How to Book Exuma: Step 1
Accommodations
Caroline Grebert
Exuma, Bahamas
Once you know your dates, glance at ticket prices (those might make you change your dates), but book your accommodations first.
Exuma is not a destination you can plan last-minute — at least not if you want the version that made your jaw drop in the photos. The villas that sit elevated above the beach with infinity pools? Gone by January for spring break. The private boat charters that take your family to swimming pigs and nurse sharks? Sold out months before peak season. The private chef who made the best meal of our entire trip? She books up fast.
The good news: Exuma is 100% worth the advance planning. Here is the recommended sequence for organizing your trip.
Book Your Villa, Hotel, or Resort First
Timeline: 6-12 months out
A great place to stay is the foundation of your entire trip. With kids, you're not just sleeping there. Where you stay is a big part of your experience!
What to look for:
- Pool or no pool
- Full kitchen
- Kayaks and paddleboards included
- WiFi and a generator (power outages happen — a generator means you don't even notice)
- Location to Georgetown for easy access to restaurants and water taxis. We like staying in the middle of the island. If the homes are close to the airport, they are centrally located.
Where to book:
First, check VRBO and set up a folder for your favorite homes!
Exuma Exclusives is also a good booking website with lots of homes for large groups.
Join the "Exuma For Rent By Owner" Facebook group (https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1Fg4ZZhM7o/) — 13,500+ members. Direct bookings with villa owners typically save 10–15% compared to VRBO or Airbnb, and you can ask the owner questions directly. This is how experienced Exuma travelers book. You can also DM them on Instagram for their email!
Our top picks: (we have personally stayed at these and would return)
Beau Soleil Beach House avg $2k/night
Large home, 6 bdrms, 4 baths, and sleeps 12+ depending on the number of kids. There are two smaller rooms (one with twin bunk beds and the other with a full bed). These two kids' rooms are small and have no connected bathrooms. Beautiful open living and kitchen. Large kitchen island and dining table. Two master suites with ocean view. Large outdoor deck with an infinity pool overlooking a quiet beach. Perfect for 2-3 families, along with grandparents.
Villa Oceania Beach House avg $2k/night
Large home, 5 bdrms, 3 baths, sleeps 12. Two master suites and the most beautiful pool deck with hammock, infinity pool, water toys, and steps from the beach! Centrally located and right beside the new "Exuma" sign for pictures. This home had everything you could need.
Vista Blu Beach House avg $2200/night
Large home, 5 barns, 6 baths, sleeps 12. One room and a bath are separate from the home and near the pool. We actually loved this! Great for an older kid or grandparents who need space and quietness! I would sit in the cool bedroom here and watch the kids swim. Two master suites and a nice kids' bunk room that sleeps 4. Beautiful open kitchen and living room overlooking the infinity pool and quiet ocean!
Starfish Home avg $1400/night
A 4-bedroom, 4-bathroom beachfront home in Moss Town, Great Exuma — 4,000 square feet that comfortably sleeps 12, making it a strong option for two families traveling together or a larger group. We have stayed here twice before and genuinely enjoyed it. It earns its 10/10 rating on VRBO for good reason. The one thing to know going in: there's no pool, which we enjoyed with young toddlers at the time. Also, there are two master suites downstairs and the other bedrooms upstairs. The other homes above are all one-story, which is nice with small children.
*I honestly can not choose one home over the other from above, but I wanted to give you four great options for larger groups!
Other Homes that come highly recommended:
3 bdrms, 2 baths avg $700/night https://vrbo.tpx.gr/D3N57PSV
4 bdrms, 4 baths, sleeps 14, avg $2200/night https://vrbo.tpx.gr/CqubxZVr
Ba Roose Beach House 4 bdrms, sleeps 10, pool $$$$ https://vrbo.tpx.gr/4QadyvUo
Palmerto Bay has 3 different Homes to choose from: https://palmettobayresortexuma.com
Resorts
Baymahni Resort avg $1200/night for 2-4 people, 4-night minimum
(boat ride from Exuma to Stocking Island)
New, luxury resort in Exuma! We got a little tour and ate lunch here. It's beautiful, but I would only suggest it for couples and girls' trips right now. They just opened, so I would give them some time for families.
Grand Isle Resort
https://www.grandisleresort.com
A 4-star resort with condos. It's not our first choice, but if you prefer not to go the home-rental route, this is a good option for families. Centrally located, with a private pool, beach, and restaurants. We talked to families who stayed there during our trip, and they said the condos are individually owned and hit-or-miss.
Peace & Penty
https://www.peaceandplenty.com
A 3-star boutique property right on Elizabeth Harbor in Georgetown. Their beach club is on Stocking Island, so a short boat ride running hourly. This would not be ideal for kids, traveling back and forth with them, waiting for the taxi. They have a pool and a restaurant too. Best for families with older kids and couples. We visited, and it felt a little run-down.
Hideaways
Hideaways is a casual, laid-back beachfront resort in George Town made for couples on a budget. The cottages range from studios to three bedrooms, most with full kitchens, private patios, and water views. The on-site Splash Beach Bar & Grill keeps things easy for meals and drinks without going anywhere, plus there's a pool. About 10 minutes from the airport and close to Georgetown — an easy, attainable base for exploring the island.
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