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This place is temporarily closed Six cozy cottages on one of the best beaches in the Bahamas. Set in a lush tropical landscape, Oceanfrontier offers a unique escape from traditional resorts. Friendly people, comfortable cottages and a spectacular beach make Oceanfrontier and Guana Cay a special place.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
This small complex of cabins perfectly situated on the beach is very well-run by the friendly and competent Troy and Maria who assisted us to and from the dock with our luggage. Furnished adequately in rustic style, the cabin was sufficient for our needs (although 4 adults sharing one small bathroom was interesting). The noise from Nippers Bar and Restaurant was almost imperceptible in our cabin (we asked for the furthest away). Even with the weather behaving appallingly and being unable to dive (which was the purpose of our 57 hour in-transit trip to get there) or even swim off 'our' beach, we enjoyed ourselves thoroughly. It must be heaven on earth when the weather cooperates and swimming,diving and boating conditions are good. Because of being unable to dive or snorkel on the ocean side, I can thoroughly recommend an easy and rewarding snorkeling route in the Abacos sea- one which we did daily (sometimes twice) in all weather conditions: Stroll across to Guana Dive shop (15 min) jump off the pier if its deep enough and first check for rays who live and breed underneath that one and the neighbouring pier. Move across to a small man-made reef about 10 meters away on the ocean side of the pier (ask Troy). Surprising amounts of tropical fish live in and around there including a scorpion fish. Then strike out for the small mangrove island (its a ten minute lazy swim - with fins) and look out en-route for fish in the grasses, pansy shells, sea urchins, huge starfish, cow-fish, the odd nudibranch, schools of batfish and possibly the same friendly and curious ray who was very interested in our activities. Snorkel close to the island's rocky outcrop and look for juvenile turtles hiding in the crevices. Also venture away from the island at times to look for rocks of whatever size where there are bound to be different varieties of mainly juvenile tropical fish. At the back side of the island in high tide there was a nursery of baby barracudas swimming among the mangrove roots. Swim right around the island and then back across the bay to Guana Dive. Only about an hour in all. We took our own masks, snorkels and fins and shortie wetsuits which were a necessity we thought at 23 degrees Celsius. Much cheaper than hiring! Tip 1: Don't bother to hire a golf cart for the entire stay. We hired one for one day which was more than enough time to explore the island. Otherwise everywhere is within easy walking distance of Ocean Frontier and if you don't walk there's nothing to do anyway! Tip 2 Watch out for excessively priced food offerings from quaint rustic restaurants. $30 for apiece of fish - no salad -was more than we expected to pay. Grabbers is great for food and Nipper's Sunday pig roast was huge fun-both were relatively reasonably priced. Tip 3. On arrival at Marsh Harbour, ask your taxi driver to take you to Maxwells (the largest grocery store) and wait for you to shop for provisions. Ours charged $24 for an hour which included a stop at the liquor store. Can't wait to return to Ocean Frontier and actually dive next time!
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Date of stay: March 2013
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Trip 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.
Log cabins in paradise, what a cool place. Basic but comfy and steps to the amazing empty beach. Joint next door is always fun and everyone on this tiny island is helpful and friendly. Great place to lose your shoes and cellphone and chill. Hard to find but you'll be glad you did. This isn't for the big feelers out there, Dahling, it's for those who want to enjoy the good stuff in this world. Google it.
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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.
Quaint little spot in the quiet of Great Guana Cay. Small but clean units. Good response from Staff. Beautiful beach right at your door. Nipperrs, next door can get crowded on Sundays from 11:30 to 6:30. That is the time the ferry starts bringing people from other Islands and the last ferry leaves at 6:30. Best Island food is at Kidd's Cove, small local bar, Restaurant right between Grabbers and Nippers. Walking distance to everything but a Golf Cart rental makes it easier. Thursday night is Wing Night at Orchid Club and a great deal. Bring cash with you, not every place takes credit cards. If you can't relax here you can't relax anywhere
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Date of stay: May 2015
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.
Oceanfrontier Hideaway is located in the most perfect location as the cabins are private and located right upon the beach and next to Nippers Bar. The cottages themselves are the perfect size (other than the fact that there is one bathroom). We had a great time in Great Guana Cay and I highly recommend visiting this island. The island is very small and just a short walk where ever you need to go (grocery store, dinner, marina). But...we were all very dissatisfied with our experience with Maria (property manager). She was terrible and I do not suggest staying at this resort no matter how much I loved the view and convenience of the resort. She was extremely rude compared to anyone else on the island and charged us almost $300 extra as soon as we got off the ferry. I will definitely be back to Great Guana but I will find another hotel to stay during my next visit.
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Date of stay: August 2015Trip 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 oceanfrontier1963, Owner at Oceanfrontier Hideaway
Responded Dec 21, 2016
All the staff at Oceanfrontier Hideaway strive to make your experience the best it can be. Having said that, we understand that the place and the pace are not for everyone and there are occasions when guest expectations are not met. We appreciate your time and effort in posting a review but would encourage you to discuss your concerns directly with management so we can offer assistance and perhaps find a satisfactory solution to the issue at hand during your stay. Andrew
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Ahoy me Hearties! Be prepared to be transported back in time as you're met by Maria at the dock in her golf cart for your 3 night stay. She will whisk you to your cabin, but not before mentioning that you owe an extra $75 as there are two guests and she was only expecting one. You can try to fend off this cutlass blow by producing your hotel voucher which explicitly states you've paid for two already. Surely this will suffice....hmmmm....no, Maria isn't interested and and claims 'I don't have my glasses'. She'll then demand her pieces of eight i.e your credit card. Is this a scam? Has anyone else been pirated in the same way? On a positive note - the beach is nice and the rooms ok but be prepared for night time noise from Nippers especially at weekends. Holidays are about mood and relaxation, not having a tug of war over $75. I didn't notice any customer service skills on this trip.
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Date of stay: March 2011
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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 oceanfrontier, Owner at Oceanfrontier Hideaway
Responded Sep 5, 2011
The aforementioned additional charge was indeed levied, an aggregious oversight on the owners part. The funds have subsequently been credited to the offended party. Our goal remains a great vacation for a fair price.
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Found this gem through our timeshare, and what a delight it was. A long stairway leads from the cabins down to the beach. Ooooh...the beach! Miles of unspoiled, uncrowded, powdery sand beach were perfect for walking, sunning, relaxing...barely did we meet others or see people out basking. In March it was mid-70's but VERY windy every day. Nights required long-sleeves and sometimes a sweatshirt. We're snorkelers, and the reef in front of the cabins provided pretty good snorkeling. Saw tropical fish and a stingray, but with the winds so strong it was a bit rough. Had great snorkeling in the bay on the other side of the island right off of Grabber's bar (within walking distance). The water temperature was in the low 70's as well, so we benefited by renting wet suits for the week from the OceanFrontier property manager, Troy (who also owns the local Dive Boat operation). Troy & wife Maria are most accommodating. Take Troy's snorkel trip and Hopetown/Man O War Cay tour for the day - most enjoyable and great value.
Simple log cabins, tastefully appointed, provided a comfortable stay. Two double beds downstairs and a queen bed in a large loft (tall enough for my 6'4" husband to stand up in). Kitchen had fridge, microwave, coffee maker, toaster, stovetop but no oven. We ate several meals in and all utensils and cookware were adequate. Small bathroom with tiny shower. The property has their own desalinization, and water is good. Water supply is problematic on Abaco, so conservation is encouraged. Each cabin has a good sized deck with two Adirondack style chairs. (pictures on their website do justice to the actual.
Nipper's Bar next door is a fun place (check out the pig roast each Sunday -- that's the only time the beach was "busy"). Loudy music can be a bit noisy in the cabins, but it dies down around midnight (earlier on slower nights). It's a great place, good food but watch out for their signature drink, the "Nipper". It'll sneak up on you. Two salt water pools are kept clean. Cabin guests are allowed full access to Nippers' pool and facilities.
The grocery store & liquor store are within walking distance, but if you're ferrying over from Marsh Harbor, you may want to provision there for greater selection and lower pricing. Rent a golf cart for the day ($45 from Donna's Carts) and tour the island.
If you're looking for a place that isn't resort-on-top-of-resort, mega shopping and upscale trendy, this is it. It's a classic, unspoiled beach, friendly people (tourists who come back again and again and prefer to keep this place secret so it doesn't grow into the resort scene), great fishing from what I'm told, and super snorkeling. This was our first time visiting Abacos, and usually we tour an island only once. In this case we're already planning our next trip back to OceanFrontier!
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Date of stay: March 2007
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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.
This was probably the 6th or 7th stay here for me. Maria & Terry are wonderful. The cabins are in a great location & have everything you need. I could live there, just need those winning numbers. Nippers is right next door and just a short walk to the grocery store. I cheat & get a golf cart.
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Date of stay: November 2014Trip type: Travelled solo
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.
Oceanfrontier Hideaway was fabulous. Troy and Maria were excellent hosts, from the time they picked us up at the dock, to Troy taking us on a boating/snorkeling excursion, to giving us info about Great Guana Cay and the Bahamas in general, to the end of the trip where they picked us and our luggage up and dropped us off at the dock, they were warm, friendly, helpful and inviting! The little cabins were absolutely adorable! Clean and inviting, and Eddy the cat was always at the door waiting for a snack! It was nice to have Nipper's bar with a pool right next door, too. A 4 minute walk took you to the only other bar/restaurant option we had, which was Grabber's. Both places had good food and strong drinks! Beers are $3/ea. at the liquor store, and $5-$6 at Nipper's and Grabber's; no getting any cheap beers on Guana! The beaches were beautiful and virtually empty, but the week we were there the surf was rough, so I personally did not go in the water. All that being said, there really isn't much more to tell. Not a lot to do unless you rent a boat or go on a diving or snorkeling tour. Hardly any shopping or sightseeing opportunities. We rented golf carts from Donna's-another great lady (Donna Sands) who was very accommodating. I would not go back to Guana, and it's only because I'm the kind of person who needs more drinking/dining options, but if you are happy to just sit and look at the beautiful sea and hang at 2 wonderful local bars, then definitely go to guana! And if you do, DEFINITELY stay at OCEANFRONTIER HIDEAWAY!
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Date of stay: February 2013
Value
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Trip 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.
We stayed for 8 nights over New Years. The island seemed fairly quiet and there was always space available in one of the units. During our stay the weather was variable - warm day one day, windy the next. Florida supposedly had the coldest December on record to put things in perspective. We had a great time on Great Guana Cay. We took a taxi from the airport in Marsh Harbour to the Albury ferry dock with a shopping stop at Maxwell's (A very large, well stocked modern supermarket) while the taxi waited. Albury ferries run on time - yeah! Be sure to have the ferry captain call Troy from the ferry, even if you have been in email contact, so he can be sure you caught the ferry that you said you were going to so he can be there to greet you at the dock. The Oceanfrontier Hideaway is a simple well-appointed accommodation. Troy and Maria care about this island and are very helpful. Otherwise you are on your own. The island grocery was surprisingly well stocked if you were not too particular when you ran out of something. Troy arranges for golf carts as does Donna's carts. They run about $45 a day but really since the top half of the island is inaccessible by land due to the Baker Bay development (for the richest among the rich) and the south end inaccessible due to the Orchid Bay development, in 3 hours you can pretty much see all there is to see. Everything else is accessible by foot. We had lunch at the Market at Baker's Bay which was very upscale but reasonably priced. Worth a visit although that's as far as you can go unless you're a member. There were hints that the Orchid Bay restaurant was going to open soon. Nipper's, Grabbers and the Pirates Cove were all alternatives to eating in. The kitchen made it easy to prepare everything. The best reason to stay at the Oceanfrontier Hideaway is the beach access and the beach itself - miles of unspoiled, uncrowded beach to wander except on Sunday's when Nipper's (right next door) has a pig roast. They come from the other cays to enjoy the feast. You can hear Nipper's music during the day when outside but once inside the unit that's not the case. The unit, as others have commented, has good space. We were very comfortable there. Be sure to check out the diving with Dive Guana (Troy again). He dives many of the same spots that the dive shops from Marsh Harbour with far less travel time. Be sure to bring your 3 to 5 mll suit to dive in December. Also think about paying for more reliable internet service from Bahamas telephone. It's worth it. Staying at Oceanfrontier Hideaway on Great Guana Cay is like stepping back to the 1970's with all the modern conveniences - It's very laid back just the way we like it.
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Date of stay: December 2010
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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.
You literally walk out the door, walk for 1 min and the beach is there! Beautiful! The cabin was clean, we had towels linen and some very basic things. Maria and Troy were more than friendly and did their best to accommodate us... Maria is such a sweet lady and was always trying to make sure everything was up to our expectations. Our cabin was right next to Nippers so it was very convenient!
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Date of stay: March 2016Trip 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.
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