HOTEL INFORMATION
Stella Maris Resort Club
Long Island, Bahamas

Unspoiled, mostly tranquil, very friendly. Some 30-plus villages and towns. Farming and Fishing. Lots of beautiful nature. Plantation Ruins, Indian Caves, Small Islands with the real Iguana. And beaches, beaches, beaches...

The Resort Club: Just 47 rooms - apartments - cottages - villas - bungalows. Air Conditioned. Very nice - some luxurious... and some with private pool. All within a stone's throw - or right at the Atlantic shore, amidst a magnificent palm grove. Surrounded by the quiet vacation settlement of "Stella Maris".

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ACCOMMODATIONS

• Hotel Room:  Stella Maris is a Plantation-style resort complex of some two-dozen cottage/bungalow style buildings, in a large, very peaceful and truly beautiful Atlantic Ocean garden estate. Each unit with individual A/C, ceiling fan, small refrigerator, hair dryer, coffee maker, 1 single and 1 double bed, some with king bed. Each room has a Patio or balcony with ocean view.
• 1 Bedroom Cottage:  1 Bedroom/living room cottages offer each unit with individual A/C in bedroom, ceiling fans, small refrigerator, hair dryer, coffee maker, some with king, some with 2 double beds. Ocean view cottages are clustered around a swimming pool.
• 2 Bedroom Bungalow:  
• 2 Bedroom Villa w/Car:  On the Atlantic Coast with upper living room and open kitchen. Very large front & rear balcony. Lower sleeping rooms, each with a/c, bath and patio. Small beach and protected nature pool. 10 minute walk to club house. Comes with full time use of rental car (gasoline included, mileage charged at $0.30 per mile up to 75 miles, $0.25 thereafter).
• 3 Bedroom Bungalow:  2 bedrooms with ceiling fans and a/c, each with bath on ground floor. 1 bedroom with ceiling fan and a/c, private bath on top floor. Large living room and small open kitchen. Right at the Atlantic shore and ocean pool and beach. Very nice, very tropical. Patio grill. 1 Queen, a queen and a single and 2 singles beds. 175 yds to Clubhouse
• 3 Bedroom Bungalow w/pool:  Very attractive rustic interior. 2nd bedroom not connected with living room (outside entrances front & rear) A/c and ceiling fans in bedrooms. Large kitchen/bar, sunken tub in one bath. 3rd studio bedroom downstairs opens out to very large private saltwater pool. Pool is right at rock ocean edge. Superb facility with large terrace, gazebo, small/artificial Œbeach¹, pool bar and grill. Breathtaking Atlantic setting! Studio has King, each bedroom has 2 doubles. 150 yds to Clubhouse.
• 4 Bedroom Bungalow:  Right above the ocean pool and beach cove. Very nice location with beautiful Atlantic Ocean view. Large living/dining room with bar, kitchen. Ceiling fans in living room. Seaside terrace and small grill. Path to ocean pool/beach. Only 2 bedrooms face the ocean ­ other 2 face the road. King bedroom and 2 singles bedroom share one bath. Studio with wet bar and king shares bath with 2 doubles. 100 yds to Clubhouse
• 4 Bedroom Bungalow w/pool:  Right above the ocean pool and beach cove. Very nice location and Atlantic Ocean view. A/C in bedrooms, superb interior and very nice large freshwater pool with terrace and grill overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. Microwave in kitchen. 2 bedrooms face the ocean, 1 with king and 2nd with 2 singles. The other 2 bedrooms face the road, 1 with king and the other with 2 singles. 2 bedrooms share a bath. 75 yds to Clubhouse.

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DINING

Clubhouse: With restaurant, bar/lounge, game room, boutique, patios and gardens. Excellent cuisine - full dining and lounge service.

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AMENITIES

• 5 times weekly Land Excursions - Morning & Afternoon - scenic - beaches - snorkeling
• 2 times weekly Full Day Boat Cruise
• Use of Small Sailboats
• Bicycles
• 3 Pools, 8 Beaches with beach facilities at 2 locations: Atlantic and Leeside, Beach Towels, Ping Pong, Recreation/Video Room
• Eco Tourism
• Weekly Cave Party
• Rum Punch Party
• Pool Parties
• Additional Weekly Live Music, Dances, Video/Slide Shows, Etc.

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BONUS FEATURES

Our Days: Superb SCUBA diving - outstanding Bone Fishing - excellent Reef Fishing - exciting Game Fishing! Not to miss simply lovely snorkeling... all along two shorelines. Plus tennis, motorbikes, rental cars... even self-fly aircraft!

Hotel guests enjoy FREE: Daily morning/afternoon land excursions...2 times weekly boat cruise, biking, sunfish sailing. 3 swimming pools, 2 small beaches (50 and 200 yds), five more (500 to 1500 yds), plus daily west coast beach excursions.

Our Evenings: Guitar playing & singing, dancing to the real 'rake and scrape' music of the Bahamas, beach cook-outs, Cave Party's, Moonlight Cruises, Nature Slide Shows, History Talks, Rum Punch Party, cable TV and video movies in our Game Room.

Diving is one of our main activities but not our only one! Stella Maris also offers snorkeling, fishing, excursions and relaxation for any age, for families or for small groups! We even offer self-piloted vacation flying!

Learn to Dive at Stella Maris

Stella Maris offers an incredible variety of diving...ranging from literally hundreds of coral head and reef sites of the northwest lee side stretching over some 15 miles to some three dozen or more explored northeast Atlantic locations. The lee is mostly calm, with little or no current; most sites afford a 'fixed' bottom...making for easy and safe dive planning and orientation. The Atlantic shelves and reefs are dramatic, boast vast areas of incredible antler and other large-growth coral fields. The water here seems to be 'bluer', the fish bigger, the underwater scenery wilder. Every dive here provides a feeling of raw adventure...and yet, the shore is but a stone's throw or two away.

Been Here Before?
Rate your diving experience by linking to Rodale's Scuba Diving site www.scubadiving.com/readersrate.

The Boats:

• 65' Sol Mar III: A no-nonsense, serious dive cruiser, for day and overnight traveling. Twin-diesel, 10 knot; 110/220 electric; hot/cold water; compressor aboard; four-large-step, partially submerged platform. Full galley, lounge/dining area, and upper sun deck. Plenty of space for gear. Air-conditioned bunk sleeping for up to 18 passengers.
• 32' Sol Mar II: A fast day-dive cruiser, with plenty of deck area. Single diesel, 16 knot; sunroof; entry from low boat sides for 'rolling over' or via small platform.
• 27' Coral Seas: Glass bottom equipped, lee side day-boat, dingle diesel, 9 knot; sunroof; entry from low sides for 'rolling over or via small platform. The Coral Seas often serving as tender for the other boats.
• All vessels are radio equipped, meet all legally required safety equipment standards, and have head(s)!

Well planned and safe adventure overnight dive cruises feature the nearby cays of Rum Cay, San Salvador, Conception Island, Cat Island and can include any of the many Exuma Cays. This part of the Bahamas is a diver's and boater's paradise...offering history, beautiful scenery and the quaint Out Island way of life above, superb diving and pristine dive adventure below!

The Dives:

• Conception Island is the wild, pristine stuff dive legends are made of. Vertical walls, in perfect condition, begin as shallow at 45' and underwater visibility ranges between 150-200'. The population of fish, sponge and soft/hard coral life is tremendous. 9-mile South Hampton Reef, with depths of 10-100', has snagged some 200 wrecks over the past two centuries! The Island, uninhabited and part of a Bahamian Nature Park System, is simply beautiful! Conception Island compares favorable with any Caribbean dive 'hot' spot!
• Rum Cay and San Salvador, well within the Sol Mar III's reach, are well known for their quaint island scenery and superb diving qualities! Highlights there would be the Rum Cay southwest wall, its historic wreck site of the Conqueror (1848) and San Salvador's wonderful west wall, starting at a mere 40' depth!
• Wrecks: Comberbach a 110' steel freighter, sitting upright on 100' bottom, a beautiful coral reef/shelf with lots of coral, sponge and fish life. The wreck can be safely dived throughout! Right next to the Comberbach is a 40' sailing vessel, the Sunseeker. Ships' Graveyard: being added to with (man-made) wrecks from time to time! Just 1/2 mile from the beautiful Cape Santa Maria beach, lee of Long Island. Large Steel Freighter, name unknown, sitting on Conception Island's South Hampton Reef, 25' average depth, in beautiful coral reef, 'flattened' - very extensive wreck area, much detail, good fish life. Great for snorkeling, too. Conqueror, south shore of Rum Cay, 25' depth, lots of hardware, cannon balls, 2 cannons, anchors, chain, shaft, engine, etc. of the first steam-engine equipped, war sailing vessel of the British Navy, sank in 1848, discovered by a Skindiver Magazine/Stella Maris divers' team in 1969. Large Steel Freighter, name unknown, Guana Cay, Long Island east side; 20' depth, 'flattened', lots of detail. Conceptions Island's South Hampton Reef is the place for wreck searching - historic and modern! More that 200 vessels lost there!
• Stella Maris Shark Reef...often copied, never matched! Affording guaranteed viewing, photo and filming opportunities for dramatic results! Under the easiest of conditions, suitable even for the not-so-seasoned diver. About twice or three times weekly, in just 30' of lee side water, divers can witness, first-hand, the beauty and power of the apex predator of the Bahamian and Caribbean reef: Carcharhinus perezi, the Caribbean reef shark...some 1-2 dozen competing for prepared food in a setting of an underwater amphitheater. Presented regularly since the mid-seventies, with a 100% safety record!

  
  www.stellamarisdiving.com

The marina is located 1 1/2 miles from the hotel (free diving transfers). Featuring an 18' deep saltwater training pool, diving and fishing equipment shops (for use, not for sale!), docks, boat ramp, etc. A good amount of diving gear available here for guests' use, but bringing own gear definitely recommended (except weights and tanks). Some equipment repairs are available (but spare items always difficult due to variety!). Dive gear can be left on boats or in shops overnight. Gear rinsing is available on boats, at docks and at dive shop.

Dive Equipment

Use of shop's regulators, BC's, wet suits are subject to daily rental fees in addition to dive charges.

Learn to Dive

Learning to dive is a great way to spend a Stella Maris Vacation. In addition to the course and prices below, Stella Maris offers daily diving at $75 and a Resort Course at $85. Daily rate divers may be charged a surcharge for certain dives (i.e.: Shark Reef, Conception Wall). The resort course is instruction and first dive.

Minimum age is 10 for resort course and 12 for certification.

We teach PADI and SSI, RESORT, OPEN WATER, and OPEN WATER ADVANCED COURSES, any time! Pre-trained student divers regularly perform final 'wet' tests here by referral!

Why dive at Stella Maris?

• Location: Southern Bahamas...the best of subtropical climate zones, avoiding early-year cold fronts and enjoying surprisingly moderate summer/fall temperatures
• The Ocean: Crystal-clear and rich with underwater life. No pollution, no land runoffs! Two shorelines (Atlantic and Exuma Bank) across just 1 mile of average land width! Studded with reefs, ringed with beaches.
• Temperatures: Average Winter air mid-seventies to eighties, water mid-seventies to low eighties. Summer/Fall air eighties to nineties, water mid-eighties.
• The Island: Unspoiled, friendly, quaint, unhurried, historically interesting, very attractive and perfectly safe. Some 80 miles of pretty town settings and gorgeous sea vistas.
• Stella Maris Resort Club: Very nice, not too large, yet quite complete. Fairly priced, with excellent services. Dedicated to Sun & Sea, Diving and snorkeling, wholesome day activities and pleasant sunset entertainment. Ideal for water sports enthusiasts and for just-getting-away-from-it-all vacations, but not suited for 'glittery'-style holidays.
• The Diving: Most varied...along two shorelines, and at a number of nearby cays and islands perfectly set for combining virgin diving and island cruising. Offering a blend of typical Bahamas and Caribbean dive settings with world-renowned highlights such at THE SHARK REEF, superb Conception Wall and alluring Clarencetown Blue Hole! With the easiest of dive condition: In clear warm water, without currents. With 'fixed' bottoms, for very safe diving. Rich in life, shallow and medium depth, providing for a maximum of daily enjoyment. Stella Maris operates the only dive program of the entire island!

Packages*
Scuba Diving:  Scuba Diving is a popular activity at Stella Maris. A 7-night/6 day diving package is $905 per person, double occupancy in winter and $765 in summer. Diving, 2-3 dives per day includes a number of well known Stella Maris sites including Shark Reef, The Conception Island Wall, Long Island Wrecks and more! Divers may rent our wet suits ($7.50), regulators ($7.50/day), or BCDs ($10/day). PADI and SSI resort courses and open water courses are available. Daily rate for diving is $75 per person, per day.

Sun & Sea:  A 7-night Sun & Sea package combines hotel accommodations, free activity schedule and the use of a rental car for a day (excluding mileage). $510 per person, double occupancy in winter and $405 in summer.

Honeymoon:  Romantic air-conditioned 1-bedroom cottage accommodations, a day of scuba diving, a day of skiff fishing, champagne the first night, use of a rental car for a day (excluding mileage) and group land or boat excursion. $1649 winter, $1399 summer.

Click here to see our Tropical Wedding Package

*Packages are subject to $11 per person per night tax and service. Packages are not available December 27 to January 4.

Fishing:  Bone Fishing also attracts visitors to our shores. Add a Bone Fishing excursion to any of our accommodation rates. Daily rate for Bone Fishing is for 2 persons maximum per boat with a guide.

Deep Sea Fishing from $675 per day, Bone Fishing from $300 per day and Reef Fishing from $350 per day may also be arranged from our Marina.

Restaurants and Meal Service
Modified American Plan (MAP/Breakfast & Dinner) is available at $46 for adults and $33 for children under 9 years. A 10% service charge will be added to our meal plan.

Holiday and Festivity MAP charges may be subject to increase.

Stella Maris Restaurant prices:  Continental Breakfast $7.50, American Breakfast $13.00.  Three Course Dinner from $33.00, Entrée Only Dinner from $23.00.  Vegetarian choices always available.

Lounge/Bar Cold Sandwiches until 10:00pm.  Warm Lounge service between 5-7 p.m.  From $9.50

Other nearby (2-4 miles) meal and drink service 'local style' from $10.00

Pre-payments and Deposits
Stella Maris requires a 1 night deposit for 1-3 night stays; 2 night deposit for 3-5 night stays; and 3 night deposit for 5 days or longer stays. Deposits are due 14 days from the day reservations are made. Cancellation policy is 14 days prior for full refund. Special deposit and cancellation conditions apply to Christmas and New Year bookings.

Rates mentioned are subject to a $11 per person, per night charge for Taxes and Service Charge.

Additional Adult accommodation charge is $35 per adult, per night. Accommodation is free for all children under 3 years. Cribs are available. Children under 9 years are $25 per child, per night sharing accommodation with parent.

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