My wife and I visited Sandals Barbados from October 25 to November 1, and I want to begin this review with a huge shout-out to the Sandals brand. We were originally scheduled to stay at Sandals South Coast, Jamaica, but when we saw Hurricane Melissa approaching on the news, we contacted the Diamond Member hotline and spoke with David. He was able to move our reservation to Sandals Barbados, upgrading us to a comparable room category at no additional charge. David truly saved our trip — we would have canceled otherwise. I was so impressed by the level of service we received.
We’ve previously visited Sandals Barbados, as well as Royal Curaçao (once), Ochi (three times), Royal Bahamian (once), and South Coast (twelve times). Our new Club-level room was an OBT category in the Royal Building, featuring an ocean view and a balcony soaking tub. The location was very central, making it a short walk to restaurants, bars, and pools. Amanda in housekeeping kept our room spotless. The Barbados and Royal Barbados sides of the property feel like one large resort—you check in on one side and seamlessly enjoy amenities on both. Despite the last-minute change, check-in at the Club Sandals lounge was efficient. They coordinated with Loyalty & Travel to schedule our attendance at the returning guests’ dinner and the Diamond Member lunch (special thanks to Nakita, who brought the confirmation details to our room after check-in).
As Sandals Elite scuba divers, we reached out to the Dive Shop as soon as our booking was changed. Jalissa confirmed by email that we could be scheduled for dives each day, which we greatly appreciated. She emailed all the forms to us so that we could fill them out and be ready to dive the first morning of our vacation. All we needed to do was check-in when we arrived on Sunday morning. Melissa in the Dive Shop was also very helpful. There is a shuttle from the resort to another Sandals Dive Shop at a harbor just outside downtown Bridgetown—a 30 to 45-minute ride that’s worth it for the excellent dive sites. The dive team was professional and knowledgeable. We dove with Robert, Ryan, Seth, Zane, and Shakeel, who remembered us from our last trip and had our equipment ready with labeled stickers. Early in our trip, an equipment issue affected air quality in the tanks, limiting dives to single tanks while they cleaned and pressure-tested everything—a big job. Extra staff were brought in, and safety was clearly the top priority. This limited our dives to one per day, but the dive masters made the most of them, and our dive times were often over 45 minutes.
The restaurants were all top-notch. We couldn’t try every one, which is another reason to return. Highlights included:
- The Greenhouse – A farm-to-table concept with perfectly executed dishes. Asha was our fabulous dinner waitress. Highly recommend the Octopus Tacos, the roasted sweet potato (it isn’t the orange yam we get in the States) and any seafood. We also enjoyed our last breakfast on the resort at the Greenhouse.
- Portofino – Our first visit here, with excellent service from Sharia.
- Bombay – Great interpretation of Indian cuisine with attentive service from Samson. If you’re not familiar with Indian food, request mild spice.
- La Parisienne & Sky Bar – Stunning views and elegant atmosphere. Another excellent breakfast spot.
Special recognition goes to David, who managed the front of the house at Butch’s (Royal side) and Schooners. The hurricane disrupted many dinner reservations since the systems are based in Jamaica, but David handled the situation with grace and efficiency. Both Butch’s and Schooners delivered fine-dining quality food and service. At Schooners, the Grouper and Clams were spicy and delicious, and the Guava cheesecake was the best dessert on the property. At Butch’s, we enjoyed a perfect Steak Diane (a nostalgic favorite) and Brisket, served by the attentive Samantha. Lunch at Neptunes was a daily treat—beautiful beach views and a great menu.
We were invited to the Sandals Select Dinner in the ballroom, and if you’re invited, don’t miss it. It’s a five-course meal served on white linens with live music. There was also a presentation of free nights earned by guests and a brief overview of the foundation’s charitable work. It’s one of the best meals on the property. The Diamond Member lunch was an incredible experience—normally held in a restaurant, but since the Lady Sandals yacht was docked on the island, we were taken by deluxe motor coach to enjoy lunch aboard this amazing vessel. Originally owned by Butch Stewart, later sold to Nicolas Cage, and then reacquired by Stewart, the yacht is stunning. The staff graciously allowed us to tour the entire boat and take amazing photos.
We also had beautiful sunset photos taken by Ramario, who tailored the shoot to exactly what we wanted, capturing the gardens and beach at sunset.
The Red Lane spa provided excellent service with Karen in reception who took time to chat with my wife while she waited for Trudy to finish with her prior client. Trudy did a beautiful job with my wife’s makeup, just in time for our photo shoot.
We fully expect to return to Sandals Barbados for a future trip.
