Expert: Michael - 6/5/2004

Question
Michael, nice to meet you.
My husband and our 16 yr. old daughter are traveling to Bermuda in late July.  We have reservations at the Pink Beach Club and also at Pompano Beach.  Are you familiar with either or both properties?  Could you recommend one over the other, and if so, why?  Our family vacations typically involve sightseeing / shopping in the mornings, and time at the beach /by the pool in the afternoons.  Any suggestions are welcome.  Thank you for your advice.

Answer
Hello Carol,

You give me a tuff question.  First of all I have only been to Pompano.  A great place.  Food, service, typical Bermudian flavor/ambiance.

There i s no question that Pink Beach Club offers the same.  It too is highly regarded.  I knew a Bermudian gentleman that once worked the bar at Pink Beach.  If he was typical for the types that were employed by the club throughout then it would certainly be an addition.

Pompano is a bit away from Hamiton and twice that distance from St. George.  The bus service runs often by the resort.  The beach offers a small sanded beach but once in the water it is shallow for about a quarter mile, or probably even more.  The pool is delightful and overlooks the ocean.  The water here is calm as the shoreline is protected by the reefs.  After an afternoon of shopping you will find the distance from the entrance where the bus drops you off, to the resort, not pleasant if you walk it.  However, Pompano will provide you a pick up.  We enjoyed our stay there to a high dergree and would not hesitate to return if there were not so many other places to try.

Pink Beach Club is also enjoys recognition in The Bermuda Collection which you probably know is a highly regarded group of small resorts/cottage colonies.  The are most east along the southshore.  In Tuckers Town.  A quiet area, as is Pompano, and does not offer bus transportation more than once an hour.  Would this be a problem for you?  If you are utilizing mopeds then I would think not.  The beach is still on the southshore but not parallel to the reefs, so to speak.  This will make the surf more beachy.  Rolling waves etc.  An educated guess would have me thinking that the beach at Pink may be better unless the idea of shallow for a great distance sounds good to you, and more of it.  The location is half the distance to Hamilton that Pompano is and ditto for St. George.  You could easily do a morning of shopping in Hamilton and still have energy for an enjoyable afternoon staying at Pink.  If you caught the bus right, a visit to St. George would not take most of your day.  The Swizzle Inn, Crystal Caves, Perfume Factory and Ice Crean parlor are on the bus route you would be on.  But again, it runs on the hour inbound and outbound.

Because I already stayed at Pompano my selection would be Pink Beach.  I do not say this to sway you and would be reluctant to sway you with a definative recommendation.  That is because wherever you select will be outstanding.  

Carol, once you make your selction, don't second guess your choice.  You will love Bermuda!    

Happy planning!
Michael