Al Maha, a Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa, Dubai
Sandals Royal Barbados
Our Rating
8.5
8.2
Star Rating
5.0
5.0
Room Count
42
222
Restaurants
1
21
Pools
43
11
Year Opened
1999
2017
Year Renovated
2008
2021
Features
Metric
Al Maha, a Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa, Dubai
Sandals Royal Barbados
All-Inclusive
Yes
Yes
Adults Only
Yes
Yes
Beach Access
No
Yes
Spa
Yes
Yes
Kids Club
No
No
Dining Comparison
Metric
Al Maha, a Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa, Dubai
Sandals Royal Barbados
Total Venues
5
26
Included
4
26
Extra Charge
1
0
Room Comparison
Metric
Al Maha, a Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa, Dubai
Sandals Royal Barbados
Room Categories
4
12
Suite Categories
4
12
Activities Comparison
Metric
Al Maha, a Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa, Dubai
Sandals Royal Barbados
Total Activities
10
24
Included
8
18
Extra Charge
2
6
Pros & Cons
Al Maha, a Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa, Dubai
Pros
Wildlife walks past your private villa terrace — Arabian oryx and gazelles roam the conservation reserve freely and are regularly visible from individual villas
Every villa has a temperature-controlled private plunge pool, meaning you never share water with other guests
Desert activities (wildlife safari, camel trek, falconry, sundowners in the dunes, nature walks, archery) are all included and genuinely high-quality — not tourist-circuit versions
40 minutes from Dubai International Airport but feels completely isolated — the contrast between the city and the silence here is the whole point
Cons
One restaurant means the menu rotation gets repetitive after three nights — most guests find 2–3 nights is the right length for this reason
Five-course dinners are elaborate in presentation but small in portion — guests expecting generous all-inclusive food quantities will be surprised
Alcoholic beverages are not included in the standard all-inclusive rate — easy to miss in booking materials and adds up quickly
Sandals Royal Barbados
Pros
The rooftop infinity pool is the Caribbean's first — an evening pool experience with ocean views that's unavailable at other Sandals properties
All-suite property means no standard rooms — every guest has suite-level accommodations
'Stay at One, Play at Two' with adjacent Sandals Barbados effectively doubles dining to 20+ restaurants and 10+ bars
15-minute transfer from Grantley Adams International Airport — one of the shortest Sandals arrivals in the Caribbean
Lovers Lanes bowling alley and craft beer bar are genuine novelties within the all-inclusive format
Cons
Maxwell Beach is a public beach — other hotel guests and persistent local vendors are present and regularly cited by guests
Lounge chair competition is consistent: early morning positioning is required for both the main pool and beachfront spots
Summary
Al Maha, a Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa, Dubai has a higher guest rating, while Sandals Royal Barbados has more restaurants, while Sandals Royal Barbados is the larger property, while Sandals Royal Barbados has more dining venues, while Sandals Royal Barbados offers more activities.
