Riu Paradise Island Hotel

My wife and I just got back celebrating our 15th wedding anniversary. Our trip was from Feb 3rd thru Feb 6th and we stayed at the Sheraton based on reviews we read prior to our trip. Our deluxe room was on the 11th floor overlooking the ocean. The room was nice but nothing really fancy. I was suprised the bathroom did not have a exhaust fan especially after a shower. Their is a safe in the room if you bring alot of cash ($2 a day charge). They also have a mini fridge stocked with juice and snacks. Beware, they tried charging us once for a juice we never took. The front desk was quite friendly and waived the charge. The pool is nothing special but you can swim in the ocean or pay a daily fee and use Atlantis's facilities (pools, slides etc.) The food at the Sheraton was very good. The only drawback is the 15% tip is added to your bill and their service is slow and sometimes not at all. We had an excellent meal for our anniversary on Wednesday night at the Rotiserri (not sure on the spelling) restaurant in the Sheraton. We both ordered Surf & Turf with a baked potato. We had to ask three times for extra butter for our baked potato. We finally gave up and used the melted butter from the Lobster. The breakfast buffet at the Sheraton is excellent also. Although here again is the 15% tip and this is a buffet. We heard the food at Atlantis is very good also but quite more expensive. We did have a fish fry at Atlantis that was located on the beach which was a very nice snack. Our thoughts you can pay 3 or 4 times more to stay at the Atlantis if you want, but why? Atlantis is a 5 minute walk from the Sheraton. We spent alot of time at the Atlantis Hotel (casino, shops, & beach) and didn't have to spend the big money. If your a slot player the slots at the Atlantis are the tightest I've seen. Be prepared to take taxi cabs everywhere you go. $27 from airport to the Sheraton. $18 from Sheraton to Crystal Palace. $9 from Sheraton to Downtown (Straw Market, Duty-free shops etc.)Also their is a travel club located in the Sheraton hotel. They will offer you free breakfast which is nothing special and $50 to go through this sales orientation. They are pretty pushy but just hold your ground say "no" and collect the free $50 dollars.We had a great time....

My fiancee, step-son and I just got back from the Bahamas and we had a great time. We decided to stay at the Shearton mainly because it was all inclusive. We found the hotel itself to be nice and the staff was very friendly. Checking in was quick, but our room was not as nice as we expected. I would also recommend getting the in room safe even though it costs extra. The pool was not that great, and their were seagulls all over the place because of the pool side snack bar. Another hassle was signing for everything, especially if no one has a pen. They should go to a wristband system like most other all inclusive resorts. On the plus side the beach was nice! the sand was clean and there were plenty of chairs to use. The restaurants were great and the breakfast buffet was awesome. Another great feature was that Atlantis was so close. It only takes a few minutes to walk over but be careful, in order to use most of their stuff (waterslides, pool) you must be a registered guest. Even to go through the aquarium costs $25 for adults and $19 for kids and that is all you get, no pool, no nothing! Getting back to the Sheraton, we just expected more, but the Sheraton is not a four star resort, so if you are looking for just an average experience go to the Sheraton, but if you want more to do at you hotel, I would suggest going to Atlantis, especially if you have kids.

Trip dates February 12-16, 2004. I wouldn't recommend this hotel to anyone. I read a lot of reviews before we left for the Bahamas, but felt we have very positive attitudes and would have a great time anywhere. Wrong ! The lobby entrance has a lot to be desired...needs to pick up on the Bahamian style, just a Blah feeling upon arrival. The pool is just pitiful. The outside "Cafe and Grill", absolutely digusting. Everything just appears to be dirty ! The Verandah restaurant inside is just blah also. The guest rooms appear to be recently renovated within the last couple of years, really nothing negative to say about the room, or shout about being great, just ok. We booked a "Deluxe Room" which is suppose to put you "closer to the ocean" than the superior room. Wrong !! We were given a room almost at the opposite side of where the ocean was, we were looking at the roof top of the Beach Club next door. We asked to move to a better room since we were suppose to be in a "Deluxe Ocean View Room" . The front desk agent moved us 4 more doors down. Thanks...but no cigar ! Bottom line: I wouldn't stay here again, ever. Next time if I am on a budget I would book the Comfort Suites (which really isn't a suite but has a mini refrigerator), it is small and cozy, right across an easy street to cross from the Atlantis, cute little pool with outside grill which appeared clean and presentable, and also get the access to the Atlantis amenities with your stay. Continental breakfast is also served daily at the Comfort Suites, that will easily save you $15.00 per person in your group. The Atlantis "Tower" rooms really seem the way to go if you are going to travel all the way to the Bahamas and want a great hotel and exciting amenities that are endless.

My boyfriend and I just got back from the Bahamas on February 8th. We had spent 12 days at the Sheraton on Paradise Island. It was our first vacation like this, so it was definetly a learning experience. When we first arrived it was almost what we expected. I think at first we were a bit turned off by the time share people in the lobby at the Sheraton. They are behind a desk, and if they notice that you may look new, or need help, they'll pretend like they are going to help you, until you get over there, then getting away is not easy. But after the first time you talk to them, after that, every time they tried to get us to the desk, we told them no politely. The beach is beautiful. I got asked every day if I wanted my hair braided : ). We did some swimming in the ocean, we had beautiful weather the whole time we were there. It was great. Atlantis, which is right next door, is okay. I thought at first, that I wanted to stay there, if you do the tour of the area and get it out of your system, it's just as good to stay at the sheraton. On our third day, we ended up switching rooms. We didn't have any cable. They were working on upgrading the system. So, they upgraded our room, no quesitions asked! They are wonderful to work with at the hotel. The concierge is a great person! We worked with him on a couple of occasions, such a pleasant person. My boyfriend and I went all-inclusive. It was nice, but by our 8th day, we were tired of the restaurants. They only have 2 for dinner. If you like seafood, you may not be as tired of it, as we were. The breakfast buffet is wonderful! We really enjoyed that. If you get the opportunity, you should go over to Blue lagoon island and do the dolphin encounter, it is worth the money! The island is gorgeous and it's a nice boat trip. Parasailing was nice too, you get to see so much. In all honesty, I can't say too many bad things about our trip, only one thing....if you are planning on leaving the Bahamas on a weekend, change it, seriously! it was the worst experience I have ever encountered in my life! We got there 3 and 1/2 hours early, and the shuttle bus was late! Anyways, we got there early, and it still took us the whole time to get through! And, you carry your luggage the whole way throught the air port, they don't take it from you until right before you get on the plane! Other than that, it was a learning experience, the only thing we plan on doing different, if we go back, is possibly stay at Sandals where the dinner selection is a bit larger. If you have any questions about the hotel please contact me, I would be more than happy to answer any. trisha and ted

My boyfriend and I just returned from a weekend at the Sheraton Grand Resort Paradise Island, Jan. 30 - Feb. 1. The weather report said Rainy all weekend, however we got a few showers here and there, so don't worry - rain in the caribbean passes really fast! After reading reviews, I knew going down there for just a weekend, it wouldn't be worth the money to stay at Atlantis. Upon arrival we took a cab from the airport to the hotel ($27.00) - it's better than paying for the Majestic Tours shuttle bus because you don't have to wait and it's cheaper. We requested a room that was odd numbered (faces the poolside, and a glimpse of the top Atlantis) and our room wasn't ready, so we lounged around, had lunch at their cafe by the pool-decent food for high prices. Our room (829) was nice, full ocean view, close to the ocean, and clean. Honestly though, at this Sheraton, don't expect a posh room nor a decorative room, - you get what you pay for- spacioius room, a bit run down and just decent. The pool is hardly impressive (definetly could do some renovation to it) ...The beach was nice, very helpful staff, however the drinks were a bit watered down (request no ice if you can). The lifeguards were very good about keeping the cruise boat people away from our area and ensuring that this was only for Sheraton guests. As for restaurants and food, we mostly ate at Atlantis- Murray's is definetly worth checking out (get the Tuna Melt!) as well as the Bahamian Grill (the Mixed Grill and Chocolate dessert were to die for!). Atlantis is fun to hang out at and quite grandiose, sometimes a bit much like a mall. There's a lot going on, casino, aquarium, etc. If you want to save money, stay at the Sheraton and walk over to Atlantis! Also, beware of the Concierge desk at the Sheraton- we simply asked them when breakfast was over and she was very pushy about some timeshare presentation she wanted us to go to. Overall, the Bahamas has a beautiful beach, great for relaxing and soaking up paradise. The people are friendly and when it's time to leave, you don't want to go home! The Sheraton Grand is a 3 star hotel and if they renovated it, it could be as impressive as Atlantis!

We just came back from spending a weekend in Nassau, Bahamas (Jan 23 to 25). We spent the 1st night in Sheraton Grand and the other night in Comfort Inn - across the street. Sheraton treated us really nicely. They upgraded us to Suite with ocean view. Though the suite is no comparable to typical Sheraton suite in the US, this was a very nice room and had a very nice view. We even fell asleep on the sofa listening to the ocean wave. Given that we only paid $139/ night with AAA discount, we thought this was a good deal! It is true that food is really expensive in this island. So we always ate out. Make sure you try Anthony's Grill - across from the hotel - very good bbq jerk ribs. Also try Conch Fritters at downtown and Chez Willie for Sunday Brunch - excellent guava duff (local desert)! My recommendation to people who want to enjoy Atlantis' facility and yet enjoying the beautiful beach without paying Atlantis price is to stay 1st at Comfort Inn hotel and enjoy the Atlantis pool, etc and then stay at Sheraton to relax and be away from the hustle and bustle. The only bad experience I got from this trip is one of my phone in my room didn't work. When I checked out, I mentioned this to the front desk and they awarded me some Starwood points. I think Sheraton really did a nice job to ensure people enjoy their stay! When we go back to Nassau, we will definitely stay there again! This was the best Carribean weekend we've ever done....

My husband and I just returned from a 3 night stay at the Sheraton. We had a nice view of the ocean and our room was great. The hotel was extremely clean and the staff was very friendly and accomodating. We were very pleased with the Sheraton as it is directly next door to the Atlantis. We had breakfast at the Sheraton and dinner at the Market Place in the Atlantis. The weather in January is a little cooler (80) but we found it to be very nice. The previous reviewer mentioned dirty beaches...we disagree. The sand and water was clean and beautiful. We were in walking distance of stores and other sights. As far as time share people, they are in every hotel, on every carribean island. Tourism is there business. Just say NO!

Oh My God!!! My husband and I wera here over Memorial Day Weekend 2003. It was not what we expected. Our room faced the pool so ugly! The pool was awful, dirty beaches. We had to walk down the beach everyday to just find clean sand. The Timeshare folks in the lobby wear so PUSHY! Come to Pl with a lot of money to spend. We ended up finding cheap places to eat but will never go back. This is not the quality of Sheraton we expected and are still very disappointed with the shabbyness of this hotel. YUCK!

Had a great time on Paradise Island. I searched for several hotels in the area and opted for the Sheraton and am glad I did. So many people I know just HAD to stay at the Atlantis. The Sheraton is right next door and has the same view. I can't see why anyone would want to pay more to stay there. Inside the hotel are four restaurants and an open air bar. The travel agency I used arranged for an all-inclusive deal. I was very surprised at the quality of meals I enjoyed each night including the view which was oceanside. The staff was most accomodating and met my every request and I'm certain I would return to this hotel again. The room was wonderful and had every feature and comfort that any 4 star hotel here in the U.S. Marvin Eleazer

The people in the Bahamas and at the Sheraton are the nicest people in the world. Very friendly and they bend over backwards to make your vacation stay very nice. The facilities were modern and clean, and the housekeeping service was great. The beach is gorgeous; but, the surf and undertow in the Bahamas is quite high in December. There is a magnificent snorkeling reef to the right as you face the ocean; but, it is a 30 minute walk. You will see fan worms, eels, and lots of fish. For food, eat at Julies in the hotel. Modest prices and great food. Down the street is Anthony's, modestly priced, good music, and great food. Across the outgoing bridge is an inexpensive Chinese restaurant with good food and a fabulous sushi restaurant. Also, don't miss "Conch Fritters" in downtown Nassau. The Poop Deck is another great restaurant across the bridge, to the left. If you are into diving, call Stuart Cove. Very qualified people. They will pick you up at the hotel...but, be prepared for an hour ride each way. Nitrox is available. As you go out of the hotel to the street, turn left, then turn right (I think it is Lakeview) and feed the ducks on the two little ponds. The white Ibis will also come near you for breat; but, not right up to you like the ducks. Continue down the road, turn left, and look for the cloisters on the right. Very photogenic place. We especially liked the Bahamas because we weren't accosted by time share salemen at the airport and on the streets as you see in Cancun. Our vacation was very relaxing. George and Gloria