The Fashionable Frequent Flyers

Every year, I look forward to planning Justin’s birthday trip—it’s become a tradition I absolutely love. This year was extra special as we were celebrating not one but two milestones: Justin’s birthday and our one-year anniversary as a legally married couple. Last year, we explored the scenic mountains of Colorado, but for this occasion, I wanted to embrace the warmth of a tropical paradise. After months of research, I landed on Nassau, Bahamas, and booked our stay at Sandals Royal Bahamian. Their stellar marketing and promises of luxury had long intrigued me, and this adults-only property with its private island seemed like the perfect choice for our celebration. I even called ahead to let them know about our special occasions, expecting an elevated, personalized experience. Sadly, what we encountered fell far short of those expectations, leaving us disappointed on what should have been a memorable trip.

The Room – A Disappointment in Every Sense

We booked a West Bay Honeymoon Club Level Junior Suite, which was advertised as having pool or tropical garden views. Instead, we were given a room overlooking the parking lot—I’m guessing that’s what they considered the “tropical garden.” The room itself was just sad: the carpet smelled moldy, the table surfaces were dusty, there was a dead roach by the fridge, and the shower water was cold. Talk about an uncomfortable start to the trip.

And if that wasn’t bad enough, a housekeeper walked right into our room without knocking while I was undressed. She apologized and said her boss told her the room was empty, but honestly, it felt more like she was doing another round of cleaning and didn’t want to admit it. Either way, it was awkward and unsettling. This was all on day one.

Policy Concerns – The Use of Guest Likenesses

Another issue we faced was the resort’s unclear and invasive policy around the use of guest likenesses. Sandals required us to consent to this as part of their terms and conditions before we could even check in. Their policy explicitly stated that guests must relinquish their rights to their likeness in perpetuity for marketing use without compensation. As this was a significant concern for us—we do not consent to the use of our likeness for marketing purposes without proper licensing—I called ahead to clarify. Sandals’ customer service assured me that this could be addressed with the front desk upon arrival and “shouldn’t be a problem”. Spoiler alert: it was.

When we arrived, the staff insisted we had to sign the agreement. I requested a printout of the policy so we could review it, but they initially said they couldn’t provide one. After escalating to a manager, she finally printed it out and allowed us to write that we do not consent. It was an unnecessarily frustrating experience, especially considering we paid extra for the club concierge service. In my experience at other 5-star, all-inclusive resorts, club-level concierges are usually happy to troubleshoot issues, they want you to have a smooth experience. The employees who worked at the club lounge during my entire stay did not give me that impression.

This interaction alone made it clear that the initial employee didn’t want to help. He told me that they don’t have printouts of the terms and conditions—but what happens if their systems are down? How was the manager able to access a printed version if it wasn’t possible? This kind of resistance and lack of transparency left a sour taste and was a disappointing start to our stay.

Service and Dining – Where Things Truly Fell Apart

Service was where the resort truly fell apart. Requests for simple items like towels or water were either ignored or took hours to fulfill. This is an all-inclusive resort yet we felt dehydrated from the lack of water in our room. Dining reservations were mishandled, and food orders at the restaurants were extremely delayed, orders were mixed up, despite the resort not being at full capacity. While the food wasn’t horrible, it was far from exceptional—just average at best.

What made matters worse was the attitude of some staff. On multiple occasions, we noticed white patrons being prioritized over us, which was both disheartening and frustrating. Some staff members appeared disengaged, and the lack of attentiveness left me feeling undervalued as a guest. By this point, I was starting to feel defeated, questioning how this resort could be marketed as a luxury experience.

Highlights

I thought it was worth mentioning Joshea, the Director of Guest Relations. She was proactive, attentive, and immediately addressed our concerns. She moved us to the correct room and offered a couples massage as compensation for the inconvenience. Her efforts were appreciated, but these issues should not have required escalation in the first place. Another standout was Deshon, our waiter at Butch’s Chop House. His attentive service and friendly demeanor made our dining experience at the restaurant one of the best moments of our stay. He went above and beyond to ensure we were taken care of, which truly stood out amid the other service shortcomings.

We also enjoyed the private island ‘Discovery Cay’, which was beautiful and peaceful. It was one of the few highlights of our trip.

Final Thoughts

Sandals Royal Bahamian is marketed as a premium, all-inclusive resort, but my experience felt more like a bait-and-switch. While the property has potential and a few bright spots, the glaring service issues, room conditions, and lack of attention to detail make it difficult to recommend. If you’re seeking a true luxury experience, I would advise looking elsewhere until Sandals addresses these significant gaps in hospitality and service.

Service: 1/5

Cleanliness: 2/5

Aesthetics: 3/5

Food:3/5

This resort gets an over all rating of a strong 2.5 from us.