The Royal Towers is the most iconic of all of the six properties at Atlantis Resort, soaring over the sands of Paradise island with its twin flamingo-pink towers, connected by a bridge near the top. This is the first hotel that developer Saul Kerzner built after creating Atlantis in 1994, and it most captures his vision of a resort built in and around the ancient drowned city. No expense is spared on the decor here, with original works of sculpture celebrating seahorses, flying fish and bulls (supposedly a symbol of power to the Atlanteans) springing from every hall. The centerpiece of the property is the Great Hall, where eight giant murals set into the rotunda tell the story of Atlantis from creation to destruction, and a grand staircase leads down to the Ruins Lagoon, where you can get a tour of the ruined city itself.

The Royal Towers has by far the most rooms of any hotel in Atlantis resort — some 2,400. For most first-time visitors, this is the first choice of places to stay, both for the otherworldly feel of the property and for the convenience of being in the center of all the action. The towers themselves are divided into two, with the East Tower containing the spa and kids club, and the West Tower including the great hall, casino, and Ruins Lagoon. Between them is the “bridge suite,” which rents out for $25,000 a night and — rumor has it — is rented out for three months of the year by an unnamed royal who also rents 64 other rooms for his entourage.

The other rooms in the hotel, of course, are not quite as expensive, but will set you back between $420 and $540 a night depending on room type. While the rooms here are not substantially different from the rooms in the lower-priced Coral and Beach Towers, they are slightly larger, and offer more flexibility with several different types of suites catering to larger families or extended families travelling together. Staying here also cuts down substantially on walking and grabbing shuttles, as it offers easy access to the water park, aquariums, restaurants, and other attractions that form the centerpiece of the Atlantis experience.

Read individual reviews of the Atlantis complex of hotels:
Atlantis
Beach Tower
Coral Towers
The Cove
Harborside Resort
The Reef

The 1,200 rooms at Royal Towers are very comfortably appointed, with a subdued tropical color palette of lime green, aqua, and yellow and handsome cherry-wood furniture. Amenities in the rooms include a small flat-screen TV, minibar and coffeemaker. Bathrooms are sizeable, with marble vanities and chrome finishes, along with locally made bath products. In addition to standard guest rooms, Royal Towers also offers both junior and full suites; both offer a sleep sofa, balcony, and an additional bathroom with shower and tub. Both also offer the option of adding an adjoining room for an additional sleeping space. For high-rollers, the hotel also offers several higher ranges of suites that seem more like apartments, including Royal Suite, Presidential Suite, and the height of opulence: the $25,000-a-night Bridge Suite. Most rooms are far more reasonable, if not cheap, starting at $455 a night.

The 1,200 rooms at Royal Towers are very comfortably appointed, with a subdued tropical color palette of lime green, aqua, and yellow and handsome cherry-wood furniture. Amenities in the rooms include a small flat-screen TV, minibar and coffeemaker. Bathrooms are sizeable, with marble vanities and chrome finishes, along with locally made bath products. In addition to standard guest rooms, Royal Towers also offers both junior and full suites; both offer a sleep sofa, balcony, and an additional bathroom with shower and tub. Both also offer the option of adding an adjoining room for an additional sleeping space. For high-rollers, the hotel also offers several higher ranges of suites that seem more like apartments, including Royal Suite, Presidential Suite, and the height of opulence: the $25,000-a-night Bridge Suite. Most rooms are far more reasonable, if not cheap, starting at $455 a night.

Room Categories
Standard Rooms are broken down by views, with a Terrace View, Harbour View and Water View selection. Standard rooms are 400 square feet and can accommodate four people plus one child under the age of 4. Deluxe rooms are available with Harbour and Water views and are located on the 17 through 24 floors with French balconies and Sun Lounge check-in privileges.

Regal Suites are one- and two-bedroom suites ranging from 1,076 to 1,692 square feet, respectively. The one-bedroom can accommodate four plus one child under 4, and the two-bedroom can accommodate seven plus one child under 4. Views are of the terrace, harbor and water.

Grand Suites are one- and two-bedroom suites ranging from 1,305 to 1,921 square feet, respectively. They also accommodate four or seven, respectively, as well as one child under 4. Both offer water views. A dining area seats six.

Presidential Suites are one- and two-bedroom suites ranging from 2,154 to 2,770 square feet, respectively. They accommodate four or six, plus one child under 4. Presidential Suites are exclusively in the Imperial Club of the towers.

Royal Suites are two-bedroom, 3,127-square-foot suites that can accommodate six plus one child under 4. The master bedroom features a king bed, and the second bedroom features two queen beds.

The Bridge Suite is the iconic suite in the bridge of the two towers, 16 stories high. The suite is 4,740 square feet and accommodates four plus one child under 4. The master bedroom features a king bed, and the guest bedroom features two queen beds. A dining room, separate kitchen, living room and 800-square-foot balcony with 360-degree views are features of this special suite.

Read individual reviews of the Atlantis complex of hotels:
Atlantis
Beach Tower
Coral Towers
The Cove
Harborside Resort
The Reef

Note: All activities and attractions are available when staying at any of the six Atlantis hotels.

Aquaventure
The prime attraction for most families at Atlantis is the Aquaventure water park, which sits just past the east tower of Royal Towers, and consists of two thrilling waterslide complexes. The Mayan Temple, built in 1998, boasts five different slides, including the Challenger Slides, two slides that allow participants to race against each other; the Jungle Slide, that caters to younger kids with a sinuous ride through the pools and jungles surrounding the temple; the Serpent Slide, a slide utilizing an inner-tube that snakes through the heart of the temple and ends in a ride through shark tank full of 11 nurse, silky, and Caribbean reef sharks. By far the most popular slide is the Leap of Faith, a 60-foot plunge straight down through the shark tank -- riders achieve speeds of nearly 40 miles an hour, taking less than three seconds to complete the slide. Those are three seconds you are not likely to soon forget, however!

Power Tower
The newer Power Tower, built only in 2008, is a dark towering structure supposedly used by the Atlanteans to generate their electricity to power their society. The highlight is the Abyss Slide, an arguably even more thrilling experience than the Leap of Faith, since it plunges through near total darkness into a death-defying series of loops and dives before emptying into a pool in the heart of the temple. The tower also has several other slides that utilize inner-tube rafts in roller coaster like loops; including one that is directly accessible from the Current, the river ride that connects all of Aquaventure's attractions.

Current
The Current is a ride in itself, alternating between calm stretches and exciting rapids and tunnels in its mile-long length. It's a favorite of many Atlantis guests, who can spend as much or as little time on it as they'd like on it, and there are no lines to wait in once a raft is secured. The river offers both single and double rafts, so family members can ride together -- kids under 48" are required to ride with an adult. One nice feature of the river, and indeed of the whole park, is that life jackets for kids are readily available at all pools and entrances to the river, so there is no need to fumble with blow-up vests or water wings for youngest visitors.

Splashers Kids Pool
In addition to the adult-sized waterslides that are open to anyone over 48" tall, kids can also experience smaller waterslides on the back side of the Mayan Temple, which are open only to kids under 48". Directly fronting those slides is a giant wading pool called the Splashers Kids Pool that serves as an ideal home base for families with toddlers. In the center is a gigantic play structure with a Mayan theme that features spraying tubes and plenty of ladders and bridges on which to climb. At the top is a giant bucket that gradually fills with water until it spills over with shrieks of joy and surprise from all the kids every 15 minutes or so.

Baths Pool
The largest pool on the Atlantis property, the "Baths Pool" is located on the other side of the Mayan Temple, featuring a zero-entry shallow end, a DJ playing vibrant Caribbean music, and some 75,000 gallons of water. The pool also has a building with lockers, though these can be expensive. You are better off leaving valuables in your room and just bringing clothes or other supplies to leave at one of the pools as you venture on the waterslides and river. Towels are readily available at beach huts located throughout the park.

Aquariums
The other highlight for many guests is a tour of the Ruins Lagoon, a tank of 11 million gallons of water supposedly surrounding the ancient city of Atlantis. The ruins themselves have been meticulously recreated by an international team of artists and architects, who have built a maze of a dozen chambers with different viewing areas into the water sunken city. It's worth showing up for the daily tour at 1 p.m. to learn about the culture of the ancient Atlanteans, who created their own system of batteries utilizing underwater crystals, and their own diving suits and submarines to explore the watery depths. It's a little hokey, but the quality of the design keeps it from becoming kitschy. If you suspend your disbelief and get into the spirit of the exhibit, you can easily convince yourself the society really existed -- at least for an hour or so.

The illusion is enhanced by the aquarium itself, which contains some 200 species of fish and other sea creatures, including giant Manta Rays with wingspans of up to 14 feet and oversized groupers and other giant fish gliding serenely past the ruined towers, chariot wheels, and broken pots of the Atlantean marketplace. Separate smaller tanks showcase seashorses, clownfish, lobsters, moray eels, and deadly piranhas, which lord over the Atlanteans treasure chamber.

Predator Lagoon
Be sure to check out the Predator Lagoon at the Mayan Temple, which includes 11 nurse, silky, and Caribbean reef sharks. While you can see them in a flash on the Mayan Temple water slides, it's worth pausing for a closer look at the viewing windows on the far side of the temple. For a really close look, sign up for the "Walking with Sharks" experience run through Stuart's Cove Dive Bahamas, in which you can take a stroll through the shark tank with only a wetsuit and big plastic helmet for protection.

Dolphin Cay
Next door to Aquaventure is the very popular Dolphin Cay, a giant open-air aquarium in which live more than 30 dolphins who meet and greet guests during dolphin encounters. Many of them were rescued from an aquarium in Mississippi that was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and found a new home here. Programs last 90 minutes, of which about 30 of them are actually spent in the water. During that time, visitors can hug and kiss the intelligent mammals, and watch them perform leaps, dives, and other tricks only a few feet away. The experience culminates in the opportunity to grab a dorsal fin and go for a dolphinback ride in the water. There is no minimum age for the dolphin encounters, though they can be expensive ($130-190 per person), so you'll want to make sure your kids will be old enough to remember the once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Paradise Lagoon
On the far side of the Royal Towers from Aquaventure is the more sedate water park of Paradise Lagoon, a huge manmade lagoon that offers scenic views along with watercraft to rent including paddleboats, kayaks, water bikes, and even personal submarines that can submerge to depths of 15 feet.

Atlantis Kids Club
Located inside Royal Towers, the Atlantis Kids Club offers hands-down one of the best kids' resort program anywhere. It's tough to compete with all of the activities the club has to offer, which range from a kitchen where teachers lead kids through the creation of breads, cakes, and other treats%25252C and a soundstage where older kids can throw down with their own rock band. Of course, there are also plenty of play areas with dollhouses, trucks, and imitation store, and plenty of other things to keep the little ones busy (as well as a secret candy room for those kids who behave.) Even better, during the day, teachers are not afraid to take the kids on field trips all over the resort -- at any given time, they may tour the ruins lagoon, hand out in the Splashers Pool, or feed creatures at the marine animal hospital. Parents can rest assured that while they are relaxing by the pool or over dinner that their kids will be as happy as they are.

Practically speaking the kids club is divided into morning (9 a.m. to 12 p.m.) and afternoon (1 to 5 p.m.) periods for both 3 to 5 year olds and 6 to 12 year olds. Another evening period (5:30 to 10:30 p.m.) combines all ages in a party-themed activity and movie before bed. Those arriving at 5:30 will be treated to a pizza dinner before playtime.

Marketplace
If you are staying in Royal Towers, plan to dine a lot at Marketplace, a high-energy buffet-style eatery that serves as a kind of culinary home base for most Atlantis guests. The array of food types here is nothing short of bewildering, with roasted meats, Caribbean specialties, pasta, Mexican, cheeses, Asian hot pots, and sushi just some of the choices on display. Be sure to save room for the luxurious dessert buffet.

Atlas Bar & Grill
An exciting alternative, especially for families with older kids is Atlas Bar & Grill, located within the casino and offering 40 types of burgers in addition to more than 100 drink specialties.

Virgil's Real BBQ
The popular New York BBQ spot, serving up world-famous BBQ scouted from across America's Deep South, is the newest addition to Atlantis dining. The casual restaurant serves meals family-style for lunch and dinner in large portions.

Plato's
Royal Towers also has a small cafe called Plato's, located just outside the main lobby and serving snacks and sandwiches. A variety of snack shacks are also sprinkled throughout the Aquaventure theme park, offering kid-friendly favorites ranging from hot dogs to chicken wraps.

For more on Atlantis' 20 restaurants, available to guests of any of its six properties, visit other property reviews:
Atlantis
Beach Tower
Coral Towers
The Cove
Harborside Resort
The Reef

All about the Extras
Babysitting can be arranged through the resort -- for a price. Sitters are $20/hour for one child, $8 each additional child up until 10 p.m. and $25/hour, $10 each additional child after 10. There is a three-hour minimum. Unless your child has special needs or you are planning on staying out after 10:30, it probably makes more sense to put the kids in the Kids Club instead, where not only will they be well cared for, but entertained as well.

Wifi Internet access is available in public areas and rooms for $14.95/day, with discounts for multiple days. For those rooms without washer/dryer, the resort also offers laundry service every day except Sunday.

The Art of Smart Timing
Atlantis is located in a sub-tropical climate, similar to that of Florida. So it doesn't see the year-round hot temperatures that more Caribbean locations enjoy; however, it has does have a pleasant climate year-round, with over 300 days of sun annually. You are most apt to see rain during the wet season, between June and November, which is also when you'll see the highest temperatures, averaging between 70 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit. The only time you are risking a real rainout is during "hurricane season," between late August and early November, when sporadic hurricanes do occur.

Temperatures during the dry season, between December and May average between 60 and 80 degrees, with less chance of rain. Atlantis drops its rates slightly during spring when demand is lower, and you can sometimes find bargains on room rates. Truth be told, however, this is a popular destination year-round, so don't go expect to find real cut-rate deals.

Thankfully, the sheer size of the resort ensures that it never feels crowded, even when hotels are at capacity. The only exception to this is lines at the most popular waterslides, which are likely to be long at any time of year. Visit early in the morning or at the end of the day -- especially at the Mayan Temple -- for your best chances of a quick ride. Even though its slides are arguably better, the Power Tower tends to be less crowded than the Mayan Temple.

Getting There
The closest airport to Atlantis is Nassau International Airport (NAS), which is approximately a 45-minute drive from the resort. (Note: when booking, be sure to select Nassau, and not Grand Bahamas, which is 150 miles away!) Transportation to the airport can be arranged through the resort for a charge of approximately $100 each way; it's more economical to hire a taxi, which costs about $40 each way. Once at the resort, complimentary shuttle services is offered between the various properties, with waits of never more than half an hour, and frequently less.

For Mom and Dad
Finally, for mom & dad's night out, there's Nobu, an upscale restaurant by celebrity chef Nobu Matsuhisa that serves flapping fresh sushi alongside his delectable Japanese specialties.