We went for a mothers day retreat with 3 women ranging from 25 to 75 years of age and we all loved the Surfside. While the cottages are more rustic and dated they have more privacy and better views than the newer motel like rooms. You are perched on cliffs over the ocean and can hear the waves from your room. Prices reflect the more dated accomodations and modest services and are about half of the other hotels. The cab driver said this was one of the last older hotels located on the most beautiful stretch of beach. We went to the Horseshoe Bay beach but were happier at the beach at theSurfiside. Yes you have to go at low tide to have a larger strip of sand but they will give you beach chairs and umbrella- then you can enjoy clear waters and beautiful shore lines reminiscent of the Amalfi coast in Italy, Big Sur in California or Acadia in Maine without the crowds. The steps to the beach can be steep if you have bad knees. The grounds are lush and inviting though the pool water did not appear to be heated. A 10% gratuity charge is added to your bill and that covers all tips. The cab drivers overall had better recomendations for restaurants than the front desk so rely upon them. There is a bus that stops in front of the hotel that will take you anywhere on the island- but you have to have tickets or tokens ahead of time- and have to get those tickets at the bus terminal in Hamilton. There is only one restaurant within walking distance ( Swizzle Inn- just soo soo) and you have to go into Hamilton for most restaurants which is about a 15$ cab ride each way. The grocery store is also not within walking distance so pick up provisions before you get to the hotel. We loved the location and would return to surfside.

My sister, daughter, niece and I booked a long weekend at Surfside Beach Club for a quiet getaway. I had corresponded with the general manager in the weeks prior to going to Bermuda with specifics related to our stay. She seemed pleasant enough via email, but upon arriving at Surfside, she never even acknowledged me or my family. We'd read reviews about the "lady at the front desk" so clearly should have been aware, but it was a bit disappointing as we frequently travel to Bermuda because of the friendliness of the island people. Pam and Wendell at the reception area were fabulous, welcoming us, calling us cabs and answering any simple questions related to our vacation. The cleaning staff was friendly and superb - our rooms were always tidy when we returned from our day out - with ac on and everything neatly in its place. If you're looking for a place to stay because of proximity to the beach, etc., you can't beat a location on the South Shore. The beach at Surfside was small, private, isolated, but very nice and quiet. Getting there was another story - winding our way from the pool area behind guest cottages to stairs that took us down to the beach area - the elderly and infirmed would definitely have a hard time navigating to and from the beach. The Palms Restaurant overlooks the pool (tight quarters here) and the pool closes sharply at 6pm - this was very disappointing. All in all, we weren't looking for one on one service, but would have appreciated a bit of hospitality upon our arrival, but we would return based solely on the room with a small kitchen area and a fabulous view of the ocean.

We stayed at Surf Side and were very pleased. Frankly, the reviews here frightened us. But, it was too late; we had already committed and paid for the stay. Wow, were we relieved! OK - it is NOT a luxury hotel. Don’t expect the Fairmont. The rooms definitely need a “face lift”. But, our room was very clean, as were the linens and grounds. In fact, the stealth cleaning staff had telepathy and knew exactly when we left our room for breakfast. When we returned, they were gone and our room was clean, even to the point of the tile floor having been washed. The pool also was clean. As we ate breakfast, we watched a crew clean the pool on several of the days we were there. (One word of caution for families, the pool is VERY small and there are no amenities.) All the rooms have gorgeous views of the ocean. AND, THE BEACH IS BACK! While small, maybe a half mile long, it’s a picture-perfect, pink sand Bermuda beach. Because of its isolated location, at the bottom of a staircase/trail, it was not crowded. On most days, we shared the beach with no more than about 10 other people. The staff was friendly, helpful, and accommodating, adding to the overall ambiance. We had no problems getting martini glasses, beach chairs & umbrellas, or a late checkout. When we told the manager our flight was at 7:50 PM, he let us stay in our room until 5 PM. We had another full day on the beach with a shower before heading home! LuLu and the other restaurant staff were exceptional. Each day, they remembered who we were, our room number, and our usual choices. A full breakfast was included and it was always very good with fresh fruit (great melon), perfect poached eggs, and variety. We ate several lunches and dinners at the restaurant, called the Palm; those meals also were quite good and reasonably priced for Bermuda. Great fresh fish, perfectly rare lamb chops, just as ordered, and great daily soups! It sounds strange, but try the squash and parsnip soup. It’s fabulous! We had it the first night and were so disappointed when it wasn’t served again for a few days! We ate one evening at BLU, a highly over-rated, “too cool” restaurant close by. The service was terrible, the menu was limited and boring (who goes to Bermuda to eat pizza?) and the prices were high. In the end, we wished we had stayed at Surf Side and had a better meal at the Palm with friendly, attentive staff. Other good points of Surf Side: Free wireless internet access in the lobby area only, the bus stop is at the end of the driveway, the ferry wharf is about a one-mile walk which helps take off the calories from the good meals, and they arrange for motor scooter rental if requested. We would definitely stay here again and plan to return in October. We have already recommended it to friends. One word of advice…We found out that we might have gotten a better deal if we had booked through the hotel. So, check that out before booking online. If you go, try out a few other restaurants where we had very good meals with great service: Lobster Pot (a local favorite), Harbor Front (great sushi happy hour but you need reservations), and Tom Moore Inn (a long ride from Surf Side but worth it).