Sandy Lane Hotel

ROACHES. The most prominent memory my young child and I will forever have of this iconic 5-star hotel is a multi-generational family of ROACHES crawling all over the bar/coffee/tea area. 1- checkin in the room 211 was stressful because they had 2 twin beds instead of a king-sized in the room, and it was incredibly hot like they did not turn the air on until they heard we were being escorted to the room. Their solution was to push the 2 twins together. No. The woman doing the checkin could not get my card to work on her iPad, so we had to leave the room for over an hour for them to swap out mattresses, and for me to go to the office to have my card swiped. Returned to the room around 8p and it was still hot, actually hotter. It was 23 Celsius when we left the room and was then 27 degrees when we returned. Phoned the front desk, was told it was my fault, I must’ve left the balcony doors open (I did not). They said maintenance would come. When maintenance arrived the screen temp magically read 23 degrees. He said I need to give it time to cool off (the lowest it goes is 21 degrees Celsius). Right when he was about to leave, the screen temp jumped to 27 again. He said a faulty sensor but nothing could be done until the following morning. Great, so I was expected to suffer and not sleep in 27 degree heat. 9:53p I went to the fridge for cool water in the dark. Opened the fridge door and saw something move on the wall out of my peripheral. I look, it’s a ROACH! I go get my phone to shine a light, the roach is just leisurely crawling, not even in a hurry to scatter and hide. I open camera video to record, and notice 2 more on an adjacent wall, along with several more roaches blending in with the dark granite countertop, and one crawling on a tea cup. This is the bar area where the coffee maker, tea cups, tea box, etc are. I call the front desk and the woman who answered unenthusiastically, dull-toned did not care and just said “oh. This is the Caribbean.” Excuse me? I have stayed in 5-star hotels on multiple Caribbean islands and NEVER seen a roach in the past 15 years! She said she would send housekeeping. Unacceptable! Is the housekeeper going to come in and catch all the roaches?! Worse, all of our things were unpacked so the horrid thought of them crawling on my belongings or traveling home with us. I went to the front desk and was disregarded since there was a couple in the lobby, until I started playing the video. Now you all are scurrying coming from behind the counter and trying to escort me into an office. I had to go back to the room, wake my child up, and we had to wait back in the library for another 1 hour 10 min for them to get another room ready for us. They moved us to 306 that had a whole in the wall from the door handle hitting it. The mirror at that bar had splotches of some sort on it and needed replacing, as did the mirrors in the bathroom sink area need fixing as well. We were bit nightly in 306 (neck, fingers, toes, backs, etc) by tiny black things flying around, but I didn’t see roaches in there. However, the first night experience was so traumatic that I kept the night lights and bar light on every night in fear. There are goods/pros, but none of them make up for the fact that there were roaches in a hot room with the air not working! (The air was working perfectly fine in 306.) They didn’t even have the decency or courtesy to remove the room charge for the first night’s deplorable experience. Pros: complimentary breakfast daily for in-room dining, in-room dining deliveries always arrived before the quoted time; male employees felt genuinely pleasant and welcoming but not the female employees; the spa was nice; great relaxing pool area; the woman in the Pro Shop was nice and remembered me from my previous stay a few years ago; Country Club breakfast and lunch menu were better than the resort menus. Cons: the birds ruined Afternoon Tea (they would land on your table without shame trying to steal food which is a health hazard/concern), air not working in 211, roaches in 211 (and if they’re in 1 room then they have to be in the neighboring rooms as well…), no apology and no compensation offered (just you have a room on a higher floor now at no extra charge… WHAT?!); the woman who was taking us to the airport in a red BMW drove erratically behind Sandy Lane’s house Rolls Royce to the point I thought she was going to crash into it a few times; she also kept staring at my child for having ice cream in a SL cup and lid and said “she better not make a mess.” Hopefully, they find time to make room repairs and fumigate the rooms as well, or have housekeeping ensure no sticky residues remain on bar surfaces that could attract roaches.

Ultimate luxury at its best. Very expensive not affordable for everyone. Top Notch crowd only.

Sandy Lane continues to be our little piece of heaven. Year after year, it remains the most relaxing place we have ever visited, and every time we leave, we're already looking forward to coming back. There is simply nowhere else that compares for relaxation, service, and the feeling of being genuinely welcomed. The hotel itself is exceptional, but what truly makes Sandy Lane so special is its people. A huge thank you to Nicholas and Zinaya-Blu in the Monkey Club, who always provide wonderful service and make every visit enjoyable. Special congratulations also to Rhia, the Monkey Club Manager, on her well-deserved promotion and award. We couldn't think of anyone more deserving, and it is fantastic to see her hard work and dedication recognised. At the pool area, O'Brien and Steve are honestly two of the friendliest people you could ever hope to meet. Nothing is ever too much trouble, and it is always amazing to see them year after year. Their warmth, professionalism, and genuine care for guests are a huge part of what makes our holidays so memorable. It is always a pleasure to see Richard, Stephanie, Jackie, Andre, and Tamika. Their friendly faces and exceptional service make us feel at home every time we visit. Of course, Alpha is always at the very top of our thank-you list. Having known him through our visits to Sandy Lane for the past 15 years, he truly feels like family. He welcomes us so warmly every time we arrive and is a genuinely wonderful ambassador for the hotel. His kindness, sincerity, and dedication to guests are second to none. A special mention must also go to Keisha at the spa. She always takes the time to understand individual needs and ensures every treatment is tailored perfectly. The level of care and attention she provides is exceptional and reflects the outstanding standards that Sandy Lane is known for. Finally, thank you to Andre at check-out. This was the first time we had the pleasure of meeting him, and he was fantastic. He made our departure a genuinely enjoyable experience, and it was a pleasure chatting with him before heading home. Sandy Lane is far more than a luxury hotel....it is a place filled with extraordinary people who make every stay unforgettable. Thank you to everyone for another incredible visit. We will, as always, be back. Mr and Mrs Osborne💕

Exceptional on every level. Paradise here on earth! We were delighted with our stays at Sandy Lane, the welcome sets the tone, warm, friendly and inviting, the location is great, the food is delicious, service in all areas of the hotel is excellent. Thank you to everyone for an amazing holiday.

Sandy Lane is a true rendition of perfection. The service is top notch and every employee is friendly, kind, and very willing to help in ANY way. They even have a manager's champagne get together weekly for the guests to make sure everyone is having a great time! The management is keenly tuned into what the guests want and need and are diligently working each day to make sure that happens. The beach is absolutely gorgeous and clean; pictures do not do it justice. The beach staff is very attentive and even come around with "special smoothie" samples during the day. One of the outstanding offerings of Sandy Lane is the FOOD! It is exceptional and delicious. The varied buffet dinners are on the highest level and eating outside right on the ocean is unparalleled. Another premier offering at Sandy Lane is the GOLF. The two 18 hole courses are spectacular and it is a privilege to play The Green Monkey. The 9 hole walking course is like a nature tour (you can ride, if you wish). The accommodations are immaculate and gorgeous. Housekeeping is truly like ninjas and they come in and restore your room to perfection in just a jiffy! Even before your trip is complete, you are counting down the days until you can come back!!