Iberostar Bahía de Palma vs Sandals Royal Barbados
Iberostar Hotels & Resorts vs Sandals Resorts — Side-by-side resort comparison
Key Metrics
| Metric | Iberostar Bahía de Palma | Sandals Royal Barbados |
|---|---|---|
| Our Rating | 8.4 | 8.2 |
| Star Rating | 4.0 | 5.0 |
| Room Count | 171 | 222 |
| Restaurants | 2 | 21 |
| Pools | 3 | 11 |
| Year Opened | 1970 | 2017 |
| Year Renovated | 2009 | 2021 |
Features
| Metric | Iberostar Bahía de Palma | Sandals Royal Barbados |
|---|---|---|
| All-Inclusive | Yes | Yes |
| Adults Only | Yes | Yes |
| Beach Access | Yes | Yes |
| Spa | Yes | Yes |
| Kids Club | No | No |
Dining Comparison
| Metric | Iberostar Bahía de Palma | Sandals Royal Barbados |
|---|---|---|
| Total Venues | 5 | 26 |
| Included | 3 | 26 |
| Extra Charge | 2 | 0 |
Room Comparison
| Metric | Iberostar Bahía de Palma | Sandals Royal Barbados |
|---|---|---|
| Room Categories | 8 | 12 |
| Suite Categories | 2 | 12 |
Activities Comparison
| Metric | Iberostar Bahía de Palma | Sandals Royal Barbados |
|---|---|---|
| Total Activities | 17 | 24 |
| Included | 10 | 18 |
| Extra Charge | 7 | 6 |
Pros & Cons
Iberostar Bahía de Palma
Pros
- The rooftop infinity pool's cantilevered section and bay views are genuinely impressive — not just a marketing photo.
- Playa de Palma is one of Majorca's longest beaches with consistently shallow, calm water — good for actual swimming.
- Adults-only enforcement creates a noticeably quieter atmosphere than comparable mixed-family resorts on the same strip.
- Palma Airport is 7 km away — one of the fastest airport transfers in Majorca.
Cons
- Playa de Palma's surrounding strip is heavily commercialized budget tourism — the resort is good but the neighborhood outside is not.
- Sunbeds on the beach are extra charge, not included in the all-inclusive rate.
- Some rooms were reported as on the smaller side — room size data in the listing appears to be in square meters, not square feet.
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
- 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
Summary
Iberostar Bahía de Palma 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.