What to expect: Overlooking two marinas on one side and the bay on the other, the resort provides an isolated, peaceful ambience that's especially appealing to couples and families seeking tranquil holidays.

Amenity highlights: Three pools--all approximately 40 by 20 feet--are arrayed on the perimeter of the promontory that the resort occupies. One pool has an infinity edge. Another is paired with an eight-person spa tub. Flagstone sundecks furnished with cushioned lounge chairs surround the pools. A half-mile ocean beach with a water-sports center lies 300 yards from the resort.

Insider tip: Port Lucaya Marketplace adjacent to the resort contains a courtyard bandstand where live-music concerts are offered most nights.

What to expect: This half-mile-wide resort consists of two companion hotels, The Westin and the Sheraton. Guests of both hotels enjoy access to all resort facilities and activities. The Westin mainly appeals to couples as well as families and includes a convention center. The casual, colorful Sheraton is designed for families and includes the resort's children's club.

Insider tip: Manor House, Westin's yellow-with-green-shutters colonial-style main building, contains a two-story lobby with palm trees and plump seating, plus a veranda with rocking chairs, from which guests look down a well-trimmed lawn to the Atlantic Ocean. Little used, the veranda provides a tranquil setting for morning coffee and evening cocktails.

What to expect: The 372-acre Our Lucaya Resort contains two hotels. The casual, colorful Sheraton caters primarily to families, and its partner hotel, the Westin, is designed more for adults. Guests of both hotels have full access to all resort facilities and activities. The resort's expansive beach and four large pools accommodate guests eager for fun in the sun and those seeking a tranquil getaway.

Amenity highlights: The Bahama hotel's 7.5-acre beach slopes gently into turquoise waters ideal for snorkeling. The Sheraton hotel section contains Sugar Mill Pool, with a 60-foot-high stone tower, spiral waterslide, and "quiet" section with adjacent 10-person spa tub. The Westin section offers two spa tubs and three pools, including a large serpentine pool with infinity edge and swim-up bar, and a lap pool. The resort complex has more than a dozen restaurants and cafés.

Insider tip: With a telephone call, guests can summon a golf cart for complimentary transport--particularly useful when traveling to and from the spa, which is located at the opposite end of the resort from the Sheraton.