We had the most relaxing, amazing time at Sandals Royal Bahamian this last week. We stayed Saturday to Saturday, so an entire week of this beautiful resort. And I mean BEAUTIFUL. The color of the water is unreal- I could stare at it all day. This is definitely not the largest Sandals property, but the proximity to the airport and private island access are worth noting.
We were a little delayed getting to the property due to immigration taking awhile, but once we were picked up in our private rolls Royce transfer by Oswaldo, we were there in less than 15 minutes. We had been to this location twice before, but Oswaldo still gave us some interesting facts about the island and was a great chauffer. Kenderick greeted us up front and he was such a joy! We saw him a few times throughout the week and he always had such a big smile to greet everyone who passed by.
Reviews for this resort are going to vary based on the room category that guests pay for- they are paying for their own experience. We always book a butler one bedroom villa- I LOVE the balcony soaking tub and spend all my evenings out there. The butler service really changes the entire vacation. They will coordinate all your dinners at whatever time you want, arrange any spa appointments or excursions, set you up at the pool or beach each morning, bring you breakfast, lunch or dinner whenever/wherever you want, and handle any and all concierge related requests. They will literally unpack and repack for you if you want. We have always booked butler category rooms and it is well worth the extra cost.
Our amazing butler team this trip was Logesh and Dominique. They went above and beyond any butler team we have had in the past. Every evening, they would set up some adorable display in our room- a romantic rose petal bath, a disco ball in the room, wine and dessert, etc. Every day they would arrange us beach or pool chairs with chilled wine or champagne and check on us regularly for lunch or drink needs. They would meet us before dinner and set us up at a great table with drinks. I cannot speak highly enough of how well they took care of us this week, and how much we appreciated everything they did to make our vacation so relaxing. They sent us daily updates on the butler cell phone with the scheduled events for the evening, dinner plans, drink of the day, and the island ferry shuttle schedule. All of the butlers we have experienced on past Sandals trips have always been attentive and amazing, but these two were truly a step above.
The reason we have returned to this location three times is because of the food and beauty of the resort. The rooftop gym offers the most spectacular views of the ocean and private island. The turquoise blue waters shimmering out the windows while you are running on the treadmill is truly an amazing experience. The grounds are meticulously maintained, and there are groundskeepers constantly keeping everything looking beautiful. The food here has always been a favorite. We love sushi, so Soy is always our first choice for dinner. Sometimes even a second late night dinner… our server Valencia was super sweet and we enjoyed seeing her a few times during our stay. The “appetizer” buffet at Tesoro could really be a meal on its own- you have to be careful not to fill up on all the meat, cheese, salad, and other offerings before actually ordering a main course! Butch’s is a favorite as well- the steaks are great and the crème brulee for dessert was definitely my new favorite discovery this trip. I will say that they changed the guava bubbles drink at Mr. B’s- it used to be more of a martini type cocktail and now its like a mimosa and not as good. Boo… But every other drink I had made up for it! Philip in the Balmoral bar is a gem. He makes amazing dirty martinis and he is the heart and soul of that place! Simply the Best! Paul was great there too- he made really great old fashioneds.
The only area of the resort that seems visibly dated and definitely needs some major renovations is the spa. The spa is lackluster and disappointing. If you are charging such high prices for services, the facilities should reflect that of a high end spa. The four couches in the waiting area with dingy, gray slip covers looks like something out of a college dorm room. The locker room is just that- a closet with lockers. There needs to be separate dressing, and showering areas for males and females. Not just locker rooms. There should be some kind of hot tub, or cold plunge, or something SPA-esque that makes guests feel like they are enjoying a spa experiencing and not just checking in and out as fast as possible for an appointment. I will happily pay $200+ for a spa experience, but I expect the amenities to be more than plastic bottle of room temperature water and a dingy closet with drop ceiling tiles.
Again, this was probably one of those most relaxing vacations we have had in a long time. We had such a great time lounging on the beach, enjoying the beautiful weather, and unwinding after a busy holiday season. Thank you Logesh and Dominique for making our week so enjoyable!
