The Sandpiper

Just the most wonderful hotel which cannot be faulted. The location is perfect, with a beautiful quiet beach and clear calm seas. ||The hotel has seen some really lovely updates since we last visited whilst at the same time feeling like nothing has changed. It's like coming home.||However, the most wonderful part of the stay is the staff, many who have been at the Sandpiper for over 30 years and are like family. It's always so sad to leave.||The water sports team are great and took us to the shipwreck and to swim with the turtles.||We hope to be back with you very soon! Love the Mundays.

The reception staff are excellent, very helpful and always jolly, especially olena. The food is amazing. There are many guests that return year after year, for 30+ years, therefore a little clicky. No TV in the room, but they do have a TV room. The reception manager informed us that there was sunbed drinks service, however it wasn't quite like that, we received a pitcher of water and a sorbet, but no real drinks service. Terrell at Harold's bar was the best waiter, personable and friendly, not all of the waiters were like this. Jerome at the evening bar was good, happy to chat and provide recommendations. The chefs at breakfast were really friendly.

I booked this hotel directly for a surprise for my husband for our 25th Wedding Anniversary and I emailed the hotel twice to let them know. This was not acknowledged by them at any time during our stay which was disappointing.||The service at breakfast was brilliant and the selection available and I cannot fault this at all.||The guys at the bar were brilliant and we had a good few afternoons with lunch and drinks. I cannot fault this in anyway.||My biggest issue was the saving of sunbeds which is not acceptable. We never got to sit on the beach at the front as the beach guys put magazines on the beds to save for guests. I have pictures at 3pm where the beds had not been used all day. This is not what I expect from a high end establishment in Barbados and tbh I was pretty upset by it as we ended up having to sit by the pool and I could have been anywhere in the world. By the pool we had to put up with refurb works to the toilets which were at times noisy when cutting tiles. Also the manners of the workers could have been better.||Check out time is 12pm as per their website and you shouldn’t be hassled to leave the room at 10.30am. I was told that they needed the room as the next guests were on an earlier flight and it would take 3 hours to clean the room. Check in is 3pm so the new arrivals should wait until then. It felt ‘thanks for your money, we are done with you as we have new guests arriving’..||We booked a taxi to the airport with the reception guy and when our cases were collected from the room we were advised no taxi was booked. The bellman did get us one for our departure. ||This hotel was expensive and I booked it for a 5 star experience but felt undervalued and wouldn’t recommend or go back.

Having not been to the sandpiper for over a decade, our return was like coming home. We had a gorgeous week at this idyllic hotel back in early December and it was perfect. The staff continue to go above and beyond, we loved seeing some familiar faces (Carlos, Wayne, Ueline, Harold and the wonderful ladies at reception) plus some fantastic newer team members like Sergio and Trevor who looked after us so beautifully at the beach. You are truly treated like family here, there’s nowhere like it. (Anyone concerned re. Construction noise- don’t be, it’s barely noticeable, just have another of Harold’s rum punches.) We hope to be back very very soon.

The best holiday experience in a decade. Absolutely everything my wife & I could have possibly wished for in a hotel experience. From initial booking experience with Sharon in the Reservations Team, to the welcome received on arrival from the General Manager Mr Ken Flockhart. Every single one of the Sandpiper Team could not have genuinely cared more to make sure our stay at the Sandpiper was relaxing and enjoyable. The ambience the Sandpiper team creates in turn spills over to the guests, who treat each other with the same courtesy, dignity & respect. Social interaction happens naturally, without feeling overwhelmed by constant interactions. The Team at Harold’s deserve a special mention for their friendliness and care attention. Patrick, Mervyn and the team went above and beyond. Genuinely the best hotel guest experience we have ever experienced. Well done Team Sandpiper.

Excellent evening at The Sandpiper Went to The Sandpiper for husbands birthday We started with drinks at Harold’s bar, then meal in the Restaurant. We had prebooked the meal and mentioned we were coming for a birthday. We have eaten in many restaurants in hotels over many visits to Barbados, and can truly say this is the best ! The hotel is beautiful, and well kept, for the areas we saw, the setting was truly gorgeous. From the moment we arrived until the moment we left, the staff were amazing, we felt very well looked after, they were very attentive. Nothing was too much trouble for anyone, we felt had a very personal service, from the reception staff, to bar staff, and the waiting staff in the restaurant, who were incredible. And even the general manager was on hand chatting to guests, such a nice touch Even the lovely security lady on the way out who took some lovely photos for us, by the water feature at the entrance. Food was delicious, excellently presented, the restaurant is beautiful. And a lovely surprise of a birthday cake for Husband ! Wouldn’t hesitate going again, and price point for meal was very good too. Thank you all at The Sandpiper

The staff are aloof to guests’ needs. The resort claims to be five-star but offers no spa. Management seems complacent, relying on repeat customers for good reviews. When you order a drink, the bartender Harold looks irritated, as if your presence is an inconvenience. Asking for service surprises them, as though it’s an unusual request. The whole place feels more like an old folks’ home with a pool than a luxury destination. They even tried to charge for a ride to a place we never went. The surrounding area is run down, full of noise and construction, with cement dust hanging in the air. One afternoon, I left my wife on the beach for a moment, and the staff allowed a random Rasta man to walk up and touch her, rubbing her legs while claiming to be a doctor. No one intervened. We booked nine months in advance to celebrate my 50th birthday. When we arrived, there was no recognition of the occasion—just a handshake after we mentioned it. There was no effort to make it special. Every day, it felt like the staff had no idea who we were. The introduction to the property was awkward and disorganized, as if they don’t know how to welcome new guests because everyone else has been coming there for years. When we raised these issues, the staff became defensive and told us we could leave if we didn’t like it. So we did. If you haven’t been here before, don’t come. They don’t want you anyway.

We stayed at The Sandpiper last week and it was like stepping back in time to old school classic service which is unbeatable. From the moment you arrive and being greeted by name from the General Manager, to every step of your stay, the staff cannot do enough for you and nothing is too much bother! They are friendly but also happy in their work which creates a wonderful environment to be in! The hotel is clean, well kept with a wonderful aesthetic, we were out of season, but never did it feel overcrowded or too many people! The pools are well situated and the beach is a lovely stretch just a stones throw from the main hotel areas! There are many shops and restaurants in walkable areas and the sister hotel of The Coral Reef offers a fantastic spa which I visited a few times throughout our stay! A true testament to this hotel is, that now at another hotel on the island for our last few days, we continue to wish we were back at The Sandpiper!