The Club Barbados Resort & Spa

Have seen negative reviews before we went an in some ways I can see why.. hotel is a bit tired and has a few maintenance issues. But the staff are amazing. They work so hard you never want for anything. We were in a minority of never been here before. So many return customers. And that made our holiday as it was so friendly. As a cart nights were superb .. would definitely go again Read less

Overall we did have an OK time for the 2 weeks we stayed at The Club but there were numerous niggles that all added up making our stay and experience not what we expected for the money we paid. Following a stressful and chaotic transfer from the airport (by no means the fault of the resort I hasten to add - more of an issue that Virgin need to address) on our arrival we were greeted with a very welcome drink, plenty of smiles and efficient check in. We were shown to our room but that's where our niggles began. We had been allocated what I can only describe as 'bolt hole' room. It was most definitely not the room we booked and paid for. It had a connecting door to the suite next door which we did not know who had the key/access to and was clearly an add on room for the suite. The bathroom was the smallest and worst we have ever seen in any resort and one side of the bed was directly next to the wardrobe with no bedside table. We addressed this with reception and requested to be moved. However, as it was late we had no option but to wait until the morning to sort it out. Morning came and I was given the runaround at reception and I was told quite sternly at one point "you booked a garden view room and that’s what you have got". Not the attitude I would expect from a 4* establishment especially as I wasn't rude or unpleasant in any way to the staff. After much to-ing and fro-ing we were shown an alternative room which was acceptable but still not what we had paid for. As we didn't want any further aggravation we accepted the new room. Not a relaxing start to our holiday and it did leave a bitter taste... We later learned that we were not the only guests that had this problem and it appears to be a regular occurrence. The room was lovely and clean and kept spotless the whole time of our stay. Our room maid was an absolute delight! The bed was super comfy and the air con worked a treat. We did have to report a problem with the toilet which took 3 days and numerous requests to fix though. There are no lifts to the upper floors so this may be an issue if you have mobility issues. More could be done to improve the outlook as you go to and from your rooms. The back of our block overlooked a rundown disused hotel, car park and shipping containers/bins/water silos. Some screening wouldn't go amiss. There are only 2 restaurants on the resort and as many others have said - the food was repetitive but OK. In the main Sunset Lounge it was a mix of A La Carte or buffet in the evenings and buffet at lunch. There is also Enids in the evenings which is all A La Carte dining but was not open every evening. The buffet breakfasts had plenty of choice and the food was always hot and fresh. If you didn't want to visit the buffet at lunch you could order food at the beach bar between 1 and 5pm. Note - you have to make reservations for your evening meals in both restaurants. There is a fabulous coffee bar in the main lounge area that opens at 6.30 each morning through to late at night and they also serve lovely cakes and pastries. Hats off to the pastry chef - you make the most amazing chocolate cakes we have ever eaten! The pools and surrounding areas and garden were always kept clean and tidy. Three main pools with 2 plunge pools. There were plenty of sunbeds to go around but they were quickly reserved in the early hours. If you preferred a certain area you had to get up at the crack of dawn to go and reserve one. The resort goes right up to the sea so doesn't have a beach but there is a 'manmade beach' section with sunbeds. The sea is shallow when calm but the steps down into it are very slippery and need a good clean. Also take note of the flag colour - if its red - the currents are strong. We saw people swept off their feet. Be careful! When the sea was calm the snorkelling was amazing but suggest that you wear water shoes - its rocky. Getting to Sandy Beach was OK when the tide was out or the seas calm. It is well worth going to! Wow - what a beautiful beach. The best assets of the resort are its staff. So friendly, helpful and you're always greeted with a smile. I don't like to single out individuals as everyone was fantastic. However I would like to mention Caroline - the General Manager. She is terrific and so approachable and doesn't hide behind a desk. She's leads by example. A refreshing change. Despite everywhere having had a fresh lick of paint the resort is still a little dated. Some updated furniture in the rooms and restaurants would make a world of difference. I would say that the 4* rating is ambitious and doesn't reflect the reality. Read less

The Club Barbados Resort and Spa was very nice even though it was dated. Resort Gardens and Grounds could use some TLC. Rooms were Clean. Staff were very helpful in the Restaurants and Bar especially Kareene and Vinny. Did we have a good time even if there was no Beach, YES! But would highly recommend the steps to the ocean be cleaned so no one gets hurts as they were very slippery. Food was Decent! Read less

Stayed at the Club Barbados for 14 nights with family 7 of us. From start to finish the holiday was excellent the staff are all extremely friendly and can’t do enough for you. Special mention for manager Caroline who greeted us at breakfast every morning with a smile( the model of efficiency) also carmella who looked after my pregnant daughter Kathryn she catered for all her needs and all the restaurant staff who could not have been more helpful Read less