Hotel Bermuda

Tired of cookie-cutter resorts in the Caribbean? Try 9 Beaches in Bermuda,
where the over-the-water cabanas might have you dreaming that you're in
the South Pacific.

"I am reading your great article about villas in the June issue of Conde Nast Traveler and I can't understand why Bermuda is never listed in any of these types of articles. It appears that Bermuda is never "on sale" and that it is very hard to find accommodations other than mainstream hotels. I have been to the island many times and know it well. But I would like to stay somewhere different than a box hotel this time. We are a family of five. Any suggestions?"

I've never been to Bermuda myself, but I know how hard it is to find a cozy hotel with a lot of character anywhere in the Caribbean. So I asked Vicky McGlynn, an agent with Travelong of Summit, New Jersey. Wendy and I recommend her for trips to Bermuda on our annual list of the World's Top Travel Specialists. Here's what Vicky told me:

"You're right, many visitors to Bermuda stay in the large Fairmont Southampton or Mandarin Oriental hotels. However, there are many other possibilities for a family of five. There are housekeeping cottages, like Surf Side, or smaller, more budget accommodations like Aunt Nea's Inn at Hillcrest. For an out-of-the-ordinary, ultra-casual vacation there is 9 Beaches, where guests stay in cabanas at the water's edge. And there are also many house rentals available.