Mango Bay

Decided on a 2 night stay here and stayed in a deluxe room. Had heard glowing reports in the past from both locals and tourist who had stayed here so was looking forward to it. A few days before going curfews were imposed. Rang up the day I was checking in to find out what state of play was at hotel. Was told last dinner seating would be 7pm and snorkelling equipment etc wasn’t being used but catamaran cruise would still go, social distanced. I had been thinking of their other property on the South Coast which was slightly cheaper but as I was told that one didn’t do the catamaran cruise, I opted for Mango Bay. There was no one else checking in when we arrived but it still took quite a while. Lady apologised saying that she was new which was fine. In fact all staff I came into contact with were friendly and helpful. Room was very spacious and had a balcony with view mostly of the pool and grounds but sea could also be partially seen. Recliner chairs and foot rests and a table. Only main complaint about room was shower which was fiddly and filled up quickly if turned on to full power. There was also a strange smell when the a/c was on. As I was only there for 2 nights and spending most of the time on the beach I didn’t report either fault. TV was very fuzzy but only had it on briefly to see the government update so again not a huge problem. Restaurants located just outside hotel entrance but as I was only there for a night and it’s all inclusive I didn’t try them. Limegrove shopping centre is just opposite and there’s a large supermarket nearby and other shops. During my time there I only saw 7 other people at restaurant or around hotel so social distancing was not an issue and staff were all masked. After check in I tried to book the catamaran cruise for the next morning and was told that it had been cancelled days before. This was annoying as I had called to specifically ask a few hours prior. While I understand that it was because of government restrictions, the restrictions on that aspect hadn’t changed since I had called so it should have been communicated. Particularly seeing that was the only reason I choose this property over the other one. The major disappointment here was the food. In a word, it was poor. 2 words - very poor. Ironic as I had literally said to someone a few days prior that there was no such thing as a bad meal in Barbados. Unfortunately I had nothing but bad meals at Mango Bay. It might not have mattered so much if it hadn’t been all inclusive but as this was the only place I ate for those days, it was a major disappointment. Fish cutter for lunch with thin, dried out fish. Cold fries every time they were served, but to be fair they replaced them on each occasion. Portion sizes were also ridiculous. Menu said Thai and shrimp cakes (with an s) but a single cake was served. Chicken wing starter consisted of just 2 1/2 wings (and not even a full wing). Another menu said Deep Fried Thighs - 1 thigh was given and it was very dried out. Dry and lumpy mashed potato. Skimpy breakfast portions. But the most laughable thing was the afternoon tea. 2 miniature sandwiches, a tiny rock cake and something else presented poorly on a plate. See photos attached of all meals. Drinks were also not great. I ordered the fruit punch a couple times. It comes with freshly blended banana similar to a smoothie with was nice but then very sweet syrups which were over powering so I just topped mine up with water. I’m not a drinker so wasn’t too fussed about alcohol. Asked for half measure of alcohol in mango daiquiri which tasted very sweet, with no taste of mango. I also had a couple of a mojitos which were refreshing. They were meant to be full measures so I know the alcohol used was not a strong grade as I’d struggle to finish one mojito usually. Not an issue for me but may be for those who like a strong cocktails. There was no entertainment or music over dinner. I understand staff had to leave early because of curfew but could they not have arranged some entertainment for the time the restaurant was opened. Or at least have some music playing? As nice as the staff were the service they provided was not up to scratch and the overall quality received from hotel was not even three star in my opinion let alone 4. I get that because of what’s currently happening some services may have to be scaled back but that should be reflected in the price and from what I paid for 2 nights here there is no way in my opinion that these fees can be justified. I was told the winter rate is always higher and that’s why their fees were so high. I had quarantined at Blue Horizon when I first arrived on the island and I wish I had got back there and spent the extra money on eating at the surrounding restaurants which would have proven far better quality for money. Read less

We have stayed at Mango Bay five times now and this was a very different stay due to COVID. However, we were so pleased that it was a quarantine hotel, so we didn’t have to find another hotel to quarantine in. We had a space on the grass to sunbathe and an area in the restaurant to dine in. The hotel arranged our COVID tests and the Dr came at 9 am the morning after we arrived, took our tests and the results were back at 8.15am the following day - we were then free! We were the only guests for a few days, and didn’t mind at all. The staff were all so nice, and so accommodating. Day by day a few more guests arrived and by the time we left there were 15. The food was excellent, and always a good choice, the chef would try and accommodate your personal choice too if you asked. The hotel did have some maintenance being carried out during the day, but it didn’t bother us at all, as it was mainly in bedrooms. It’s in an excellent position for shops, bars and restaurants. Would I stay there again ? Hell yes!!’ Trying to book it now. Don’t forget we are in a pandemic, and we were so grateful to be able to get away, and to the staff for making our stay so personal. Thank you Mango Bay ! Read less

Very expensive and not offering value for money. Had been closed for 10 months due to Covid and definitely re-opened too soon. Some rooms not ready and still under construction and our room was not fully ready on the date we checked in - we had to wait until 4pm. Food was poor quality and not enough choice - over cooked and bland. Staff are friendly but need additional training. Air conditioning broke and we had to move for one night to another (cheaper) room. Had to battle to get any refund and in the end was offered one night free but at the time of writing I still haven't received it. Great location but there are other hotels offering much more for the same price or less. Give this hotel a miss. Read less

One week stay at the end of November 2019. The hotel is a nice boutique style hotel with a great location on the beach. The room was large and spacious, and generally well kept & clean. When it comes to dining there is one restaurant on site which either operates as a buffet or a la cart style on both lunch and dinner. For breakfast, there is a typical selection as with most other all inclusive resorts. For lunch and dinner, you have to book a table in advacnce at breakfast, and it will be either a buffet option or a la cart menu. I travelled with a mix of veg/non-veg guests. The buffet option was generally limited for a vegetarian, but the restaurant staff and Head Chef came to speak to us and made speacial meals for the vegetarians, which was great! The food at the restaurant was generally good, and my only suggestion would be a little more variety when it comes to the buffet. The waiting staff at the restaurant and bar were very friendly and helped to create a great atmosphere. The pool area is quite small, and honestly the weather and proximity of the beach meant we spent all day there instead. There are people that come to sell you items, jet ski rides etc, but if this is not for you then they respect when you say no and do not bother you much. The hotel offered a complimentary boat ride to see a ship wreck and complimentary catamaran ride with the option of swimming with turtles! Both trips are great and a highlight of my trip was snorkelling with the turtles! The hotel also offers complimentary water sports and I enjoyed a few water skiing lessons! Outside of the hotel there is designer mall across the road, a supermarket and gift shops are short walk away. The local bus stop is just outside the supermarket and the town centre is short ride away. The evening entertainment is music based and is usually on for a couple of hours after dinner. Sadly I left on Independence Day, and missed some great celebrations at the hotel. The staff at reception are friendly and helped us with any issues we had. Although before we arrived, we had specifically arranged for transfers with the hotel and their driver did not turn up at the airport. We managed to call the hotel from the airport and they could not get hold of the driver and advised us to make our own way to the hotel. They arranged for our return transfer to the airport and assured us there would be no issues this time round, and there wasn’t. All in all I think this a good hotel, with a great location on the beach. Read less

We stayed at Mango Bay for 10 days for our honeymoon in February 2020. We hadn't booked a transfer so we caught a taxi at the airport. This was regulated and we were given a written quote at the desk before being directed to a vehicle so we couldn't be ripped off. The airport displays rough pricing for each area which was helpful for a couple who had never visited before. On arrival, we received a rum cocktail as we checked in. Ashley checked us in, sorted out our dinner reservations (we arrived at about 7pm and she ensured we were able to have a meal that evening) and showed us to our room which had been upgraded to a room overlooking the pool. The staff had decorated for us and left a bottle of sparkling wine which was a really lovely touch. When we went down for dinner, they had also decorated our table to celebrate our honeymoon which was another nice surprise. The room was spacious and clean, with a cleaning service and turndown service provided daily. The balcony was large and we didn't find ourselves bothered by noise at all. The food was varied each evening. Having said that, the catch of the day was more often than not swordfish or marlin but it was delicious! Although there wasn't always a vegetarian option on the menu, our server was always happy to provide an option or change a dish to make it suit. The service can run to island time so you may have to wait a little longer than usual and this is no reflection on the staff who were friendly and polite. Special thanks to Pedro whose stellar service really made our trip special - a proper gentleman! There is a dress code each evening - women could wear open toed shoes although men couldn't. It is very much smart casual and we didn't see anyone get turned away so don't worry! The beach at Mango Bay was beautiful. We never had a problem getting a sunbed, although we did occasionally have to go without an umbrella. You may be approached by the beach vendors but they weren't pushy and if you said no, they would generally leave you be. There was a beach service although this wasn't too regular. However, the bar isn't far away and the service is quick (with big measures!) The bar staff were great and happy to chat. I often kept my order vague, asking for a rum cocktail and they came up with something new every time! They also stocked the usual drinks and made a brilliant strawberry daiquiri. Marcus on the bar was a great laugh and we look forward to drinking in his own bar in Barbados one day! Mango Bay provided two free trips per stay on the catamaran and glass bottom boat. The glass bottom boat was worth doing for free but I wouldn't pay for it. We did see some turtles and other fish so it was interesting. The catamaran trip was great and we swam with three turtles on this trip, which was amazing. They don't take too many people out at one time so it didn't feel crowded, although the actual swim was slightly rushed because other tourist boats appeared in the same area. We did use one of the beach vendors for a second trip to swim with turtles after our sunset cruise was cancelled due to bad weather and this turned out to be great value. He took us to a shipwreck and then out with turtles on two separate swims. This was a last minute trip and turned out to be a highlight but do always clarify whether the price is Bajan or American dollars. We fell foul of this in the on site shop. We also made use of the hotel's free snorkelling equipment in the sea at the beach and we saw various different types of tropical fish just off the shore. There is a very busy street on certain nights just outside the hotel and we had heard the blocks backing onto this experienced noise issues. We were the next block along from this and heard nothing, so it is probably worth requesting a superior room when you book. Some of the evening entertainment was a bit dated and we did feel like we were bringing the average age down somewhat at some points but we went for a relaxing honeymoon and on that front, we can't fault it. All in all, Barbados was a trip of a lifetime for us and Mango Bay was a fantastic base. The staff make it what it is and couldn't do enough for us. We feel some of the reviews are unfair - you're in Barbados, enjoy it! Read less