Sandy Lane Resort & Beach - Public Beach?

[JoturCruise]

The book "1000 Places To See Before You Die" lists the Sandy Hotel in Barbados as one of the world's classiest resorts. I am a big fan of great resorts so I was thinking about going there for lunch and hitting the beach in front of the hotel when our Carnival cruise stops there in late January 2008.

 

Anyone been there?

Someone said all the beaches are public, so I assume we can use the beach in front of the hotel?

Does the bus go there or should we get a taxi?

 

Thanks for any and all advice!

 

Janet

[woodofpine]

I'm not sure that Sandy Lane accepts visitors off the street - or beach - for their restaurant. The impression I got - from the beach - was that if you're not staying there you're not welcome. I'm OK with that, it's exclusive.

 

I was on the beach there - which is public - on account of going with the catamaran 'Cool Runnings' (http://www.coolrunningsbarbardos.com); CR is one of the best cats (with Silver Moon) doing excursions to swim with the turtles then snorkle at the Folkstone Marine Park. CR catered a terrific lunch with open bar; we moored adjacent the Sandy Lane Resort for lunch. I highly recommend them. It gives you an opportunity to beach at - and get a view of - the Sandy Lane hotel (whose signs request that non-hotel guests stay off the property).

 

It was a fabulous day.

[sunchasers64]

The beach is public. We accessed it from Payne's beach right next to it. Walk a bit around a narrow corner (still beach), and you're in the cove where Sandy Lane is. Awesome. You're not allowed to rent loungers or order drinks or food, or walk on the property. We just walked along the beach, took pictures, then went back to where we had walked from. There are pictures of where I'm talking about on the board in the photo gallery. I think "Abberboo" took them.

[barbados]

Mr. Woodofpine wrote: "I'm not sure that Sandy Lane accepts visitors off the street - or beach - for their restaurant. The impression I got - from the beach - was that if you're not staying there you're not welcome."

 

Yes they will accept reservations for lunch or dinner from non-guests.

 

Please understand that the guests set the rules as far as who is welcome.

 

Call when you arrive and they will be happy to accomodate you.

 

Lunch does not give you access to the beach, however, but you will be alowed to walk the grounds.

 

Lunch for two with drinks and tip at sandy is about US$175. Dinner is about US$210.

 

Enjoy! :)

[woodofpine]

Shortly after posting, I spoke with a Bajan friend here that indicated the same - without price details. You can golf by appointment too, my friend reported that the resort has built an underpass for the coastal road that historically ran between the hotel buildings and the golf fairways that allows for easier pedestrian and cart transit from hotel to course.

 

That's nice... nice and expensive to build. Don't expect cheap food! ;)

 

It's a beautiful resort.

[JoturCruise]

Thanks for all the info!

[geoherb]

Our catamaran anchored off the beach at the Sandy Lane Resort a couple of weeks ago. We had a nice swim to get to the beach. Our captain said that all beaches were public, but not to wander into the resort or to use its chairs or facilities.

 

I found this menu on the Sandy Lane website. The prices are in Barbados dollars, which means roughly twice the U.S. price. Or in other words, almost $30 for a cheeseburger and $40 for Bajan chicken curry.

[ORIENTEER]

We did a tour round the hotel. Check into that. We had to make a reservation before - you can't just walk in off the street to participate.

[JoturCruise]

How was the tour?

[ORIENTEER]

Sandy Lane Tour

 

We were gob-smacked. I believe rooms are thousands of dollars a night. Beautiful coral stone rooms with all the up-to-date technology in TV & automatic curtain openers.

 

When I lived on the island we could get down the side of the old hotel onto the beach. But now it's difficult even though the beach is supposed to be public.

 

Celebs have weddings there - Tiger Woods for one I believe, and who could blame them.

 

I'm sure you could find the website and see if the tours are still on.

 

Orienteer