Highly praised for friendly, attentive, and helpful staff.
Stunning ocean and sunset views from many vantage points.
Comfortable and well-appointed rooms and suites.
High-quality food, particularly in the specialty à la carte restaurants.
Enjoyable and fun pool areas, including swim-up bars.
Excellent family-friendly amenities and activities, including dedicated kids' and teens' clubs.
Conveniently located very close to the airport and downtown Puerto Vallarta.
"Unlimited-Luxury®" concept with no reservations needed for à la carte dining and no wristbands.
Daily refreshed mini-bar and 24-hour room service are highly valued.
Cons
Nightly entertainment can sometimes be perceived as lacking or limited.
Some guests report cutbacks in Preferred Club mini-bar restocks compared to previous experiences.
Portions of the beach have rocky areas, which may affect swimming comfort.
All room types have a strict occupancy limit of four guests, which can be challenging for larger families.
While satisfactory, dining options for specific diets (e.g., vegan) are not always exceptional.
Some perceive the value for money to be slightly lower compared to other aspects.
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
Summary
Sandals Royal Barbados has more restaurants, while Sandals Royal Barbados has more dining venues, while Dreams Vallarta Bay Resort & Spa offers more activities.
