Hotel Spotlight: THE LANDING on Harbour Island, Bahamas

We've just returned from one of our favorite places on earth: Harbour Island in the Bahamas.  This time we bucked our usual routine of staying at the Dunmore or renting a house and thought we'd try being more in the action at The Landing.  The Landing is one of the best restaurants on the island, has the chicest bar, is more affordable than the other hotels in it's category, and is owned by our friends Tracy Barry and Toby Tyler.

We gave it a shot and stayed in Frangipani a second floor room with views of the harbor and Government Dock where water taxis deposit you from Eleuthra and ferries from Nassau come and go.  The room is lovely with walnut stained floors, lots of windows with plantation shutters, a mosquito-netted, four poster bed and a huge bathroom with a dressing area.  We were happy apart from the fact that it is right on the busy main street off the dock and was really noisy - golf carts are louder than you think!  Our room picks for future trips will be Buttonwood-- a newer room in a building set behind the pool (quiet!) that feels fresh and elegant and has a huge private deck and separate bathtub, and Jacaranda, the garden cottage which is new, lovely and private with a tropical outdoor shower.

The Landing is not on the awesome pink sand beach Harbour Island is famous for, but they have chairs and umbrellas set up for hotel guests on the beach which is only a 5-10 minute walk away.  Or a two minute golf cart ride-- golf carts are the main mode of transport on the island, another reason to love Harbour Island.  There's also a bit more energy staying in town and it's nice to be able to walk to some of the shops and other restaurants.  So it depends what you're after-- if you want utter peace and calm and tranquility, stay on the beach side and come to the Landing for breakfast, drinks and dinner.

Although they have a new chef, dinner was still very good if not totally dazzling as it was under Ken, the old chef's reign.  Breakfast was MADE by the ricotta pancakes.  Do NOT miss these-- they are hands down the absolute most delicious breakfast item we have ever eaten!  No exaggeration.  And Toby, who has been bottling his own wine and rum for years under the Afro Head label, has expanded out delightfully into the realm of Ginger Vodka.  Lucy loved the Ginger Fro cocktail so much she is going to share the recipe just in time for the weekend and was trying to figure out how to transport bottles of the tasty Ginger Vodka back home inspite of her overweight suitcase...

Can't wait to get back down to Harbour Island.  xo

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