Fodor's Expert Review Carriearl Boutique Hotel

Guests staying at this charming boutique hotel talk in superlatives. An unassuming front entrance hides what many say is one of the Bahamas' top small vacation retreats. Guests love having 7 miles of powdery beach to themselves. Owners Marty Dronsfield, a former restaurateur, and Angie Jackson, an ex-BA flight attendant, spent five years converting this famous beachside mansion, once owned by Earl "Mr. Celebrity" Blackwell. In the 1970s, Blackwell was New York's social arbiter, publisher of the Celebrity Register, and promoter of star-studded events. He used Carriearl as a party house to entertain a coterie of rich and famous friends who had joined GHC's Tamboo Club. The living areas, restaurant, and bar, and the four rooms are sumptuous and beautifully appointed with eclectic treasures that Angie collected on her global travels. The rooms en suite have air-conditioning, fans, and quality linens, and the stunning blue pool, beach lounges, bikes, kayaks, and two hours of golf cart use add to the island's superb beaching, snorkeling, and fishing. Service is friendly and attentive, matched by the delicious food and cocktails that Marty cooks up. "Mr. Celebrity", too, would give Carriearl five stars.