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Regarding the Royal Islander Hotel:
Take a look at the following websites:
http://www.bahamasvg.com/royalislander.html
http://www.princess-vacations.com/royalisld.html
If you still need more info. please feel free to e-mail me at carriek5@hotmail.com
The Royal Islander Hotel is a reasonably priced small but clean low-rise two story resort (motel style with two buildings surrounding the pool area); has well appointed rooms and is centrally located at a very busy section of Freeport, within walking distance to the Princess Casino, and is opposite the International Bazaar. It's nothing special. On site facilities include a nice sized pool, a children's play area, two tennis courts, small gift shop, tour desk, a good coffee shop (expensive coffee).
This hotel is not on the beach or within walking distance of it, about 2 miles from Xanadu Beach. Free courtesy shuttle for all hotel guests to Xanadu Beach until about 4:30 p.m. daily or you can take the public bus out to Lucaya Beach. The bus runs till about 7:00 p.m. daily and will cost you 75 cents one way. The new Lucayan Hotel will have phase I completed by April 1999.
The Royal Islander Hotel has an "All You Can Eat Buffet" at their Goombay Native Show which is feataured on Saturday, Tuesday and Thursday nights at 6:30 p.m. showcasing fire dance, steel drums, and more.
Accommodations consist of 100 air conditioned rooms with fairly standard decor, nonetheless clean and comfortable. Most rooms overlook the courtyard and pool. All rooms have one king size or two queen size beds with headboard, a lamp atop a night table between the beds, tiled floors, cable TV, radio, telephone and sliding windows not all the way to the floor. Matching drapes and bedspreasds. In one corner of the room, there's a small cocktail size table with 2 chairs by the window. In room safes are available for a price.
Relax by the poolside with an ice cold "Kalik" beer or a tropical drink like a "Bahama Mama" or "Yellowbird." There's a poolside bar and grill.
You have to give a deposit for everything at this hotel including towels, using the phone (even for local calls), plus a 75 cent surcharge per local call.
The restaurant at the Royal Islander Hotel has a great menu with affordable dinner specials served from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Some of the dinner specials are as follows: Chikkeria Pasta (sauteed chicken breast and mushrooms in fresh basil and tomato sauce served over linguini pasta) for about $7.00; Red Snapper of Mahi-Mahi Fillet (panfried or steamed in creole tomato sauce or blackened) for about $8.95; Top Sirloin Steak and Shrimps (tender steak and breaded shrimp) for about $9.75; Shrimp Scampi Pasta (shrimps sauteed in creamy garlic & basil sauce and tossed with penne pasta) for about $8.50. All pasta dishes are served with a house salad. All the other specials (other than pasta dishes) are served with a house salad, parsley potatoes or rice and vegetable. Just remember that most restaurants in the Bahamas add an automatic 15% service gratuity charge to the bills.
Some restaurants don't add a 15% service gratuity to their bills such as Ruby Swiss & Zorba's and Fatman's Nephew so if you eat at any of those restaurants, please leave a generous tip to the waiter or waitress.
This hotel is centrally and conveniently located within close proximity of the International Bazaar shopping complex, the main straw market, the Bahamas Princess Hotels, and the Princess Casino.
Don't forget the $18.00 departure tax which has to be paid IN CASH only, payable upon your departure at either Freeport International Airport or Freeport Harbour.
Night life in the area of the Royal Islander would consist of the Casino, dancing at the John B. Lounge (an open air outdoor bar by the poolside of the Bahamas Princess Country Club), Kaptain Kenny's (next to the International Bazaar) which is loud and a bit rowdy at times, mostly appealing to the "under 30" crowd.
You should visit Port Lucaya Marketplace & Marina which is a waterfront complex with shops, bars and restaurants in the Lucaya area, opposite the mega-complex, the new Lucayan Hotel, which is scheduled to open its Phase 1 (there are 2 more phases to go) by April 1, 1999. There is free nightly entertainment in the center square under the gazebo in Port Lucaya. It's a nice environment, safe for children, and fun for adults.
I hope you will enjoy your stay in Freeport, Grand Bahama Island.
Best regards
Carrie
carriek5@hotmail.com
At 08:43:45 PST on 03-02-99, trchaffins wrote:
>I am travelling to the Bahamas in a month, and I was wondering if anyone has ever stayed at the Royal Islander Hotel in Freeport? If so, how was it?
>
>Thanks
Carrie
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