TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

Our family enjoyed our 5-day stay at The Reef, Atlantis. We found the staff to be friendly and helpful, the rooms well-appointed and the cleaning staff wonderful. The activities were all as advertised (including a fun time swimming with the dolphins). The water rides were excellent (and scary) for adults and children alike. The complimentary Sunrise Yoga on the beach was lovely, well-run, and a welcome antidote to the otherwise very high-priced everything at the resort. My family enjoyed playing tennis every morning with the rise and shine clinics. The fitness center was clean and well-equipped, including mats available to sign-out for outdoor use. We appreciated the frequent shuttles around the resort. And the sunsets and incredibly soft sand were spectacular. All in we had a good family vacation, and everyone said they would return. That said, there are some things that were less than ideal: 1. We were inexplicably downgraded from an ocean-view suite to a harbor view suite (which was really a view of the parking lot) but since we didn't spend too much time in the room, it wasn't such a big deal; 2. We got a room with a kitchen in hopes of saving a bit on food, but unless you shop in advance or take a cab in to town, you are left to shop at the Sundries store in each hotel for wildly overpriced items (though still cheaper than spending $200/day on breakfast for 4); 3. We reserved a cabana for New Year's Day so we could chill and not hassle about saving pool side chairs. Upon arrival the "hosts" explained that they would like a cash tip as the servers do not share gratuities with them. I was not in the habit of carrying cash and for the most part all the hosts did was to show us to our cabana. When we left without tipping, the host chased us down the path which seemed excessive. The management should make sure all employees benefit from the gratuities given on the check and make sure guests are not shaken down for cash.

Misleading Fees and False Information at Check-In I prepaid for 8 days / 7 nights at The Reef at Atlantis, with service fees already included in my booking. At check-in, I was told there would be a $250 per day incidental hold, which would be refunded at checkout. I specifically asked the front desk agent if there would be any additional charges beyond that. I was told “No.” That statement was false. At checkout, I was presented with a bill totaling $1,477.70 for mandatory daily resort fees, daily “Reef gratuity,” VAT, and tourism levies—charges that were never disclosed when I directly asked about additional fees. These were not incidentals and not optional. They were automatically added every day of the stay. For a resort of this size and reputation, this lack of transparency is unacceptable. Guests should not be reassured that there will be no additional charges only to be hit with over a thousand dollars in unavoidable fees at checkout. This experience felt deceptive and completely overshadowed the stay. Future guests should demand a written, itemized breakdown of all daily charges before checking in. Do not rely on verbal assurances. I would not return.

We stayed at Atlantis Paradise Island for five nights in multiple premium ocean-view suites at the Reef (20th and 21st floors)—one 1-bedroom and one 2-bedroom—with a total stay cost close to $20,000. We chose these accommodations expecting a luxury experience consistent with the pricing. On the first evening, we were not impacted only because we arrived late. Beginning the following day, however, we experienced repeated hot-water failures during peak shower hours (approximately 4–5pm) for four consecutive days. This issue was reported multiple times throughout the stay. As the stay progressed, the situation became increasingly disruptive: * Several members of our party had to go to the spa just to take a warm shower * We were advised by staff that we could use the transit lounge showers, which is not an acceptable workaround for guests staying in premium suites * Hot water did not reliably return until the morning of our departure, requiring us to check out late so all six of us could shower before leaving * Staff at the spa told us that the same hot-water issue occurred over Thanksgiving, pointing to a known, recurring capacity issue, not an isolated incident Compounding the issue, we were told multiple times that a manager would call us to discuss the situation, yet no call ever occurred. The lack of follow-through added to the overall frustration. Hot water is not a luxury amenity—it is a basic expectation. At nearly $5,000 per night, and while staying in premium ocean-view suites on the 20th and 21st floors of the Reef, guests should not have to plan their day around where they can find a warm shower. While the resort ultimately refunded $3,000, this adjustment did not adequately reflect: * The duration of the issue (4 of 5 days) * The disruption to a six-person traveling party * The premium accommodations booked * The ultra-premium rates charged * The apparent prior awareness of similar failures * The lack of management engagement despite repeated assurances Atlantis has impressive grounds and amenities, but until core infrastructure reliability and guest-service accountability are addressed, it does not consistently deliver an experience that justifies its pricing. I would welcome outreach from resort management to understand what concrete corrective actions are being taken to prevent this from happening to future guests.

The amount they will hold and charge on your card varies significantly from what is explained . The website room explains room types that aren’t even available. Without even spending half of the original hold amount for incidentals they randomly charged more to my card. Ryan at the front desk lied about my accommodation and then called the day before checkout to say he was charging my card another 1k for my room type I never asked for. I waited 5 hours just to check in on day one because my room wasn’t ready.

Nobody seemed happy to work there. Very expensive, Food outrageous cost. Slides getting run down. Much better place several years ago. Will not go back again.