The Fairmont Southampton Rooms

Ah, oversized guestrooms. We love them. At 450 square feet, the Fairmont Southampton's rooms have plenty of space for an extra cot or crib (complimentary). Light, bright, big and airy, all rooms come with balconies or a patio furnished with a small table and chairs. Because of the resort's hilltop location, most rooms have water views. The decor of coral, yellow, sea green or blue and white refer to the island's sun, sand and sea. The glass floor-to-ceiling sliding doors framed by white louvered shutters also add an island feel. Rooms feature large closets and marble vanities. Prints of pastel-colored fish and coral decorate the walls.

On our latest visit, we splurged on a Fairmont Gold Room, the resort's club floor. If you can, book a room with club access. The club lounge with its friendly staff and concierge service create a hotel within a hotel. By staying on a club floor, you get the best of both worlds: the amenities and services of a large, AAA Four Diamond property combined with the friendliness and attention of a boutique hotel.

The lounge, with its series of couches and wing chairs, provides a comfortable place to meet, especially nice for multi-generational groups or couples traveling together. Depending on how much your kids eat, the club floor may not be as pricey as you think. The full, hot breakfast is ample. Before heading off for golf, my son downed bagels and salmon, fruit, juice and coffee. I ate the pancakes and hot oatmeal before touring the island. Cold cereal as well as toast, Danish and croissants are also available.

The lounge provides cookies, nuts, ice tea and coffee from 11:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. My son and I met in the afternoon at the club lounge and discussed our day's adventures over afternoon tea, 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

From 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., the lounge serves ample hors d'oeuvres. One evening's array included duck potstickers, crab cakes, vegetarian wraps and sushi. Another evening we had fried shrimp, cold shrimp, crab claws and gazpacho. In the evening, the club floor offers dessert. The only problem is that the resort puts this out for "as long as it lasts" - and it doesn't last long. If you want dessert, arrive at 8:30 p.m. when it is served. At the club lounge, you can get complimentary water and sodas as well as sign for liquor. Depending on the package, a club floor room in low season may be for an additional $100 or more per room. In high season, the rates could be an additional $150 or more per room.