Grand Isle Resort and Residences

First a name correction: the property is now called Grand Isle Resort and Residences. The form « Grand Isle Resort and Spa » is out of date, though the spa still exists on site, under the name Seastar.

It is the highest-rated address of everything we sell in the Bahamas: 4.6 out of 5 across nearly fifteen hundred reviews. Only seventy-eight villas, set on an Emerald Bay peninsula with water on both sides, and a full kitchen in every one, from the one-bedroom villa to the four-bedroom penthouse.

Two practical details decide the comfort of your week, and almost nobody mentions them before arrival. We handle them below.

First detail: the golf cart is not included

The estate is large, and a golf cart is effectively indispensable for moving between your villa, the beach, the pool and the restaurants. Several third-party sites suggest one is provided. It is not: it rents by the day, at a higher rate on the first day.

This is not a trap, it is a budget line. Have your advisor price it at 1 866 628-6241 and fold it into your comparison, especially over a full week.

Second detail: the 22 percent surcharge

The property applies a twenty-two percent surcharge on any booking, covering the resort fee, service and taxes. It is stated clearly in its own FAQ, but it noticeably changes the arithmetic when comparing with an all-inclusive.

In return, high-speed Wi-Fi is free, as are non-motorized watersports: kayaks, paddleboards and snorkelling gear.

The villas, and why they make the difference

There is no hotel room here, only villas. The smallest, one bedroom, exceeds one hundred and fifteen square metres. The two bedroom approaches two hundred and fifteen, the three bedroom two hundred and fifty-four, the two-bedroom penthouse two hundred and forty, and the Grand Penthouse reaches four hundred and eighty square metres with four bedrooms and four and a half bathrooms.

All have full kitchens. On an island where dining is expensive and the offering stays limited, that is the address's most concrete argument. Do a grocery run on arrival and your week changes character.

The peninsula, and the wind trick

The estate occupies a point, with water on both sides. Here is the advantage nobody explains to you: depending on the wind, one of the two frontages is always calm. A windy day that would spoil swimming elsewhere is solved here by switching sides.

The private beach is fine white sand, with warm turquoise water. The ocean-facing pool is described as sheltered from the wind. One point guests raise: the beach would benefit from more frequent cleaning.

Three tables, and a budget to plan

23° North holds the upscale slot, in the evening. The Palapa covers all three meals. Sandy Toes is the beach bar, from midday to mid-afternoon. A beach club rounds things out.

The property runs on a strict European plan: no meals are included. Guests report high bills, a limited breakfast menu and little Bahamian cooking over a full week. That is precisely where the villa kitchens earn their keep.

The isolation, weighed honestly

The estate sits about twenty minutes from George Town airport and half an hour from town, to the northwest. It is the most isolated of the Exuma properties. Without a vehicle you are captive to the resort, which suits some travellers and weighs on others.

For those who want the village within walking distance, Hideaways and Augusta Bay are both near George Town.

What is around

A marina sits on the estate and a golf course is adjacent. The resort organizes snorkelling, scuba diving and excursions to the Exuma swimming pigs, all at extra cost.

Exuma is lived by boat: the pigs of Big Major Cay, the iguanas of Bitter Guana Cay, the nurse sharks of Compass Cay, the sandbars that surface at low tide. That is what you come here for.

What travellers complain about

Despite the archipelago's best score, the comments are not indulgent. Service is judged inconsistent, with slow table service. Housekeeping is not always reliable. Internet and water outages were reported in 2026. The attitude of some employees disappoints, while others are named with gratitude.

None of that undermines the quality of the product: these are operational irritants in a very fine place.

Who this address suits

It suits large families, groups sharing a villa, long stays, golfers, boaters, and those who want Exuma's water in a polished setting with real square metres.

It suits less well travellers without a vehicle who want to go out at night, tighter budgets given the surcharge and the dining, and anyone after an all-inclusive formula. Note: the neighbouring Sandals Emerald Bay has been closed since August 2024. The island overview sits on Great Exuma travel, and the archipelago on Bahamas travel.