Sandals Royal Barbados:
The Ultimate Luxury Experience
After staying at dozens of resorts in the past few years, we have a confession to make. Sandals Resorts have been on our minds ever since we started traveling together. The commercials showcasing beautiful people laying poolside, enjoying paradise, looking elegant and happy under the sun intrigued us.
We’ve always wanted to experience this for ourselves, especially since we started vacationing at all-inclusive luxury resorts. That’s why we were elated when we had the opportunity to stay at the newest property from Sandals Resorts with Air Canada Vacations, Sandals Royal Barbados.
Click above to watch our experience video
Our Arrival
Having our own touch-screens with interactive maps, shopping, and fantastic entertainment made us feel at home. With the addition of USB ports and plugs, we had the world at our fingertips.
After realizing that a few flights were landing at the airport at the same time as ours, we arranged for a service to expedite our arrival process. Our escort from Blu Isles Inc. greeted us in the arrivals hall holding a sign with our names on it. We enjoyed a dedicated immigration customs line and completed the process swiftly and stress-free.
It’s worth purchasing this Fast Track service if you’re in the same situation. There were hundreds of people in line to clear customs when we arrived. Once our luggage was collected we enjoyed our private transfer through the tropical streets of Barbados.
Pulling up to the resort we could feel the anticipation building inside of us. After being greeted with a welcome serenade by three lovely staff members, we were introduced to our butler and given a short tour of the resort on the way to our room. The VIP check-in was included with our room category and meant that once our butler introduced herself, we simply checked-in at the front desk and began our ultimate luxury experience. Our bags actually beat us to the room!
What’s New at Sandals Royal Barbados
Did you know that there are 16 Sandals Resorts on 6 different Caribbean Islands? Sandals Royal Barbados is the newest addition to the family and holds a myriad of firsts for this illustrious brand.
Bowling Alley
One of the unique new features of Sandals Royal Barbados is its stylish 4-lane bowling alley, Lovers Lane. It has great ambiance with neon lights and retro vibes that made us feel like kids again.
We enjoyed our bowling during the day but at night this area really comes alive! The Lover’s Lane Bar opens at 6 pm daily and boasts an impressive international, local, and craft beer collection. There’s also nightly DJ Dance Partys that bring everyone together to get wild and have fun.
The Rooftop
The Rooftop pool, whirlpool, bar, and restaurant are all firsts for the Sandals Brand and made a major impact on us. We felt like royalty, lounging around in the clouds, with elevated views of the city and the beach below. And by night, the rooftop transformed into an elegant hideaway with vibrant mood lighting and exclusive gourmet dining.
We enjoyed a delicious rooftop meal at La Parisienne, serving gourmet French cuisine with white-glove service. Our steaks were cooked perfectly, service was excellent, and we got to enjoy an epic night view of Barbados.
The Food at Sandals Royal Barbados
Also new to the Sandals Resorts Brand is the addition of the American Tavern and Chi Restaurants. Our love of buffets is strong so for both breakfast and lunch, we could be found at the American Tavern. Enjoying a little bit of everything really satisfied our craving after months of healthy eating pre-vacation. Another highlight of our trip was the appetizers and pad thai at Chi, the Asian Fusion restaurant. Since we had visited Chi on our last night we didn’t have the chance to go back, but we wanted to!
However, the most memorable and romantic dinner during our stay happened on the beach. The mood couldn’t have been sweeter with the warm breeze blowing and the sound of waves crashing in the distance. The Candlelight Dinner we had is an upgrade we absolutely recommend you experience it at least once!
In addition to the variety of restaurants, guests at Sandals Royal Barbados can also enjoy a weekly Chocolate Buffet. After our romantic beach dinner, we managed to fit more treats in before enjoying the live music and entertainment. Because… CHOCOLATE!
The Rooms at Sandals Royal Barbados
Stepping into our Royal Seaside Crystal Lagoon suite was like walking into a spa. The bathrooms have phenomenal back-lit mirrors and a gorgeous walk-in shower. Each room at Sandals Royal Barbados also has a King Size bed and a Tranquility Soaking Tub perched beautifully on the balcony. Watch our room tour below for a quick look at the incredible amenities offered.
To really get a feel for what I the resort is like we suggest watching the 360 room tour below. Or click HERE for a guided 360 tour.
If you enjoy an unedited look, watch our LIVE Facebook Room Tours of a Royal Seaside Crystal Lagoon Suite Butler Suite with Tranquility Soaking Tub and a South Seas Royal Rondoval Butler Suite with Private Pool Sanctuary
The Butlers
Depending on the room category you booked, you may have butler service during your stay. Having the butler service at Sandals Royal Barbados gave us such a high level of service that we’re having a hard time imagining vacationing without it. The butlers are trained by the Guild of Professional English Butlers and their attention to detail is noticeably elevated compared to our previous butler experiences. You’ll even receive your own cell phone with a direct line to your daily butler. From unpacking your luggage to saving you chairs with a personally stocked cooler, they took care of all our needs.
Extras
The most impressive extra was having Sandals “Stay at One, Play at Two” exchange privileges, which gives you access to everything at the Sandals Barbados next door. This includes all of their 11 restaurants, pools and beautiful beach. We frequented the café de Paris next door for ice cream, coffee, and to enjoy the dreamy Parisian vibes.
Thoughts on Sandals Resorts
One big difference we noticed was the no tipping policy that’s in effect at all Sandals properties. Not having to carry cash around truly added to our insane level of relaxation on this trip. You’re still able to show your appreciation to both your butlers and spa attendants, as they provide a different service. But even purchases from the gift shop are charged to your credit card so you can live the cash-free vacation lifestyle.
After experiencing everything that Sandals Royal Barbados has to offer we can easily say that our first stay at a Sandals Resort property will not be our last. Our new love of Sandals goes beyond the kind staff, beautiful setting, and delicious food. The service was phenomenal, and you can truly enjoy a luxury included vacation here.
Have you visited a Sandals Resort before? What are your thoughts on all-inclusive resorts? Let us know in the comments below!
Thank you to Sandals Resorts and Air Canada Vacations for hosting us on our Barbados adventure. As always, all opinions are entirely our own.
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Wow ! Stunning ! I’ve never been to any Sandals resort ! Definitely on my bucket list