Bachelorette parties are pretty epic. The first one I ever went to was in Las Vegas and I was all about the bride vibes and girl power. Seriously, even if I didn’t really know some of the other girls beforehand, we were always great friends afterward!
My best friend, Sara, is getting married in March and we decided to have her bachelorette party a little early so her sister from Hong Kong could be there. We all agreed on Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, but then her sister decided to give her the ultimate surprise – a bachelorette party at the Atlantis in the Bahamas!
The Atlantis, Paradise Island Bahamas
The Atlantis on Paradise Island is a Marriott Autograph Collection hotel. I’ve stayed in a few Autograph Collection hotels from Savannah to Tampa to London and they are all really special in their own ways. I had visited Atlantis in the past when cruise ships docked in Nassau, but I’ve never actually stayed there until now. Located about a 40-minute drive from the Nassau airport, the Atlantis is huuuuge. With multiple wings, dozens of restaurants, a casino, shopping and more, it is almost like having the bachelorette party on a cruise. It’s just not all inclusive. And you’re reminded that with every credit card swipe. 😉
Overall, the bachelorette party at the Atlantis was an amazing experience. If I could go back, I would’ve begged my girls to hop on the hour-long flight to spend my own bachelorette here! If you’re looking for the perfect combination of relaxation, fun, and girl-time, there’s no reason not to have a bachelorette party here!
Rooms at the Coral Towers
We stayed in the Coral Towers at Atlantis. A short walk from the main building, this wing was the more affordable option for our November weekend. I’ve read that rates can change often, so just double check the different towers/locations for the best rates. Sometimes, Atlantis will have promotions or resort credits available on different websites like hotels.com.
We had our driver from the airport to the hotel stop at a local liquor store for us where we stocked up on some beer, wine, and vodka. We knew making some drinks in the room would be way cheaper than relying 100% on drinks from the bars. Both rooms had a mini-refrigerator, perfect for keeping the drinks cold.
With six of us going, we had to get two rooms. But with the rooms adjoined, it was perfectly spacious. We had 4 beds, 2 bathrooms, and all the space we needed to celebrate, play games, get ready together, and sip on drinks. Oh, and the bottled water might be $8 a piece in the room, but you’ll get a bunch of coupons upon check-in that allows you to trade in one coupon for two bottles of water at any bar! Hallelujah for free water!
Bachelorette Goodies
For any bachelorette anywhere in the world, there are a few basics to make it feel like a special party! The maid of honor, Sarah, somehow packed all the goodies in her carry on for everyone. She created goodie bags with Bride’s Babes shirts, customized wine Corkcicles, hangover kits, face masks, three games, and a personalized itinerary. They were sooo cute and I topped off each bag with flower crowns.
Reach out to @therelatablecreatable for personalized bags, signage, etc!
Another game that we brought to the room is a fun little game involving panties. Each girl purchased a pair of undies or two for the bride. We hung them up with string and clothespins which make for adorable decorations. Before we went to dinner the first night, we had the bride guess who bought what. If she got it right, us girls had to drink. If she got it wrong, she had to drink. Some of them were hilarious, like red fuzzy boy shorts. Other pairs were sexy, comfy, or had dogs on them because Sara loves dogs. This game has been a hit at every bachelorette party I’ve been to. I remember Sara got me undies made of candy for my own bachelorette. 😂
Restaurants at the Atlantis
The restaurant options at the Atlantis are incredible. Again, there’s something for everyone. But, like everything else, it can be pretty expensive. We chose to make reservations at the Steakhouse, Nobu, and Olives. By the last night, we decided to cancel our reservation at Olives and hit up the pizza restaurant.
Seafire Steakhouse: We ate here on our first night on the island. It was divine! Almost all of us got a four-course meal and enjoyed every bite. They even had a lobster mac n’ cheese! Each cocktail rang up around $16 each, so I’m glad we had a happy hour in the room beforehand.
Nobu: There is only one Nobu in the Caribbean and it’s at the Atlantis! None of us had eaten at a Nobu restaurant before, and again, it blew us away. The food was so delicious. The crispy beef wagyu tacos were expensive, but I would spend the money again because they were that good.
Marina Pizzeria: On our last night, we decided some pizza would do and it totally didn’t disappoint. This is the perfect place to grab a slice or an entire pie.
Lagoon Bar: We got our first round of Miami Vice’s here and the bartender knew we were there to party. 😉
Pirate Republic Taproom: Just a short walk from the Atlantis, we all enjoyed craft beers, pretzel bites with beer cheese, and lunch here! You also get a view of the multi-million dollar yachts that are docked nearby.
Entertainment at the Atlantis
A bachelorette party at the Atlantis is so easy because of all the entertainment. Whether the bride loves shopping, slot machines, dancing, or lounging by the pool, there’s something for everyone.
One night, the bride and I were the only ones with energy and we headed to the casino. Another night, we all hit up the bar and dance floor at Dragon’s, located just steps away from the casino. Another night we all tried gambling, but quickly realized we’d rather save our money for the drinks. 😜 Because boy, were we right about drink prices! Our go-to poolside drink to start the day was a Miami Vice with extra rum. It rang up at a whopping $30 – per drink (because they charge for two drinks with the extra floater). Ouch. Lucky for us, one frozen drink was enough to fill us up and get us a little tipsy.
The Atlantis has pools, beaches, kids water parks, water slides, lazy rivers, a theater, marine experiences, paddle boarding, snorkeling, golfing, a spa, pottery painting, and so much more. The list goes on and on. You could spend hours walking around the property and looking at stingrays, sharks, turtles, tropical fish, and other marine life. That’s why I think it’s such an amazing place for couples, families, bachelorette parties, and any other kind of trip. You could stay for weeks and be entertained with something new every single day.
We also met up with a local photographer
If you know me, you know a few professional photos is kinda my thing on vacations. I’m a big fan of Flytographer, but their photographer was booked so I took a chance with Local Lens. While the concierge experience wasn’t as great as Flytographer, we absolutely loved our photographer and the photos he captured for us. No matter what you’re going to Atlantis for, it’s probably worth getting some professional photos while you’re there!
Hospitality
I wasn’t sure if I was going to write about this or not, but I don’t think I’m being fair to you if I don’t. The one thing that really surprised me during the bachelorette party at the Atlantis, was the lack of wonderful service. Our check-in was a breeze, the food was great, our room was clean, but when it came down to it, the service was pretty poor at many locations.
From our first dinner to poolside servers, the service was just okay. We noticed early on that they add a 15% tip to your bill and on top of that, there’s a 12% tax. I’m assuming that because they’re guaranteed the 15% tip, they don’t feel the need to go above and beyond for the guests. And I get it, a job in hospitality can be exhausting, so maybe their A-game just wasn’t on by the time we rolled around to order. It’s just something to be prepared for if you visit. 🤷
I don’t want to clump every employee into this “poor service” category. After all, Atlantis employs around 9,000 people (I got that number from our driver) and we interacted with a tiny fraction of them. We did have some great bartenders, some friendly faces in the hallway, and a few servers that genuinely seemed to care. However, I decided to stop getting offended when others were just this side of rude. I lowered my expectations for the interactions and therefore, I wasn’t continually disappointed.
But, With That Said
I would totally go here again and again! The Atlantis blew me away with all of the activities, restaurant options, and amenities. You can personalize your entire trip to make it a once-in-a-lifetime experience. So, I can truly say I can’t wait to go back one day with my husband, one day with my family, and maybe even another girls getaway!
It would be hard to have a bad time during a bachelorette party at the Atlantis. So if you’re thinking of going for a girls trip or a couples trip or whatever, you’ll love it.
