Cape Santa Maria Beach Resort — Hotel in Long Island

Location, location, location can not be over stated! Truly amazing position overlooking crystal clear, mesmerizing Caribbean turquoise water. Those who come to Long Island, S. Bahamas, do so to be one with that gorgeous water without having to simultaneously share it with a crowd; at most, no more than a few other folks at any given short period of time, as most of the time, you have the beach, no matter which one on the island, to yourself. Yet, the beach that kisses Cape Santa Maria Resort (CSMR) is more so secluded as it’s a guest only restricted location and per my husband and my experience, all else-the resort itself, the staff, our bungalow suite, and the food complimented their alluring view. We went in late July, and though I had prepared for battling biting flies-no-serums/ sand flies per many reviews, there were none to speak of -not even at dust or dawn, just as our friendly and informative Taxi driver, Rad, advised -there are only seasons for which the biting sand flies are problematic and it is not in July. We enjoyed every meal at the resort and most especially two dinners at Eagle’s Nesting Restaurant; the owners, which the wife is the chef and their grand daughter who assists as the host/server make you feel like family; If you appreciate high quality ingredients, home-made, really good Caribbean food with a gourmet presentation, it’s a must restaurant to experience! I will stress the importance of patience when waiting for your meal- anywhere on this paradise island…they are not serving in New York City…so leave that fast minute there & adjust quickly to Caribbean Island life mode and in the case of the food at Eagle’s Nesting Restaurant, it’s so worth it -the chef doesn’t have 2+other helpers in the kitchen either so consideration should quell impatience. I read many reviews before deciding to book my stay, and I am so glad I stuck with common sense logic that recognizes if only 30% & under reviews are negative, take those with a grain of salt, unless you do suffer from a personality disorder or have unrealistic expectations that places you within that minority group. Mind Set=Experience so it’s important to know about the area your looking to visit to ensure your ability to properly adjust, and if not compatible, recognize your limitations & delete it from your options to avoid a disappointing vacation that will impel an unjust location and /or facility review. This Island is remote- it’s beautiful, yet Not for everyone! There’s no cruise ships or regular airport bringing in a constant influx of folks and food shipment comes 1xweek…so there will be items on the menu that won’t be available till the next shipment, and it’s not the island for night club parties nor is it Turks n Cacaos. If you prefer to be one of the attractions while on vacation, wear a different outfit everyday, and be served hand & foot, stay at a Sandals in the other more popular islands. Long Island is about enjoying the areas natural habitant, it’s people and their food. A general research about the Bahamas, it’s economy, it’s people and their struggle will be most beneficial when factoring a vacation stay. As for our stay, we met the friendliest folks, both in the resort and around the island, willing to quickly help. Yes, there were folks that needed that extra gesture of understanding & a kind word to bring them out of there troubles and smile, and you may wait a few minutes more to be recognized…so..you’re on vacation on a beautiful island- if you must focus on those moments, go to more populated island to complain about staff. Travel Tip: taxi rides are expensive, (2023 prices): $120-130 from Deadmans Cay to CSMR n $30-40 to Stella Maris airport, yet if you like to visit all the popular sites on the island, consider a taxi tour if viable vs renting a car; we rented a car & only hit 2 of 6 destinations as most locations aren’t marked & side roads look like private driveways -most are unpaved w/ huge pot holes; at the end of the day, we may have saved some money yet missed many of the...

The good:||The hotel's beach is stunning. There is no denying that. Probably the most beautiful beach we've stayed at as a family. The hotel itself is definitely a bit dated and shows many signs of wear throughout, but housekeeping does a very good job at keeping it clean and sand-free, so that was nice. ||||The rooms are quite spacious which is also very nice and the screened-in porch is great for hanging out to catch a break from the sun. ||||We enjoyed falling asleep to nothing but the sound of the ocean every night. It's a quiet resort, which we appreciated. ||||The bad: ||Sand flies are a force to be reckoned with--but that's not the hotel's fault. Just be prepared with the strongest bug spray you've ever used. The bites last for up to two months, leave nasty scars, and itch a thousand times worse than any mosquito bite. They are most active at dawn and dusk. ||||Service: ||The hotel service was borderline hostile and we've never experienced anything quite like it and have been to plenty of other islands in the Bahamas and Caribbean. ||||There's a 15% tip automatically added to your bill and we'd usually leave a little extra to get it to 20% as that felt like the right thing to do. There was one meal we didn't do that because we just forgot and were in a rush--and lord have mercy on our souls. The waitress huffed and puffed to express her disgust. We should have made it right in the moment, but the kids had run down the beach so we had to chase after them. ||||The waitress would talk about us to other servers as soon as we entered the one and only restaurant each and every time. It was awkward and made for some unpleasant service. ||||We didn't forget to tip after that!!! We weren't trying to be cheap. We recognize that the people who live and work there have extremely limited employment opportunities and that it's a very hard life. But to be iced out by the staff like that was a bummer. We were not rude to the staff. We were friendly and appreciative. We even had a very open convo with a bartender about how hard life is for people on the island. We fully understand the optics of a bunch of white tourists coming to a place like Long Island without a care in the world, and not opening their wallets. Is it hard to get excited about opening your wallet when the staff is so icy? YES-- but we did it (with that ONE accidental exception) because we are not pricks. ||||Also--be prepared to wait for your food for up to two hours. I understand Island Time. But with two hungry kiddos in tow, it becomes a bit problematic. Drinks take 45 mins on average--including beer!! ||||We've experienced leisurely service on plenty of islands-- but nothing like this. Never ever had to wait two hours for a burger. ||||Upon checking out, the woman at the front desk asked us what time our flight was. When my husband told her, she scoffed loudly--and he said "what does that mean?" and she didn't respond. Turns out Bahamas Air will lock you out of a flight if you don't get there an hour before. NO ONE TOLD US--THOUGH THEY COULD HAVE!! ||||The hotel needs to help people out with simple things like that. It should be stated somewhere upon check-in and definitely during check out that you will be locked out of a flight if you're not there an hour prior. ||||Our friends we were traveling with got to the airport at 9:05 for a 10am flight and were told they couldn't get on, and the next open flight was days later. After nearly an hour of negotiations and crying children, they finally let them onto a flight that had PLENTY of seats. ||||If hostile service is your cup of tea--go for it. Otherwise, find a different resort and visit the beautiful beaches on Long Island...

We just left paradise on Apr. 16th 2024. Best vacation last year and best vacation this year. ||Some challenges to get yourself and family to the resort. Yes, the roads are not so good and in some places full of pot holes. Go 40mph or less and easy enough to navigate. It takes some time once you land at Deadman's Cay airport to get to the resort. Rental cars or taxi's? Because of the pot holes, the residents and rental agencies will have issues with their cars. If you want to adventure, I suggest you get a rental. Taxi's are expensive. ||We decided to visit the Blue Hole for snorkeling. The fish are unreal and they like to interact with you. Its a very bumpy road, so go slow. We decided to have lunch at Flying Fish Marina. The view is really breathtaking. The colors of the water are amazing. Last year we saw a bunch of lemon sharks, but this year we saw only a turtle. Very cool. We wanted to visit Coconut Bay or Stella Maris Resort, but we wanted to get back to the beach. || Now, let's talk about the money. You are at one of the outer islands. It has its own vibe. Everything must be shipped or flown in. We made sure we made happy hour to get our drinks. The rum bunch and pina colada drinks were the best as were the complimentary conch fritters. They are so addicting. Loved the grouper! Food was very good with no issues. Yes, its a bit slow, but its Island Time. Get used to it. ||There are other restaurants you can visit. CSM is great and very convenient. Tiny's I hear is very good, but will get to it next year. We also heard the Stella Maris Resort restaurant was very good. Just hate to miss happy hour and our free conch fritters. There are many more, but you need to find out when open. Find the phone number and give a call. ||The CSM staff are all top notch! Many remembered us from last year. Our bungalow was clean. Steps from the most beautiful beach we have ever seen. The bed was perfect and we slept so good. Couple little things needed fixed. The new GM told us they are going through every Villa and Bungalow to ensure concerns are addressed. ||The staff welcomed us when we slowed up and worked hard to get our room ready. We were a bit early for check in. Our dinners were fantastic. You can eat downstairs in the bar our go up to the big dining room. Fans will keep you cool while you eat. I never saw any of the staff on cell phones and all were working hard to make our stay special. Now to be fair, I go out to treat everybody with respect and find out how their life is. What is truly Long Island life. Talk to these people. Make friends! Our bill was spot on! ||When you visit, ask for Jasmine. She will take good care of you. Also a special shout out to Stephanie. She has the most amazing smile and one of the most friendliest person I have met. ||Now the most important part of the trip. The beach, the view, and the sunsets. You cannot ask for better! They have bikes, boards and kayaks. Always fun to use. Snorkeling can also be a fun activity and go to the inlet on the north side. Saw some very cool fish especially a barracuda. Also a small nurse shark lives in the inlet and sometimes comes out to visit the beach. Also saw a ray which my wife was always looking out for. ||Just an incredible time and cannot wait to do it...