For my Mom’s 70th birthday this year, we took a family trip to Barbados to celebrate and I’m here to tell you all about our wonderful week long vacation and everything you need to know about Sandy Lane resort.
A Week at Sandy Lane Barbados: Our Family’s Luxury Caribbean Escape
There are vacations… and then there are Sandy Lane vacations.
After spending seven unforgettable nights at Sandy Lane in Barbados with our family, I completely understand why so many people return year after year. From the moment we pulled through the iconic palm-lined entrance until the day we reluctantly packed our bags, every detail felt effortless, luxurious, and incredibly family-friendly.
Before we arrived, we followed the itinerary my sister-in-law had planned for our trip almost exactly—and I’m so glad we did. It gave us the perfect balance of relaxing at one of the world’s most beautiful resorts while still experiencing some of the best that Barbados has to offer.
My brother’s family had been to this resort twice before bringing us along, so we knew this place was something special.
HOW TO GET TO SANDY LANE
We flew from Pensacola to Miami with American Airlines and then hopped on a 3.5 hour flight from Miami to Barbados. We had smooth flights on the way there which made things so nice and then we were greeted by a Sandy Lane representative at the airport that whisked us through the immigration process, helped with luggage and showed us to our complimentary ride to the resort. The drive from the airport to the resort was around 45 minutes and then we arrived at our home for the next week.
WHERE WE STAYED IN BARBADOS
Sandy Lane Resort and Spa
First Impressions
The first thing you’ll notice about Sandy Lane is the service.
Every staff member greets you by name, your ice bucket magically stays full, your room is immaculate every time you return, and the little details never go unnoticed. It’s the kind of place where you don’t have to think about anything because someone already has. Did I mention that they will unpack your things for you upon arrival for no extra charge?? This was a game changer for me.
The beach is absolutely stunning, the pools are beautiful, and somehow the resort manages to feel elegant without ever feeling stuffy. It truly works for both couples and families and wows you in all the best ways possible.
Resort Days Done Right
Most mornings started slowly with breakfast overlooking the ocean before settling into a rhythm of beach time, swimming, and relaxing by the pool.
On more adventurous days, we had Adams family tennis competitions, played a round of golf, jumped on a jet ski or went on a half-day excursion.
One of my favorite things about Sandy Lane is that you never feel rushed. Some vacations leave you feeling like you need another vacation afterward. This one was exactly the opposite.
The kids bounced between the beach and pool and sometimes even the kids club, while the adults actually had time to sit, read, chat, and enjoy being together.
Did I mention that the Kids Club is included in your stay? Drop them off and pick them up whenever you please. Even the big kids liked going for the game room.
EVERYTHING WE DID AT SANDY LANE
This resort really is packed with everything you need all in one place. The beauty is that you really never have to leave the property if you don’t want to and that is pretty much what we did!
Activities at the Resort
They have everything from beach toys, swim up bars, a beautiful spa, tennis courts, padel lessons, multiple golf courses and a wonderful kids club that is complimentary with your stay.
When we booked our rooms, we were asked if we wanted the spa package or the golf package and between our group, we were split down the middle. Half of us did spa and half did golf. What that meant was that we received complimentary coupons for services during our stay which was a wonderful extra touch.
We played tennis, golf, utilized the spa and kids clubs and had afternoons on the beach or swimming in the pool. The resort was small enough that we felt comfortable allowing the kids to navigate the grounds mostly by themselves which was so nice and one evening we did use the in-house babysitting service so that the adults could have an evening out to dinner.
Although we loved all the activities on property, we did book a couple things off property.
Fishing with Mario on The Eclipse
One morning, the boys headed out for a fishing charter aboard The Eclipse with Captain Mario. They had to grab a taxi from the hotel and take a short drive to meet the boat for their 5 hour fishing trip.
This ended up being a really cool experience for them even though they sadly didn’t bring home any fish for us to eat.
They spent hours out on the crystal-clear Caribbean waters without having to go too far out and they were chasing marlin, laughing, and making memories together. They were excited to tell us that they had a huge marlin on the line that got off and they had four knockdowns which I learned meant they had 4 marlin bites. I would have died to see the boys actually catch their first marlin, but I am so glad they had fun and could tell us all about it.
Nauti by Nature was another boat that came recommended down there for a fishing excursion that we heard was great too!
Catamaran Day on Seadeuced III
The MAJOR highlight of our trip was spending the day aboard the Seadeuced III catamaran.
This is exactly what you picture when you dream about a Caribbean vacation.
We cruised along Barbados’ beautiful coastline, snorkeled in unbelievably clear water, swam with sea turtles, floated in the warm Caribbean Sea, and simply enjoyed an entire day out on the water with our family.
The crew made everything feel so easy, and having the space to spread out, relax, and enjoy the island from the water made for one of our favorite family days. They provided us with the most incredible lunch and they had so many fun toys aboard the catamaran that the kids (and adults) absolutely loved!
St. Nicholas Abbey Trains
My family decided to take an afternoon to go explore a little more of what the island of Barbados had to offer and hired a driver to take us over to the other side of the island from where we were staying. One of Barbados’ most unique attractions, the St. Nicholas Abbey Heritage Railway is a beautifully restored steam train that winds through the historic St. Nicholas Abbey plantation, lush mahogany forests, and rolling sugar cane fields before climbing to Cherry Tree Hill, where you’ll enjoy one of the most spectacular panoramic views on the island’s rugged east coast. The journey lasts about an hour and then you can also visit the 350 year old rum distillery while you are there as well. We didn’t make it on the Jacobean Great House tour this time. Another adventure park on that side of the island is Harrison’s Cave Eco-Adventure Park which was closed when we were there, but could be another great attraction with children.
I’m glad we did this tour once, but I wouldn’t say you are missing out on too much if you don’t make it over to the Northeast side of the island. This is the Atlantic side of the island so the ocean is very rough all the time and you don’t see resorts on this side of the island. You find all the resorts on the calmer, west side of the island with the Caribbean Sea.
Dining Around Barbados
We loved our meals at Sandy Lane enjoying room service breakfast delivered to our ocean view porch every morning, lunches beach or poolside and dinners at one of the three options on property.
Although we enjoyed dinners at Sandy Lane throughout most of our stay, we made one special evening out that were absolutely worth leaving the resort for.
The Cliff
For one evening, the adults slipped away for dinner at The Cliff, one of Barbados’ most iconic restaurants.
It was every bit as beautiful as everyone says. Sitting above the Caribbean Sea while the sun disappeared below the horizon made for one of those meals you know you’ll remember for years. Between the incredible service, elegant atmosphere, and outstanding food, it was easily one of the highlights of the trip.
If you’re celebrating something special—or simply want an unforgettable date night—The Cliff should absolutely be on your itinerary.
QP Bistro is their sister restaurant right next door and is supposed to be equally amazing. Unfortunately, we didn’t make it here this trip.
Why Sandy Lane Is Worth the Splurge
Luxury resorts can certainly be beautiful, but what separates Sandy Lane is how personal everything feels.
The staff remembers your name.
The service is intuitive without being intrusive.
The branding is iconic.
Families feel just as welcome as couples.
Every meal feels special.
And somehow, even during a full week, we never ran out of things to enjoy.
It’s the kind of place where lifelong family memories are made.
Our Itinerary
I always love to save our itineraries from trips to be able to look back on and see what we did and utilize to help plan for future trips.
🌴 Barbados at Sandy Lane 🇧🇧✨
Itinerary :
🗓️ July 1 – Arrival
✈️ Check in & settle in
🍽️ 7:00 PM — Dinner for 12 @ Bajan Blue
🗓️ July 2
🎾 10:00 AM — Tennis courts reserved
🏖️ Free afternoon (pool, beach, spa, or watersports)
🗓️ July 3
⛳ 8:30 AM — Green Monkey tee time (Bryan, Holly & Bill)
🥂 Lunch at the golf clubhouse with the golfers
🍸 6:00 PM — Babysitters arrive
🍽️ 7:00 PM — Dinner @ The Cliff ✨
🗓️ July 4 🇺🇸🎆
⛵ 9:45 AM — Meet on the beach for boarding
🌊 10:00 AM–3:00 PM — Private catamaran cruise & lunch
🏖️ Relax at the resort
🍽️ 7:00 PM — Dinner for 12 @ Monkey Club
🗓️ July 5
🎣 630am boys fishing
🧒 10am kids club
🧖♀️ 11am spa day
☀️ Open day ideas:
🤿 Snorkeling • 💆 Spa • 🛍️ Holetown • 🏖️ Beach & pool • 🍹 Sunset cocktails
🍹 7pm dinner at La Cabane
🗓️ July 6
⛳ 8:40 AM — Green Monkey tee time (Bryan, Holly & Bill)
🚂 12pm – Malones exploration trip North and east side of island – train
⛳ 3:00 PM— 9-hole golf (Adams family)
🍽️ 7:00 PM — Dinner @ Bajan Blue
🗓️ July 7
🎾 10:00 AM — Tennis courts reserved
🧖♀️ 12pm – scrub then full body massage
⛳️ 3:15pm Annie and Brody golf Old 9
💆♀️ 4pm Holly 90 min massage
🌅 Enjoy one last beach afternoon
🍹 Sunset drinks before packing
🗓️ July 8
✈️ Departure
🧳 10am pack up
🚕 1pm pick up for airport
💙 Until next time, Barbados! 🇧🇧
Final Thoughts
Looking back, I wouldn’t change a thing about this trip.
Following our itinerary allowed us to experience the very best of Barbados while still giving ourselves plenty of time to simply enjoy Sandy Lane. Between incredible dinners, unforgettable excursions, lazy afternoons on the beach, and quality family time, this became one of our favorite Caribbean vacations yet.
Although this is an expensive resort, they do include things in your stay that make you feel like you are getting your monies worth. Things like breakfast, spa or golf coupons, complimentary kids club, lunch coupons, and small extras by your bed every night.
If you’re considering Barbados for your next family getaway, Sandy Lane is everything you’ve heard—and somehow even better.
We’ll absolutely be back.
