The grounds at the Ocean Club are very pretty and well maintained. The beach is lovely too and the first impression you receive is very favourable.

The Beach
The beach and the sea are immaculate, no debris, no stones etc. The sand is really soft and white and the sea is aquamarine, just like the picture. If you were coming here with young children I don't think the sea would be suitable as it is not one into which you can wade, you are out of your depth within a couple of steps. There are gentle waves which are fun as long as you can swim. Talking about kids, if you have them then Atlantis is probably the place for you. It is utterly massive and would keep them amused, but not a place to stay if you don't have kids.

The Service
This is what most people complain about in their reviews. We had previously stayed at the One & Only Residence & Spa in Dubai where the service was utterly impeccable. However, all the staff there is imported, whereas here the staff comprises only of locals. We found almost all of them to be extremely friendly and willing to help. With those that seem slightly surly I don't really think they intend to be, I think it is a cultural "yeah man" thing. Charm works well with these people - much better than ranting. You can make them smile in an instant and then they can't do enough for you. I went to collect tea and coffee from the lobby (which is complimentary until 11am) and there was a man having an absolute fit because his newspaper hadn't been delivered. Some people might be better served by a clinic rather than a hotel.

The Room
We had a luxury beachfront room in the Crescent wing, which looks exactly like the picture on the One & Only website. We are at the end of the cresent so are about 25 metres from the beach and the ocean.
The room is large, clean and pleasant and the beds are very comfortable, no complaints. The bath is really nice and takes two perfectly. The shower is a proper walk in rain shower with a seat. We returned to our room one day to find the bath had been filled with rose petals and candles had been put all around. This was just a nice gesture from the butlers, no charge. We had 2 butlers (in shifts) and they were both delightful. Desiree and Terrance called in once or twice a day (unless the Do Not Disturb notice was up in which case you would not see them). They made reservations at restaurants for us, gave us advice on what to do etc and really couldn't have been more pleasant.

The Gym
We went to the gym every day. It has most of the equipment anyone would need. It isn't the swishest gym you have ever seen, but it does the job. The tennis courts are right next door and were used daily, but always had courts free. There is also a table tennis table in the Kids' Club, which they were happy for us to use. Take care though as there isn't much room behind the table and you would fall off the step behind if you got a bit carried away. A table tennis for adult use would be a nice addition and could easily be fitted next to the pool.

The Weather
The BBC 5 day forecast assured us that we were getting nothing but clouds and thunderstorms. I am pleased to say they were entirely incorrect. We had lovely weather, around 30 degrees, with a lovely breeze every day. The evenings are warm and balmy, no need for a cardigan.

The Food

Perhaps we are spoilt by the many good London restaurants on our doorstep, but this was one area which we felt could be improved upon.

Dune
We had dinner here and were disappointed. I had 2 starters, both of which were served tepid and were not great. My husband had a steak, which he did enjoy, but we didn't opt to eat here again.

The Courtyard Terrace
We ate here on our first night. We arrived at 930pm and the lady who checked us in had to call this restaurant and persuade the chef to cook us something as all the kitchens close at 930pm. The food was good enough, but again we didn't opt to eat here again.

The Pool Terrace Cafe
This is not open for dinner, but we had lunch here everyday, and it was the food we liked best in the hotel. The Grouper and Catch of the Day were good. The service was excellent.

You can also eat on the opposite side to this Terrace on Tuesday evenings only. It is their buffet BBQ, which we also had. My husband loved it because he is a hog and he ate so much that he could barely move afterwards. I suppose you should try it because you get a taste of everything but it was not really great. All the food that was supposed to be hot was tepid, including pasta made for you whilst you waited. On balance I do think it is worth trying.

Seafire Steakhouse at Atlantis
You just get a complimentary shuttle along to Atlantis. The restaurant was massive and very friendly. We also thought it was quite expensive. Steaks varied between 55 and 65 dollars, and then everything else was extra, eg 7.50 for a baked potato. The wine list also had massive mark ups. We were going to order a bottle of Lytton Springs at 165 dollars and then realised that was about double what we would pay for it in a central London restaurant. Nice, but we probably wouldn't go back. We have had better steaks elsewhere.

Fish Fry (not part of the hotel) 5 minute cab ride
This is only open for lunch and was recommended to us by one of the butlers. It is actually a street of local restaurants. We took a cab there. It is a 5 minute walk from Downtown, which is where the shops are (mainly jewellery and gifts - not too exciting). We went to Seafood Haven and had the best meal of our holiday. It was called Grilled Grouper, but this is a misnomer as it is not grilled at all! It is the local dish and the fish is wrapped in tin foil and steamed with onions, tomatoes, peppers and plantains. It was utterly delicious and melted in the mouth. Having said that, the place is pretty dirty, so this may not be the place for you. You overlook a bit of marina, not the yacht type, but the type where they are cutting up the conch and it is all a bit smelly. It is a local experience though and the food was excellent.

The Poop Deck (not part of the hotel) 5 minute cab ride
We had dinner here and were disappointed. Unlike Fish Fry it is not catering for the locals. It is a touristy place, but dirty and at Ocean Club prices. We didn't rate the food. Give it a miss.

Cafe Matisse (not part of the hotel) 5 minute cab ride
This restaurant was really pretty, linen table cloths, clean, nice service (make sure you get an outside table). The food was Italian and we had great hopes for it as the place seemed so nice, but we were disappointed. The steak was chewy and the crab pasta was not nice. The crab and aubergine starters were nice. Perhaps we just chose badly. Give it a try just because it is so pretty.

Overview
If you want utterly impeccable service and a totally immaculate resort go to the O&O in Dubai, although it doesn’t have much of a holiday feel to it and the beach is poor. Having been to both we prefer this one on balance. The beach and sea are lovely, as is the adults' swimming pool. The Dune Bar, which overlooks the beach, is also a really lovely setting for drinks. We were slightly concerned having read all the negative reviews, but we have stayed in many, many 5 star hotels and we felt that this hotel deserved its 5 star rating. We would come back, but there are other places to try first......... we are off to try the O&O at Le Tousserok in Mauritius next.

My wife and I just went for 3 nights w/out kids. I was a bit apprehensive after reading some of the previous reviews but needless to say, The Ocean Club didn't let us down at all. We kept saying to each other how great the facilities and location were, and how we couldn't wait to come back. Its absolutely beautiful and being next to Atlantis - offsite - was a huge benefit. You could leave the Atlantis compound and feel like you were at a private location within minutes. I'm a believer that you get what you pay for and they deliver in that regard. Yes rooms were expensive, we had a beach facing room but not in the newer area (cresent) which was fine. room was just fine, bathroom the same, very quiet. I can imagine even the garden facing rooms were OK but the view of the ocean 100 yards away was great in the morning on your own deck. The staff is excellent and attentive for the most part, especially the daily staff - the restaurant staff seems to be hit or miss, a reflection of management, not personaliies (more in a moment). The people are warm, and very helpful towards the guests and accomidating. The idea being that the Ocean club is exclusive and if you are a guest, so are you. The healthclub has good facilities, water and towels on all machines. The spa was simply amazing - expensive but in our opinion, worth it. Get a massage if you can; they were extremely well done at the Ocean Club by professionals which was a surprise. Extremely clean and modern in my opinion. In fact the entire hotel seems to be modern and kept well; I noticed the maids cleaning all day and night, never stopping in fact. The grounds are perfectly manicured - if you have been to the Breakers in Palm Beach? Same deal at Ocean Club. Food: very very expensive at Ocean Club - some crazy prices for the Bahamas - more like NYC really, and no real way to miss expensive meals as its that way everywhere. Good news is that for the most part, the minor meals - breakfast/lunch were good and sometimes great. The service was good but yes, sometimes the staff would lose sight on the big picture and you could wait for a check or a refill of a drink; must be the management approach (captain - waiter - runner). They simply share tips and seem to be lacking a bit in numbers so when it got busy, you were sometimes lost in the shuffle - again, management could take care of that easily enough but only pissed us off twice. We ate at Dune, which was very very good - and packed. Service that night was mediocre but everything else was good. - great flavors We also had dinner at the Bahamean Club - skip it - fish was dry, although steaks and chops looked good next to us. Cafe Martinque, we were told, was a better place; they were sold out. We also had dinner at Nobu. It was a step below the Vegas/NYC Nobu but close enough for us. Very good meal, good service, and great place. We really enjoyed it there. Make reservations via concerge well in advance, staying at Ocean Club seemed to have helped us too. Shuttle service (2 GM suburban's - not buses - comfortable ) to and from Atlantis was easy and we never waited more than a couple of minutes for a ride. The beach was our primary place during the day; great service from the guys with towels, chairs, etc, always prompt and asking if you needed anything. Totally took care of everyone during rain squall. Very well done frankly. Easy to get food and drink from them. I believe I read a review where a reader complained about people being able to "walk" through the OC beach? Yes that occured but we are talking about a handful of people every hour. The beach was beautiful and if we wanted to, we could have walked 500 yards away from OC and rest of Atlantis and been alone and very private. So overall we were extremely happy with our mini-vacation. Loved the resort, the location, the clubiness nature of it all and the people. It was a great experience. If you are worried about the bill before you get here then skip it, because the bill adds up quickly and you, like some of the other reviews, will find faults with everything. If you are looking for a small resort that is a direct flight from U.S., this is a great call. If you need to be entertained and have kids, Atlantis is a better location. (Also: never met a butler besides the free champaign each night but frankly, we didn't miss him/her at all).

The reviews are correct. The staff is warm and friendly but expect to be impressed, then suddenly left wondering, "what happened?" Sometimes the staff is so terrific that they run to the other side of the hotel to get peanuts for you and when you put up your little beach flag on your chair, they are over in two seconds to offer you a drink.
But...
You will have also have ridiculous waits for basic things, like towels in your bathroom. The so-called "butler" may or may not exist when you need him, the pipes might be leaking outside your room and you need an umbrella to emerge unscathed (true story!!!) the restaurant might "lose" your reservation with no apologies.

If you go, it is a beautiful property and the coffee bar in the lobby is lovely. The tennis coach is wonderful and the adult pool is breathtaking. The people at the hair salon are terrific-one even unknotted a tangle in my hair and wouldn't even take a tip!

The spa is pretty bad-my husband and I each had massages and compared notes after. We both felt rushed and it seemed like the staff at the spa was a bit rude and unfriendly.

The kids club is awful...I visited several times at different times of the day to check it out and the counselors were just putting them in front of the TV most of the time. They did some arts and crafts and had lunch and the counselors seemed very nice, but I don't think the kids need to be watching movies (by the way they had a violent one on for 4 year old girls!!!) or playing video games at the kids club.

On our first day, we looked at each other and remarked "we have to come back here at least once a year! Maybe twice!".

Two days later we said, "maybe we should try another hotel next time."

Maybe this is a management problem? So many of the individual staff members seem so nice and sweet, but the place just doesn't run properly. And when you compain about anything, don't expect much sympathy or resolution.

My husband and I just recently returned from "The One and Only". We stayed from Feb. 18-21 of 2008. We waited quite a bit at the airport for our transport to the hotel. Once we arrived the check in/concierge person (not sure) gave us a brief overview of the hotel (not very specific or in depth at all) we felt that we were on our own to figure things out (we are not mentally challenged either). The hotel was beautiful and the music piped in was very relaxing. We couldn't get into our room as we arrived too early. They had us change (if we wanted to in the Ladies/Mens room near the check in area.) We went down to the beach area and innocently sat on two chairs (for 3 1/2 hours). One of the beach attendants came over to us after the 3 hours and said that we had taken someone elses chairs. There was nothing around the chairs to show that these chairs were being used. We had to get up and set up camp all over again. The woman who had the chairs was rude and said nothing to us. Not even a hint of a smile. Anyway we felt that this should have explained to us when we entered the beach area immediately. The service on the beach could have been so much better. We put our flag up for a drink but had to wait a long while b4 someone came. Service at dinner could have been better too. Dinner at "The Dune" was great & so was the service. Food was excellent! The Barbecue night was a disaster and we would never go back. No room at the table we were shoved into a corner, buffet style with people cutting the line, lack of service. Never again. Dinner outside in the courtyard was a dream. Excellent service at times and then they would forget to bring our wine! The food was great and they had a singer that was wonderful! The one good thing was that the pool is off limits to children. It is calming and quiet! Some of the families that were on vacation did not discipline their children in the least. At breakfast one morning, a child kept banging on the glass window and the parents just let it go on. We left. We just want you to know that we are not chronic complainers and pick at the little things, we are giving you the best opinion that we can come up with to let you know how the hotel truly is. Coffee and tea is complimentary and in the reception area every morning, a nice touch! "The One and Only" is heaven after coming back from the Atlantis for the evening. So quiet, tranquil and romantic. The Butler service is a bit overated but nice to know you have it at your fingertips. We had a Ocean Suite and it was worth it. Beautiful! The grounds/landscaping is beautiful! Dreamy! The rooms were spotless and turn-down very nice! Would we go back, I think so. Comparing it to "Parrot Cay" Turks & Caicos, I would have to say I can't wait to go back to Parrot Cay! Service & friendliness of the reception/concierge staff needs improvement....smile alittle more! :)