The Sands Barbados

Checking staff were rude and unfriendly you have to us QR code and do it yourself.Our room was very good ground floor straight into the pool for morning dip. Beach wash away due high spring tides and rising sea levels Sargassum came and went sun beds on the beach only at low tide to make it look like we had a beach although we would have gone to other beaches not every day which we had too luckily Carlisle bay is still as good has ever not a bit of Sargassum form there all up the west just spent more getting to the good beaches when booking thought we would stay on the hotel beach some days to have a chilled cheaper day. Food not good some days set menu some days buffet I’m not a picky eater and even I found it hard work the wife is coeliac she really found it hard work must staff poorly trained and one meal fish and pasta was labelled as gluten free.Birds in the restaurant were a problem been to lots of open restaurants but not as bad has this bird droppings everywhere and not being clean up staff seemed unaware of it so again spent more then planned going out for meals specially dinner we really used it more like a BB We love Barbados and still had great holiday sadly for Barbados first timers and there were a lot will not be coming back we will but not to this hotel Read less

Just returned home after a 10-night stay at The Sands, and overall we had a great holiday. When we first arrived, I have to admit I felt slightly underwhelmed and despite only being built in 2019 the hotel did shows signs of looking tired. However, once we settled in, relaxed, and got to know the hotel, we really started to appreciate and enjoy it. The hotel is fairly small, with one pool and two restaurants – the On The Water restaurant, where all buffet and set-menu meals are served, and the Noir rooftop restaurant. The On The Water restaurant alternates between buffet and set-menu dining. While the food selection isn’t huge and can become a little repetitive over a longer stay, everything we ate was tasty and well prepared. One minor issue was the birds, particularly at breakfast and lunch. You couldn’t leave your food unattended for long without them swooping in. Thankfully, they weren’t a problem in the evenings. The rooms are spacious and comfortable. We stayed in an apartment-style room with an upstairs bedroom. Thankfully, both the upstairs and downstairs areas had air conditioning, although some guests told us they only had air conditioning upstairs in their rooms. Housekeeping was excellent, visiting every morning and evening, with fresh towels provided regularly. Most of the staff were incredibly friendly and helpful. Special mention goes to Kemar, Nico, Jacqueline at the bar, and the barman who wore the apron (unfortunately I didn’t catch his name). They were all genuinely kind, welcoming, and made some fantastic drinks. Thank you for helping make our stay so enjoyable! That said, a small number of staff members came across as though work was a chore and didn’t seem interested in interacting with guests. This wasn’t the norm, but it was noticeable at times. Unfortunately, the beach was affected by sargassum seaweed during our stay, which is obviously beyond the hotel’s control. Despite this, you could still see how beautiful the beach would normally be, and I can only imagine how amazing the setting is when the seaweed isn’t present. The location is excellent. We walked into St. Lawrence Gap on several occasions for dinner and drinks, which was a real bonus. Oistins was around 20 minutes away by ZR taxi, while Carlisle Bay was only about 10 minutes away. The ZR taxis are incredibly easy to use – simply wave one down, hop on, and pay just BBD $3.50 per journey. We also visited Mango Bay, the hotel’s sister property, which has a beach that wasn’t affected by the sargassum. Mango Bay perhaps felt a little more upscale, but for us, the friendlier atmosphere and the ability to walk into The Gap made The Sands the better choice. You need to book with reception when you want to visit Mango bay. In terms of activities, there was very little on offer. I believe snow cone making took place on only two occasions during our stay, and there were no pool games or daytime entertainment. There was, however, a live singer performing every evening, which created a nice atmosphere. One thing to be aware of is that if you wanted a sunbed around the pool, you really needed to be down before 7:00am to secure one. They were very nice helping us celebrate our engagement by decorating our hotel room and a bottle of fizz. The gym was very basic. Overall, we thoroughly enjoyed our stay and would definitely return. Despite a few minor drawbacks, The Sands offers a relaxed, friendly atmosphere in a fantastic location. I can only imagine how incredible the experience would be if the beach were back to its normal condition. Read less

We recently stayed at this hotel and, while TUI rates it as a 4-star property, we would personally rate it somewhere between 2 and 3 stars. There are certainly some positives. The staff were lovely throughout our stay, friendly, helpful, and always pleasant to deal with. Our room was very good, and the cleanliness of the room itself was maintained to a high standard. The restaurant was more mixed. While some meals were disappointing, the majority of the food was good and there was usually enough choice to find something enjoyable. However, the biggest issue for us was the bird problem in the restaurant area. As the restaurant is open-sided, birds are able to fly in, which in itself is understandable. What is not acceptable is the amount of bird droppings left on seats and around the dining area. We had to complain because many of the seats were covered in bird mess. The response from staff was that a major clean was scheduled for the following week. Unfortunately, that simply isn't good enough when guests are expected to use the facilities every day. The problem was so unpleasant that we often took towels with us to sit on or chose to take food back to our room instead. The swimming pool area is nice and has plenty of potential, but it could also benefit from more frequent cleaning and washing down. Overall, it's a real shame because this hotel has the foundations to be a fantastic place to stay. With better attention to cleanliness in the public areas, particularly the restaurant and pool surroundings, it could easily provide the 4-star experience that is being advertised. Read less

Attention fellow Canadians: Please double-check your booking options before ordering your vacation, and avoid "Super Saver" rooms at all costs. Thankfully, the management at The Sands relocated us to a much better room at no extra charge.Overall, I would rate this resort a 3 out of 5. The food is highly repetitive and offers a very limited selection, even for adults. We also got unlucky with heavy seaweed on the beach for all 9 days of our stay. However, the sea at Carlisle Bay—which is just a 10-minute drive away—was always crystal clear.If you are a couch potato, you might enjoy this resort. But if you prefer an active vacation with dancing and pool activities (like you find at most resorts in the Dominican Republic), this place will be a huge disappointment. Additionally, all excursions, tickets, and outside food are insanely expensive, even when compared to prices back home in Canada. Read less