Third time isn't always the charm...and actually might have lost me completely.
Jun 4, 2026 Allison C
We checked out earlier this week, and I wanted to share for anyone researching room categories before booking. This is in regards to category BC at Royal Bahamian.
This was our third stay at this Sandals property in 3 years, and unfortunately, this trip was a significant disappointment.
The room we were assigned was technically in the category…
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We checked out earlier this week, and I wanted to share for anyone researching room categories before booking. This is in regards to category BC at Royal Bahamian.
This was our third stay at this Sandals property in 3 years, and unfortunately, this trip was a significant disappointment.
The room we were assigned was technically in the category we booked, but it was nothing like what most people would reasonably expect from a beachfront room or from reading the online description. We were placed on the curved end of the building, with our view consisting primarily of rooftops and the windows of a nearby building that is not part of the resort. There was essentially no beachfront view unless you leaned over and looked down the side of the building toward the resort. The balcony of the end rooms are also much smaller than those in the center.
After arriving, we immediately requested to move. There was no alternative available for the first night, so we were required to stay there and then spend part of the next day packing, waiting, and moving rooms. On a three-night trip, that meant roughly one-third of our vacation was impacted.
What is most frustrating is that this does not appear to be an isolated incident. Since posting, I’ve heard from multiple guests who have experienced the same thing, and there are other reports online about these specific rooms. In fact, as we were leaving, we overheard arriving guests specifically asking to make sure they didn’t get those rooms because they had experienced the same issue during a previous stay.
Beyond the room issue, we experienced a number of problems that we have never encountered on any of our previous visits. • Upon arrival, our luggage was delivered to another room (thankfully our family members), while a bag that did not belong to us was sitting in our room. That person will likely never know their Lululemon backpack was being shuffled around other rooms. • Dinner reservations that had been made two weeks before arrival somehow went missing from the system on our 2nd day. • On the third night, just before dinner, we had virtually no water pressure and only very cold water. Maintenance was called but never showed up. We sponge bathed in cold water to make our dinner reservations without enough water to wash consider washing my hair. • The QR code for the room service menu also did not work, meaning the only way to review options was to call and have the menu read over the phone while hoping you could clearly understand the person reading it and then relay that info to your spouse. No one offered to bring a paper menu.
None of these are issues we had experienced during our prior stays.
•••What made the situation even more frustrating was that there was no follow-up regarding the points on our final day, forcing us to spend the last hour and a half of our trip trying to resolve it. On that morning I was told that there was NO RECORD of our conversations from Friday and they continued to question that I had actually spoken to anyone in the concierge office. I informed them I’d spoke to multiple people and multiple other staff had been aware of the situation. I was told I’d have to wait until a manager was out of a mtg to discuss it. The delay on their part became so significant that the departure bus literally had to be held for us. They wanted to email paperwork AFTER DEPARTURE because the secretary was not available. I pushed back and insisted that any documents be provided while I was still on property whether email or hard copy, especially since I had started the conversation 3 days earlier and saw no justification for the delay. During that conversation, I was also asked to delete a recording of the interaction and was walked through multiple locations on my phone to ensure it had been removed. The interaction felt highly unusual and uncomfortable as they put hands on my phone. As I told them, If they follow through on their promise, there’d be no issue with me having that recorded for personal use. In the final moments, as for compensation, Sandals offered 10,000 points (approximately $250 in value), BUT ONLY IF we signed a non-disclosure agreement stating that we would not discuss our experience at Sandals. When asking what the paperwork said as we reviewed it (3 minutes literally before bus departure) I was told it was in relation to “our conversation” but found and called them out for the non-disclosure clause. We declined to sign.
My purpose in sharing this is not to complain for the sake of complaining. We’ve enjoyed this resort enough to visit three times, which is exactly why this was so disappointing. I simply want future guests to be aware that some rooms in this category may not provide the beachfront experience that many travelers would expect based on the category description and photos. I entourage you to avoid the #16 east bay beachfront rooms.
I’ll add that while it’s less important we learned our favorite bartender Kelson is no longer employed at Sandals and when we asked Bullet where the boat music had gone we were informed complaints caused them to lose it.
⭐️ Waitress Em is a sweet soul deserving recognition- we quickly remembered her from previous positive experiences and this time was the same. Emile on the dock was also a joy to cross paths with. I still don’t know what the shot was, but Michelle makes a strong & tasty “Michelle special” ⭐️
Also, for your own future reference I have confirmed that in the Bahamas it IS legal to record a conversation you’re involved in. It may or may not be admissible in court and you too may have security called on you, but make your own choices with that info and do as you wish. 🤷🏼♀️
I'll lastly add a few additional smaller details. Our safe was locked upon arrival to room 1 and we did not have a coffee pot.
#freespeech #nobodyputsbabyinthecorner
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