Hotel Riu Buenavista vs Sandals Royal Barbados

Riu Hotels & Resorts vs Sandals Resorts— Side-by-side resort comparison

Key Metrics

Metric	Hotel Riu Buenavista	Sandals Royal Barbados
Room Categories	4	12
Suite Categories	0	12

Six pools including an infinity pool and adults-only option — unusual combination at this price tier in Tenerife.
Renovation in 2020 means rooms and public spaces are genuinely fresh-feeling, not just touched-up.
RiuLand kids' club is well-run with age-separated programs for 4–7 and 8–12.
24-hour all-inclusive including a round-the-clock bar reduces any stress about meal timing.
Main buffet at Atlantico is consistently praised for variety and live cooking stations.

Beach is 500m away — the resort markets itself as beachfront but the sandy area requires a walk or shuttle.
Pool loungers are widely reported as uncomfortable, even post-renovation.
Specialty restaurants are popular and require reservations; guests who miss the booking window are stuck with the buffet.
Evening entertainment skews toward a European (primarily British and German) audience.

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

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
Service at restaurants and bars is noted as slower than expected given the pricing — allow extra time for meals
The scale of the combined Royal Barbados and Sandals Barbados property means it's a larger, more crowded operation than quieter Sandals resorts

Sandals Royal Barbados has more restaurants, while Hotel Riu Buenavista is the larger property, while Sandals Royal Barbados has more dining venues.