Wyndham Grand Barbados Sam Lords Castle All-inclus

The scenery is lovely, but I wouldn’t recommend this resort. I spent 2,000 on a stay and Castle View never opened for the brunch it was supposed to serve. Dinner at any of the resort restaurants also meant you basically needed dress clothes. I get the no flip-flops or tank tops rule, but women couldn’t wear T-shirts and men needed dress shirts or button-downs. Who packs that for a vacation? The food and alcohol choices were very limited, so it felt like eating the same things every day with no variety. The room AC barely worked, which meant relying mostly on the fan. For the money, I would much rather have stayed somewhere else.

We ate off-site at Le Shack and really enjoyed it. Our taxi driver got us there quickly and safely, then came back as soon as we asked for a ride. The view over the ocean from building 2 is amazing, and the staff have been incredibly kind and helpful. Barbados hospitality is unmatched. Amazing place.

The beach wasn’t usable for swimming, or even wading, because there was just way too much seaweed. The hotel does provide a free shuttle to Harbour Lights, a nearby beach that’s very nice and swimmable. Some people may want the beach right outside, but our group found rides easy to arrange. I was with a small group from my company on an incentive trip, and Sam Lord’s Castle gave us a pleasant stay with memories we’ll look back on fondly. Petra checked in on us several times and made us feel noticed, even though a much larger, high-profile conference was happening during part of our visit. Thank you, Petra! Our room was spacious, bright, airy, and comfortable. I’d worried we might not see the ocean, since we were facing the pool, but we still had a great ocean view. The patio was large too. A few others in our party had AC trouble, though we were lucky and our room stayed cool and comfortable. The resort is beautiful, and I loved the little breezeway with its ocean view between the lobby and Japanese restaurant. The entertainment coordinators and poolside servers were fun, friendly, and engaging. Kymani, Shaquille, and the other team members whose names I missed gave amazing service. The host at the Japanese restaurant was a standout, though I didn’t catch their name, as was Faith at Castle View. Kymani’s karaoke co-host on 5/29 did a great job keeping things moving and the party going. The resort had a nice balance of quiet, relaxing time and enough entertainment to keep guests, well, entertained. For local food nearby, there’s Le Shack, with French/Bajan fusion, and Dis Ole House, a cute, eclectic spot with outdoor seating that’s within walking distance.

I’m a seasoned traveler and know what I usually expect from an all-inclusive, so I want to be fair. The grounds, pools, and resort were clean, and the pools were very nice. Even though it was supposedly fully booked, it never seemed crowded, so there was plenty of space. Our room was spacious and clean, with a beautiful view and a big balcony where we enjoyed the very good coffee provided in the room. The location is isolated on the island, with nowhere to walk to nearby. You need an Uber to get to the other side if you want to walk around outside the resort. You can’t swim at the beach either. The water is too rough, and the coast is covered in thick seaweed. Food was a letdown. The main buffet’s food was cold and not very kid-friendly, though pizza night was actually very good. The poolside grill served better food, but we waited an hour for our meal. The one fancy restaurant required reservations and was booked every night we were there. We tried walking in and were turned away, even though it looked half empty. Service was horrible. A few people tried hard, but most employees seemed like they didn’t want to be there, and it showed in their faces and service. The included alcohol selection was very limited, though there is a nice rum bar where you can pay extra. There also wasn’t a bar with a TV to watch international sports. I’d hoped to catch some of the Winter Olympics over drinks, but was told I’d have to go into town. I’d never return to this resort.