By Guy Britton
The legendary British Colonial has been transformed into one of the Caribbean’s best luxury resorts. If hotels could be royal, The British Colonial would be a Queen. With 288 guest rooms (25 suites) it’s not the biggest hotel in Nassau. But it’s truly majestic.
You can feel it as soon as you enter the impressive lobby and see the spectacular grand staircase and ornate ceiling. As someone who has been staying at this hotel for decades, it was dramatic.
In short, there is no place like it in the Caribbean. If you love hotels, this place will make you swoon. This hotel is special, and it was when I stayed here a few weeks ago. It’s not just the beauty, detail and tangible history, it’s also the great staff and service, the location and Nassau itself. The British Colonial is an essential part of the renaissance of downtown Nassau.
There is a new boardwalk connecting the cruise port to this part of town and that has made a big impact. There are new shops, restaurants and attractions and the British Colonial is right in the middle of it — and you get access to one of the Caribbean’s best waterparks right next door.
Centuries ago, the site where the British Colonial sits was a military fort guarding Nassau Harbour.
Nothing came into or out of Nassau without getting by this spot. The same thing is still true today. Everyone who visits Nassau or lives in Nassau is drawn here. The British Colonial is a central point and regular meeting spot for locals, tourists and business travelers and is extremely popular for weddings, events and meetings.
There is 18,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting space. The hotel is downtown and within walking distance to everything — the white-sand beach is right out the back door on the harbor.
There is a beautiful pool deck and an amazing beach with full service, chairs, towels, umbrellas, and of course, The Red Pearl Grill and beach bar. It is the kind of place you’ll want to stay all day. Watching the cruise ships come and go is great entertainment and as the sun goes down, the harbor lights up and you just stroll up to one the hotel’s great restaurants like Woodes Rogers Tavern, The Mahogany Club or the Sakana Noodle and Sushi Bar.
This hotel manages to pull off a rare feat: it is both completely new and historic at the same time. The hotel went through a major renovation and reopened in December 2023.
The renovations were extensive and are very impressive. The hotel and the rooms feel completely new. The pool deck and beach are new. It’s a sparkling place.
But we do love history, too. Henry Flagler, builder of the Breakers in Palm Beach bought this hotel site in 1900. He opened a massive hotel in 1901 and it operated for 20 some years until it burned down in 1922. The hotel was eventually rebuilt and the rebuilt again, bought and sold several times.
