds from the golf course to the beach. You’ll never have to walk! They are really reliable and come very frequently. We never waited more than 5 minutes. They are all pink so you can spot it a mile off! Some are modern and some are vintage so make sure you take ride in the old ones for a cool experience.

The ferry is complimentary from the dock at the water lot and takes you into Albouy’s point in Hamilton. Its great if you want to see Hamilton or jump on another ferry around the island. We loved exploring the island so would definitely recommend doing this. It takes approx. 25 minutes and runs 2 to 3 times a year depending on the season.

This is not to be missed if you are a golfer as Turtle Hill Golf course is rated one of the best in the world and it’s not hard to see why. With its 18 challenging par 3 holes and stunning views out to the Atlantic ocean its really not hard to see why its been voted winner of Golf Digests “Best Place to play golf” We can’t comment personally as we don’t play golf but my Father in law was extremely jealous when he saw our pictures as he’s a keen golfer.

If golfs not your thing then they offer footgolf, where you kick a football in to xxl golf cups in as little kicks as possible.

I have to say all the staff at the Fairmont were very pleasant and welcoming. We found everyone in Bermuda to be so lovely to be honest, very friendly island. The drivers taking you down to the beach were always chatty and informative and waiting staff in the restaurants were pleasant.

Concierge were very helpful in sorting bus tickets and explain the routes around the island. We were very happy with our stay in Bermuda and have recommended to people.

Although we never leave our kids in kids clubs, we did hear the Fairmont’s kids club is fantastic from other guests. We were given a booklet with all the kids activities going on at the hotel upon check in although the club was for older children aged 6-13 years.

There is a toddler room for 0-5 years which is open 9am-10pm daily. We did also go down to the kid’s club for a nosy, but the sunshine beckoned us away. We don’t see much of the sunshine in the UK, so we spent most of our time outdoors exploring.

The kid’s clubs do have activities which are off site too including a day out to a petting zoo or glow in the dark trampling! How cool does that sound!

There is a fully equipped gym on site for anyone who wants to work out, chasing the kids all day was my exercise for the trip but if you’re after a personal trainer then they have them here to help. Its open daily from 6.30am to 9pm and is only available to guests age 18 and over, that’s me ruled out then!!

When I needed to get my baby to sleep, I took a little wander around the hotel and all the lovely little shops. They have everything from a golf and tennis shop to spa and souvenir shops. Everything you could need for souvenirs for the family without leaving the hotel.

There’s also a little coffee shop on the lower level selling obviously coffee but cold drinks and water too, handy when you have small kids.

Here are our top recommendations of things to do with kids in Bermuda:

• Horseshoe bay beach
• Walk along the beach from horseshoe to see many small coves Johnson’s cove
• Bermuda aquarium
• Visit the crystal caves
• Tom Moore’s jungle
• Gibbs hill lighthouse
• St Peters Church
• Fort St Catherine
• Tobacco Bay
• Front Street
• Royal Navy Dockyard
• The Unfinished Church
• Town Hall Square

• For cheaper rates travel in October, the weather is still hot and sunny.
• Make sure you make the most of the free kids meals when adults eat in the restaurants.
• Book a sea view room, the views are beautiful.
• Use the buses to get down to the beach each day.
• Take the complimentary ferry over to Hamilton for the day.
• Go and watch the sun rise over horseshoe bay its breathtaking.

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at the Fairmont, the location couldn’t have been any better. It was perfect for exploring the best beaches on the island as well as nearby Hamilton.

The rooms were huge with the best smelling toiletries ever, I even looked them up when I got home, they were that nice. There was plenty of choice when it came to restaurants in the Fairmont, whether you wanted a unique dining experience with breathtaking views or a casual dinner at the bar, they have everything.

It’s a great base to see the stunning island and perfect for families being so close to the beach. Don’t hesitate in booking the Fairmont you won’t be disappointed.

[wp-review id=”10979″]