The Club Barbados Resort and Spa

Easily the worst resort we've ever visited so much so that we would never consider returning to Barbados. We should have left when the power went out after arriving but figured these things happen sometimes. The rooms are in desperate need of repair to the point where we piled up furniture to make sure our door was closed in the "updated suite". The food is inedible and while breakfast is tolerable, the cockroaches running around had us running off property for our meals. The staff at the hotel really don't want to be there and they're not shy about letting it show. While there were a couple of bartenders that went above and beyond and did a great job, the majority of the team there were just miserable. They do have a food truck since there's really nowhere else to eat except for the buffet restaurant and another restaurant if it's open (only for dinner). The food truck line was very long because they typically had one person working at a time and hygiene isn't really a concern since the person cooking and serving when we were there had her finger wrapped up but it was hanging loose and she wasn't wearing any gloves. Yet another reason to eat off site. On a positive note, you can walk to Burger King for breakfast and lunch and very nice restaurants in Holetown for dinner. The adjacent beach to the property is very nice. It's not part of the "resort" but it's easy to get to. The best part of our trip was when we got to leave. Couldn't wait to get out of this place! We would have left sooner but our airline only had weekly service.

I was very disappointed with our recent stay at The Club Barbados Resort & Spa. Our group of 20 traveled to Barbados to celebrate my close friend's 40th birthday, and unfortunately, what should have been a memorable family vacation became an extremely frustrating and disappointing experience due to numerous operational failures throughout our stay.

From the moment we arrived, the resort appeared unprepared to accommodate its guests. Check-in took several hours, creating an exhausting start to our vacation. Several upgraded room reservations were not honored, room assignments were disorganized, one room had been double-booked, and one couple entered a room that was already occupied by other guests. In addition, providing only one room key per room created unnecessary inconvenience, particularly for families and larger groups.

Throughout our stay, it became increasingly clear that the resort was severely understaffed and lacked the resources necessary to operate effectively. Many of the restaurants advertised as part of the resort experience were closed, leaving guests with very limited dining options. Food service was consistently and unacceptably slow. One member of our group waited more than an hour to receive a hot dog, and even basic menu items were unavailable—including penne pasta during the birthday dinner we had planned for my friend.

Perhaps the most astonishing example of the resort's lack of preparation was that there was only one food truck serving the entire property, and it ultimately ran out of food. It is difficult to understand how a resort of this size could rely on a single food outlet to feed all of its guests, only for it to completely run out of food. This reflects a serious failure in planning and guest service.

The condition of several guest rooms was equally concerning. Toiletries appeared to have been previously used, and one room contained visible mold in the shower. These issues raised significant concerns regarding housekeeping standards, cleanliness, and overall maintenance.

I want to be clear that our frustration is not directed toward the resort employees. Every staff member we encountered was friendly, courteous, professional, and worked extremely hard under what appeared to be very difficult circumstances. They did everything they could despite being clearly overwhelmed. Our concerns lie squarely with the resort's management and its lack of preparation and operational oversight.

The purpose of this trip was to celebrate my friend's 40th birthday with her family and friends. Instead of enjoying the experience we had anticipated at the resort, we were forced to leave the property and celebrate her birthday dinner at Tides Restaurant simply to salvage the occasion and bring a smile to her face. We should never have had to leave an all-inclusive resort to create the memorable celebration we had planned.

What made this experience even more disappointing was management's response. After everything our group experienced, the only compensation offered was a waiver of the resort fee. Given the extent of the issues throughout our stay, this was wholly inadequate and did not come close to recognizing the inconvenience, frustration, and disappointment our group endured.

Even more concerning, we were presented with a release agreement stating that, in exchange for waiving the resort fee, no one in our group could post a negative review about the resort. We found this deeply troubling. We felt pressured to waive our right to honestly share our experience in exchange for minimal compensation. We declined because we believe future guests deserve an accurate and honest account of what our group experienced.

This experience fell far below the standards we expected: The excessive check-in delays and room assignment failures. The failure to honor upgraded room reservations. The inadequate food service and lack of available dining options. The cleanliness and maintenance concerns within guest rooms. The resort's staffing and operational readiness. The appropriateness of asking guests to sign an agreement restricting honest reviews in exchange for minimal compensation. Drinking water in guest rooms was not replenished, only 3 bottles per room the entire stay . Basic food items were frequently unavailable throughout our stay. During lunch, a guest requested more than four chicken wings and was told there was not enough food available. At dinner, another guest requested an additional serving and was again told there was not enough food. The resort's only food truck serving guests ran out of food entirely. Pool beverage service was virtually nonexistent. Guests were required to leave the pool and wait at the bar to order drinks. No room service was available. Guests returning to the resort after an evening out requested a snack and were told no food was available. Several advertised restaurants were closed, significantly limiting dining options. Food service was consistently slow, with waits exceeding one hour for simple menu items. Basic menu items were unavailable, including penne pasta during our planned birthday dinner. The resort appeared understaffed and unprepared to adequately serve the number of guests on property.