Sandals Barbados Review: Our Honeymoon Experience

Barbados is a lovely, lush Caribbean island. With excellent year-round weather, beautiful beaches, crystal clear water, rich culture and history, delicious cuisine and locally made rum, and friendly hospitality, it’s no wonder that Barbados is a top honeymoon destination.

We visited Sandal Barbados and wanted to share our full review to help you decide which Sandals Resort is the best for you!

Sandals Barbados Overview

Set on the southern part of the island, Sandals Barbados is a luxury beachfront adults-only all-inclusive resort that’s the perfect setting for honeymoons or romantic getaways in Barbados.

Named the second-best all-inclusive resort in Barbados by U.S. News, it features three different areas—the Caribbean Village, the Crystal Lagoon Village, and the Beachfront Village—each with its own vibe.

When you vacation or honeymoon at Sandals Barbados, you actually get two resorts in one. It’s right next door to Sandals Royal Barbados, and you’ll have access to all the facilities and amenities there as well.

With this combo, I think this is one of Sandal’s best resorts.

Watch our Sandals Barbados Video Review

While at Sandals Resort, we had access to the 11 restaurants, 3 swimming pools, and a gorgeous stretch of beach with tons of complimentary watersports. Plus, you have access to neighboring resort Sandals Royal Barbados with additional pools (including Sandals’ first-ever rooftop pool), restaurants, and amenities.

Sandals Barbados is set on one of the best beaches in Barbados, Maxwell Beach, in the St. Lawrence Gap area.

Sandals Barbados is an affordable honeymoon destination, with rates starting at $277 per person per night. This makes it one of the most affordable Sandals resorts.

Sandals Barbados Deals

Sandals has regular discounts on some rooms and resorts. It is best to check their website before booking or to work with a travel agent who can find you the best deal for you. I have seen great last-minute deals and they have an ongoing 777 deals that change each week.

Arriving At Sandals Barbados

One of the best benefits of going to Sandals Barbados is the proximity to the airport.

After arriving at Grantley Adams International Airport (BGI), you’ll check in with the Sandals desk and they will get you on a shuttle to the resort which will take about 15 minutes until arrival.

Sandals Barbados Rooms and Suites

After getting to the resort, we checked into our room.

We stayed in one of the Beachfront Penthouse Club Level Suites with a Balcony Tranquility Soaking Tub. Penthouse suites are on the top levels of the resort and are overlooking the pool area and the beach behind that.

Some other options are the Crystal Lagoon Swim-up Suites which feature a patio with direct access to the large lagoon pool.

Sandals Barbados Food & Drink Review

Sandals Barbados is the best Sandals resort for foodies.

Since you are right next to Sandals Royal Barbados, you get access to all of the restaurants at both resorts giving you a total of 20 restaurants to choose from.

For breakfast, you have several different options. On days when we didn’t want a full breakfast, we would go to Sweet n’Salty for donuts or Heart & Sol for smoothies, or Acai bowls on the Royal Barbados side. There is also the Cafe de Paris which where you can get a crepe, specialty coffees, and pastries.

For a full breakfast you can also go to the buffet at Spices (our preference) or an a la carte menu at Schooners, Portofinos or one of the options at Royal Barbados.

For lunch, there are so many options. We loved Heart & Sol for smoothies and wraps, as well as Dino’s for pizza and the Mariner for jerk chicken, quesadillas, and burgers. We didn’t eat st Spices for lunch, but it is a buffet and we have always enjoyed the buffets at Sandals.

They even have a hot dog stand during the day near Spices.

For dinner, we tried as many different options as we could. Make sure you make reservations as soon as you check in so you get into the restaurants you want.

I won’t name them all, but all the meals we had were great.

Some of our favorites were Bombay for Indian, Soy for Suchi, Chi for Asian fusion, American Tavern, and the best overall was from the newest restaurant Green House where I had the most flavorful meal of any Sandals Resort, a grilled Portabello mushroom entree. I am not a vegetarian and still loved the vegan meal.

There are 8 bars at Sandal Barbados, including a swim-up bar and a tiki bar, plus more to enjoy at Sandals Royal Barbados. Be sure to stop by the Sky Rooftop Bar, which features a glass infinity pool.

As at every Sandals resort, all of your meals, snacks, and beverages are included in your stay, so you can feast to your heart’s content. Room service is also included for club and butler suites.

Sandals Barbados Pools

When you go to Sandals Barbados you have access to the pools 11 pools.

The main pool is the beachfront pool. We stayed several days here and liked that it was so close to the beach. We really could choose to get into the pool, go to the beach or grab something to eat easily.

Another crowd favorite is the rooftop infinity pool which has great views of the area from sunrise to sunset.

There is another quieter pool on the other side of the rooms, next to the Italian restaurant and the crystal lagoon which is also very quiet.

Beyond these pools, there are the pools on the Royal Barbados side as well.

Sandals Barbados Beach Review

We loved the beach in Barbados. It has beautiful clear water with soft white sand.

The only issue people have with the beach is that the beach chairs go quickly. If you do not have one claimed by 7 or 7:30 you likely will not get one.

Things to do at Sandals Barbados

There is so much to do at Sandals Barbados.

Included Water & Land Activities

You can enjoy a variety of complimentary water sports including snorkeling, paddleboarding, kayaking, scuba diving, glass-bottom boat rides, and Hobie Cat sailing.

Professional instruction in watersports is even included (except for scuba diving).

If you want to stay on land, you can play beach volleyball, day and night tennis, bocce ball, table tennis, pool, and cricket, take a yoga class, or work out at the state-of-the-art fitness center.

You can also visit Sandals Royal Barbados and go bowling at the 4-lane bowling alley.

When you want to completely relax, the resort’s amazing spa is waiting for you, or you can just pick a sun bed and let the warm Caribbean sun soothe your body and soul. 

Entertainment at Sandals Barbados

Daily and nightly entertainment includes theme nights, a piano bar, beach parties, chocolate buffets, Barbados Day and street jamboree, and live music.

Over at Sandals Royal Barbados the party goes on at the bowling ally later into the night.

Excursions in Barbados

You can also get out and see Barbados with some popular excursions. Visit nearby St. Lawrence Gap or go to the capital city of Bridgetown and hit bustling Broad Street for some shopping, explore botanical gardens, or tour rum distilleries like Mount Gay or St. Nicholas Abbey, which also has a museum in a 350-year-old plantation home. 

We booked a snorkeling excursion that included seeing a sea turtle and 3 shipwrecks that we highly recommend.

The Spa at Sandals Barbados

If you want the ultimate relaxation on your Barbados honeymoon or vacation, book a couples massage or other indulgent spa service. The Red Lane® Spa at Sandals Barbados offers a full range of treatments (not included in your room rate) such as facials, massage services, body services, and a steam room.

What is included at Sandals Barbados?

At Sandals Resorts, when they say all-inclusive, they really mean it. You can arrive at the resort without having to worry about what is included and what is not. Here is what is included at Sandals Barbados:

Unlimited Fine Dining

You can feast at any of the restaurants or in your room; all breakfasts, lunches, dinners, snacks, and beverages are included in your stay.

Unlimited Alcoholic Drinks

As part of the 5-Star Luxury Included® experience, Sandals only serves premium brand liquors. You can order whatever you would like, including specialties you would expect at a tropical resort, like a Pina Colada, Margarita, Blue Lagoon, or a Bahama Mama.

In all rooms, there is a mini-fridge stocked with water, juice, soda, Robert Mondavi Twin Oaks Wine, and local beer. Additionally, every room includes a coffeemaker with Jamaican Blue Mountain Blend coffee.

Tips

At Sandals resorts, even tips, taxes, and gratuities are included for most services you would usually tip for! There is no need to worry about tipping the bartender, the bellman, or your server at one of the specialty restaurants.

If you are staying in a butler-level suite, your butler can and will accept tips. We recommend tipping a butler $20 a day, depending on how much you use their services.

Spa therapists and airport transport drivers should also be tipped.

Roundtrip Airport Transfers

Sandals Barbados provides complimentary transportation to and from the airport.

Included Activities at Sandals Barbados

You have access to unlimited water sports, and scuba diving is included! For certified divers, you can dive up to twice a day with two tanks a day. Scuba courses are not included but start at $120. You can also enjoy plenty of land-based activities, as well as a full fitness center.

Entertainment

Along with these amazing activities, there are plenty of entertainment options including theme nights, live music, performances, and more.

A Free Wedding at Sandals

Stay 3 nights or longer at any Sandals resort and your wedding is free! This makes Sandals resorts perfect for destination weddings!

Room Service

If you book a room that includes butler service, room service is available 24 hours a day. For all other accommodations, room service is available between 7am-10pm.

WiFi

WiFi is included throughout the resort.

Honeymoon package at Sandals Barbados

If you get married and then honeymoon at Sandals Barbados, or if you come here within 30 days of your wedding date, you’ll get Sandals’ complimentary honeymoon package. This includes a bottle of chilled sparkling wine, a special turndown service with flower petals on your bed the first evening of your honeymoon, and fresh flowers and a decadent breakfast in bed one morning of your choice.

What is the best time of year to go to Barbados?

Barbados has wonderful weather throughout the year. Peak season for Barbados is late December to mid-April; this is when the temperatures—and prices—are highest. For lower prices, book your Barbados honeymoon or couples’ trip between July and November; although this is technically hurricane season, storms rarely affect Barbados.

Is it safe to go to Barbados?

Yes, Barbados is a safe island. When you’re off the resort and exploring the island, just follow the usual safety precautions such as traveling in groups or with at least one other person; keeping your valuables out of sight and in a safe place, such as a hotel safe or locked suitcase; and staying aware of your surroundings.

Don’t carry a lot of cash on you, and keep what money you do have (along with credit cards and passport) in a zipped purse or travel pouch concealed under your clothes. Make sure you have a copy of your passport, driver’s license, and credit cards in a safe location in case any of these are stolen.

If you go out to bars or nightclubs in Barbados, keep yourself safe just as you would at home. Don’t go alone—always in pairs or groups; stick to main streets and brightly lit areas; and always keep your eyes on your drink. If you consume alcohol, do so responsibly so you can stay alert. 

What to pack for Sandals Barbados

You can pack light when you stay at a Sandals resort, since so much is provided for you. For example, you don’t need to pack a hairdryer. A gift shop is available onsite in case you forget any necessities.

In terms of clothes, the dress code is casual during the day and resort elegant at night, which means a mix of shorts, t-shirts and tanks, lightweight short sleeve shirts, sundresses, casual slacks, and swimsuits, plus dressier outfits (including shoes) for dining in the nicer restaurants. If you’re planning on golfing, make sure to bring the appropriate clothing. Women may want to bring a scarf, shawl, or light jacket in case they get chilly in air-conditioned places.

Bring several swimsuits since you’ll likely be wearing one every day. Women can bring a cute cover-up to throw on for walking around the resort, and may also want to pack some shorts to pull on over their swimsuit if doing any watersports. A rash guard will come in handy during watersports as well.

The type of shoes you bring will depend on what activities you want to do while in Barbados. You will probably want to bring water shoes, flip flops, and sandals; you may want to add tennis shoes if you’re going to do a lot of walking or playing sports.

You will of course need to bring your passport (make sure it’s more than 6 months away from expiring) and ID, including a valid driver’s license if you want to rent a car. (But remember that they drive on the left in Barbados!)

You will also want to bring a credit card (not that you’ll need it in the resort, since everything is covered, but in case you want to add extras like spa services or go exploring in Barbados) and some cash as well, for tips at the airport, taxis, and local shops that don’t take credit cards. You may need to pay a departure tax in cash at the airport, if it’s not included in your plane ticket, so be sure to ask in advance.

Tip: Bring two cards and hide one in a safe place for an emergency backup. Also, make sure you have a record of your credit card numbers, as well as the customer service contact information.

As with any trip, make sure you pack any medicine that you need. Put it in your carry-on bag so you don’t have to worry about your luggage getting lost. In addition to any prescription medication, you can bring over-the-counter drugs (like aspirin, ibuprofen, stomach remedies, seasickness medicine, antihistamines) so you’ll have them on hand if you need them. But in case you forget, these types of remedies will be available at the gift shop.

Tip: Keep all prescription medications in the original bottles when flying to avoid any issues.

Pack all the usual beach necessities including a bag to carry everything in (choose one that can get wet and sandy). These include sunglasses, sun hats, and sunscreen—the higher the SPF, the better when you’re in the Caribbean! If you’re going to be diving or snorkeling, make sure your sunscreen is reef-safe. You won’t need to pack beach towels, however, as these are provided for free at every Sandals Resort.

You may also want to bring a camera—especially a waterproof camera if you plan on watersports; a waterproof case for your phone, and your phone charger.

A few more items to consider: insect repellant and bite relief cream, bandaids, antiseptic wipes, antibiotic ointment, prescription snorkeling goggles if you wear them, a backpack for day trips, and a waterproof bag if you’re going to go on a boat.

However, you don’t need to pack toiletries like shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and lotion unless you want to—these items are included in your room at Sandals Barbados, and they come from the onsite spa so they’re top quality!

Tip: Make sure all your luggage is labeled clearly with tags, and add something bright like a colorful ribbon to make your bags stand out at baggage claim.

Now that you know everything there is to know about Sandals Barbados, are you ready to plan your honeymoon or romantic escape today?

TripAdvisor Rating: 4.5

Google Rating: 4.3

How many Sandals resorts are in Barbados?

Sandals has two locations in Barbados, both in St. Lawrence Gap: Sandals Barbados and Sandals Royal Barbados. As we noted above, they are right next to each other and guests have access to both resorts.