Just figured I would update on our current stay here at the Grand Hyatt Baha Mar during yeshiva week. We are really enjoying our stay here. A big thanks to Chabad for all the have done with the kosher food at the hotel and the Shabbos arrangements as well. We are here during the second half of yeshiva week and stayed for the second Shabbos that Chabad offered Shabbos meals in one of the ballrooms in the SLS.
Kosher food: We ate out at Cinko, great food, nice ambience and really nice experience to have within the resort.
Other food options that are here during yeshiva week is the Palms Restaurant near pools has a full menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner. They have covered outdoor seating or you can take to go and eat at the nearby pools or beach. Menu is online. Food was served quickly and is very good. There are some cafe’s in the resort that have prepackaged kosher food as well.
Shabbos: Chabad arranged for magnets to be put on the doors so that it keeps the door closed, yet can be opened without the wristband. Great idea, I have never seen it and will use it for future hotels on Shabbos. We had a Shabbos elevator set up as well which was amazing. Minyan on Shabbos was in SLS conference center room (all 3 hotels are connected from within). There were approx 250 people there for davening. Although we did not do Pre arranged Shabbos meals with Chabad, I was told that there were upwords of 500+ people per meal. Chabad did a musical havdalah as well which was so nice. We brought our own Shabbos food due to economical reasons (it was going to be $500+ for our family of 6 for a Friday night meal alone) and due to some picky eaters. We brought our food down to the outdoor seating in palms restaurant and had a beautiful private Friday night meal there.
Resort: so much to do and see, check out the website for more details. Highlights were the newly opened Baha bay water park which is very large, minimal lines and lots of play areas for young children. Pools in the resort are heated and there are 4 hot tubs as well, laser musical light show every half hour was nice to watch. It’s different each time with different music and coordinating lights and water show. Sugar factory store has many kosher soft ice cream flavors with about half the candy there being kosher as well. The worker was eager to show us all the certifications when we were passing by. Flamingos, bird feeding, sea turtles, manta rays and koi fish in the resort all around pool areas, additional cost for feeding and private sessions with animals. Resort is so big that it’s always nice just to walk around the shops, casino, lobby, and the many outdoor areas. Beach has these floaty things attached to buey that one can lounge in ocean with. Ocean is magnificent here, typical Bahamas turquoise waters and white sand. Felt very safe overall.