This review is a culmination of information from three stays of four nights each and a day excursion while on a cruise. The majority of the review centers around our latest stay in September when we traveled with three other couples. We stayed in the Cove Tower on our last and first trips and the Reef tower once.
We arrived at the airport and breezed through customs within 10-15 minutes. It has taken more time on other occasions. It’s about 30 minute drive, pending traffic, from the airport and will cost roughly $40-50 including tip per regular size taxi – four people. You can either contact a service ahead of time to set up transportation or grab one of the taxis at the airport. We made prior arrangements for this visit. For an extra $10 the taxi would stop at a grocery and/or liquor store. If you like to eat and drink I suggest you stop and pick up a few items. If you stay at the Reef Tower you have access to a kitchenette. This tip can save you money because dining and drinking at Atlantis can be expensive.
The sprawling property consists of a variety of hotel room locations, many restaurants, a casino, a marina, pools galore, beautiful beaches, a spa, a swim with the dolphins experience, a water park, and more. The aquarium and lagoons are filled with magnificent sea life. The grounds are impeccably kept with landscaping, pools, and walkways. There is much to do whether you come with your family or want to spend time as couple.
Beaches – The beautiful beaches and crystal aqua blue water seem to flow forever. We walked the deserted beaches and were able to take photos and swim in the water. Our friends brought their own snorkel gear and snorkeled alone the beach front. Atlantis will charge you to rent snorkel gear so if you can bring your own it can help with your budget. It also cost to rent kayaks but we are unaware of the price.
Casino – Six of us entered the weekly slot machine tournament and we had two winners in our group. The casino is typical with tables games and a variety of machines similar to what you would find in Vegas in some cases with better odds. There are private rooms and you may be fortunate to spot a celebrity as my sister did on a visit. The Chihuly chandelier in the middle of the casino is magnificent. You can get free drinks as long as you are playing. Sometimes drink service is nonexistent and other times it’s just slow. Overall the casino is not smoky and we enjoyed our time away from the pool and beaches.
Check-in/Checkout and Staff – Our check-in process at The Cove was smooth with no problems. Staff was informative and polite. We took advantage of the VIP checkout which was just as smooth. We are meticulous about watching our bills (we take photos of all checks). We had one small discrepancy at checkout but it was taken care of quickly.
Cruise Ship Stop – On one cruise stop we took a taxi over to Atlantis. We were limited to the areas we could visit and really had a negative experience while we had the opposite experience when staying on the resort property.
The Cove Adult Pool – This is truly an adult pool (18 or older) and you MUST be a guest at The Cove Tower. We have visited when the pool was calm, quiet and relaxing and we have visited when it’s been the party of the island. We have seen topless women and you may witness other party induced behavior.
Dining – Take note that dining on the property can be expensive. Our friends had lunch at Sip Sip that included two grouper sandwiches and two alcoholic drinks that cost $136. An alternative that we love is the Cascade Grill which is located between the adult pool at The Cove and the Reef’s pool. We split a hamburger and french fries for lunch and sat at their tables along the beach with the best view. When we visited in July most of the restaurants were open. When we visited in September, considered the off or shoulder season, some of the restaurants were closed which was a disappointment. See reviews to the restaurants below.
- Casa D’Angelo at Atlantis
- Drifters at Fish Fry area
- Olives at Atlantis
- Pirate Republic at Atlantis
- Platos Lounge at Atlantis
- Sip Sip at the adult Cove pool
Room and Housekeeping Service – Our room was clean with the entry, bathroom, and bed on one level and a step down area with a couch table and chairs. The balcony was small but we had two chairs and a small table. The view was good with a side view of the beach but on another trip we had front and center magnificent views. House keeping was courteous and had our room cleaned before we returned from our morning 2 mile walks. We did have an issue with our toilet on flushing but it was quickly fixed on two occasions. Two or more bottled waters were delivered when the beds were turned down. Our coffee (K-Cups) and tea were replenished daily. The bottled water on sale in the room cost $11 so we just kept refilling our emptied water bottles. The mini-bar refrigerator was full and when we cruise we ask to have everything removed but at Atlantis this was not an option. We were fortunate enough to have one clear shelf where a bottle of wine fit perfectly.
Swimming with the dolphins – Two members of our group swam with the dolphins in the pouring down rain and loved it so much they went back the next day. We swam with the dolphins on another trip and it’s quite an experience be up close with these incredible mammals. One needs to decide if it’s worth the money and experience.
Water Park – Six of us in our party spent a fun filled day in the lazy river and riding on the slides. You can either choose a single or double person tube to ride. There are many areas to enter or exit the rides with bathrooms, restaurants, lounge chairs, towels, or lockers, nearby. Full disclosure on the rides/slides – they are not for small children. In our party of six we had one broken hand, a hit head when the tube tipped over, and three tailbone bruises. Rider be ware. Nevertheless, it was a lot of fun.
Overall Advantages
- Easy access to taxis
- Exercise center and lap pool at no charge
- Great for large groups or family trips
- Overall quality customer service
- Pristine beaches
- Restaurants at various prices
- Shuttle service within the resort
- Varied room rates to fit your budget
- Variety of activities for all ages
- WiFi including in resort fee
Overall Disadvantages
- 12% VAT tax on purchases
- Accessible mostly by air or cruise ship
- Areas and restaurants are closed during the “off season”
- Can be expensive
- Drinking water is sulfur water
- Limited in dining venues
- Slides can be dangerous
In conclusion we liked vacationing at Atlantis and will probably return for more visits.
2FitzCrew 