Located on Barbados'' west coast at St. James, Sandy Lane is not just the name of a beach but also of a luxury resort that was recently included on ForbesTraveler.com''s list of best luxury Caribbean resorts. Opened in 1961, Sandy Lane (http://www.sandylane.com/introduction/index.html), which has a very British style, has consistently attracted celebrities, royalty and the rich.
The resort offers 112 rooms and suites and a separate 5 bedroom villa. Room types, in ascending order of luxury status, are classified as Orchid, Ocean, Luxury Orchid, Luxury Ocean, Dolphin Suite, Luxury Dolphin Suite, Penthouse, and The Villa at Sandy Lane. Room prices range from a low of $1000 per night during the summer season (which runs April 1 to October 31) for an Orchid Room, to a high of $25,000 per night for a room in The Villa at Sandy Lane during the Festive Season (December 17 to January 6). Even the Orchid Rooms, the least expesive, have marble bathrooms, flat screen TVs, a private veranda, and overlook tropical gardens. The more expensive rooms have water views.
One of the highlights of Sandy Lane is its appeal to golfers. It houses three golf courses: the Green Monkey, The Country Club, and The Old Nine. Green fees range from $100 per person for The Old Nine to $385 per person for The Green Monkey (a Tom Fazio course). For tennis lovers, the resort boasts nine tennis courts. The resort also has a Romanesque spa where visitors receive treatments such as vibration massage and hydrotherapy.
Although Sandy Lane is a luxury resort with special accommodations for newlyweds and romantic getaways for couples, it also caters to families. The Sandy Lane Treehouse Club, designed for children ages 3 to 12, offers an indoor play area and restaurant just for kids. There is also a toddler area, and a teen area. Care for children staying at the resort with their parents is offered from 10 a.m to 8 p.m daily.
In addition to golfing, playing tennis, or relaxing at the spa, Sandy Lane offers guests a quiet beach and pool area. Watersports are popular here as well. Sandy Lane also houses a large collection of boutiques and shops, with most items for sale offered tax-free.
A resort this large must have multiple dining areas, and Sandy Lane does not disappoint. Four restaurants and five bars exist within the resort. L''Acajou, the resort''s signature restaurant, is known as one of the best restaurants in Barbados, offering French cuisine. Bajan Blue is a Mediterranean/West Indies interactive restaurant where guests are invited into the kitchen. As one might expect from a luxury resort, food prices are extravagant at L''Acajou, with an average meal price of $250 per person. The average cost per person at Bajan Blue is a bit more reasonable, at $60.
If you''re looking to be treated like royalty on your next Caribbean vacation, start saving your money and plan to stay at Sandy Lane in Barbados.
Author: Susan F. Maphis 2009-03-03
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