Grotto Bay Bahamas

Grotto Bay Bahamas

Traveller (45)
View from deck
Room & Suite (8)
A nurse shark passing by at the beach
Pool & Beach (6)

View prices for your travel dates

Contact accommodation for availability.
There are similar hotels available.
View all
Did you already book this hotel?
Tell us so we can help you plan.

About

5.0
#1 of 2 lodges in Long Island
4.9 of 5 bubbles
Location
4.9 of 5 bubbles
Rooms
4.9 of 5 bubbles
Value
4.9 of 5 bubbles
Cleanliness
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Service
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sleep Quality
Grotto Bay Bahamas is a private beach front rental property on Long Island, Bahamas. The Turtle Suite includes a bathroom with a shower, a vanity with sink, coffeemaker, microwave, mini-fridge, TV, DVD player, DVD and book library, and queen sized bed. The private beach includes activities such as kayaking, paddle boarding, fishing, horseshoes, snorkeling and swimming. There is also a natural cave for exploring. Island tours, fishing trips, and even scuba diving can be arranged! A guest kitchen is fully equipped, and a wrap-around deck is just steps away from the beach.
Read more
Suggest edits to improve what we show.Improve this listing
Property amenities
Free parking
Free High Speed Internet (WiFi)
Beach
Children Activities (Kid / Family Friendly)
Non-smoking hotel
Room features
Air conditioning
Kitchenette
Refrigerator
Room types
Non-smoking rooms
Good to know
HOTEL STYLE
Romantic
Charming

Location

Salt Pond Long Island
28Reviews2Q+A8Room tips
Traveller rating
  • 27
  • 0
  • 1
  • 0
  • 0
Time of year
Traveller type
Language
Selected filters
  • Filter
  • English
Sort by:
Detailed Reviews
NRambo wrote a review May 2012
5.0 of 5 bubbles
If you enjoy a peaceful, beachy location, this is IT. The hosts, Jeanie & Kris are warm and delightful. They'll give you everything you need to have a fantastic vacation...from kayaks to snorkeling gear, restaurant recommendations to car rental, they know it all.

Pros: Central local w/ocean views (on the Caribbean side), great communication with the host. Room has a small fridge, coffee maker, microwave, lots of utensils and toaster. Beach towels provided. Grocery store very close. Grill and new outdoor kitchen (right outside room). Kris allowed us to use his cooler to take with us on our day trips. Perfect for drinks and snacks.

Cons: NONE

Tips: You will probably need a car for your entire stay. The north and south ends of the island are a 30-45 min drive and well worth it. Bring the bug spray. Grotto Bay isn't bad, but Cape Santa Maria (north end of the island) seemed to have more sand fleas than anywhere else, AND they have the best sand so you'll wanna stay for a few hours.

Can't say enough about this place. This was our first time to the Bahamas. We didn't know which island to visit first(there are so many to choose from) and feel so fortunate to have found Long Island and Grotto Bay. It's a 50ish min flight to LI from Nassau. Can't wait to go back and bring the family!
Read more
Date of stay: May 2012
5.0 of 5 bubblesValue
5.0 of 5 bubblesRooms
5.0 of 5 bubblesLocation
5.0 of 5 bubblesCleanliness
5.0 of 5 bubblesService
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JohnJackson_13 wrote a review Jan 2014
Vienna, Austria
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Wow, wow,wow. We loved it. Lovely room, nice kitchen next to the rooms outside under the roof. A great extra to just having a room. Microwave in the room as well though and fridge with a bigger fridge outside in the kitchen too. Also a safe in the room and wifi. Shops nearby and petrol station too. The property is very private. The beach is really just for the 2 rooms so even when full probaly only 4 or 5 of you max. Its a small beach with lovely sand, plenty of chairs and a lovely big straw and wood type shade umbrella with built-in wooden table around the middle of it. I spent time just sat there with the great view and a cocktail ( self made in the kitchen )
The water is great, there is a small pebble line at the base of the beach as you walk into the water but that is no problem to get past. There is some snorkelling around some rocks immediately as you get in the water which was fantastic for training my 7 year old daughter to snorkel with confidence. The deck area around the 2 rooms is one of the nicest deck areas I have ever seen and it is in the shade so it is perfect for relaxing if you do not want to be in the beach sun ( 10 metres from beach only ) The area around the deck to the drive and to the beach is very nicely planted. There is a cave about 30 metres away which is really exciting, I only went a third of the way in as the bats where active although harmless ( what a wimp I am ). I guess it is a hundred metres or so deep or maybe much more?
The owners Jean and Kris where the perfect hosts. They checked on us in the morning and the pm to see if we wanted anything, they put together a great info pack in the rooms with restaurant, beach info, all tel numbers you may want. Great info and directions for all things.
If you take the time to speak to them you will find out that they are so nice, completely customer dedicated and so interesting. They have such great stories if you are interested. We spent the last 3 days of December and the 1st and 2nd of January there. New years eve next door in a fantastic restaurant called Island breeze ( approx 400 metres away ) and then on the beach before midnight to see a few fireworks. It is a dream place and myself, my wife and daughter came away from our holiday including staying at a total of 4 hotels in the Bahamas wishing we could buy this place and go there all time. The beaches on this island are a dream by the way.
Such a shame that as we live in Vienna we need 2 days to get there with inter island connections included.
Thank you Kris and Jean. We hope to come back.

PS: most people who come to this island want peace and quiet so in the next room, your only possible neighbours will probaly never bother you. We met a really nice Australian couple there and they where smashing. Hope you enjoyed your funnymoon, nice to meet you.
Read more
Date of stay: January 2014
5.0 of 5 bubblesValue
5.0 of 5 bubblesRooms
5.0 of 5 bubblesLocation
5.0 of 5 bubblesCleanliness
5.0 of 5 bubblesService
5.0 of 5 bubblesSleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip: only 2 rooms, both the same, one next to the kitchen has evening sun on its deck area, one on the...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
KatherineATillman wrote a review Dec 2013
Arrington, Virginia
5.0 of 5 bubbles
We stayed at Grotto Bay for 8 days during Thanksgiving break 2013. My husband and I have children ages 3, 8 and 16, so it's pretty difficult to accommodate everyone's desires. Grotto Bay was amazing! Jean was extremely attentive to our needs, despite not being there during our stay. She arranged the rental car and provided lots of advice on the available activities. We were lucky enough to have visited 2 weeks before the busy season and had the entire place to ourselves. Our three year old was out at sunrise to dig in the sand nearly right outside our door while the other kids woke at a more reasonable hour. We used the fun outdoor kitchen to make a full breakfast before heading out for the day's activity. Our older kids were very happy about the good wifi service so they could text friends, etc. We had tons of fun exploring Long Island by car or kayak, visiting the offshore islands, the famous blue hole and beautiful beaches. From many past experiences visiting other islands of the Bahamas, we expected the restaurants to be sub par. On Long Island, we were happy to find Chez Pierre, one of our favorite spots. We also enjoyed lunch or dinner at Stella Maris, Santa Maria Resort and the Flying Fish Marina. We always look for more secluded yet affordable vacation spots, so this fit our needs perfectly while still offering better than expected amenities. The local people were also very friendly, which we did not necessarily experience on other Bahaminan islands - probably because they are not besieged by tourists as on other islands. Overall, we loved our vacation and would highly recommend to other travelers looking for a quiet, off the beaten path vacation!
Read more
Date of stay: November 2013
5.0 of 5 bubblesValue
5.0 of 5 bubblesRooms
5.0 of 5 bubblesLocation
5.0 of 5 bubblesCleanliness
5.0 of 5 bubblesService
5.0 of 5 bubblesSleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tory M wrote a review May 2015
South Wales
3.0 of 5 bubbles
In choosing this place to stay for 2 weeks we read many reviews. It is lovely here. I don't recall reviews about the bats. Just after dark (get inside before this nightly occurrence) loads of bats fly out of the cave on the property. They fly furiously through the porch. In the morning there is one or two still in the kitchen. We did not stay outside here after dark because of this. Kind of a bummer. The owners live above you. We tried to be quiet as all windows are open and you can hear clearly.

The 3 legged cat became a great friend. We nicknamed him 3 toes! He liked it! Use of the water toys made our time here fun. We spotted a ray over by the island on one kayak trip. The room is nicely decorated. The bed sits quite high off the floor a
s it has drawers under it.. A little tough for a shorty like me! We also soon realized that the mattress is actually just a box spring with a thin foam pad on it. Soaks in the ocean are therapeutic for an aching back.. We found the Tourist office next door very helpful as it became apparent that everyone gives you different info. We visited them several times. The water off the beach was too cloudy for snorkel king. There isn't much real snorkeling on this island unless you go out on a boat we were told by the owner. While we were here, we experienced very high humidity. Nothing dries even after days in the sun and breeze. Asthmatics be fully prepared just in case. Do rent a car. The kitchen has a small 2 burner hot plate that we used. It seemed to instantly attract 100's of flies whenever we cooked. We ran with our food to our room.
Read more
Date of stay: April 2015
4.0 of 5 bubblesValue
4.0 of 5 bubblesCleanliness
4.0 of 5 bubblesService
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip: We chose the turtle room farthest from the kitchen. You will hear the owners upstairs but not...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
tiraspol0 wrote a review Mar 2013
New York City, New York
5.0 of 5 bubbles
This was my dream vacation. It included everything you like about resorts and excluded everything you hate about resorts. Yeah, there are no ushers or waiters, no housemaids and also there are no screeching children (unless they are yours), no waiting lines and no dressing codes.
Every morning, you come out from your room as you wake up and plunge in the ocean water 10 yards away.
I could sit for hours in total quiet and tranquility on the beach in front of the house deliberating for hours if the next thing I should do is snorkeling or canoeing. Both of them was provided by most gracious and accommodating hosts, Jean & Kris. There are some other more exotic instruments of water frolicking that escaped my imagination. But again I am just your regular couch, in this case, hammock potato.
Drive around the island. There are beaches from ‘Swept Away’ and ‘Planet of apes’, the first versions. They are totally deserted. You’ll not see more tourists anywhere than fingers on your hand.
Try the local eateries or cook yourself; there is a barbeque at the house.
Read more
Date of stay: March 2013
5.0 of 5 bubblesValue
5.0 of 5 bubblesRooms
5.0 of 5 bubblesLocation
5.0 of 5 bubblesCleanliness
5.0 of 5 bubblesService
5.0 of 5 bubblesSleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bearcatcoupon wrote a review Dec 2014
Chicago, Illinois
+1
5.0 of 5 bubbles
We stayed at Grotto Bay for about 4 nights. We loved it very much. Jeannie really did a fantastic job to plant her beautiful garden. It's so beautiful and peaceful from all angles. The beach is also perfect with the palm trees, the chairs, etc. You can just relax by the beach with the garden surrounds you. I cannot get enough of it. I enjoy to play with the water, it is great that the house is only a few steps to the private beach. Also the Kayak, paddle board, and snorkeling equipment are complementary. We enjoyed to paddle to the explore the nearby islands. Long islands have a lot of amazing beaches, coves, and the kays. Grotto Bay is kind of in the middle of everything. Host Jeannie is really helpful to give us directions to all the amazing places. She is also very nice and great in her recommendation about what to see and where to eat, etc. We also loved the open kitchen. It is a full function kitchen. We cooked the Lobster, Grouper in the kitchen. I would highly recommend this place.
Read more
Date of stay: December 2014
5.0 of 5 bubblesRooms
4.0 of 5 bubblesLocation
5.0 of 5 bubblesService
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip: We liked the turtle room on the south side. It's quite and has a great view.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
David_and_Barbara754 wrote a review Feb 2014
Washington DC, District of Columbia
5.0 of 5 bubbles
What an incredible getaway for this winter-wearing couple! In fact, given the blissfully-even climate, this would be an incredible vacation any time of the year. Grotto Bay is right on its own beach, well-supplied with kayaks, paddle-boards and all the swimming and snorkling gear you could need. In fact, both owners Kris and Jean are dive masters, so if scuba is your thing, this is your place. (Can't wait to get certified and do some wall-diving in their secret sites off-shore.) Kris and Jean are great people as well as attentive hosts, and we feel we've made real friends. Jean arranged for our rental car, made reservations for us and was a great source of information on all the restaurants and beachs--though to tell lthe truth our room next to the outdoor kitchen and the shady deck was the perfect spot to just hang out and take it all in. Can't wait to go back!
Read more
Date of stay: February 2014
5.0 of 5 bubblesValue
5.0 of 5 bubblesRooms
5.0 of 5 bubblesLocation
5.0 of 5 bubblesCleanliness
5.0 of 5 bubblesService
5.0 of 5 bubblesSleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip: Ask for the room next to the kitchen.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
David M wrote a review Jul 2013
Juneau, Alaska
+1
5.0 of 5 bubbles
We recently returned from a week at Grotto Bay and it exceeded our expectations in every way - great accommodations, ideal location for exploring, private beach and recreation right at your front door, and everything you need nearby.

Grotto Bay itself is about 100 yards off the main “highway” in Salt Pond – it’s convenient to two grocery stores, liquor store, gas station, etc. (all less than a mile away), and yet the lodging is on a quiet and peaceful waterfront that feels remote and private. The accommodations are clean, comfortable, and well maintained. My wife has a tendency to be a "bed snob" but we both found the bed to be extremely comfortable, and the air conditioning was a real plus since we were there in summer. The full outdoor kitchen had everything we could possibly need (toaster, blender, burners, pots and pans, full-sized fridge, even an espresso maker!) so it was perfect for self-catering. The nearby grocery stores are small but fully stocked with everything from pasta, meat, vegetables and dairy products to sunblock and shampoo. Prices were comparable to what you would find in a large metropolitan area in the U.S., (like Seattle or Boston) with the exception of beer, which was about double what we normally pay, but it's good!

The beach out front is great for swimming, snorkeling, and enjoying a drink under the palapa. The owners provide high quality stand-up paddle boards (2), sit-on-top kayaks (2 single, one double), and high quality snorkeling gear. When you consider what it costs to rent this gear most places this was a big bonus for us. We also explored the length of the island by car and found the location to be perfectly situated in the middle of the island so everything is a reasonable drive.

This was our first trip to the Bahamas and my main goal was to find some self-guided/do-it-yourself bonefishing. We booked a day with a local fishing guide on our own before heading down to the Bahamas, but the owners can arrange one for you too. After this we fished on our own and found great flats within an easy five minute kayak paddle from Grotto Bay. There's another accessible flat a five minute drive away (the owners have our notes and maps) and we saw enough fish on these two nearby spots to keep us busy. There are many other accessible flats on the island too, but we ran out of time to fish them all.

We felt very safe exploring the island, parking on dead end roads, hanging out on isolated beaches, etc. We ran into a number of locals in our travels, and they were always welcoming - even suggesting better/different fishing spots, telling us about the island (or their family history), or in two cases, trying to sell us land! If you've read anything about the "dangers" in Nassau, please realize that Long Island is a different (and far better) place than Nassau.

I can’t say enough about how welcoming and helpful the owners of Grotto Bay are. They arranged our rental car in advance (and found us a great deal), and were always willing to answer questions and/or provide directions to various beaches, restaurants, and attractions on the island. When we arrived, they had cheese and crackers (and other snacks) waiting for us in the room, and they even posted a personalized note in the kitchen every morning letting us know about the day’s tides, store hours, and events on the island. Any time we needed anything (cooler, fish for dinner, flashlights to explore the cave), they were extremely accommodating.

We spent a week there and it wasn’t nearly enough time to explore this beautiful and friendly island. Our only regret is that there was so much to do on Long Island that we didn’t spend enough time kicking back and enjoying the beach/hammock/cave and water sports right at Grotto Bay. Frankly, you could spend a week right on the grounds of Grotto Bay and have a wonderful time. We are already planning our next trip, and will definitely stay there again.
Read more
Date of stay: June 2013
5.0 of 5 bubblesValue
4.0 of 5 bubblesRooms
5.0 of 5 bubblesLocation
5.0 of 5 bubblesCleanliness
5.0 of 5 bubblesService
5.0 of 5 bubblesSleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Danny K wrote a review Feb 2020
Luxemburg
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jean and Kris are absolutely amazing hosts. Felt in love with the place, with the island! Want to go back as quick as possible ! ( and normally we din‘t do that!!) so this is real special!
Love it ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Read more
Date of stay: December 2019Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
IngridRMackin wrote a review Feb 2019
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Kris and Jeannie have a very private, very quiet spot on central Long Island. If you are looking to truly unwind, check out of your daily life, and relax in private, this is the place! The room was spacious, the kitchen had everything you needed to prepare your own meals should you choose. Jeannie provided us with a list of restaurants on the island, as well as a list of beaches. You will need to rent a vehicle (SUV recommended) to truly enjoy all that Long Island has to offer. We would definitely return to Grotto Bay should we visit Long Island again - 5 stars from us!
Read more
Date of stay: February 2019
5.0 of 5 bubblesLocation
5.0 of 5 bubblesService
5.0 of 5 bubblesSleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Stian wrote a tip Jan 2017
Bergen, Norway22 contributions1 helpful vote
5.0 of 5 bubbles
"Turtle room is located away from the parking and kitchen-area. Feels a bit more private."
Read full review
perfectcircle_99 wrote a tip Jul 2016
Seattle, Washington3 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
"Two rooms, I believe identical, but the Turtle room has more privacy since it's furthest from the outdoor kitchen."
Read full review
Tory M wrote a tip May 2015
South Wales79 contributions38 helpful votes
3.0 of 5 bubbles
"We chose the turtle room farthest from the kitchen. You will hear the owners upstairs but not the people in the other room."
Read full review
Bearcatcoupon wrote a tip Dec 2014
Chicago, Illinois5 contributions1 helpful vote
5.0 of 5 bubbles
"We liked the turtle room on the south side. It's quite and has a great view."
Read full review
kenais3 wrote a tip May 2014
Wisconsin72 contributions14 helpful votes
5.0 of 5 bubbles
"Both rooms appear to be equal. The far room (Turtle I think) has a little more privacy since its not by the shared kitchen."
Read full review
Not the right property for you?
There are more places to choose from in the Long Island area.
LOCATION
CaribbeanBahamasOut IslandsLong Island
NUMBER OF ROOMS
2
Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.
Is This Your Tripadvisor Listing?

Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.

Claim Your Listing

GROTTO BAY BAHAMAS: See 26 Reviews and 46 Photos (Long Island)

Frequently Asked Questions about Grotto Bay Bahamas
What are some of the property amenities at Grotto Bay Bahamas?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include free wifi, free parking, and kids activities.
Which room amenities are available at Grotto Bay Bahamas?
Top room amenities include a kitchenette, air conditioning, and a refrigerator.
Is parking available at Grotto Bay Bahamas?
Yes, free parking is available to guests.
All Long Island HotelsLong Island Hotel DealsLast Minute Hotels in Long Island
Things to DoRestaurantsFlightsHoliday RentalsTravel StoriesCruisesCar Hire