The Quiet One....Waterloo House, Hamilton, Bermuda
Written: Oct 03 '01 (Updated May 08 '09)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Small, private hotel with quiet demeanor
Cons: No beach, but they have arrangements with nearby hotels and clubs
The Bottom Line: A quiet and well-run city hotel. Excellent in-town location for sightseeing or shopping. Good arrangements for beaches and recreation.
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| tombarnes's Full Review: Waterloo House |
Waterloo House is a place you might easily miss if you were not looking for it. The buildings are handsome but inconspicuous and are wedged in along the harbor in downtown Hamilton.
Lobby and Public Rooms
The lobby is not really a lobby-it's more of a sitting room. All of their rooms reflect the fact that this is more of a manor house than a hotel. The oldest parts date back to the late 18th century. The noise and bustle of downtown Hamilton are just outside the doors, but once inside, you are transported to a different world entirely. The service is very discreet here. Trudy Mulder has been the manager here since time began and her watch is a careful one indeed. Like any self-respecting country house, there are rules to be followed. As long as you remember them, they won't interfere with your enjoyment of the place.
Dining
The Wellington Room is open for breakfast lunch and dinner. Dinner here can be rather formal. You are expected to dress for the occasion. The food is very good, but as I have said about most restaurants in Bermuda, it is not very remarkable. That is not to disparage the dining room in any way-food and presentation are both in good form. The outdoor terrace is less starched in atmosphere and is even more fun when lit up with torches at night. Breakfast on the terrace is first-rate. It's nice to find a place that knows its egg cups. The view itself is just faintly industrial with the ships going in and out of the harbor. You'll never be bored. Another very civilized touch is the afternoon rum swizzle reception (usually held on Tuesdays, I think) where you will get to meet Ms. Mulder and your fellow guests.
Rooms
Our room was on the second floor and faced the courtyard and the water as well. The furniture is a pleasant muddle of old and new with lots of chintz. Like many English rooms, these share an overabundance of patterns. Nonetheless, the rooms are well appointed. Comfortable chairs for reading, good beds and decent lighting are all there. The bath was of a decent size and was stocked with good amenities and big towels. I was surprised that we had to call to have more soap brought up, but that only happened once. Most rooms have some endearing quirky touch or another. Ours had a very small balcony with flower boxes overlooking the pool. Most importantly, everything worked properly. No small feat in an early 19th century building.
Pool and Recreation
The swimming pool is in a beguiling little courtyard full of banana trees and flowers. It's not a really big pool, but is good enough for getting wet. You may bang your head if you try to do laps. Bear in mind that all of the facilities at the Coral Beach Club and Horizons and Cottages are available to guests of Waterloo House. These are both about 10 minutes away by taxi.
General
This is a small hotel for people who are unimpressed with glitter. It is not a place where one would feel comfortable bringing children. There is no beach, but they do have arrangements with the Horizons and Cottages over in Paget. Likewise, they were able to arrange for us to dine at the Coral Beach Club.
When to Go
We usually go in November. The weather is not perfect, but the prices are lower and it's less crowded. Bring a sweater, or just buy one on Front Street.
***NOTE***
Most regrettably, the Waterloo House has closed its doors and was recently demolished for an ugly office block. R.I.P Waterloo House. TB 5/2009
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
tombarnes
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 - Top 200 |
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Member: Thomas Barnes
Location: Fort Lauderdale & Washington, DC
Reviews written: 688
Trusted by: 444 members
About Me:
With Barbara in Miami, 2004
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