Cape Santa Maria Bahamas – what to expect at this luxury beach resort
When you think of the Caribbean, what things come to mind? For me, it’s the standard blend of sun, sea and fresh seafood. Add a top resort to the equation, and you’ve got the ingredients for a memorable trip. During a visit to the Bahamas, we booked 6 nights at Cape Santa Maria Bahamas beach resort.
How do I get to Cape Santa Maria Bahamas?
Cape Santa Maria Beach Resort is situated on Long Island, which is around 45 minutes by plane from Nassau. There are only a few flights a day, so try and book one that has a reasonable connection time. Once you land on the island, it takes around 1 hour by car to arrive. It’s not the easiest resort to reach, but the best is yet to come.
Cape Santa Maria Bahamas – what to expect from your stay
The pros
Cape Santa Maria beach
Right in the north of Long Island, Cape Santa Maria Bahamas has the best beach, hands down. Being a city dweller, there’s nothing more satisfying than seeing a pristine stretch of sandy beach with bright blue waters. And the best thing is, it’s just for the guests at the resort.
The 4-mile beach constantly features on the list of the world’s best, and it’s easy to see why. I’m not typically a beach person, but I enjoyed the one at the resort. Sand that’s smooth, finite and never too hot, it’s the type you can actually sit in all day. It’s an ideal location for a Cape Santa Maria wedding. What’s more, traveling in May is so quiet, we pretty much had an area of the beach to ourselves.
Cape Santa Maria Beach Resort also provides its guests free equipment for activities such as kayaking and paddle boarding. You need to sign a disclaimer at reception before using anything, but then it’s all yours! If you want to get around the villa, there are also free bikes on site for guests to use.
Get a local taste of the Bahamas and book yourself onto a themed tour. It’s a great way to learn about the culture, and see the best sights with the people who know best.
The rooms at Cape Santa Maria Bahamas
There are 3 types of accommodation to choose from at Cape Santa Maria Bahamas These include a Beachfront Villa, Beachfront Bungalow, and a 2-bedroom Beachfront Bungalow, all built in a classic Bahamian style. We chose the latter — though for only 2 people — and it felt extra luxurious having a second room.
As the name suggests, your door opens directly onto the beach. Our bungalow had 2 queen-sized beds, and another room with 2 single beds. There’s a good size bathroom inside, closet space, and coffee making facilities.
Air conditioning is available in every bungalow, as is a ceiling fan to keep the room cool.
WiFi is also available, but the connection is stronger when in the clubhouse. There are 2 features I particularly like. One is the tap outside the bungalow to wash the sand off your feet, keeping the inside sand free.
The second is the private veranda that comes with every bungalow and villa. It’s the perfect spot to take some shade and relax on one of the comfy sofas and armchairs. On top of that, there are some bug sprays and repellents to help fend off mosquitoes and sand flies.
“Right in the south of Long Island, Cape Santa Maria Beach Resort offers guests the best beach, hands down.”
FOLLOWING THE RIVERA
“It’s the perfect spot to take some shade and relax on one of the comfy sofas and armchairs.”
FOLLOWING THE RIVERA
Cape Santa Maria Bahamas – the cons
The restaurant
There’s only one dining establishment at Cape Santa Maria Bahamas resort, meaning limited choice when it comes to meals. Unfortunately, the majority of meals didn’t live up to the quality I was expecting — that plus it got quite expensive. Dreams of feasting on fresh lobster, fish and seafood were dashed, and even the fruits weren’t up to par.
It saddens me to write that my favorite meal from my entire stay was a chicken and avocado wrap. Though tasty, it’s not what I came to the Bahamas for. Of course, taste is subjective, and many of the glowing reviews online say the opposite. That said, you have to make up your own mind and see for yourself.
The service at Cape Santa Maria Bahamas
One unfortunate downside of Cape Santa Maria Bahamas is the service. Before I continue, I want to stress that I’m not referring to everyone in particular. However, I need to share this, as it brought down our overall experience.
Poor advice
One afternoon, we decided to take a trip to see the Columbus Monument. It’s the place where Christopher Columbus is said to have landed in 1492. We went there on the advice of one of the reception staff.
She told me it would take ‘10 minutes’ to get there and it was a must see. Naturally, we were keen to see it for ourselves, especially as it was close by. Taking the free bikes, and remembering the instructions she gave me, we set off.
Cycling from the resort to the main road isn’t difficult, nor is finding the sign to the Columbus Monument. What is difficult is the path that leads to it.
What you face is a seemingly endless narrow rocky path, with an assortment of rocks in different sizes. On either side are rows of reed and bushes, full of mosquitoes waiting to feast on you.
Even for the most experienced cyclists, it can be challenging. I had to get off the bike countless times as the path became dangerous at points.
After 20 minutes or so cycling, and still no monument in sight, I decided to check my map. My jaw dropped when we realized it’d take another 40 minutes — that plus the monument is actually on a hill. Defeated, sweaty and fed up, we returned to the resort.
Many friends asked why we didn’t just turn back upon seeing the path. Honestly, I was following the advice of the receptionist, and believed it was 10 minutes as she’d said.
Lack of communication
One great thing about the resort is the amount of (paid) activities they provide guests, such as fishing. We’d booked a private nature cruise on our penultimate afternoon for 1pm. When the time arrived, we were prepared and ready at reception, but no-one showed up.
We returned to our room as instructed by a receptionist who told us that the captain was running late. She’d come and collect us once he arrived. Thinking nothing more of it, we did as we were told and headed back.
Over 1.5 hours later, and with no update from reception, we thought our boat had finally arrived. Sadly, we were very much mistaken, as the guy with the small boat wasn’t there for us!
At this point I was livid. We’d not only missed the opportunity to do the cruise, but we also never heard anything from reception.
After going back to find out what was going on, I eventually spoke to the supervisor. She’d no idea what had been happening, as the other receptionist failed to inform her.
“There’s only one dining place at the resort, meaning limited choice when it comes to meals.”
FOLLOWING THE RIVERA
We soon found out that there had been a ‘miscommunication’ with the tour company. Apparently, the captain thought all tours had been cancelled for the day, hence why he didn’t turn up. Honestly, nothing made sense about the response, but I was beyond the point of caring anymore.
Would I stay at Cape Santa Maria Bahamas again?
While it’s normal for things to not go the right way when traveling, I expected better from Cape Santa Maria Bahamas. The lack of communication was poor, and it could’ve been avoided altogether had they spoken to each other.
Both incidences were unfortunate, and maybe we were just unlucky. I write this constructive review in the hope that they improve their service and level of communication.
That said, I probably wouldn’t stay at Cape Santa Maria Beach Resort again. The beach is incredible and truly one of the best I’ve ever seen. However, our personal experiences deter me from returning.
Have you ever stayed at Cape Santa Maria Bahamas How was your experience there? Drop me a comment below, I’d love to read them.
My stay at Cape Santa Maria Beach Resort was paid out of my own expense.
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that I’ve recommended. Thank you for your support.
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This place looks lile a dream! This access to the beach is heaven and i love the design of the resort. Even if there are limited dining options it’s a great place to stay.
It was definitely a great experience; I just hope the service improves 🙂
I appreciate you giving both the positives and negatives to the resort. While the beach is gorgeous, and I dream of a veranda off my room overlooking the sand, the communications problems and the lack of dining options (and the expense of the one okay option) would dampen my enjoyment. Of course, now knowing about the limitations, I could go in knowing where I would need to make other arrangements. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks Patricia for your feedback. Yes, it’s never great writing about the downsides, but I feel it’s important to share with others thinking about going.
such an interesting post, I was looking exactly for this. When I hear Bahamas the only thing that comes to my mind is the word expensive.. Prices looked okay not that much, thanks a lot for sharing this post super helpful it looks like great destination to chill on the beach!!!
It’s a beautiful beach, and probably one of the best I’ve ever seen!
Such a bummer that the meals weren’t amazing 🙁 I know how you feel cuz I definitely look forward to yummy dining experiences when I am traveling. Besides the slight food disappointment, the location is gorgeous and I love that they provide free bike rentals.
Yes, the bike rentals are a great addition to the resort. Just hope they improve the dining options 🙂
I’ve never been to the Bahamas. Now that I’m based in North America I will have to change that. I always love a white sand beach. Your beachfront at Cape Santa Maria Beach Resort is one I could easily come to like.
It’s a really stunning beach, and I guarantee you’ll enjoy that sand!
Serious travel envy. I would love to go to the Bahamas. The idea of the sun, sea, sand sounds amazing, but I can’t relax on a beach for long.
Trust me, neither can I. But this beach is very special and I really enjoyed it.
I love the Caribbean, at one point we were supposed to relocate to Turks & Caicos for work but had a change in plans. I’ve never been to the Bahamas though. I’m sorry you were so misguided with your bike ride!
Me too! It was such a shame and a let down, which is why I felt I had to better advise others thinking of doing the same trip.
That’s too bad about the lack of communication. That’s the worst when you are waiting around and have no idea why. Definitely NOT the best way to spend a vacation. The place definitely looks like a dream, but with a few improvements, sounds like it’d be ideal.
I agree. I’m not one to complain when unnecessary, so it was a real shame we were unlucky on 2 occasions.
This place looks so dreamy – awesome for a romantic getaway filled with activities! Sorry to hear about the food, but hopefully you got a chance to explore some local cuisine. Hopefully it gave you a chance to find some local hidden gems!
Unfortunately no! We didn’t get to see anything apart from the beach…
This place is just stunning. My husband and I have been considering a trip to the Bahamas next year, and Cape Santa Maria Resort looks like a beautiful spot, even if the food was less than stellar.
You’ll definitely enjoy the beach, it’s probably one of the best I’ve ever seen 🙂
I love hotels that allow you to use kayaks and other waterspout equipment. It’s a shame the food was not up to par but you are right. that is one hell of a beach
I agree, here’s hoping they improve it for future guests!
What an amazing stay. I love the idea of having a hose outside the door to wash your feet and other belongings to keep the sand out of your room.
The small details do make a big difference in a resort like this!
The place looks so beautiful, I would forget about exploring anything else. Too bad the food wasn’t up to the mark
Yes, it’s not the kind of cuisine you expect in the Caribbean…
Appreciate the honest review! I loved the pictures, by the way! 🙂 I haven’t been to the Bahamas yet but I hope to visit there once in this lifetime.
It’s a beautiful island to explore 🙂
The first thing that comes to my mind when I think of Caribbean is palm trees, white sand and blue water. And this resort looks quiet, charming and relaxing to spend a weekend or even more
It’s definitely the kind of place to completely relax 🙂
This place looks amazing! I don’t think I could ever leave the beach! Bummer about the food though. Are there any other food options closeby?
Unfortunately no. We did look on one occasion but found nothing within walking distance
WOW, such a beautiful place. I could spend days here. Love the pictures. Great you have shared everything in so much detail and considering from a traveler’s point of view.
Thank you! It’s a beautiful beach and great resort too.
Bahama is a word that conjures up exotic images. The Cape Santa Maria Beach Resort looks nice and its location is awesome. I love the fact that it has its own stretch of private beach that can be enjoyed by the guests. Guess the staff needs to be trained and equipped with right information as guests would be depending on them for local info.
I think so too. It’s really nothing personal, just would have been a better experience if we were communicated with properly.
Following your posts, soon I would turn into a flashpacker. What a lovely place this beach resort is. This reminds me of Mali Beach Resort in Koh Lipe, Thailand. Such clear waters, white powdery sand. The pictures are kill, totally instagrammable. Loved that you listed the pros and cons of the accommodation. I wish the food options were more along with the quality.
You and me both Shreya! It’s a wonderful location and the accommodation is great too. Just hope they improve the food and service 🙂
It’s always a bit annoying when such a beautiful place is a let down with the food. We had a similar experience in Cyprus
Very true!
What a perfect island. It is a bit remote and tough to get to but then no pain no gain. The remoteness of this plane is the best part. The white sands and the crystal clear water. Bliss. I have travelled till Nassau andaish had known about this before. The hotel is great as well. Thanks for sharing. Visuals great as well.
Thank you! Long Island is very remote and perfect for those really wanting to escape the modern world for a while 🙂
This looks amazing (outside of the mosquitoes)! Bummer about the food too, it’s always a huge strike for me if the food isn’t up to par.
Thanks for all the details – always looking for a good place to explore in the Caribbean.
Me too! It’s still an incredible beach and environment, that won’t disappoint!
I would have died because of the food 😛 Like you, I would expect to feast on seafood for the entire duration of my stay there 😛 I really like your reviews. Your photos are amazing, too!
Thanks Iulia! It was such a let down; taste is subjective, but the standard was well below what I’d been expecting
Whoa cape santa looks amaaaaazing. look at that verandah, it sure does seem like a place I would love to chill at. The hammock must be epic for sunset watching eh? Bahamas is on my list, I should def check this beach resort out and perhaps treat myself to a beach front villa 🙂
You won’t be disappointed with the villa; it’s so comfortable inside 🙂
I have always dreamt of going to the Bahamas and this post has certainly made me want to pursue that even further. It truly looks and sounds stunning, although it is a shame about the food.
I’m glad to hear that! The food could have been better but, maybe it’s just personal taste 🙂
That is a gorgeous beach! The accommodations is beautiful as well; we would stay here without any second thought. Does the resort offer water activities? Or just accommodations?
There are plenty of activities on offer; kayaking, paddle boarding etc, as well as paid ones too.
Oh no I am sad to hear about the poor service…because the sound of the pristine beach and turquoise blue waters sounds absolutely divine. I would find it a bit annoying to have limited choices in food options, and on top of it it was average would be such a let down. But based on the photos, the landscape and nature looks ohhhh so divine!
Yes! As a foodie, I think you’d be disappointed with the lack of options too, and the freshness. Lucky we had the scenery to make up for it 🙂
It’s been so many years since I’ve been to the Bahamas but these photos have convinced me its time for a return visit! And when I do head back I think a stay at the beautiful Cape Santa Maria is a must! It looks like the person resort for an island getaway 🙂
It’s truly like being on a desert island!
seriously goals, i would love to visit the bahamas and great pics :))
It’s a wonderful island to visit
Oh my god Lisa, I wish I hadn’t just read this post – it looks amazing! So much luxury! I went to the Bahamas back in 2001 with my parents and brothers when I was just a kid, so didn’t have nearly one iota of the experience that you had, except maybe for the dodgy food ha! Hope that chicken and avocado wrap had some special sauce or something with it! x
Aw thank you Becca! It’s truly a wonderful location, and yes, we’re very lucky to have been here. Lol there wasn’t any special sauce in the chicken! But it was my favourite meal 😀
Bahamas is a perfect place to me. I love beach and sun, so it´s just perfect. I visited once some years ago, and i love it. And the resort seems to be heaven…
It’s a lovely place to visit, and the beach is super! Just a let down about the food and communication
Sun and beautiful beaches is exactly what comes to mind when I think of the Bahamas! Sounds like a beautiful place to visit. It’s a shame the food didn’t live up to expectations though.
Tell me about it! At least we had that great beach 🙂
Well, I don’t know what to say. Despite the beauty of the place, poor service is a no go, especially when you are led to believe that you paid for a luxury resort. Better luck next time!
Unfortunately I agree. The beach is stunning and one of the best I’ve ever been to, but there needs to be improvement in the service and dining options.
This looks like a beautiful resprt and has lovely ocean views. I’m sorry to hear about the poor communication and lack of dining options. These elements can have a real impact on the quality of a vacation. I’d be dreaming of lobster and seafood too!!
Yes! Lucky for me, I finally got my fresh seafood but when I was back in Italy 😀
Wow Lisa the pictures look amazing. The Cape Santa Maria resort looks dreamy. Loved how you wrote about the pros and cons of the resort. Pity the dining options need working on.
Thank you Pooja! Yes, it was a real shame and I hope it improves for future guests. The place is a stunning place to visit for sure.
This resort looks really beautiful. I love that you can choose rooms with beach front, so you can just directly go to the beach. However, it’s sad to know that the majority of meals was not as good as expected.
It’s such a treat being right on the beach, but yes, the food was a let down.
The resort looks amazing as does the location. Thats a real downer about the service though – that would really get on my nerves actually. Nothing worse than a wasted day waiting on holiday when you have limited time. Thanks for sharing the average stuff as well as the good stuff!
Thanks for dropping by, I really appreciate it! I hope it improves, as it’s a great beach 🙂
The location is definitely gorgeous and so are the facilities. It’s a shame about the restaurant and the poor instructions. Food is such an important part of any trip! Thanks for being so honest about your trip!
Definitely! I had to be honest about my time there so that others will know 🙂
wow, this looks like heaven, the water looks amazing. I haven’t stayed at many resorts before but I think it is nice when you really want to relax and just chill. The Bahamas looks like a great place for that. Thank you for the recommendation.
You’re welcome!
From what I have read, Caribbeans to me, means beaches, calypso and happy go lucky people. The Cape Santa Maria Beach Resort looks awesome with all the amenities. I hope you had a good time despite these hiccups.
We did! Though I do hope they improve on the points for future guests 🙂
WOW! This place looks amazing! I would love to visit the Bahamas one day. To bad there is only one restaurant and lack of communication in this resort…
Yes, it was a real disappointment. But the beach is incredible!
The resort looks so luxurious and cozy, perfect for honeymooners and romantic getaways! It’s so sad to hear about the service provided here, we hope they improve in future to give a better service to their customers. Looking at your pictures we are craving for a vacation to a beach paradise like this!
Aw, I’m glad it was a kind of inspiration for you! It’s a beautiful beach, I too hope they improve on the service 🙂
This place is lovely. Definitely, a perfect spot to relax. I can imagine myself sitting on their comfy sofas while drinking a glass of margarita.
Well, this post made me realize I need another holiday (haha!)
Hope you get to book it soon!
Though the Cape Santa Maria Beach Resort looks great and the location is stunning, but I am surprised to know about only dinning option with limited option to choose your meals. Also miscommunication is absolutely not accepted when you are on a vacation and that also from a hotel staff. Otherwise the pictures were really good. I hope that they do improve on these.
You and me both! It’s a lovely beach 🙂
Oh no sorry to hear that the resort is not what you thought it would be in terms of service. At least it is right by the beach! I haven’t been to the Bahamas but i will remind this for when i do. Hopefully the custoner service will improve soon.
I hope so too! It’s so stunning, but the service does need improvement.
Wow stunning photos, just from your photos I can see why the beach is a pro! I also stayed at a place with only one restaurant and was disappointed as well. Doesn’t give you a ton of options which is a bummer. even with the long bike ride, it definitely looks like a relaxing place!!
Yes, after 2 nights of 3 meals a day in the same place, just one dining option can get dull!
4 miles of beach to yourselves? That sounds amazing. Hopefully one day I can afford to stay at nice beach resorts haha
It’s definitely an experience, and one most should experience at least once 🙂
The property looks gorgeous, it is no wonder listed as one of the best in the world. However I’m sad to uear about the food in the resort, hope they work on it. The boat tour cancellation was also unfortunate, the gorgeous beach certainly makes up for all the let downs.
The food does need working on, hopefully someone from management has read my review and started to make changes! You never know 🙂
Thank you for a very honest review Lisa! The resort looks awesome, as does the beach but I know how disappointing it can be when the food doesn’t live up to the standard of the resort. For a foodie like me, food is an important part of any trip and just like you, in the Bahamas, I’d have expectations of fresh and tasty lobsters, crabs and fish. Firstly, having only one restaurant on site limits your options (and when you’re staying for 6 days, it really isn’t a good idea) and then if it is not even tasty then that is just sad! Also, you would expect amazing service from a resort like this so I am sorry that it didn’t live up to the expectation either. You did manage to capture some gorgeous pictures though 🙂
Thanks Medha! We had a lovely time, but I had to be honest about the food. Yes, us foodies won’t be happy with a chicken sandwich in the Caribbean! Hopefully they’ve read my post, and I left a Tripadvisor review too, and will improve on the food and service aspects too x
Well the resort is stunning, but what a shame the other aspects let it down. Service is the big one for me – as you say, you trust that the people working in the hotel are going to give accurate advice so I can understand your disappointment. And the food is definitely a let-down – if you are on the resort the whole time there should be more options for food.
There should be. I think they’ve become so big it feels like they’ve gone down in their customer service. Just my experience unfortunately!
Thank you so much for the review Lisa, very helpful! It was wonderful to read about your experience and see such beautiful photos of the scenery! My partner and I are considering this location for our wedding! I was wondering would your thoughts would be regarding this place as a venue? Since you’ve been there recently, would love to hear your thoughts! Thank you!
Hi Shelly, I’m glad my review was helpful! The location is ideal, and the beach is incredible. However, do be mindful that the resort is on Long Island, around 45 minutes flight from Nassau, and another 1 hour drive from the airport. I mention it, as it’s something to factor in for your guests. I’m sure the venue will do an awesome job of hosting your wedding, plus you can enjoy the beach after!
This is a great honest review! I love beach resorts because no matter how tired you are how the weather outside is, you can always have a great time. Your video shows the beauty of the beaches. I love the colot of water here. Your trip to the Columbus monument was also an interesting read 🙂
Thank you! I had to be, as I know many other travelers will be wondering what it’s like. Thanks for watching the video too 😀
Wow, Lisa, the pictures look amazing! The whole place looks stunning but I know how disappointing it can be when the food doesn’t live up to the standard. The boat tour cancellation was also unfortunate. Overall, still looks like a nice place though. Thank you for your honest review.
Thanks Daniel! We had a nice time, but it needs a lot of improvement. Who knows, maybe now it’s gotten much better 😀