Updated: October 1, 2016

Mango Bay is a small all inclusive resort situated in the heart of Holetown Barbados on the Barbados Gold Coast.  Mango Bay is a small charming all inclusive resort.

Mango Bay offers 76 beautifully appointed guest rooms, all of which boast furnished balconies or patios.

Below is a summation of hundreds of user reviews on Mango Bay.

Most frequent positive reviews about Mango Bay

• The Staff work very hard to ensure that your stay is perfect.  They always have a smile on their face and nothing is to much trouble.
• The Food is amazing with a great selection to choose from. The meals are served a la carte which makes it nice to be waited on at the table.  There is a buffet 2 nights during the week which is equally delicious.  The chef has no problem catering to specific dietary needs.
• Rooms are clean, spacious and comfortable.
•  The Pool is a nice size and is close to the bar.  There are plenty of sun beds available.
• The bar serves premium drinks,  offering well known name brands.  It stays open until midnight.
• The bar staff comes around several times a day to take drink orders.  Cool towels are offered.
• The beach is lovely, relaxing and quiet,  with plenty of sun beds.  There are cushions on the sun beds which give it a nice touch.
• It is a 2 minute walk to Holetown where you will find  a variety of shops, restaurants,  bars,  a bank,  post office,  and,  a  supermarket with a pharmacy inside it.
• The bus stop is also near by.  Each trip is only $2 Bajan ($1 US).
• A large variety of water sports are available,  including a catamaran,  and,  a glass bottom boat.  Many quests have enjoyed swimming with the turtles.
• The beach is perfect for nice long walks.

Most frequent negative reviews about Mango Bay

• Room décor could do with some refurbishment.  But, the rooms are clean and comfortable.
• Standard rooms can be a bit noisy in the evening,  due to the street noise.  It is suggested to upgrade if possible.
• TV channels are very limited and the reception is not very good.
• Wi Fi is hit or miss.  You may have to go out of the room to get good reception.
• There is no Kids Club,  which makes it not so kid friendly.  Still,  the kids are well looked after by the staff.
•  The Fitness room is small with limited equipment.

Other considerations

• Upon arrival you are greeted with a cool towel and given drinks,  then you are  given an introductory tour of the hotel to help you get acquainted.
• Anniversaries, birthdays, etc. are made special by the staff.
• Mango Bay Barbados offers a wedding package,  and,  a wedding coordinator is available to make your wedding day truly memorable.
• Daily Afternoon tea is served.
• The Hotel is centrally located.  It is within walking distance to some great shopping, restaurants,  and,  bars.
• Sunday night the locals have a street party.  Tourists are welcome to join in on the fun!
• The Restaurant looks out over the beach,  so you can enjoy the fabulous food and sunset.
• The jewel of the hotel is the staff.  They make this hotel feel like a 5 star experience.

How Does Mango Bay Barbados Define All Inclusive

• Breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner and alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.
• Complimentary watersports that includes waterskiing, kayaking, hobiecat sailing, pedal boats, and snorkeling.
• Complimentary trip aboard a glass bottom boat that is offered on Fridays.
• Complimentary 2 hour trip along the West Coast that includes snorkeling and swimming with the turtles.
• Complimentary scuba diving lesson in the pool on Tuesdays and Fridays.
• Gym that is equipped with a range of aerobic machines, free weights and a fitness ball which is open 24 hours daily.
• Live music offered in the restaurant nightly from 8:00PM-11:00PM.
• Complimentary wireless access is available in the public areas only.

Other Options Available For An Additional Fee

• Specialty Wines, Champagne and Bottled Water.
• Babysitting can be organized.
• The “Elements Spa” treatments.
• Scenic Boat Trips.
• Island Tours and Excursions.
• Golf at the various championship courses.
• Further instruction and certification can be arranged for scuba diving.

Restaurants at Mango Bay Barbados:

Bar

Mango Bay Photos

Aerial view of the beach

Spa at Mango Bay

Penthouse Room

Wedding

Wedding Gazebo

Room with ocean view

Room with garden view

Restaurant

Beachfront restaurant

Pool

Penthouse Jacuzzi

Penthouse plunge pool

Pool

Pool

Pool view room

Penthouse balcony

Beach

Beach

Building (newer side)

Sandals Barbados is an all inclusive resort in the active St. Lawrence Gap area.  It is right next door to Sandals Royal Barbados, and the two resorts effectively share the same common grounds.    This article contains the pros and cons from our personal experience at Sandals Barbados as well as the consensus from hundreds of Sandals Barbados reviews. Sandals Barbados is one of the top Sandals resorts in the chain.

Sandals has recently completed and opened (December 2017) a brand new all-suite resort (Sandals Royal Barbados) next door to Sandals Barbados.

Because Sandals Barbados and Sandals Royal Barbados are next door to each other, you are almost getting two resorts in one when you book one of these resorts.  They share the same beach and guests at each resort can use all the amenities of both resorts.  Walking between resorts is seamless – it is as if they are the same resort.  The only thing you cannot do is have your butler reserve chairs at the resort you aren’t staying at.

Sandals Barbados Reviews: The Positive

• The Staff are friendly.  Nothing is too much trouble.  They are always making sure you are having a good time.
• The food is generally well regarded.  The reviews of the food are as good or better than any other Sandals resort.  Butches and Kimono’s are extremely popular and the only restaurants requiring reservations.
• The shared amenities (restaurants, pools, etc) with Sandals Royal Barbados make the resort much bigger than it was when it was a standalone resort.
• Merry Monkey is a fun place to have a late night drink, play pool, and listen to music.
• The Rooms are clean, spacious, and beautifully designed.  The beds are comfortable.  Rooms are equipped with UK and USA sockets.
• Pools are lovely.  Something for everyone.  The main pool has a swim up bar and is the more active pool.
• The drink servers around the pools and on the beach are always attentive and friendly, as well as bringing drinks wanted from the bar.
• Water sports are available with an attentive water sports team.
• Nightly shows are entertaining and fun.  The staff encourages guests to join in on the activities, but, are not pushy.
• There is a Fire Pit at night surrounded by comfy chairs.
• The gym is new and well equipped.
• Wi-Fi around the resort is pretty good and fast.
• The piano bar is great for late night entertainment.
• Most people feel the diving is good, but not great.
• Barbados is one of the safest islands in the Caribbean, so if you like to explore the island Sandals Barbados is a good choice.

Sandals Barbados Reviews: The Negative

The Ocean and the Beach

• The ocean can be rough, very rough.  Expect to see red flags up at some point during your stay.   There is no swimming when red flags are up due to the choppy water.
• If the beach and calm water are most important to you it may be a bit disappointing.
• The beach area has lots of shade.  This is actually a plus for some people.  Scroll down to see a video that shows exactly how much shade there is on the beach.
• Water Sports may not be available everyday due to the rough ocean seas.

Restaurants

• One of the biggest complaints is the restaurant reservation system.  Basically, if the resort is busy and you want to eat at specific restaurants you MUST book in advance.

Pools

• Sun beds can be a problem because guests will get up early to reserve the choice spots.  The biggest problem seems to be around the main pool area.  The staff will remove towels from the reserved beds if they are not occupied within a reasonable period of time.

Rooms

• There is a minor problem with the walk in showers getting the bathroom floor wet due to the design.   You may need to put extra towels down on the outside of the shower.
• Some of the rooms do not have tubs.  If an in-room tub is important to you, make sure you inquire about it in advance.

Other

• Many guests mention the presence of lots of mosquitoes – on the resort property and sometimes in the rooms.
• There are cats at the resort, which many guests do not enjoy
• In the morning, birds can be a problem at the Bayside Restaurant.  The other option is the Bombay Restaurant.

Other Considerations

• Two of the restaurants are very popular and require reservations (Butch’s and Kimonos).  If you really want to eat at one of these Restaurants, you should inquire about reservations WHEN YOU CHECK IN (or perhaps even call before you arrive).
• Sandals Barbados located within walking distance to St. Lawrence Gap, one of Barbados’ largest entertainment districts.  If you like to get out and about this is a must.
• Sandals Barbados is much larger than the other all inclusive resorts in Barbados.  The resort is very well laid out and tastefully decorated.
• The grounds are absolutely immaculate and the resort is pristine.
• There are small romantic seating areas around the property for couples to enjoy.
• Sandals Barbados is a great resort for planning a destination wedding or a honeymoon.
• Upon arrival you will be greeted with a lovely song by the staff, a cool towel and a glass of champagne.  When on the bus back to the airport,  you will hear one last sweet song.
• Although the beach area has lots of shade, there is still plenty of sun.  The sun beds can be moved to suite your mood.
• Many guests agree that the Butler Suites are amazing and well worth the extra money.

Sandals Barbados reviews from other sources

• 4.5 stars out of 5 from Trip Advisor
• 4/5 stars from Oyster.com
• 5/5 stars from Fodors.com

How does Sandals Barbados define all inclusive?

• Unlimited gourmet dining at 11 restaurants AND 6 more at Sandals Royal Barbados (17 total)
• Breakfast, lunch, dinner and anytime snacks
• Unlimited premium spirits
• 7 bars, including swim-up bars
• Stocked bars in every room
• Unlimited Robert Mondavi Twin Oaks^®wines
• All tips, taxes and gratuities
• Roundtrip airport transfers
• PADI^® Certified SCUBA Diving
• Snorkeling (and all equipment)
• Hobie Cats, paddle boards, kayaks
• Professional instruction for water sports
• Beach volleyball, bocce ball, pool tables
• Day and night tennis
• Unlimited land sports and state-of-the-art fitness centers
• Day and night entertainment including live shows
• Exchange privileges with adjacent Sandals Royal Barbados
• All amenities and inclusions at Sandals Royal Barbados
• Free WiFi (in room and all common areas)
• Free wedding (for stays of 3 nights or longer)

Other options available for an additional fee

• Red Lane Spa treatments.
• Local adventure tours.

Restaurants at Sandals Barbados

Bars at Sandals Barbados

Scuba Diving at Sandals Barbados

Guest Photos of Sandals Resort:

Rooms: