We loved our experience here! Sandals know how to do international travel correctly! There was pretty much always something fun to do, and the plant life on resort was AMAZING. Some advice would be to be intentional about when you eat and drink because things close slightly early or you may need a reservation.
Jacob S — Google review
Unable to book any restaurants at a sensible time, balcony unusable due to stench of drains, broken lifts with door half open and no safety or signage, long waits for tables as half of them not being used, and no interest from staff despite several requests. This was our third sandals in 12 months ( previous two not much better). THERE IS NO CUSTOMER CARE. - pick a smaller hotel if you want quality service.
John M — Google review
Disappointing Customer Service ExperienceMy wife and I recently checked in today (July 25, 2024) at Sandals in Barbados after a long day of travel. We were excited about our stay, but unfortunately, our experience was soured by a frustrating encounter with the customer service team.We booked an activity but decided to cancel more than 24 hours in advance. Despite this, we were told that we could not receive a refund for the $40 we had already paid. When I suggested applying the $40 towards another activity we were interested in, the representative informed us that we would have to spend more than $40 to do so. This felt unreasonable, especially since we were simply asking to use our money for something else on the property.We fully understand that these policies exist, but it feels unfair that we're penalized for changing our plans. We had already experienced the activity we initially booked and didn't want to repeat it, especially after learning more about it from our butler. We even asked if we could donate the $40 to another guest so they could enjoy an experience, but this was also not allowed.Sandals, we urge you to reconsider your policies. Good customer service involves flexibility and understanding, especially when guests are simply trying to make the most of their vacation. Losing $40 may seem small, but it's the principle and the way we were treated that left a bad impression.Mr. and Mrs. Lord!
Corey L — Google review
We enjoyed a week at Sandals Barbados but not without a few issues. The resort is lovely, the location is great and there are plenty of restaurants and pools to enjoy.We had a butter service, which was OK, but not really that necessary for us.With all the good, we had 2 major issues!First, our room was not cleaned for 2 consecutive days!!! We had to make someone solve the issue the second day! Nobody took the initiative to correct it the first day! This was VERY inconvenient!!!The positive on this was that once they sent someone to clean it the second day, they sent 2 OUTSTANDING individuals, Amanda & Joseph!!!!!! They should win “Employees of the Month”, in my book!!! They worked hard, quickly and were VERY pleasant!!!Second, it took me 2 hours, over 2 days, to get a false $60 taxi charge off my bill before we could checkout! They wouldn’t accept my word that we never used a taxi but finally got another room’s butler to admit he charged it to the wrong room!Again, we loved the actual resort and most all of the staff but I would not spent that amount of money to go there again, after what we experienced.
Jodie H — Google review
We went to Sandals Royal Barbados for our honeymoon and had an incredible experience. The resort is close to the airport and the shuttle was very easy. Once we arrived we were able to check in with the concierge and make our dinner reservations for the week. We thought the food was excellent and there were so many different dining options. The staff were all friendly and polite. We also booked a couples massage at the spa and the experience was fantastic and relaxing. We were so happy with our first Sandals trip.
Amanda K — Google review
My husband and I just got back from here Staff are cold, rude and not very nice. They are very slow and trying to get any help is useless. The room decor was nice but the maid service was horrible. Our room was only cleaned twice in 5 days. Begged for towels and tissue repeatedly and it would take hours to receive. No type of entertainment on the resort. Checking in was a nightmare. Luggage was to be taken to our room and it wasn’t there when we finally got to the room. We waited about an our and then went back downstairs to check and as soon as the elevator opened on the first floor our luggage was sitting in the middle of the floor unattended. We were about to get our luggage when the guy walked up and we said this is our luggage why is it in the middle of the hallway. No explanation given. Resort is nice and food was good but slow in getting. Not worth money you pay. Purchaser beware!
Darlene H — Google review
Sandals continues to amaze me with our recent visit to our new favourite Sandals resort: Sandals Royal Barbados. The breathtaking beauty of the location, the phenomenal, hardworking staff, and the overall atmosphere made us feel grateful every day to be there. We spent our mornings with coffee on our patio, followed by a trip to our favourite beach in the Caribbean, and afternoons in our swim up pool.There is so much care that goes into cultivating every experience at Sandals and it shows. We couldn’t wait to book our return trip for all of the above reasons, but mostly because of our butler team (Ron, Shakeel and Kevan) who brought so much joy, fun and a passion for what they do. We can’t wait to return!We go to Sandals because we are reassured everything will be taken care of, the properties are stunning, the water is safe, the food is great and we can escape from our day to day chaos. Now we feel like we’re returning to visit family at this specific resort and especially with the best butler team out there!*I need to add after reading reviews, and watching guests interact with staff - my respect for the sandals team has increased tenfold. I look at pictures of “bad experiences” like sand on the edges of the pool or hear someone scolding staff because a restaurant didn’t have air conditioning. The sand is there from disrespectful guests who didn’t wash their feet after the beach, not the staff who are up at 4am cleaning all the pools. You’re in the Caribbean for the heat, if an air conditioner is broken, so what - eat somewhere else or go to your room. If you go looking for faults, you’ll find them, but 99% of a trip can be wonderful and people share low ratings or treat staff like garbage. The only bad part of our trip was the guests who acted like this.*
Kailynn C — Google review
Cane for a honeymoon with my husband & leaving tomorrow. Honestly cannot WAIT! This was so subpar!!!!!! I expected so much more & I’m so disappointed. Literally begging my husband for a do over somewhere else!It’s just .. the like little things matter!!As soon as we came in, we started out with the TV not working I called the reception and I got transferred the phone rang for a few times and then it went to voicemail so I called the operator again and this time no one answered the phone for about four minutes so I just walked down to the front desk and I talked to the manager, Michelle . She was really great and she got everything straightened out however we waited another 2.5 hours for our bags to come to our room which was ridiculous because we could’ve just took them ourselves, but we were told to leave them so someone could bring them… We were supposed to get robes.. Those never ended up coming. The doorbell didn’t work so every time we had to call daily for room service. The food wasn’t good. The beds really aren’t uncomfortable. I don’t know I wasn’t expecting the Hilton Plaza, but for what I paid I definitely was expecting more. I’m not hard to please at all in our vacation a lot so the fact that I’m complaining speaks volumes
Sharmaine B — Google review
I had the butler service, and all three butlers were amazing! I had a Rondoval room that was awesome. It was a little quiet for me, and everything seemed to close down by 10 p.m., but I still had a great time. Neptune's and Dino's are the go-to spots for a quick bite. The rooftop pool is a great place to go and relax in the evening. Watching the sunset from there was really nice. I would recommend going to this resort.
L D — Google review
Sandals Royal Barbados was luxury! ALL the staff we met was exceptional , friendly and delivered great service from start to finish. The rooms were immaculate and housekeeping was impeccable. Food was amazing from breakfast, lunch to dinner . The facilities at sandals were impressive, with huge luxury pools. Infinity pool has amazing views and entertainment aswell as quiet pools if you fancy. I booked my next stay on the last day, and cant wait to return which I have been counting down the days. Hopefully , I will see familiar faces from all the lovely staff we met last year.
Ella R — Google review
Spent over 10 days (Jan 8-Jan 19 2024) at Sandals Royal Barbados, room 10204, we are frequent Sandals customers (Emerald), this was our first time in Barbados.Food- outstanding! I'm a vegetarian (and will not eat Hungry Planet meat substitute). We found the meals, from buffets to restaurants, hot, fresh and ability to customize any dish with many delicious soups, salads and sides. Plan for 90 minutes at a sit down, order the signature cocktail relax and enjoy! We made reservations early Tuesday morning for all available, then early on Thursday for the other two (Greenhouse and Butch's seafood) we enjoyed all of the restaurants at least once. I'd often order 2 appetizers (soup and salad), main dish and, of course, dessert. Barbados has the best food compared to other Sandals.Grounds- beautiful, lush, well maintained, only saw 2 cats (yay) some Sandals seem to have an abundance of cats.Pools- so many options! If you can't get a place at your favorite, try another one, found a small pool by our rooms, several by the Red Lane, the Oasis and the Rooftop. All were lovely.Beach- amazing soft sand, warm turquoise waters. Chairs with umbrellas are snatched up early, but we'd split our day morning at a pool, after lunch at the beach, umbrella spots would be open later in the day.Service- friendly staff, many smiles, hellos and good days from most. The coffee cafe and sweet/saltys were a bit abrupt ('broken' crepe machine and no mustard sauce). Kelly freshened/cleaned our room daily, fridge restocked and turn down service each night. David was our server at the Oasis bar, quick with drinks and remembers your order. Aleya at the rooftop pool was fun, quick and even got us lunch! Ann Marie was so sweet and attentive at Heart/Sol and The Greenhouse restaurants.Overall- with 2 entwined resorts, there are a lot of options. Fresh vegetables, fruits and I especially enjoyed the additions of Greenhouse for breakfast/dinner and Heart/Sol for juices and lunch. Glad there was NA Heineken and always an option for virgin cocktails for non drinkers. We arrived at 11 pm on Monday and it was a bit disorganized at the airport (waiting an hour for 'other' guests who obviously were not on our flight), some restrooms near the pools/beach were not always fresh. Resort shop had limited sunscreen options. Husband enjoyed a fantastic 90 minute massage at the Red Lane. Unfortunately, there is limited flight availability from Omaha, ended up with 6+ hour layover in Miami both ways, not due to weather. Some guests, who did have weather delays, mentioned that Sandals was very helpful in rearranging their accommodations.
Cindy C — Google review
We’ve travelled to Sandals in five countries, this is our sixth. We are frequent travellers - 2 to 4 weeks of the year.I don’t like to be negative, but the quality of this Sandals does NOT measure up to the Sandals standards that we are used to.The resort is run down and there are several things broken- elevators, water troughs, bowling alley. The best is that there is a tractor plunked right in the middle of the beach view that they cannot get to move.In addition to the lack of quality, the restaurant situation is the worst I’ve even seen. We arrived yesterday to be told that we can only make reservations at 3 restaurants for our seven days. That seems to be standard practice. We called down 20 minutes after entering our room to make reservations. We got three and we had to chase them for those. We were told they would call us back. We called concierge 12 times- with no answer.The wait at the non-reserve restaurants is over an hour - even though there is only a handful of tables being used. We’ve had four meals and had to send back all four because the food was cold. Last night we waited an hour to be seated and the restaurant had only five tables of the 30 available in use.We came here bc it was recommended by staff in Greneda. What a disappointment.When we ask to speak to management, they say they are “working on the situation”. How could a resort that is this brand and not new be “working to rectify” these basic concepts!?I eat gluten free- they have very few options for bread, apps, or desserts at the dinner places and when I ask - they laugh at me like it’s a funny joke.When you complain - they look at you like you’re an idiot and a problem.
Amanda Z — Google review
I recently stayed at Sandals Resorts in Barbados to celebrate my honeymoon and my husband’s birthday, and while the resort itself was beautiful, our experience left much to be desired. When you’re spending nearly $1,000 a day on an all-inclusive vacation, certain expectations come with that price, and unfortunately, Sandals did not meet them.The biggest issue was the inability to secure a reservation at Butch’s Steakhouse, the one restaurant I truly wanted to visit. Upon arrival, I immediately requested a reservation but was told I had to wait for my information to “sync” in the system. Hours later, I called and couldn’t get through. When I finally did, I was put on hold, only to be told there was one reservation available—but by the time they came back, it was gone. I explained this was a special trip (honeymoon and birthday), and we were only staying for five nights, but I was told to keep calling back. Despite my persistence, I was never able to secure a reservation.What made this worse was encountering other couples who had already dined at Butch’s twice during their stay. How is it fair that some guests can visit the same restaurant multiple times while others, celebrating something as special as a honeymoon, can’t even get in once? To add insult to injury, one staff member kept approaching us, trying to convince us to hire him as our butler for future visits, saying, “You won’t have this problem next time because I’ll handle all your reservations for you.” It felt insulting to be told I needed to spend even more money to get basic access to a restaurant at an all-inclusive resort where I had already spent thousands of dollars.Additionally, there were several smaller issues that compounded my frustration. Every time housekeeping cleaned our room, they failed to restock basic necessities like towels and toilet paper. We had to call multiple times to have them brought up—something that should be standard. The towel situation around the resort was also disappointing. Towels were impossible to find unless you woke up at 7 a.m. to claim one by the pool. For a resort of this caliber, it’s unacceptable not to have enough towels for all guests, especially given the premium price we paid.Overall, I had high expectations for Sandals Barbados, and while the setting was beautiful, the lack of organization, poor customer service, and logistical issues tarnished our special trip. When you’re spending this much money, you expect a seamless, luxury experience—and unfortunately, this fell far short.
Casey A — Google review
This was our first experience with Sandals and honestly I was less than impressed for the cost. Barbados is a beautiful country and overall it was a mostly good experience, but for the high cost, there wasn't much attention to detail you would expect. We paid for butler service and they were supposed to greet us when we got there to show us around, but they placed us in the group of people without butlers and created confusion right from the start. Most of the preferences we submitted before arrival were not fufilled. I have a bad back and requested a body pillow, and was told they don't have have them when we got to the room. Most of the restaurants seemed very understaffed and the workers were kind of rude. We tried to go to Bombay one night and only got an appetizer in the 2 hours we were there. When we asked the manager when our dinner was coming out, she said it was being plated right now but then 30 minutes passed so we got up and left. They noticed we were leaving, but didnt try to ask if everything was ok. We ended up just eating nachos off the late night room service because the other restaurants had closed by then. The F&B manager comped a bottle of wine on our next meal, but a 100 dollar bottle of wine doesn't make me feel better about the 14,000 dollars I spent for this experience. None of the mis-steps in service by themselves were that terrible, but when looked at as a whole, I can hardly justify spending this kind of money to leave feeling this way. I think I'll be looking into Hilton resorts for our next vacationFor all of my negatives, I did want to include some positives as well. Our butlers Samara,Benita, and Moesha were great and made us feel welcomed every time we needed something. After the issue at bombay, they got us into Butch's on short notice and made sure we were taken care of. Many thanks to you ladies. The turtle and shipwreck, Oistin Bay, and shopping excursions were awesome. The shuttle drivers were all friendly and I'll never forget seeing a sea turtle that close. The food down at the fish fry and party really brought a great end to the week.
Tyler P — Google review
My wife Jacqueline Williams and I went to sandals resort from 5/3/24-5/7/24 for our friends birthday. Upon arriving at the resort, we were escorted to our room where we found a blood stain on bed sheets, used bottle of wine, dirty counters in which the young lady that escorted us to the room act like nothing was wrong. We then went down to complain in which we were given another room.When our trip was over we was approached by the manager of the resort in which we signed a contract stating we won’t write a review for an exchange of 16,000 points. We was in contact with BARBARA THOMAS, who specifically emailed us and stated the point would be on my wife’s account and it’s literally be close to a month and we still have not received anything.I decided to write this review because we were lied to!!! BARBARA THOMAS literally lies to customers at sandals resort to prevent them from writing a review with false promises for points in return and then we don’t receive anything!!!! We emailed this lash numerous of times and she rarely responded to us, but when she did she gave us a false promise with nothing in return.If you are reading this review, run! Don’t choose Barbados sandals resort. We have been to Jamaica and that was the best sandals experience we have ever had. This resort literally put a bad name on sandals report due to the people working there representing it.Due to the lying from Barbara Thomas, I will also be contacting sandals resort headquarters and filing a complaint moving for the leadership to be replaced. I also have proof of emails to back up my claim. Horrible experience.
Na W — Google review
My wife and I visited Sandals Royal Barbados for one week (Saturday - Saturday) during mid- December 2024. We booked Sandals Royal Barbados while onsite at Sandals Grenada in December 2023 in order to get the loyalty (11%) discount.We arrived at the resort after a short ride on the shuttle from the airport. We checked in at Club Sandals and were taken to our room, which was in the St. Lawrence Building. The St. Lawrence Building in adjacent to Sandals Barbados and we typically walked through Sandals Barbados in order to get to Sandals Royal Barbados. The two resorts are essentially one large resort and guests can use amenities on both sites.Room - Our room was large with a king bed, a firm mattress, lots of storage, a mini refrigerator, wine, liquors, sofa, safe, two robes and balcony with a table and chairs along with a round soaking tub. The bathroom had two sinks, toilet and a shower with several shower heads. Our room had a musky, almost mound smell and was very humid. The thermostat was constantly on 73.5 F, but the room probably needed a dehumidifier. The St. Lawrence building is the furthest building and is next to a local neighborhood separated by a wall.Housekeeping - Housekeeping was horrible. Our towels, wash clothes, body wash and other things weren’t consistently replenished and one day housekeeping totally skipped our room. It was a constant effort to call housekeeping for items or to escalate to Club Sandals. After a perfect day at the beach, it was always a mystery to find out if we had the supplies get ready for dinner. I would suggest using the GINA feature within the Sandals app to make any requests. It provides an audit trail and after several days of calling housekeeping I discovered that using GINA provided a better response.Service - Service was not very good other than a few bright spots. We consistently waited a hour between ordering and receiving our meals. In some instances we waited fifteen minutes to be seated and for someone to come to our table after being seated. The bright spots included dinner at Chi and Bombay as well as Tony who made omelettes at the American Tavern.Food - There are about twenty-one places to eat between the two resorts. The food was mostly very good when we could get it hot. The lobster at Schooners was excellent as well as the dinner dishes that we had at Chi and Bombay.Beach - The beach is wide and long and we spent several hours there everyday. I typically reserved our chairs on the beach at 7:00 AM. This was similar to Sandals Grenada. After working out and eating breakfast, we would hit the beach until dinner, eating lunch on the beach. The music and activities at the infinity pool was nice but wasn’t too loud.Entertainment - During our seven day stay, there were several concerts on the main stage, karaoke at Lover’s Lane and the Oyster and Piano bar and a street party with dancers, steel drums, etc.Checkout - Checkout was easy and taken care of at Club Sandals. We left out luggage outside of our room and they were picked up and taken to the shuttle where we needed to identity them prior to being loaded onto the shuttle. Lockers are also provided to store additional bags that you want to keep with you and to change prior to leaving the resort. This was very convenient since we checked out at 11:00 AM but our shuttle to the airport didn’t leave until 1:00 PM.We probably won’t stay at Sandals Royal Barbados again, but may consider another Sandals in the future based on some good things and our experience at Sandals Grenada in 2023. We stayed at a Club level room which seems to explain some of the issues that we had but it shouldn’t matter if you have a butler or not in order to receive good service.
Vergis S — Google review
Anniversary Stay at Sandals Royal - BarbadosMy husband and I recently spent five days at Sandals Royal in Barbados for our 12th anniversary, and unfortunately, our experience was far from what we expected. Upon arrival, we were placed in the “quiet zone,” which we were unaware of during booking. When we requested a room change, we were told no other rooms were available, which we understood, but it would have been appreciated if we had been given an option during the planning stage of our stay.When we got to our room, we noticed the ceiling fan was loose and making noise. We reported it immediately, but no one came to address the issue until our final night, when we were told someone would come to replace the fan. Unfortunately, no one ever showed up, and the fan stopped working completely on the night before our last stay.The most disappointing part of our stay, however, was the service. The staff was generally rude, and we felt that we were not given the same level of care or attention as other guests. We saw other guests being given tours and personalized service that we didn’t receive. My husband had also requested a room decoration for our anniversary, which never happened, leaving us feeling overlooked and unwelcome.This was our 12th anniversary, and sadly, it didn’t feel like the special occasion it was supposed to be. We’ve stayed at Sandals before, but this experience has left us reconsidering our membership and future stays with the brand.
Keisha W — Google review
The resort a three-star establishment. Did not meet my expectations. The food and service were mediocre. The complimentary shuttle was not waiting for us, and we had to wait for over an hour in the heat. Additionally, the beach is accessible to the public, which may not be ideal for those seeking a private beach experience.
Joe S — Google review
This was our first time in Barbados. We stayed on the Royal side but walked freely back and forth to the Sandals Barbados side. We traveled with friends for a 50th birthday party. We had a few issues with service at a couple of bars where people would walk up and cut you in line after you had been waiting. One day, they didn't clean our room. After we pointed it out, they cleaned it while we were at dinner. We had one small issue with take out that was handled by the food manager. We had a great time with the activities at the pool. Aerobics was great every day!!! Trivia, we did ask a group and won twice. The food at all the restaurants was good. The only one we we didn't care for was the night we ate at the French restaurant. The filet was not good. Otherwise, we always enjoyed our meals. We have 2 more trips booked in the future as a group, so this was a huge success.
Paula P — Google review
This was our 2nd Sandals that we stayed at, the 1st was Jamaica Ochi. Jamaica was wonderful this was not! This Sandals was not 5 stars by far. They could not get us reservations for most restaurants and had to settle with finding food mainly for ourselves. Day 1 we got to our room after arrival to find an extra bed and no towels. It took 2 calls to get the bed removed and we gave up on towels after the 5th hour of waiting. Luckily my wife and I brought our beach towels with us from home and used those to dry off. The room had unfinished drywall and exposed metal studs in corners, dented door handles, Drawers that didn't closer properly, and a sliding door that was not on correctly. After being disappointed with our room and still no towels we decided to call it a day. Close to 10 pm and after flying all morning and having the do not disturb light on (so they don't knock on our door) someone starts banging on our door that our towels were here. We had to get up from trying to sleep after our first day was not great. The remainder of trip was the same problems everyday, no beach towels at the pools was a big issue, some days no towels would be at the pools to close to 1 PM. you would have to walk down by the beach to get a towel and walk back to the pool. Another time the bar shut down do to the ice machine breaking this was not fixed until the next day. But the biggest issue is how understaffed this establishment is. We started to time our service and the most it ever took was 58 minutes to come over to great us and get drinks. If you want to spend 6 grand for 5 nights of barking dogs, that's right barking dogs, right behind the resort, and be disappointed then please come here, If not do NOT choose this Sandals. As for my wife and I, we have decided that we would rather deal with children than bad service at another Sandals.
William M — Google review
Perfect relaxing vacation. No worries about food or drink. Food was excellent. Drinks were hit or miss. George in Butch's served strong drinks. Most frozen drinks were light on the alcohol, but just ask to add a shot if you would like more. Shout out to memorable folks who provided service with a smile. Cadir, Anne-Marie, Duane
Joe L — Google review
For the life of me, I don't understand why Sandals Royal Barbados has so many negative reviews. I am a world traveler an a Travel Advisor who specializes in luxury adults only vacations. I have been to most Sandals resorts outside of Grenada and Negril and this Sandals resort, like most of the other Sandals resort, was amazing. I hosted a group of 5 couples to celebrate a friend's 50th birthday. From the moment, we got off the bus we were greeted with cool towels, singing and smiles from the staff. Our check-in was seamless. The grounds, service, food and entertainment were amazing! We had a ball at Carnival night and danced until our feet and knees were sore on another night. The beach is breathtaking! White powdery sand with beautiful clear blue water - not a seaweed or critter in sight! The setup for our friend's birthday celebration in the Royal Garden was gorgeous. My only recommendation going forward is that perhaps Sandals get golf carts for the Butler clients or either have bikes available for the guests to ride like there are at Sandals Royal Curacao and Sandals St. Vincent.as the resort is huge and you can tire from walking when you consider the combination of Sandals Royal Barbados and Sandals Barbados. At any rate, my stay was too short and I am looking forward to come back next December to celebrate my birthday and to stay a bit longer - smile. Well done Sandals Royal Barbados!
Joytrice M — Google review
We have had a room booked for a wedding party for almost 1year. Upon arriving we were placed in a greeting area for over an hour, with no explanation. Once our names were called; we were taken outside to be told the room we reserved was not available. They were putting us in a sub-standard room, with no ocean view as previously reserved. They said they would move us in a few days once our room was available. I informed them that I was not happy with this. I was told not to worry; “I would receive a refund for the few dollars difference in room rate! 😩Night 1: We were placed in a room that is the farthest away from the ocean. Not a view at all. (St Lawrence House.). It backs up to a residential area with dogs that bark day and night and sound like they are in the room next door. We were forced to spend 2 nights in this room. Day 2 I had a scheduled meeting with what I was told would be the facility manager at 3:00. My wife and I left the pool and our group to dry off and be timely for our meeting. Upon arrival to the front desk at 2:58, I was told to go to the concierge. App 30 people were waiting there. No one had set an appointment. I became very upset and I gained the attention of Dexter, concierge manager. He assured me they would make things right, and he would follow-up on what they would propose. He also promised to have us in the room we originally reserved on day 3, by 1:00 Day 3We were told to have our luggage set out by 11:00, and they would facilitate our room change. Being anxious to get into our new room and unpacked to get back with our group, as well as prepare for our parties meet and greet; we finally were escorted to our room at app. 3:20. (No room to go to for over 4 hours.). Once we were taken to our room, we were told we still did not have the ocean view room we originally reserved. I was too worn out and disappointed at this point to want to put my wife through another series of packing, waiting, changing rooms again, and unpacking. But she insisted we needed the room we reserved. So day 4 we were moved to the correct room.Day 4 We received a statement under our door reflecting a $250.00 resort credit. Nice to get but not even close to covering the difference in room rates, not to mention all the above. After my daily meetings to complain to “Dexter,” I kept being told they were working on a solution for us. My final meeting the morning of checkout; Dexter proposed 2 nights internal credit. I laughed and turned down his offer. He took a few minutes and returned offering a 2 night refund, but I would have to sign a non-disclosure agreement. Though I might have agreed to the refund had a non-disclosure not been part of the agreement, but still far from fair. But the money is not important to me at this point. It is the principal, coupled with my desire to make others aware before booking with Sandals of how little they value their customers, and how far from the truth their statement of being a 5-star resort is. At this point our Sandals experience was so frustrating I am seeking legal council and will be happy to donate any potential court award to charity. Additionally, I believe a possible class action suit might apply to the many others who have experienced the same bait and switch. We are not snobs and are generally very tolerant people. We just feel like no matter who we talk to at the facility; we are just a number and no one is trying to make things better. (Except Alia?). She is kind and helpful. She did an amazing job keeping me from loosing my cool! KuddosThe bar staff are very slow. Expect 10-15 minute wait on a drink at the bars.Our last visit to a Sandals was in St Lucia. Our expectations were skewed by that trip. Not even close to the same experience here in Barbados.Thank God our friends wedding was beautiful and amazing. The one bright spot in our trip!More to come later…..Very Disappointed GuestJames Williams4/30/24-05/06/24
J W — Google review
This resort is an oasis of beauty nestled on a less-than-ideal beachfront. Here’s a breakdown of its highlights and drawbacks:Pros:* Impeccably designed with lush gardens, numerous pools, and a plethora of bars, shops and restaurants around every corner.* Our stay in a luxurious club-level swim-out room was exceptional, offering direct access to our own private pool from the patio.* The culinary experience surpassed all expectations, with standout dishes throughout the resort. The Bombay restaurant’s lobster tikka masala was so delicious that we dined there three times.* The majority of the staff were warm and accommodating.* Each evening, they had themed entertainment at the outdoor stage.* The resort, which combines two properties, is impressively spacious, albeit easy to get lost in. Thankfully, the staff were always willing to assist with navigation.* While service at the bars was consistently friendly, the speed of drink preparation varied.Cons:* Better signage is needed; navigating without paper maps or reliable app guidance proved challenging.* They could have offered more entertainment.* Upon arrival, excessive seaweed rendered the beach inaccessible and emitted a strong odor. Although much was cleared by the third day, the water remained rough and murky, a significant disappointment as the beach was the most important thing to me.* Service at the restaurants was notably slow, averaging 90 minutes per meal. Even the buffet lacked adequate food variety, and obtaining a pizza at Dino’s took an hour. We waited anyway, because it was so delicious.* Room service was similarly slow, often arriving an hour later than requested.* Unless you opt for Butler service, expect to fetch your own drinks and food while at the pool or beach.Despite the service delays, the beach conditions would deter me from revisiting this otherwise stunning resort. Even without seaweed, the rough waters make it less inviting for beachgoers.
Thea G — Google review
Dear Sandals Management Team, I hope this message finds you well. I am writing to share my concerns and provide feedback regarding my recent stay at your Barbados resort. While we were looking forward to our visit, several issues significantly impacted our experience:1. Refund Policy: After checking in on July 25, 2024, my wife and I decided to cancel an activity more than 24 hours in advance. Despite this, we were informed that we could not receive a refund for the $40 we had already paid. Additionally, when I requested to apply the $40 towards another activity, we were told we would need to spend more than the refunded amount. This policy felt unreasonable and rigid, especially since we were merely trying to use our payment for something else on the property.2. Room Cleaning Delays: We encountered issues with room cleaning, including three consecutive days without turn-down service. On one occasion, it took an entire day for our room to be cleaned, and we had to request fresh towels from our butler. We understand staffing shortages may have contributed, but this significantly impacted our stay.3. Restaurant Incident: During one dinner, I was refused service in a restaurant despite wearing an expensive crew neck shirt, while another guest in similar attire was permitted to dine. This incident, witnessed by our butler Josiah, felt discriminatory and inconsistent with the treatment of other guests.4. Banquet Experience: We attended a banquet celebrating our upgrade, during which we were asked to support your foundation with a donation. However, we were charged for event photographs, which seemed incongruent with the celebratory nature of the event. This, combined with the refund policy issue, gave the impression that the focus was more on profit than guest satisfaction.5. Follow-Up: After reporting these issues, we were told that management would contact us, but there has been no follow-up. We spoke with Dave, the head butler, before our departure, who assured us that someone would reach out. It has now been 72 hours without any contact. We understand that every resort has its policies and challenges, but exceptional customer service involves flexibility and understanding. As operators of a youth sports complex, we value high standards of service, and unfortunately, our experience fell short compared to other resorts we have visited.We hope this feedback is taken constructively and that it will lead to improvements in your service. We appreciate your attention to these matters and look forward to a resolution and explanation for the issues we encountered. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Dee L — Google review
My best friend and I decided on a Christmas girls trip for the week of Christmas. Neither of us has ever stayed at an all inclusive resort, so it did take alot to get used too.We stayed 6 nights, 7 days in the Penthouse at Sandals Barbados. The ocean view from the balcony was perfect. The room was on the 5th floor right under the name Sandals on the building. Overlooking the pool and in the break of the palm trees to see the ocean. We had a fully stocked mini fridge, bar, robes, king size bed, safety box, and tranquility tub. Everything in the room was clean and orderly. Didn't really need the bar. We sat a few nights in our swimsuits in the tranquility tub listening to the waves crashing the shore and just enjoying peace and conversation.The only issue with the room was the bed. It was hard as a rock and we both have back issues. (I ended up sleeping on the pillows.for extra fluff) Every morning we woke stiff and sore. It was quiet at night and every day while we were on the beach, the room was restocked and cleaned without issues.Ordered room service twice and it was hot and delicious. No complaints there.Big shoutout to all staff that work the resort. Customer Service is hard, especially when you have bad days. Never once did we receive bad service or an attitude from any of the staff. Shout outs below:Johnoy/Janecia: rum bar at Sandals BarbadosChad: WatersportsZebe: piano barJack/Rashon: Merry Monkey PubTashon: main bar of Royal HouseThank you for making our 1st experience memorable. Lots of good food, laughs, sunsets.
Katelyn E — Google review
My wife and I came to Sandals Royal Barbados on our honeymoon the week of May 6th. Our first time staying at a Sandals all inclusive, and won’t be the last. We did the stay at 1, play at 2 package. This opened up both resorts which gave us access to all the pools, bars and restaurants. So many to choose from. Options options options. We had a club level room towards the back of Royals near the tennis courts. Great view off the balcony of the swim up pools and palm trees. You do get your steps in. Let’s dive into the pros and cons and some of the staff that made our honeymoon so memorable.Pros:-No issues with airport transportation (a quick ride) or luggage. Check in was a bit hectic at first since there were just 2 people in the club concierge handling a full room. They did a great job trying to get everyone checked in as soon as possible. The welcome passion fruit champagne drink could have been more chilled.-Beautiful property that is very well maintained.-Best all inclusive resort beach I’ve ever been on. Sand is so pure. No smelly seaweed.-Friendly staff. Didn’t have any bad encounters and typically everyone greeted you as you pass by. When you asked for directions, they would guide you rather than just point.-Food quality wise as the restaurants go, best I’ve experienced in 5 all inclusive trips. I’ve had better room service but still good.-Activities each night and a good schedule for guests to enjoy throughout the day. We really enjoyed the Silent Disco. Dale at the Piano bar is super talented and very fun to sing along with.-Cleanliness of the grounds and rooms.-Butch’s Chophouse, Portifino’s, Chi, Kimonos, Neptunes were the dinner favorites in that order. The Jerk Shack and Dino’s pizza were a great quick lunch option. I had the jerk shack 3 days in a row and my wife had to intervene on the 4th day.-Oistin’s Friday night fish fry is a MUST! You get to experience Barbados and their culture. The jerk chicken plate (pictured) we had there with the macaroni pie, one of the best dishes I’ve had in my life. Chefs kiss.Cons:-Pace of service is a bit slow compared to other resorts I’ve been at. Keep in mind you are on “island time” but it was never like OMG WHERE ARE THEY. Relax, you’re on vacation.-We were really excited to try Kimonos signature cocktail but they were out of cranberry juice resort wide. They did run out of straws quite a few times and the paper ones dissolve very quickly.-Late night food options are limited. Even though the burger at the Merry Monkey was great!-One morning we had planned to have room service for breakfast as we had massages lined up for 10:30. You are to leave your order on your door before 2AM. We filled out the card with everything, put it on our door, it was taken but we never received our room service. We had it to be delivered 8:30-9. 9:00 nothing. 9:10 we call down and they had no order at all for us. They did offer to take our order again but was going to take time. We just went to a buffet quickly before our massages. Not the end of the world but we were a little disappointed as we had a relaxing morning planned out.-One night as we were getting ready for dinner housekeeping came knocking. They said they would come back but never did. They did come back the next day and every day after that. Just the one night.-We noticed at peak “getting ready” hours the shower water temperature wouldn’t get hot. Just a lukewarm-ish temp.People who make it special:David at ChiKyan worked the bar on Barbados sideDebra - beach dinner. She made the night so special!Dwayne - camera manOdessa - check in at the club level.Justin at pool bar. Was in training but make that young man full time bartender. He has it.Keisha George and Mikayla - butchs chophouseWendell cab driver. If you want a reliable transport off the resort, get his contact info-Dale the piano man!The intimate vibes are definitely there and overall a beautiful resort. Sure a few cons were listed but it was nothing that got in the way of enjoying this great stay at Sandals Royals!
David G — Google review
Hello,This was our 6th stay at a Sandals Resort and have always enjoyed ourselves and the resorts. This lastest experience was not a great one and we were there to celebrate our 15 year wedding anniversary. We booked a millionaire suite to splurge and the room was overall nice except in poor condition. The room had a broken door jam to the closet, a sliding pocket door that wouldn't stay shut unless you shoved something in it (which we had to do), a shower head that squealed very loudly when taking showers, and a bedroom ceiling fan that was very loud and made it hard to sleep.The resort itself was in poor condition. The outside of the building was covered in mold and very badly needed a good power washing and paint job. The elevators in the roof top pool building were in bad condition. One wasn't working the entire time we were there and the other one had a section of tile missing that created a hole that I almost feel down from. They later temporarily patched it by screwing a piece on plywood over it and covering it with a rug. The bowling alley was closed a few days so we were unable to bowl and they said it was because the alignment was off. The bars often ran out of certain kinds of liquor and beer when it was early on in the night. The main pool area at Sandals Barbados was often littered with empty drink glasses around the pool and trash at the swim up bar. When I went to use the restroom by the pool there, there was about an inch of water covering the floor that I had to tip toe through, which was disgusting.The Neptunes restaurant which is supposed to be open until 4pm for lunch had closed down seating service one day around 2pm and told the several people that came up to be seated for lunch that they were only doing to go orders. We had ordered breakfast room service one morning and wee told it would only take 30-45 minutes and after over an hour finally received a call that they had mixed something up and it would only be another 30 minutes. We waited another 45 minutes and still didn't receive it and let our butler know that we had to leave for a tour. She said it would be there in 10 minutes and it never showed and we had to leave.Most of the staff was not friendly and almost seemed put out anytime you ordered something with the exception of a few people that were very welcoming and helpful. We went to Chi, The Jerk Shack, La Parisienne, Bombay, and Dino's and received horrible service and wait times. At Bombay we were sat and it took an hour and a half to get any food. We were the last ones to receive food, although several other tables were sat and ordered after us. The Jerk Shack they never took a drink order, so we went to the pool bar ourselves to get a drink. La Parisienne we went to for breakfast and were told 10-15 minutes to wait. We waited over 35 minutes even though there were several tables open. Once we finally ordered, it took almost an hour to get our food and the server never checked on us after we received it. We had to get up and grab our own condiments. At Dino's we ordered some pizzas that we stood by for and were quoted 30 minutes. They never told us the pizza was ready and when my husband went up to check on the status 45 minutes later, he was told they were getting ready to throw them out and had been sitting in the warmer. At every meal with the exception of Butch's Steak & Seafood, The Green Monkey, and The Tavern, we never received utensils or a check back after receiving the food. We noticed other tables receiving the same treatment. My husband went up to the bar at Lover's Lane to get us drinks as we were watching the entertainment show outside and he was told along with several other men doing the same thing that they would only be served if a female was with them by the bartenders.We spent a significant amount of money on this vacation for a very important celebration and were very disappointed overall but mostly with the lack of service and cleanliness. Will not be back!
Melissa D — Google review
Easy to navigate the island, great property, two sandals resorts combined. Takes a bit of time to learn the layout. We were fortunate to visit during Crop Over. Check out Hunte’s Garden and Harrison’s cave.
Eric — Google review
This was my husband and I first Sandals experience, our honeymoon. We stayed in the South Seas Swim Out room at Royal Barbados for 7 nights. Our room was clean and having our own pool at our disposable was really nice since most of the pools around the resort were often packed and hard to find decent chairs. Many chairs were covered with towels and often times, no one occupying them for hours which was frustrating.The overall service is quite disappointing. Most employees seem miserable and make you feel like you are inconveniencing them by simply asking for a drink at a bar or a coffee. We’ve had quite a few employees roll their eyes when we walked up and asked for anything. It was quite discouraging for us to go back and ask for anything else because of their attitude. This also was the case for most restaurants. Anytime we walked into a restaurant/cafe, most employees wouldn’t even look our way and walk past us as if we were not even there. There were many times where we had to approach employees to let them know we were waiting to be seated or served. Even then, staff were rude and annoyed that we were there.The restaurant timings are very confusing. They all operate at different times of the day and essentially you must thoughtfully plan where you want to eat, especially if you had your eye on a particular restaurant. For example, American Tavern is only open breakfast and dinner. Neptunes is open for lunch and dinner but closed for dinner Sunday, Thursday and Saturday. Chi open for dinner only but closed on Wednesdays. That is just to name a few. It was hard to follow along and considering this is an all inclusive, we thought it would be easier to get food at any point of the day. We went to Greenhouse for breakfast and sat for 1.5 hours just waiting to get our food. Total time we spent there was 2.5 hours which in my opinion is outrageously long for just breakfast..The other option they offer is room service. However, again, you have to plan it right because it takes a minimum of 1.5 hours to simply get a sandwich or salad to your room. Again, the staff taking your order are so annoyed with you to the point I was asked if I was done ordering after asking for 2 items. Then was proceeded to be abruptly hung up on.The resort overall is very quiet at night. If you are looking for party, do not expect anything here. They have djs and karaoke events but the overall dynamics doesn’t quite make up a party scene if that’s what you’re hoping for. By 11pm, most people are back at their rooms and the bars are already beginning to shut down.All above were confirmed by other people we met along our stay. Most people staying at either Royal or Barbados side felt the exact same way about the service, some of them being frequent Sandals stayers. They all said they have had better service experiences at other Sandals resorts.Unfortunately, we will not be returning to Sandals Barbados.
Samantha B — Google review
We recently returned from our second holiday at the Sandals Barbados which was just as enjoyable as our first visit.This offers a wide range of activities with breathtaking views.Wide range of top quality restaurants to suit everyone.Alicia the Neptune Restaurant manager is highly qualified andvaluable leader with excellent skills.
Ian — Google review