Opinions on Xanadu, Bahamas

[ScubaBandit]

Hello, I would just like to get some opinions from people who stayed & dived at Xanadu Beach Resort.

I just booked a trip there and after reading some horrible reviews on tripadvisor, I'm wondering if I made a mistake. So here are some of my concerns about the hotel:

Is there anything in walking distance?
Is the food really that expensive?
I know everthing moves a little slower there, but are the employees really rude?

I have read that the diving is suppose to be really good. I guess that's all that really matters because this is a "dive" vacation.

Any information would be great!!!

Thanks

 

[SubMariner]

It would be helpful if you could provide a more specific location than "Bahamas", as The Bahamas is a chain of over 700 islands (approx 29 of which are inhabited).

Bonne chance,

 

[ScubaBandit]

Freeport Bahamas. I should have been more specific.

 

[bikefox]

I stayed at the Xanadu back in March. The hotel is not close to anything, so you may want to rent a car. The hotel rooms are large and clean, but the TV and AC in our room did not work. We let the front desk know this at least a dozen times and basically were blown off. The beach and dive shop were excellent, however. The dive op. is right at your front door which makes it very convenient. If your going just to dive its not bad, but I would not return due to the location of the hotel.

 

[herman]

It's been years since I was in Freeport but when I was going there a fair amount, I never condidered Xanado a place I wanted to stay because of it's location. You either have to stay and eat on site, rent a car (left hand driving-not me) or call a cab all the time which can get expensive. The dive shop on the other hand was always very good. If it were me, I would find a place close by Port Lucaya so I could walk or at least take the buss, to restaurants and shops.

 

[Damselfish]

You have to read between the lines of reviews on tripadvisor (just like here) - different people have different standards so will have different opinions of the same place. But there's enough bad there that I'd tend to put some stock in it.

 

[ScubaBandit]

Thanks for the great input! Since we are going just to dive, it shouldn't be that bad. We are already booked to stay at Xanadu, the price was unbeatable. (now I know why). I will report back on how things go.

 

[bikefox]

If you like cavern dives, ask Ben to take you Mermaid's cavern. It worth a day to check out.

 

[del_mo]

I dove with Xanadu this past summer and asked Ben, one of the DM's and pick-up driver about the hotel. His only comment was, "It's tired." And yes, it is out of the way.