i thought my room was paid an full, i had to get a iron from the front desk an it had a shortage in it. the blow dryer didnt work. the parking has no lights, i felt unsafe it was so dark

Most things around this hotel are closed (>80% have been closed for 4 years. The International Bazaar, casino, most restaurants and bars all closed), if you go there we advise on hiring a car since the beach is very far away too. We didn't experience the staff as being very friendly. When asking about information they weren't helpful and even provided us with wrong information on two occasions. The rooms are basic but clean. If you are looking for a hotel on Grand Bahama we suggest Port Lucaya as more things will be open there.

The Royal Islander was a nice clean mid-scale hotel across from the International Bazaar. The staff was courteous and helpful, especially the owner. The only real problem is that there were very few guests at the time we went. Of course, the International Bazaar is a shell of its former self, and the owner told us that the closure of the nearby casino had really made it difficult for them. The hotel stay was really a pleasant experience, but we found ourselves constantly hopping a bus to Port Lucaya to find things to do or to find a place to eat. The hotel does have a coffee shop/small restaurant. We ate breakfast there a couple of times, and it was okay. They provide a free shuttle to Xanadu Beach about every hour. It's a quieter beach than the one in Lucaya and is very nice.

My stay at the Royal Islander was excellent! My advice is don't buy a Volkswagen as a substitute for a BMW or Mercedes. The RI is a clean, well kept hotel property. I would rate give this property 3 starts out of 5! An excellent 3 star hotel at that. If your expectation is a 5 star hotel, that's it's not! The price was right, the service great, the staff was very friendly. I met the owner, she was very friendly and wanted to make sure our stay was pleasant. Overall the staff went overboard to make sure you were happy. Currently this part of Freeport is not so great due to the 2004 closing of the Royal Oasis. This killed the famous International Bazaar. This is all going to change. The Royal Oasis property down the street has been bought, the management company now in place. Within a couple of years this area will be booming again.

So my advice is if you want a clean, friendly place to stay that's priced reasonable, stay at the Royal Islander. If you want a 5 star experience along with a 5 star bill, then stay somewhere else.