Atlantis Resort Paradise Island Bahamas

In 1968, singer Donovan sang "Way down.... below the ocean" about the lost city/continent of Atlantis (quite a few centuries after Plato brought the whole idea up). The Atlantis Resort on Paradise Island, across the harbor from Nassau, Bahamas, is a truly unique experience and, with one of the most incredible aquariums on the planet, you can take a very long stroll or enjoy a superb meal "below the ocean". This page is a short and simple overview, from a Midwesterner, at a vacation resort that is more than a bit overwhelming, hoping to give you a good feel for a place you may want to look into in more depth or start saving up to visit.

Or walking mere feet from some of the worlds most opulant and expensive yachts in the resort's private harbor, Atlantis keeps you gawking. In the main lobby rotunda, there seems to be more marble than in a Roman cathedral, with aquatic sculpture and paintings filling the huge space. In one direction off the lobby is the casino, in another direction, at least a quarter mile of high-end shopping and very good restaurants in a variety of cuisines, a movie theater and even a comedy club.. The aforementioned aquarium starts in the lower level of the lobby and stretches the entire length of one of the six guest-building complexes on the property. As you might imagine, the accommodations range from very nice to get-out-a-here opulent. You can get a look at the "Bridge Suite" (rumored to be $25,000 a night), which connects the two Royal Towers buildings like, well, a bridge, in the movie "After The Sunset" with Pierce Brosnen and Selma Hayak (pretty good caper movie).

And Atlantis makes the most of it. There's a waterpark you can enjoy for days with unique and breathtaking slides, Dolphin Cay for interaction with those elegant creatures, ocean beaches, plenty of great pools and a wonderful golf course. There is also art in the form of fountains, water features and sculptures throughout the grounds that you'll really enjoy, especially in the evening hours. There is a harbor side village with more shopping and eating and clubbing in the shadow of those big yachts. It's easy to get around Atlantis by walking or the shuttles for areas a bit more distant. An important note: the resort is laid out so if you are going with children, it's fantastic, and if it is an adult trip, you can enjoy just about everything without noticing the kiddo's.

Finally, a highlight of a stay at Atlantis for an adult couple would have to be a dinner at The Dune restaurant. The Dune is not actually in the resort but if you are staying at the resort you may make a reservation and an Atlantis shuttle bus will take you there. It's located in the One & Only Club, a very, very tasteful and expensive place to stay and a haven for the gliterati (Oprah etc) when they are in the Bahamas. You can get a glimpse of the O&O in the James Bond movie Casino Royale; it's where Daniel Craig is mistaken for a valet and where he gets into a casual card game. The Dune defines simple elegance and has one of the best, if not the best oceanside views on the island. Plan on a $100-$200 for a nice meal for two....it's worth it.

There may be a thing or two over on Providence Island outside the resort you may want to do, like go to Stuarts Cove or visit the straw market across the bridge in Nassau, but frankly, if I get a chance to go back, I'd just stay in the Atlantis resort...it's nicer, safer, fun and beautiful.