Unique Vacations

Feb 6th, 2023

This was our 26th Sandals stay.  We obviously love their resorts, but we first did this one in 2009 and said we were never coming back.  The service was awful, there was no vegetarian food for me to eat, the weather wasn't great, and it was getting rundown. We decided to give it another chance with all the new renovations, and we're glad we did.  We had a much better stay this time. I'll start with the pros and cons. ProsJackie, Paula and Ashard - amazing ButlersHuge poolsWest pool is heatedPool volleyball net always up/played a lotOcean water is very pretty crystal bluePrivate islandFood trucks are nice for snacksDecent restaurant optionsDecent nightlifeButler rooms can get White Claw! Baha Mar down the streetShort flightNice airportClearing Immigration for the US in the BahamasMuch nicer resort than before renovationsConsVery expensive - most we've ever paid at SandalsEven renovated rooms aren't greatWeather is questionableWest pool is heated, but not hot, and still iffy in colder monthsAll pools should be heatedCould use more restaurantsNo lunch buffetIt's an older resort, so the layout is a little strange, and certain areas still seem datedOur Butlers were incredible. Jackie met us the second we stepped out of our private transfer and had champagne waiting for us.  Our Butler preferences were done for us, and anytime we called for anything they brought it quickly. They were wonderful. Our room, despite being the most we've ever paid, was a little odd.  The sitting area with the TV is wasted space, and there easily could be a couch or something else in there.  The bathroom is OK, but I didn't like the towels being in bins on the floor.  The shower was huge.  The pool was rather small, and so was the table outside.  We usually eat breakfast outside, but ate in the sitting area because that table was small.  I don't think the pool was heated, but I saw a good suggestion online.  You can use the sprayer from the tub and heat the pool with it.  That tub water is hot! Our Butlers also ran us a few baths, and that tub is very nice.  The Island Village is nice because the resort is pretty small, so it makes it fell bigger when your room is over there.  You really don't have any reason to go to that part of the resort if your room isn't there. I'm not sure we'd stay in them again though.  We could hear everything in the hallway of our building, and Butlers come to the other rooms every morning, so that woke us up.  And if they called any room in the building, our phone rang. If we go back, I think I'd go with an oceanfront Butler room here.  There's not really a need for a swim up because the 2 main pools are huge. Nightlife here the first time was not great.  It was much better this time.  We don't really go to shows, but there were several bars open late, and lots of people at them.  The Silent Party was really fun. All the bars could use more bartenders though.  Even during the day.  The swim up bar, the piano bar and the pub usually only had one bartender, and that's not enough.  We were there with friends, and usually hung out outside the pub until 2am. The Grove or the pub were the late night places to be.  We got late night food there a few times, too, and it's was very good. Or maybe I was tired and hungry, lol One thing I do need to touch on is the food.  Everything was ok, or even good, but nothing was great.  Barbados has the best Sandals for by far.  At this resort, I liked Soy best. We ate there twice.  The coffee food truck was nice, but the coffee machine broke most days. Breakfast was all just ok.  The crunchy French toast at some Sandals is amazing.  This one was just meh.The airport really needs a Club Mobay type service.  We were in the first row on our plane, and waited 45 minutes at Immigration. And the Sandals lounge is small and doesn't have anything but water.  I'd definitely pay for a VIP service. But clearing Immigration on the way home in the Bahamas is amazing! The biggest issue here is probably the weather.  Our first trip here was in April and there was a wind storm, and no one was in the pools for 2 days.  The West pool is heated now, but that's it. And it's not hot.  It's warm, and you can really feel it if you stand right over one of the heaters.  But the pool is very big, so it only does so much. Weather is questionable here almost 6 months of the year.  And for the price you have to pay to stay here, there's no excuse that all the pools aren't heated all the time.  The main reason I may not return to this resort is the weather.  We've been in April and December, and had semi chilly weather both times.  Being cold really doesn't bother me, but if you're on a Caribbean vacation, nothing should be chilly.I have a video of our room and a few others posted on YouTube, and I'm working on a vlog I'll hopefully post soon. Go and have a great time.
Jan 13th, 2023

Amazing menu, food, service and wi es!
Dec 11th, 2022

Oct 6th, 2022

DO NOT BOOK HERE! Totally incompetent about travel! Booked my airline for wrong airport.
Jul 10th, 2021