Why We Recommend It:
Sandals Barbados is an adults-only, 5-star luxury all-inclusive resort on Dover Beach, just a 15-minute drive from the island’s international airport.
Sandals could be considered one of the most luxurious resorts in Barbados. Its 13 restaurants and 7 bars showcase a great range of quality international cuisine.
The resort is also lively, friendly, and fun. It has a glorious stretch of beach plus swimming pools, loads of free water sports, and Sandals’ signature Red Lane Spa among its attractions.
Rooms & Suites:
The resort has 280 rooms that come in 14 different styles and layouts and three different service levels.
The most basic unit is a Deluxe Suite with Garden Views. If you want something a bit different, try booking the ground floor of Crystal Lagoon and you will be able to swim right from your patio door.
If you are looking for a truly luxurious experience though, consider the Ocean Side Villas that come with around-the-clock butler service, your own bar, and an outdoor tub.
The rooms and suites are all broadly similar in style. Expect turquoise and white color patterns with classy mahogany furniture and finishings, and 4-poster, king-sized beds in many. Built in 2015, the resort also has all the best modern conveniences and amenities.
It’s not hard to identify the cream of the crop at Sandals: the Beachfront Penthouse One Bedroom Butler Suite is the ultimate in luxury, but be warned – it gets booked up well in advance.
There are plenty of other options though, from standard Deluxe Suites to Honeymoon Suites and other oceanfront options. To the average vacationer, some may seem only a little less extravagant than the Penthouse Butler Suite, but at a less premium price.
Bathrooms feature a double basin vanity, dual control walk-in shower, and separate bathtub. Luxury suites include other luxury upgrades like a Kohler claw foot bathtub.
Take a look at your room options now – with prices, reviews, and photos – at Sandals here, at Booking.com here, or at Expedia here.
Food, Facilities & Things to Do:
With the many pools and a river (known as Lagoon Pool) winding through the resort, there are plenty of places for couples to hang out apart from the beach. There is also a luxury spa with a good range of complimentary treatments.
For those who like to be at the center of the action, the beachfront pool is the place to be. It has a swim-up bar and can feel like an all-day party. For those not drinking, it’s generally very easy to join a group playing water volleyball and other sports.
A full selection of water activities are available: paddle boarding, snorkeling, glass bottom boating, water skiing, wakeboarding, etc., to be enjoyed at the resort or off-site.
Scuba diving is also available, along with lessons for beginners, and Barbados is of course a tremendous place for diving.
As with pretty much all Sandals resorts, with so many dining options available, eating is an activity all to itself. Cuisine on offer includes French, Italian, and Caribbean, there’s a British-themed pub and a high-end sushi/Japanese restaurant.
If you’re the outdoorsy type, you can get takeout and picnic around the outdoor fire pit, or anywhere you like for that matter.
Resort Location:
Sandals Barbados is on Dover Beach the island’s southwest coast, only 15 minutes from Grantley Adams International Airport.
From there you can walk to the St. Lawrence Gap (or “The Gap” as locals call it) and enjoy the area’s restaurants, bars, and nightlife. There are also two golf courses within a twenty-minute drive of the resort.
Some Guest Reviews:
“More expensive than other hotels but worth every penny, fantastic. The choice of bars, restaurants and facilities was excellent and the standard and food available was really good. The shops on site offered a great choice and there were plenty of great tours available….”
“Greatly enjoyed our stay at a fantastic hotel. Barbados in December is lovely and the hotel had everything. Excellent restaurants in terms of both product and variety. Facilities at the hotel were very good (sports etc) and the staff could not have been more helpful and friendly. Furthermore, the beach was really good – not always the case in Barbados as space is limited – and the sea warm….”
