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The British Colonial Hotel boasts a lively, elegant atmosphere that blends modern amenities with colonial charm, featuring live music and grand decor that many guests enjoy. While the central location is a hit for its easy access to downtown attractions, some reviewers find the additional costs for food, drinks, and fees to be on the pricier side. Service quality receives mixed reactions, ranging from friendly and professional to slow and inconsistent.
Cleanliness is generally praised, though some minor issues are noted. Room experiences vary, with some guests facing maintenance challenges despite appreciating the clean and well-appointed accommodations.
Location
Central
Atmosphere
Lively
Rooms
Uncomfortable
Value
Expensive
Cleanliness
Mixed
Service
Inconsistent
Amenities
Well-appointed
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We paid extra for an ocean view but were disappointed to find it was mostly a building view with just a slight bay view—definitely not what was advertised. Since we were celebrating our anniversary, we expected at least a small acknowledgment, but there was no special touch, not even a simple card or congratulations.
Service was also lacking. Despite requesting fresh towels and water from five different staff members, nothing was ever brought to our room. Late check-out wasn’t accommodated unless we paid an extra fee.
While the building itself is beautifully remodeled, the in-room AC was old, noisy, and had a musty smell. Overall, the experience was nice but definitely not five-star quality.
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Date of stay: February 2025
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from General Manager, General Manager at British Colonial
Responded 3 weeks ago
We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience you experienced during your stay with us. The service you experienced certainly did not meet our standards, and we understand how frustrating this must have been for you. We regret that the AC noise caused disruption and that the views did not meet your expectations. Please know that we will review your comments with the appropriate teams to ensure we are meeting our high standards going forward. Your feedback is truly appreciated, and we hope to have another chance to change your perceptions in the future.
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I love the comforts provided in my room, from the softest sheets, pillow variety, little desk nook and coffee bar. I appreciated the refillable shampoo/soaps. My only critique is that I strongly feel more thought is necessary in choosing the water bottles provided to guests. They are way too thick & will likely still be around in 100 years. The lack of recycling on the island makes me sad. Too bad the hotels couldn't make deal to ship it for processing.
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Date of stay: January 2025Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from General Manager, General Manager at British Colonial
Responded Jan 20, 2025
We always enjoy hearing from our guests, and we're so pleased our cozy rooms and comfortable beds added to your experience. Thank you for your feedback about the water bottles. We appreciate your commitment to sustainability, and we'll keep your comments in mind. Please come stay at British Colonial Resort Nassau again the next time you're in the area.
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We ended up spending one night here when our departing flight got pushed a day due to Hurricane Milton & I'm so glad we did! Even though we were way early for check-in & were just asking to store our luggage until later, the lovely front desk clerk said as a room was clean & ready to go, she would check us in then & there. This gave us the whole day to enjoy their beach & pool area which we were not expecting. There were plenty of sun chairs, umbrellas & beds available around a crystal clear, shallow pool. The beach bar made the best pina coladas I've ever had & our evening meal in the hotel bar was delicious too. The room wasn't huge but it was spotlessly clean & had everything we needed. The bathroom had a separate tub & shower with bathrobes & slippers too. The hotel's location is within walking distance of everything & the staff are super friendly & professional. If we come back to Nassau, we will definitely stay here again.
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Date of stay: October 2024Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Ask for a room away from the elevators & ice machine.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from General Manager, General Manager at British Colonial
Responded Oct 12, 2024
Dear Ali, It was a privilege to host you for one night at British Colonial Resort Nassau. We're pleased we were able to accommodate your early arrival, and it's wonderful you enjoyed our inviting pool and refreshing cocktails! Our team is humbled to have earned your confidence, and we look forward to seeing you again! Yours in hospitality, Dan McDermott General Manager
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To be fair this hotel deserved a better than average rating but not a very good!
After having to wait several hours to get checked in imagine our surprise when 10 minutes after getting into the room another guest entered with the use of his key card and reception staff were quite dismissive of our concerns. In the middle of our two week stay they ‘forgot’ to service our room two days in a row. Housekeeping were very apologetic but it was an annoyance. The Mahogany Club restaurant was closed for most of our stay which limited us to the main bar or the Sushi Bar for evening food which was excellent but limited in choice. Unfortunately, due to the proximity to the cruise port most of the local restaurants and bars closed at around 5pm leaving nowhere particularly easy to access beyond the hotel. On the upside, the room was comfortable and high quality linens and towels. The bar and restaurant staff were all excellent and very friendly and helpful. Also the beach staff deserve a mention - always welcoming and willing to help. When all said and done we had a great holiday but the above niggles are perhaps something that should be addressed
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Date of stay: February 2025Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from General Manager, General Manager at British Colonial
Responded 3 weeks ago
Dear Angela, It was a pleasure having you stay with us, and we're pleased you enjoyed our comfortable accommodations. Also, thank you for highlighting our restaurant and beach teams' incredible service. However, we apologize for the concerns you mentioned and we will work to identify how we can improve. Your feedback is invaluable, and we hope you will consider returning the next time you visit Nassau to allow us another opportunity to exceed your expectations.
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We spent a week at the British Colonial. The property is beautiful and recently redone. The small private beach and pool area are nice. Most of the staff we dealt with were helpful and friendly as well. That said, a number of things are not yet open or still awaiting final improvements.
A concerning item was that they did not honor the rate at which I booked. On arrival they gave us a paper showing higher rates. With VAT and fees (including an extra 5% service charge every day just for the room) the cost for the room itself came to nearly $500 a night, which seems excessive for a property that is essentially still in a "soft open."
There are clearly going to be more restaurants eventually, but in early March 2024 food options were very limited. Since downtown Nassau shuts down at 5 when the cruise ships leave, finding convenient places for supper during our stay was tough. The only option in the British Colonial was bar food, and the pool bar had some lunch items. Both the bar and the grab 'n' go were out of items on the drink and food menu every time we went, and one sandwich we bought from the grab 'n' go was well past its prime.
There are lovely, diverse outdoor lounge areas but nobody yet staffing them. There is also a nice small fitness area with weights and a few cardio machines, but those were not yet fully operational (the screens do not respond), and the staff desk there is vacant. The center had no mats for stretching or yoga, and there were no wipes to clean the machines. Again, I'm sure this will all be fixed eventually.
On the last night of our stay we decided to see if we could get into the pizza restaurant at the resort next door, Margaritaville. When we arrived the attendant said, "Of course, we're all the same family! Just show your British Colonial bracelet and you have access." If this was correct, we wish we had been told on arrival, since Margaritaville is a fully functioning resort with its stores and restaurants open, and we would have taken regular advantage of its amenities.
We went away feeling sure that the British Colonial is going to be a terrific place to stay once it is fully open, all systems are fully working, and there is adequate (and fully trained) staff for the size and the high-end vibe they are going for. The physical plant looks great, and while the downtown location is a challenge at night it offers lots of walkable options during the day. At this point, though, I think it would make more sense to offer reduced rates or free nights or something like that to compensate for how tentative and limited the service is.
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Date of stay: March 2024
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from General Manager, General Manager at British Colonial
Responded Mar 15, 2024
Dear BeMay, We appreciate your feedback on your stay. It's great to hear you enjoyed our beautiful property, private beach, and friendly staff. However, we regret the issues encountered, such as limited dining options and the functionality of our fitness equipment. As a newly reopened property, we do have two additional restaurants that are coming on line in the very near future. Your insights about the state of our hotel, combined with suggestions for improved communication regarding access to neighboring resort amenities, are invaluable. We do include a Welcome letter at check in which notes our Guest Directory accessed through a QR code that lists facilities available at Margaritaville Resort such as JWB Steakhouse, FinsUp WaterPark, and other facilities available. We are committed to addressing these issues and enhancing our service and offerings. We look forward to the opportunity to provide you with the high-end experience you anticipate, reflective of our vision for British Colonial Resort Nassau. Yours in hospitality, Dan McDermott General Manager
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My daughter and I went for a 4 day vacation and we loved our stay at the British Colonial! Customer service was excellent everywhere in the hotel, which made our stay so much more enjoyable. We ate by the pool, and in the hotel restaurants and the food and service was so top notch! The grounds were exceptional, fire pit, Cigar lounge, well equipped exercise room, private beach and 2 pools was heaven. I really appreciated not having to pay for a cabana, also thumbs up they do not monitor the towels you can take as you need. There were always pool chairs and beach chairs available, so you don't have to get up at the crack of dawn to reserve a chair. The lobby is grand, the coffee shop serves small meals and great Chai Latte, the rooms are beautiful, guest can access a shared outdoor balcony on each floor. We had a great view of ocean and cruise ships coming into harbour, truly amazing. Location is right downtown Bay st. It was great to be close enough to the action, and when we arrived back to hotel, private, peace and quiet, a grand oasis. McDonald's Dunkin's Donuts right across the street, if you want a cheaper option for breakfast. I hope I got the right name, shout out to Selvinique Wright Manager for making our stay exactly as we hoped for, your actions to provide us with the room we needed validated that it's all about the customer. Thanks so much for taking the time and effort to ensure we had a great stay at the British Colonial. We can't wait to visit this amazing hotel again. I give British Colonial 5 Stars!!!!!
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Date of stay: December 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip:No need to snag a spot early at the pool, early December there always was free space at pool and...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from General Manager, General Manager at British Colonial
Responded Dec 8, 2024
Thank you for your perfect rating! It was wonderful having you and your daughter join us on your Bahamian adventure. From our exceptional service and idyllic grounds to our fabulous location and fantastic amenities, we're excited that you had a great time with us at British Colonial Resort Nassau. We'll be sure to pass your compliments along to Selvinique. We would be delighted to welcome you both back anytime and wish you safe travels on your journeys ahead!
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Got a day room and enjoyed staying for a day while on a cruise. Upon reflection, day pass would have been better value for my needs although showering before returning to cruise ship was nice. Location an OK walk from cruise port - 20" but I'm slow. Room and service above par as hotel was recently renovated. Food though pricy (as expected for Nassau) was OK quality. Drinks watery and overpriced - really don't bother!!! Normally I enjoy the ocean tremendously but the ocean/beach area was just too small to enjoy the water although beach lounging area was nice (comfy chairs and umbrellas). Heated pool was cool because it WAS NOT HEATED - management turns off heat if they think weather is warm enough. On the pro side of of the pool, it was not crowded and no extra charge for cabanas or day beds. Also music was just background and not booming which was perfect. Overall good experience, pleasant service, and good value for $$$.
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Date of stay: March 2025
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Trip type: Travelled with friends
Room Tip:Note lots of taxes!!!!!
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from General Manager, General Manager at British Colonial
Responded 1 week ago
Dear Lilly, It's great to hear you enjoyed your visit with us at British Colonial Resort Nassau, and we thank you for your review. We're glad you enjoyed our refreshing pool and our team's great service, and your helpful feedback will be used to help us improve even more. We hope to welcome you back soon!
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Our stay was due to a flight cancellation & a last minute search for lodging for the night. We were disappointed to find a leaking window, with water on the sill & floor, when we got to the room. Attempts to contact the desk went unanswered, so we cleaned up the water ourselves as the tile was extremely slippery. The information was shared with housekeeping working on the hall when we made our way down for a quick late dinner, but no one entered the room to address the concern. For a less than 12 hours stay, at considerable cost, it is doubtful the British Colonial will be a consideration for our next visit to the Bahamas.
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Date of stay: March 2024Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from General Manager, General Manager at British Colonial
Responded Mar 29, 2024
Dear Deborah, Thank you for sharing your experience. We regret to hear about the issues encountered during your unexpected stay, especially the leaking window and the difficulty reaching our desk. We understand the frustration this caused and take your feedback seriously, as we aim to promptly address and rectify such concerns. Should your travels bring you back to the Bahamas, we hope for another opportunity to provide you with the level of service and accommodation you expect and deserve. Yours in hospitality, Dan McDermott General Manager
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We stood 6 days in February 2025 for a family vacation. My husband, two teenagers, toddler and myself stood in one room. My sister in law, brother in law and niece stood in another. The hotel needs to work on better check-in process. We waited over 1.5 hour past check in time for a room to be ready. Traveling day can be long and a complimentary drink and/or snack would be nice. If policy states check in is 4pm- the hotel should ensure rooms are ready by then. We were then told about additional fees that seemed a bit excessive in comparison to prior vacations. Front desk supervisor did give us one day complimentary breakfast and an “upgrade” to a suite. She also was able to place my sister n law in another room close by to ours. We liked that! We originally ordered a double ocean front room. The suite was ocean front but only had 1 king size bed so my two teens slept on a pull out couch and roll away bed. We made it work and everyone slept good. The room was nice & clean. Cleaning staff were friendly and very accommodating. I wish the pools were heated for our February stay. It would have made a difference in pool time. There is good free water sport activities that are actually available throughout the day. The lounge furniture could use an upgrade- cushions were worn and stained. I will say the grounds were very clean and there was an endless supply of pool towels (no cards needed). Overall the staff were great, friendly & helpful. PThe hotel is in a great location downtown. Right next to the Cruise Port, the Straw Market, QueenStaircase, Senior Frogs, Smugglers, Junkanoo Beach, Tiki Hut, & Pharmacy. In summary, we hope the hotel would make the recommended changes - we would like to stay again.
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Date of stay: February 2025
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from General Manager, General Manager at British Colonial
Responded 2 weeks ago
Dear Arsonia, Thank you for staying with us, and for your detailed review. We're pleased you enjoyed our beautiful grounds, ideal location, clean accommodations, and friendly housekeeping team; however, we apologize for any issues you encountered. Our team will work to ensure we are consistently providing efficient service and a welcoming environment for all. Also, we have noted your comments regarding the pool temperature and lobby furniture for our team to review. Thank you for staying with us, and should your travels bring you back to the area, it would be an honor to welcome you and your family again anytime.
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My husband and I do a decent amount of traveling and I must say that the employees at the British Colonial were some of the friendliest we have ever met. We would like to give a special thank you to one of your servers, Charles, and also to 3 of the bartenders, Omar (truly amazing), Raymond and Kendal. They were all fantastic! A few issues we encountered were: no shampoo in our room, had to call to have it brought to our room; no hair dryer in our room, we called and nobody ever brought one to our room; no tv remote in our room, we had to call and have someone bring it to us. The pool never seemed to be clear on on our 3rd day, patrons could not use the pool because chemicals were being added to it. This was a major let down because we were only there for 3 nights/4 days. The hotel did lack any kind of entertainment. If we were going to bring our adult children to the Bahamas, we probably wouldn't bring them to the Colonial because they would be bored. The bed pillows were like bricks after a couple hours of laying on them and actually gave my husband and I stiff necks. Also, the air conditioning didn't seem to be working, we could never get our room to the temperature we wanted. Also, there was a foul smell after our 2nd night. A couple we met who were in the room across from us also had that foul smell in their room. The heavy curtains in our room were possibly the cause because of the humidity that was in the room. I would suggest washing the curtains more frequently or maybe purchasing new curtains that were not so heavy. Another thought was that there was something wrong with the ventilation on that floor (3rd floor) because the ceiling outside of our room was leaking. I understand that the hotel was recently renovated and some of the hotel was still being renovated but that would definitely be something to look into. So I would rate the overall experience a 4, but the staff I would rate a 5.
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Date of stay: March 2024
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Staff was amazing! Be prepared to spend your money!
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from General Manager, General Manager at British Colonial
Responded Mar 22, 2024
Dear Heather, Thank you so much for all the kind words regarding our amazing team members and we're so happy to know that you had a great time with us overall! We apologize for any issues with the accommodations and amenities during your visit and we'll be sure to discuss all of your comments internally. Despite this, we hope you will consider coming back to join us again in the future; we're confident that we can impress you. Yours in hospitality, Dan McDermott General Manager
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It recently reopened after a large renovation and was previously known as the Hilton British Colonial and are no longer a Hilton. The phone numbers you are using may be outdated for one of these reasons. A lot of places in the Bahamas have outdated information. This is a serious, refreshed, luxurious hotel. You picked the best thing in downtown Nassau. I booked through Expedia and checked in with no problem. I can’t speak to what you have planned for the rest of your trip, but your stay here will be enjoyable.
There are more places to choose from in the Nassau area.
PRICE RANGE
C$334 - C$515 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
LOCATION
CaribbeanBahamasNew Providence IslandNassau
NUMBER OF ROOMS
313
Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.
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