Our Hotel
Ariel Sands is a true beachfront property. The beautiful blue Atlantic is just a short distance from all cottages. Enjoy a dip in the ocean, snorkel our surrounding shoreline, or simply relax in two unique ocean fed saltwater pools or the heated, fresh water pool.

On land you’ll find our spacious club house has charms of its own. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served at Aqua, our Award Winning gourmet Seaside Restaurant. Afternoon tea is complimentary and may be taken indoors or out. Cocktail hour is another pleasant ritual, and you do not want to miss the Swizzle Party held for guests every Wednesday in season.( April through October )

Tennis is available on property along with a fitness centre. And if a bit of pampering is on your holiday agenda, you will most certainly want to book some special time in our Day Spa. Our therapists are internationally trained and provide hair, skin and body treatments including Stone, Reiki and Balinese massage.

The Dill Family
Ariel Sands is privately owned by the Dill family – one of Bermuda’s oldest clans.The Dills came from Ireland to Bermuda around 1630. The property on which Ariel Sands sits was purchased by Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Melville Dill in the 1840’s and has been in the Dill family for five generations.

Until the 1940’s the property was heavily wooded with large cedar trees which were felled and used as an integral component in both home and ship building. Around the start of WWII, Bermuda’s cedar forests suffered a blight which obliterated approximately 95% of the trees. A hurricane in 1952 completed the devastation.

Several family conferences followed resulting in a decision to construct a hotel which opened its doors on December 18th, 1954 and took its name from a sprite in Shakespeare’s The Tempest. The Dill family continues to play a very active role in the management and development of Ariel Sands and quite often convene on the property for significant family events.

In December 2002, family member Diana Darrid, whose maiden name was Diana Dill, held her wedding reception at Ariel Sands. Her wedding to Mr. Donald Webster was held in Christ Church, Devonshire – one of Bermuda’s oldest churches which is less than a mile from Ariel Sands. The new Mrs. Webster is the mother of Academy Award winning actor Michael Douglas. She was born and raised in Bermuda. Mr. Douglas is a shareholder and frequent guest. He and his wife, Catherine Zeta-Jones, also own a home in Bermuda.

Aqua Seaside Restaurant
Hungry for a little moonlight? Aqua, our beautiful seaside restaurant, is steps from the water and one of the island’s most scenic destinations for breakfast, lunch or a moonlit dinner. Guests may dine al fresco or inside Aqua’s signature blue dining room.

Our Chef recently won 1st Place medals for the Best of Bermuda Gold Awards conducted Island wide by 'The Bermudian' magazine. Our Chef was designated 'Best Chef' and Aqua was awarded Bermuda Restaurant with 'Most Imaginative Menu'

Bars
Wherever the day’s activities take you, there’s no better place for regrouping and revitalizing the appetite than in one of our two bars – the lovely, cool Aqua Bar or Brownie’s Beachside Bar. Here you’ll find classic cocktails, perfectly prepared, as well as island specialties. Visitors should certainly sample a Rum Swizzle or Dark ‘n Stormy before catching their flight home.

The bars open 7 days a week at 12 noon.

Bermuda Rum Swizzle
The infamous Rum Swizzle was born during Prohibition as a knock-on effect created a shortage of alcohol on the island. Eager to preserve what little stash they had, Bermudians mixed all available rums together in gallon bottles and secretly buried them out of the sight of neighbors. The bottles were retrieved from time to time, mixed with a few other key ingredients and the Swizzle was born. Known to put a dip in your hip and a glide in your stride, the recipe has changed a bit over the years, and locals still serve them with pride.

Bermuda’s Famous Rum Swizzle
8 oz Goslings Black Seal Rum
Juice of two lemons or limes
5 oz pineapple juice
5 oz orange juice
2 oz grenadine or Bermuda Fulernum
6 dashes Angostura bitters crushed ice

Combine all ingredients. Shake or stir vigorously until frothy head appears. Strain into sour glasses. Garnish with orange slice or Maraschino Cherry Makes 5 4-oz drinks.

Concierge
On Property
On property, the Front Desk can handle reservations at Aqua (and other Bermuda restaurants) and the Spa. They will book court time and arrange for lessons if you want to polish your tennis game. Transportation can also be arranged through Front Desk including taxi service, bus tokens and scooter rental.

Off Property
The Front Desk is happy to assist you with all of your off-property exploration. Bermuda’s capital city of Hamilton is less than 10 minutes away. This is the place to shop, gallery hop, take in a movie or a show, and sample some of the island’s other fine restaurants. The Front Desk can tell you what’s playing and, if given proper lead time, secure tickets for performances.