This is going to be a too long didn’t read. I wanted to give a balanced set of views and opinions on sea breeze for those that perhaps aren’t familiar with Barbados, as we weren’t before we spent two weeks.
Firstly Barbados is wonderful. The people are some of the friendliest, open, welcoming and helpful people on the planet. Think the best of Greek hospitality but with genuine warmth. All of the people we met on the island, including the staff at sea breeze, are genuinely lovely people. We had a fantastic two weeks, because of the island and its people, it’s magnificent.
The hotel has its draw backs and its positives. I’m prone to being a glass half full person, so I look to the positives, but I also try to be balanced when it comes to reviewing places and this is going to sound a bit over critical in my attempt to be fair and honest as I wish I had read this type of honesty before I booked.
My honest assessment is that Sea Breeze is not particularly well set up for young families, nor is it a true five star in the genuine sense of the phrase. It’s more on a par with some of the Greek five stars you encounter. We had a ten year old and a six year old. There isn’t a huge amount for them to do, kids club aside, but we are lucky our kids are quite happy beach or pool for the afternoon once we had been out for the morning. That works for us. For those with more fussy kids, I’m not sure that this would.
The entertainment is fairly low key but unfortunately is located directly out the front of the hotel blocks. We were in mahogany, which is deemed the luxury block, but it doesn’t feel very luxury when you have kids going to bed at 9pm, but a loud DJ, or lounge singer, or even really terrible karaoke blasting until 11pm each night out the front of the block. It meant that we didn’t sit out on our balcony at night at any point during the two week stay. This may sound trivial, but we booked the hotel on its reputation of being quieter, more relaxed and tranquil - it didn’t feel this way of an evening when all we wanted to do as a couple is sit out, enjoy each others company with a drink and the sound of the waves.
Next, the hotel generally feels quite tired in places. Torn film on the mirror in the lift, majority of the sun beds on the beach worn, without the sun canopies working properly, tables that rock everytime you sit down for dinner or breakfast and minor flaws in the room where painting was worn, chipped, curtains that had been pulled down off the end runner, that sort of thing. Nothing major, just general minor issues that add up to a feeling of a lack of attention to detail.
This was coupled by a safe that didn’t work in our room, a shower that only ran cold for the first day, and a whole 24 hour period later in the stay without hot water in the building at all. They were all fixed over time, but just added to the general impression that care hadn’t been fully taken.
Don’t get me wrong, generally the rooms we had were lovely (oceanfront two bed which is a king room and a twin queen room connected by interconnecting doors), the view from the balcony is fantastic, the beds are mega comfortable and the little touches like the mini bar being stocked every day were great. The cleaning team also do a brilliant job each day, but were unpredictable as to when they came. Bring good mosquito repellent or you will get bitten.
The location isn’t great in terms of being close to anything (ie not really walkable) without a car unless you are happy to either sit in one place or use the local transport or taxis. I would recommend a car - we had some wonderful trips out around the island, crop over, animal flower cave, Harrison’s cave, wildlife reserve, and a fantastic snorkelling trip from holetown on a private catemeran with Che/kamal that was stunning. Seeing a hawksbill and a green turtle up close, as well as the sting rays was magical.
We also had some fantastic food out on the island, tides and fish pot I cannot recommend highly enough. Oistins fish fry is a brilliant experience. We skipped pats place and went for uncle George’s and the food was bloody lovely.
However, I have to say, as well as being keen on exploring, one of the main reasons we started going out for dinner every night on our second week was because the dining in the hotel was quite repetitive. The restaurants didn’t change their menu in the two weeks we were there apart from the odd theme night (bbq night was good at mahogany for example). The food generally is of a good standard, but fairly repetitive and not particularly exciting. It’s good, it’s not great. Service is the redeeming feature - the staff are lovely, attentive and super helpful. Can’t fault the people at all! Equally the cocktails are great. Genuine top shelf, and the team will make drinks up for you if you feel adventurous. Jerome on the rum shack was a top bloke, he also introduced us to “the godfather” who was a brilliant taxi driver who took us to the crop over festival and back safely, for a fair price.
The hotel feels more aimed at adults and couples than families. The sun beds around the adult pool are far nicer than those elsewhere on the resort, which felt a little unfair. A positive note, even when busy you won’t struggle for a sunbed - we went out in the mornings then came down at lunchtime for a piece of pizza and a swim for the afternoon, and still managed to get a couple of beds each day we did, as long as you are flexible on which pool or the beach. Be warned there is no service to the sun beds on the beach like at other hotels, you have to walk to the bar. That isn’t a great task, or particularly difficult, but would be nice if it could be incorporated like other 5 stars around the world.
We had massages in the spa. They were really good massages and the ladies were lovely and really good at their job. The spa is one of the bedrooms converted into a makeshift spa facility. The massages were great, but go into this with eyes wide open if you are expecting a “spa facility” Ala other 5 star hotels, it isn’t. It’s a room, there’s no spa facility so to speak - it’s not like you have saunas, a relaxing pool experience etc - you go in, get your massage, and get out. Again, not to criticise the ladies - they are brilliant - but it’s not a spa “facility” it’s a spa service. Slight difference between the two. The gym is also fairly tiny. Serviceable for a quick work out which I did a few times before breakfast, but nothing major.
Lastly, a word on the beach. Obviously sargassum is something out of anyone’s control but it was an issue on and off during our stay. However, sargassum aside, when you picture Barbados you picture the turquoise waters and crystal clear sea for things like snorkelling. The water on the west coast is far calmer, far clearer and far more attractive for families to use on the beach, and is protected from sargassum. We drove to harbour lights, Mullins bay and holetown as the beaches were far nicer - and that’s a shame as you can imagine we had paid for an all inclusive service.
My review is making it sound much worse than it is - you will have a nice time if you are staying at sea breeze - it’s still a good hotel - I just came away wishing I had booked somewhere in the west instead.
