Sugar Bay Barbados

Glorious inviting place to rest awhile So been visiting SugarBay since 2016 this year our 3rd visit - it never fails to delight and surprise us . Consistent offer for a first rate holiday. Arrived a couple of days ago & felt a mid holiday review was in order. Staff as ever friendly , helpful always ready to assist and the changes made in relocating the bar and transforming the buffet area have only added to the charm which is SugarBay ( see photos) SugarBay still retains its vision of 2016 and grows with a unique charm which continues to deliver its vision - not an easy task however they smash it. I’ll be posting a further review after the holiday and we’re back in January . You won’t be disappointed should you choose to stay

We recently returned from our fourth visit to Sugar Bay in less than two years. That should indicate how much we enjoy this resort. Our Signature room was modern, comfortable and spotless. Fresh towels were provided daily. Large walk-in shower with rain shower type spray as well as a hand held spray and plenty of hot water. King size bed very comfortable. Very good storage - shelves as well as hangers. A mini fridge, kettle and tea/coffee provisions were handy. Flat screen TV had loads of channels, including local, American, British, Canadian and sports channels etc. Nice sized balcony with table and two chairs with cushions. Beach is gorgeous. Love that the breakwater calms the seas for relaxed swimming. Plenty of water toys available from the beach staff, paddle boards, kayaks etc. We had no trouble getting sunbeds on the beach every morning and the beach staff ensured we always had a beach umbrella. The beach boss Romaine is the best and he is a credit to the resort. We liked the newly renovated and relocated bar which had plenty of bar stools plus an area on the beach side to walk up and get a drink. If you didn’t feel like leaving your chair, beach waiter Tyrese (with the biggest smile on the planet) was sure to be nearby to bring you one. We can’t say enough about the bar staff, they are exceptional every one of them. I wish I could remember all the names, but the ones we saw most were Joan, Helen, David, Nicolas, Damien, Trisha and Nathan. Special shout out to Nicolas (Rock) for making our stay special as he took a couple of minutes out of his day everyday to come and say good morning and good evening, Rock is a hard working guy stocking up all the bars multiple times a day. Credit to Arden for how he runs the bar crew. Reef restaurant has also undergone some changes and the buffet area reconfigured making a smoother roomier flow of guests getting plates and food. The choices while we were there were everything we could want - my favourites were coconut shrimp, jerk chicken, Bajan roti, all the different pastas including from the made to order hot station, rack of lamb, ribs, roast pork, and the Sunday roast beef with Yorkshire pudding. We know how food prices have skyrocketed where we live, and I can’t imagine how the resorts manage especially when so much must be imported. No doubt the head chef has a tough job in this regard. We enjoyed chatting with Pedro the food and beverage manager always available to hear guest comments, and they do appreciate praise too. We didn’t get to try the new soft ice cream machine that was just being installed when we left, but looked like a great addition. All the servers and supervisors we came across in the restaurants deserve being mentioned, and Kay, Hideko, Kerry Ann, Samantha E. at the Reef and Akiel in Sizzle come to mind among others. We had two meals at Sizzle which were fantastic. Steaks — flat iron steak and Filet Mignon - as good as any we get at home and the blackened red snapper was amazing! We ate twice at Umi and really enjoyed the sashimi, crispy shrimp tempura, chicken cashew and the green tea cheesecake. We did not use the pool much as it is quite shallow but was always busy as was the swim up bar. Do not miss the Tuesday evening Manager’s cocktail reception. Some lovely local artisans are on hand with beautiful pottery and paintings etc. This special hour is an opportunity to meet with the owner manager and senior staff in a very relaxed setting. They are very approachable. We thoroughly enjoyed the nightly entertainment - quite a variety from amazing girl groups to guitar and keyboard duos to deejays and the colourful traditional Bajan performances. And we loved the cool melody of the steelpan musician on Sunday afternoons. It’s the little things that sets Sugar Bay apart from other resorts we’ve been to. Mostly it is down to the staff. It begins with easy check in at the front desk with the very courteous staff; a member of staff remembering us or drinks or food we like or don’t like; Akiel from Sizzle reciting exactly what we had ordered on our last visit six months ago. The big smiles. The banter. This is what brings us back.

We had a fabulous time at Sugar Bay with our 2.5 year old. First off, the bay is so calm and lovely and the water is the most amazing colour - it's like a postcard! The decor and rooms were even better than expected from the website photos. Kids Club We have a 2.5 year old so the creche was super important to us and we loved it. The women there esp Keisha and Kaya were so nice and fun. Our kid made a bracelet (which they haven't yet taken off), a picture frame and sticker artwork, and did loads of playing. They napped there every day too which was perfect. Sure they also watched some TV but specifically when my kid asked for it or needed to be calmed. We were so impressed. We stayed in the club for half an hour the first time we dropped our kid to chat and get to know the staff which I think helped our kid adjust too. Snorkeling & Surfing There is decent snorkeling in the bay right in front of the hotel - especially if you wait until low tide and then swim along the barrier rocks that shelter the bay. If you go down to Carlisle/Pebble beach (20 mins walk by road although apparently you can also walk along the beach) there is fantastic diving and snorkeling. We had a lesson with Smiley's surf school (5 minutes walk) & loved it! The local surf is intermediate level so we went to Freights Bay for a more chill time. Watersports at the hotel was also great - we tried a kayak and it was perfect for a toddler ride. Food & Drink The all-inclusive drinks were a revelation. So delicious! Virgin pina colada was outstanding. All the food was great. Top tip for kids: you can ask for food anytime for kids, the staff are super helpful even when restaurants are closed. There is a kids menu you can order from at the Reef Restaurant reception and they can deliver it anytime and anyplace including kids club. I found my kid usually needed to eat before and after the restaurants closed for lunch so this was perfect. The only con I can think of is the entertainment is quite loud for kids trying to go to bed early (we were in an ocean view room). But it ends at 10pm. Oh and do be careful of the sun!! I didn't realise how dehydrated I was getting and ended up needing to see a doctor (who came to the room) & get some iv fluids. Drink loads of water & stay in AC some of the day if you can!