Review: Cambridge Beaches Resort & Spa

Why book? 

Seclusion and privacy are as important to you as luxury touchpoints, and the thought of taking a shuttle to the beach is a big no-no—here you’ll find no less than four private beaches on property, a rarity in Bermuda.  

Set the scene 

Most of the fish hook-shaped island’s luxury hotels are on the east side of Bermuda, but if you drive past the capital of Hamilton and countless gorgeous beaches, you’ll eventually reach the curve of the hook and the Western part of the island. Here is where you’ll find Cambridge Beaches, all alone on its 23-acre peninsula jutting into the Atlantic Ocean, dotted with 86 pink cottages, manicured grounds, and 360-degree ocean views. Guests are mostly couples (some might be on their honeymoon) dressed in chic resort wear, generally enjoying the barefoot luxury vibe.

The backstory 

A historic landmark originally opened as a hotel in 1923, Cambridge Beaches has some structures and architectural details on the property dating back to the 17th century, and it’s known as one of the last remaining cottage hotels on the island. It has been a longstanding favorite of those looking for tranquility, and there are rows of wooden boards in the main building (one of the oldest on the property), listing the dozens of guests who have returned 20, 50, 75, and even 100 times to stay at the hotel. The hotel recently came under new ownership—Dovetail + Co (the hospitality group behind the Urban Cowboy and Wayfinder brands) overhauled the resort, redesigning all 86 cottages, four bars and restaurants, and the multi-level pool area. The spa and indoor pool will be revamped this year.

The rooms 

Rooms are all inside one of the 86 quaint pink cottages that are spread across the property. Each one has a comfortable living area, a spacious closet and bathroom, and a deck with ocean views. Post redesign, they now have a tropical-inspired feel with a coral and seafoam green color palette, dark wood colonial-style beds, quirky rattan chairs, and boldly patterned textiles. Details like palm tree-emblazoned door handles and shuttered closets compliment the breezy feel.

Food and drink 

There are four dining and drinking outlets, including a couple of brand new ones. Shoreline is the breakfast spot that overlooks the beach and pool. Nearby is the new poolside café, aptly called Pastel (note the retro-inspired pool furniture), which serves light fare like sushi, fish tacos, and burgers along with bright tropical drinks. It also has a showstopping seashell-studded scalloped mirror above the bar that we couldn’t stop photographing. The main dinner spot is the waterfront Breezes restaurant on Long Bay Beach, known for its stunning nightly sunsets, fresh-caught fish, and Wednesday night rum swizzle sunset parties. We dined on freshly caught grilled red snapper served with a cornmeal and okra dish originating from Barbados called cou cou. Save room for the Bermudian bread and butter pudding with homemade Goslings’ Black Seal Rum ice cream for dessert. 

Still, the hotel’s newest F&B outlet is also the most exciting: The Sunken Harbor Club is a dockside tavern on Mangrove Bay that is actually the second location of a bar in Brooklyn. The original is modeled to look like the inside of a sunken ship, but now, the Cambridge Beaches outpost is in many ways more realistic in its theme than the first. The bar’s wood-paneled walls are decorated with actual treasures rescued from some of Bermudian waters’ most famous shipwrecks by diving legend Teddy Tucker. The cocktail menu is by award-winning mixologist St. John Frizell and features more than competent renditions of island classics like a swizzle and Dark 'n Stormy, along with his original creations that fall into one of three menu categories: In the Shallows, The Twilight Zone, and The Abyss. Bermuda-raised Executive Chef Keith De Shields is in charge of all the hotel’s food, and Sunken Harbor features his authentic Bermudian roots cuisine. This means dishes like shark hash, callaloo pasta, plantain-stuffed wild boar, and poached Bermuda turbot with sauteed butter-spiced rum chanterelles.

The spa 

The spa is housed in the same building as the fitness center and indoor pool and whirlpool, and while the treatments using Aromatherapy Associates products from the UK are professional, it is certainly ready for its refresh, which is scheduled for 2023.

The neighborhood/area 

There’s pretty much nothing else directly close by—the hotel is the only thing on the peninsula. The nearest town is Somerset, which has a handful of restaurants and shops, but in general isn’t a major attraction for visitors, and the Royal Navy Dockyard is at the Western terminus of the island. 

The service 

Service here is generally fine—staff are helpful when asked but don’t seem to always take the initiative. Overall, it feels like everything is on island time and attitudes are laid-back to match.

Accessibility 

Things here are hilly and spread out, but there are golf carts that would be able to accommodate those with mobility issues to reach most places so you should plan on needing to rely on staff to escort you around.

For families 

Because all of the accommodations are cottages, the rooms do lend themselves to having a kid or two in the mix. And with so many beaches and the two-level pool, you’ll find plenty of options for where to set up camp. However, the previous owners had the resort as adults only and perhaps because of that it’s still heavily honeymooners and other couples, so if you’re looking for lots of playmates for your little ones, you may not find them just yet.

Anything left to mention? 

One of the main draws here are the four private beaches sprinkled across the property. Oddly enough, many of Bermuda’s hotels and resorts don’t have a beach on property and guests typically have to take a shuttle for access, so the beaches at Cambridge Beaches are a major attraction. Long Bay Beach is a long stretch of sand with gorgeous sunsets, while Morning Beach is a warm-watered cove surrounded by plant-covered rocks on one end. To the right is Pegem Beach, with a dock and access to watercraft, and just offshore are hundreds of shipwrecks to explore via snorkeling or diving. Turtle Cove, down a set of rocky stairs, is the smallest and most private—in fact, there’s only room for two lounge chairs and an umbrella, so the early bird gets the private beach!