We recently visited Sandals Barbados and Sandals Royal Barbados and wanted to share the differences.
In short, the Sandals Resorts are side by side and they basically operate as one resort. The only difference is going to be your room and with that comes the price.
Sandals Barbados is an older resort and so the rooms are cheaper. There are also luxury rooms available, which means rooms that the rooms have fewer amenities like robes and room service.
At Sandals Royal Barbados you have Club-level rooms and Butler Elite Level Rooms as well as several unique options.
So if you are deciding between Sandals Barbados and Sandals Royal Barbados, it’s all in the rooms.
We liked our experience at Sandals Royal Barbados more because it was more secluded and we had a swim-up suite with a butler. But for a lot of people, they do not plan on spending a lot of time in their room and are willing to save money there.
Sandals Royal Barbados vs Sandals Barbados Rooms
Sandals Barbados has several room categories, including Caribbean Village, Crystal Lagoon, and Beachfront. Sandals Barbados features more compact rooms, with options like the Caribbean Village Deluxe, Crystal Lagoon Club Level, and Beachfront Grande Luxe Club Level. These rooms offer comfortable accommodations but may have slightly less square footage compared to the suites at Sandals Royal Barbados.
Rooms at Sandals Barbados start at $225 per person per night. This would be the Caribbean Grand Lux which has a garden view, king bed, and balcony.
Oceanfront rooms start at $312 per person per night, for example, the Beachfront Honeymoon Club Level Suite.
There are also swim-up suites around the Crystal Lagoon which are club and butler lever rooms.
Sandals Royal Barbados, on the other hand, offers all-suite accommodations, including the Crystal Lagoon One Bedroom Butler Suite, South Seas One Bedroom Butler Suite, and the Millionaire Butler Suite. The suites at Sandals Royal Barbados are generally more spacious and offer separate living areas and larger balconies or terraces.
For the best luxury experience, the Beachfront Prime Minister Bedroom Butler Suite w/ Private Pool and Patio Tranquility Soaking Tub can not be matched. The South Seas Royal Rondoval Butler Suite w/ Private Pool Sanctuary are also a unique accommodation you can only find at Sandals.
To give you a good price comparison, the cheapest room at Sandals Royal Barbados starts at $298.
Sandals Royal Barbados & Sandals Barbados Pools
If you stay at either resort, you have access to the other resort’s pools, but to give you an idea of what you will be closest to here are the pools at Sandals Barbados & Sandals Royal Barbados.
On the Barbados side, you have the main pool which is the resort’s main pool and is located near the beachfront. The pool features a swim-up bar where guests can enjoy refreshing drinks without having to leave the water. We stayed here a few times and loved how close it is to the beach as well.
The Crystal Lagoon Pool is surrounded by lush landscaping, sun loungers, and umbrellas. The pool features several areas with built-in pool loungers, allowing guests to relax in the water while soaking up the Caribbean sun.
European Pool: This is the pool if you want to relax in peace and quiet. It is located in the middle of the resort and is close to many dining options. You’ll find tents available that are perfect for keeping cool when you aren’t in the water.
On the Royal Barbados side, the Crystal Lagoon pools are in multiple areas of the resort.
The South Seas Pool is in the middle of the resort and is pretty calm with a swim-up bar. There is a rooftop infinity pool and an infinity pool located close to the beach. This pool is the most lively of the pools at either resort.
Sandals Royal Barbados & Sandals Barbados Restaurants
Regardless of what side you book, you have access to the restaurants at both resorts.
There are 10 restaurants at Sandals Royal Barbados and 11 at Sandals Barbados and there really is something for everyone.
Some new additions are the Greenhouse and Heart & Sol with a focus on healthy eating.
We loved all the variety. For breakfast, there are a couple of buffets and a la carte options or you can stop by Sweet & Salty for a donut or Cafe de Paris for crepes and pastries.
For lunch, the pizza at Dino’s is fresh brick oven cooked. You can find Jerk chicken, burgers, sandwiches, quesadillas, and other typical lunch food throughout the resort.
At Dinner, there are steak houses, Indian food, Asian cuisine, seafood, pretty much anything you could ask for. We loved being about to choose as much as we wanted from the menu and being served smaller portions than a typical American restaurant (most of the time).
Sandals Royal Barbados & Sandals Barbados Spa
At both resorts, you have access to the Red Lane Spa, but the spa on the Royal Barbados side is bigger and newer.
Ultimately, the choice between Sandals Barbados and Sandals Royal Barbados depends on your personal preferences, budget, and the specific amenities and features you value most in a resort.