This was my third visit to The Reefs with my husband -- we got engaged there, spent our honeymoon there, and this time, celebrated our first anniversary. We absolutely love the peacefulness and the privacy of this hotel - it is a refreshing alternative to the other massive, impersonal resorts on the island.

We had been impressed with the staff the first two times we had visited, but this time they definitely went above and beyond. I stupidly forgot some prescription medication that I would have been miserable without, and Charlotte, at the front desk, immediately put me in touch with a local doctor to help me get a temporary supply. I then came down with a massive cold, and not only did one of the bar staff notice as he walked by me in the lobby, he offered me his special home remedy. Hurricane Bertha hit (I suppose at that point she was technically a "tropical storm"), and the staff put out about 30 board games in the lounge and threw us a complimentary Rum Swizzle Party. Honestly, when I think back to it, this could have been a MISERABLE vacation, and we had a fantastic, comfortable time, due mostly to the attentiveness of the staff.

There is a review posted previously to mine that seems to be written by someone who stayed there at the same time as us. I just want to clarify that the beach eroded because of the storm - the beach at The Reefs is normally a very nice-sized beach with excellent service and complimentary amenities (and really pretty umbrellas). We watched Bertha take the beach away over the 7 days we were there, and the ocean rose considerably, but having grown up near a stormy beach myself, I know that the beach always comes back!! And obviously the Reefs staff is going to do everything they can to speed that natural process. And yes, there were some ants in many of the outside areas, but none in the rooms. There were also spiders, birds, lizards, dragonflies, mice, fish, tree frogs ... a cockroach ran after my husband on the sidewalk ... Bermuda has a wealth of flora and fauna, and if you're not into hanging out in a natural environment that hasn't yet been completely destroyed by humans, it may not be the place for you. I would rather see some ants going about their business undisturbed than see toxic ant traps and bait everywhere. As far as I know, the housekeeping service ENDED at 3 (with turn-down service after that), and housekeeping made a point of working around our schedule -- for the record, our room was usually cleaned while we were at breakfast, and our room was always immaculate. Finally, the construction was hardly an issue, and the Reefs was excellent about making sure it did not disturb our stay. As repeat visitors, they have also kept us updated on the plans and progress, and we are confident that the changes they are making are not going to do anything but improve upon what we love about the hotel - they are working hard to keep the same cozy, personal, peaceful ambiance they are famous for.

My husband and I are in our early 30's and we were probably among the youngest (adult) guests there - we see it as a great opportunity to hang out with mature adults and avoid our fellow young (sometimes obnoxious) New Yorkers, but if you are more into the party-crazy-tropical-vacation scene, this is probably not the hotel for you (maybe not even the island for you). Not to say if you are our age you have to sit very still and play bridge -- we drank and danced up a storm every night in the lounge (the nightly entertainment is EXCELLENT! - especially Tempo) -- but do not expect a singles bar scene or cannonballs in the pool at The Reefs. If you crave hanging out with a younger crowd for a few nights, Henry VIII is a short walk and The South Shore Swizzle Inn a short cab ride away (we made good use of those too!).

My husband and I are not extraordinarily wealthy people, but we save all our pennies over the year to make sure we get to The Reefs. The thing we MOST love is that, yes, we put down a decent amount on our room each night, but unlike another beach hotel where we paid nearly as much and then had to pay for use of a beach towel (per person, per day -- I swear), the Reefs does NOT nickel-and-dime you. If you want to play tennis, you simply tell them you want to use their court and they hand you rackets and balls. They have a closet full of DVDs you can borrow, for use with the DVD player and flat-screen TV provided in your room, if you are just sick of the sun. There are kayaks and floating "noodles" kept on the beach for your use - along with all the beach towels you need! You can access the internet in the lounge with your laptop or one of their computers. The bellman handed us bottles of water when we were on our way out for the day -- or if we simply asked nicely. They even put a little booze (and mixers) in your room for you to drink when you arrive! All of this is free of charge. Also, if you get the dinner plan, the dinners at the Reefs are on par with a 4-star NYC restaurant, and, in our opinion, worth WAY more than the extra per-night charge -- and don't forget that a yummy, cooked-to-order breakfast is always included.

In summary: The Reefs is more than worth every penny. Go for it - and ask Fonte at the bar to make you a Bermuda Triangle.