It's been a week since we returned from a long weekend at Cambridge Beaches and we're still basking in the "after glow". It was a magical time for my husband and I (we were married there on 5 April 2008) and for the 40 or so guests who joined us. I cannot say enough good things about Cambridge Beaches, the staff, the quality of service, the food...the list goes on. Having been to Bermuda twice before, I was quite familiar with the island, however had never made it to Cambridge Beaches. Now, I doubt that we will go anywhere else on future trips.

It all started a few months ago. My husband and I had just recently gotten engaged and were determined to have a small and simple wedding away from our home city. We'd settled on Bermuda as a destination and had enquired about availability at a few hotels. One of our first choices (a large and well known Bermudian hotel that will remain nameless) had availability but we were given a laundry list of "additional fees" that needed to be paid to use the resort just for the privilege of being there. We also were informed that we had to hire a wedding planner...even though I'm in the travel business myself and have planned events for groups of more than 150 people, they insisted that a wedding planner was necessary. And last but not least, it seemed like the hotel was a wedding factory of sorts. Our preferred day wasn't available, but they could offer the following day...there would be another wedding that day. In fact, we were informed, the hotel had up to 3 weddings a day! So much for small and simple!

It was by luck, then, that we got in touch with Cambridge Beaches. My sister and brother in law had stayed there in 2005 and had only rave reviews. The level of service and responsiveness from the first email that was exchanged set a high standard. Nadja Talevi, the hotel's Guest Relations Manager is an absolute star. Personable, efficient, and highly responsive, she is became a trusted advisor in the run up to our trip. From booking rooms and transfers for our guests, to planning a menu (the Executive Chef Harald Klement is one of the best chefs in Bermuda), to making sure that we had the flowers we wanted, she made the planning process as seamless as possible.

The day we arrived in Bermuda, Nadja met us and ran through some last minute details that we hadn't even thought of ourselves. For the rest of the weekend, she was always available to us if we had questions, she hand delivered the boutonnieres and wedding bouquet and made sure that all of our guests were happy with their rooms. She was also there during the ceremony and at the cocktail reception afterwards to ensure every final detail was taken care of.

As for the rest of our stay, we describe it as a perfect weekend on vacation with our best friends. Most of them hadn't been to Bermuda before and were able to explore on scooters (there's a rental outlet of Oleander Cycles right on the Cambridge Beaches property). We were blessed with perfect sunny weather so spending some time at leisure by the fabulous swimming pool was also a favourite pastime. The other facilities -- from the gym and indoor pool, the spa, and the beaches -- were also put to good use. Everyone said that they would come back to Bermuda and stay at Cambridge Beaches.

As for the rooms, there are a few reviews on Trip Advisor that say they're a bit too old fashioned, don't have flat screen TVs, etc, etc. Personally I think no other style would work at a Bermuda Cottage Colony like Cambridge Beaches. The rooms were absolutely perfect in our opinion with unbelievable views of the sea everywhere you look. The Cambridge Suites in particular (Lily and Frangipani, to name two) were our favourites. In the Deluxe category, Skeeters was a stand out.

A last word about Cambridge Beaches -- at no point did we feel like we were fighting for space or attention with other guests. Each staff member from the restaurant to the bar men (Khoo gets top marks for his fantastic service at the Port O' Call Bar) to the bell men and spa staff were personable and made each guest feel quite special.

Thank you again to Cambridge Beaches for a perfect vacation and a magical wedding.