Sandals Barbados

If you're going to Sandals Barbados and are getting butlers, ask for the team of De'Angelo and Shannakay, they are fabulous!! Attentive, responsive, get to know our likes and prefer-nots, brought us custom lunches and nighttime goodies. Highly recommended and they will take care of you!

We arrived at the Barbados airport on Saturday, August 25, 2026 and our experience began with a long wait. We stood outside for at least 30 minutes waiting for the shuttle bus, followed by another 30-minute ride to the resort due to traffic. Upon arrival, we were given a welcome drink and taken on a tour of the property before being shown to our room.

During check-in, we were informed that we could not make restaurant reservations or book excursions until the following day because we would not be entered into the system until then. The next morning, around 9:00 a.m., we went directly to the dive shop to book the snorkeling excursion. We were initially told the first available opening was Thursday afternoon—five days after our arrival. I explained that I didn’t understand how that could be possible when we had followed the resort’s instructions to wait until the next morning to book. Only after expressing my frustration did the employee suddenly mention that there were openings on Tuesday morning and afternoon. We booked the Tuesday excursion, but it was disappointing that those options were not offered from the start.

We then went to make dinner reservations and encountered the same issue. We requested Butch’s Chophouse and were only offered Monday at 6:30 p.m. For Butch’s Chophouse at Royal Barbados, the only available reservation was Wednesday at 8:30 p.m., and for Kimonos, the only available reservation was Thursday at 6:30 p.m. We were then told that guests are able to reserve restaurants online two weeks before arrival. However, because we were instructed that we could not make reservations until we arrived at the resort, we were placed at a significant disadvantage and had very limited options for the entire week.

While most of the staff we encountered were friendly, the bartenders at the swim up bar and pool bar at Sandals Barbados were consistently rude. The drinks were also extremely inconsistent. No drink ever tasted the same twice, and when they ran out of a particular liquor, the bartenders would simply substitute a different alcohol without asking, resulting in poor-quality drinks. The bars never opened on time.

The only exception was the pool bar by the beach at Royal Barbados. The bartenders there were welcoming, friendly, and made excellent drinks. In fact, I regularly walked from Sandals Barbados to Royal Barbados just to receive better service and beverages.

Housekeeping also fell short of expectations. Although our room was cleaned daily, we were frequently left without clean towels and had to call housekeeping to have them delivered. We called housekeeping multiple days and got hung up on or they wouldn’t answer the phone. The minibar was another recurring issue. Rather than restocking it during daily service, we repeatedly had to call and request beverages and snacks that should have been replenished automatically which also resulted in being hung up on or not answering the phone.

The dining experience was another disappointment. Dinner was generally enjoyable, but breakfast and lunch were not. The breakfast buffet was extremely limited, consisting mainly of eggs, bacon, sausage, bread, muffins, pancakes, and French toast. The breakfast restaurants served nearly identical, very small menus, offering little variety. As someone who travels to all-inclusive resorts frequently, this was the poorest breakfast buffet I have experienced. Lunch options throughout the resort were equally underwhelming.

The water sports operation was also poorly managed. Activities were advertised to begin at 9:00 a.m., yet the staff often didn’t begin setting up paddleboards, Hobie Cats, and other equipment until around 10:00 a.m. As a result, guests couldn’t actually use the equipment until approximately 10:30 or 11:00 a.m., only to have staff leave for lunch shortly afterward. On one occasion, we signed up for the Hobie Cat and were repeatedly told that we were next. Instead, other guests were taken ahead of us. When one staff member returned after retrieving another boat, he appeared visibly upset, threw his life jacket down, and abruptly informed us that we would not be going out at that time. This interaction was both unprofessional and disappointing. They were supposed to be open until 4:00 pm but the last boat out was at 2:45.

This was our first Sandals vacation. We had heard outstanding reviews about the brand and decided it was worth paying more than $2,000 extra compared to other all-inclusive resorts we have visited. Unfortunately, this experience did not justify the premium price. As frequent travelers to all-inclusive resorts, we can honestly say this was one of the most disappointing resorts we have ever stayed at despite being the most expensive.

For the amount we paid, we expected exceptional service, quality dining, attentive staff, and a premium overall experience. Instead, we encountered poor reservation availability, inconsistent service, disappointing food, poorly managed activities, and subpar drinks. We have stayed at significantly less expensive all-inclusive resorts that offered better food, better entertainment, friendlier staff, better beverages, and a far superior overall guest experience.

We are extremely disappointed with both Sandals Barbados and the Sandals brand as a whole. Based on this experience, we will not choose Sandals again, nor can we recommend that others spend this level of money for the quality of service we received. We hope you will review our concerns and consider appropriate actions as this vacation fell far short of the standards your company advertises.

I travel frequently and have stayed at many all-inclusive resorts over the years. I have consistently had positive experiences and have never felt the need to submit a complaint or write a negative review about a hotel. That is what makes this experience so disappointing. The number of issues we encountered throughout our stay, especially considering the premium price we paid for Sandals, compelled me to share our experience. I genuinely expected a much higher standard of service and hospitality from a brand with Sandals’ reputation.

What a beautiful place Sandals Barbados is, situated on the beach and the views were beautiful. Our room was amazing and clean, and the bath on the balcony were so relaxing. The bed was extremely comfortable too. I was disappointed with the shower pressure but I would imagine thats the same for all guests staying. Definitely will return