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The Sandpiper, set at the heart of the fashionable West Coast, is a calm and trusty Barbados hotel, and one that is pleasantly low key on a strip where the hotels are known for their glitz and glamour. The Sandpiper is friendlier than that, more intimate, more of a hideaway and, when its torches are flaming at night, more romantic. And now it is more modern too. Recently the hotel underwent major renovations so it looks much sleeker and more stylish, with touches of the Orient that blend with the traditional Bajan feel. The Sandpiper is a member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World.
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KEY FEATURES
| One of the best low-key Barbados beach front properties; Barbados hotel with 47 rooms and suites, gardens giving onto the beach, swimming pool, watersports, tennis courts. |
STYLE
| Pleasant tropical living, intimate atmosphere |
CLIENT PROFILE
| Mainly British with a sprinkling of Americans and Canadians, families in summer |
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The Sandpiper sits in extremely pretty tropical gardens on the shorefront in St James. With 47 rooms and suites it is smaller and less formal than most of the famous hotels along the West Coast, including its sister hotel, the Coral Reef Club. Like Coral Reef, it is one of the few major hotels around the Caribbean that is still family owned and run, but it is important that Sandpiper is intentionally lower key than the rest of the West Coast. It is by no means cheap, but it has a very special feel. Ultimately The Sandpiper is a very agreeable place to be, which is why you find so many returning visitors to Barbados making a home from home there.
The Sandpiper has always had a subdued but traditional Bajan theme to it. Recently though, the hotel has been restyled, and touches of the Orient have been introduced. It retains its West Indian graciousness, but it has a sleeker and more modern style that speaks more generally of the Tropics. You will be notice this as you enter the foyer, which is breezier and more open than before. There are stretches of dark brown hardwood and sleek furniture to go with classic tropical prints. The new style of the hotel is encapsulated by a screen that you will find there. At first sight it would seem to be from Indonesia, but as you look closely at the carving and you will notice that as well as traditional patterns of the Orient there are Caribbean gingerbread themes inlaid into it too. The screen was in fact locally made of mahogany.
From the lobby you emerge into the seven acres of tropical gardens and a riot of colour. Bougainvillea is a major theme of the gardens and so all over the place there are huge fingers of pink, orange, white and purple petals – which look extremely attractive against the brown, black and cream colour of the accommodation wings. There are ponds with lilies, ranges of red feather grass and many trees, including a couple of immensely tall palms.
The rooms are scattered in blocks that range around the edges of the property left and right, enclosing the pool and dining room at the centre. One path, headed left, leads to rooms and eventually to the sea, the other meanders to the right, through the greenery, passing first the swimming pool, which is surrounded by sprays of golden palms, and then the open-sided breakfast room and the main dining room, which are set behind a wall of ginger lilies. This retains its traditional Caribbean feel more than other parts of the hotel, with wicker armchairs and a pitched, pickled pine ceiling. Beyond the dining room, past other cottages festooned in tropical growth, it is a skip to the beach.
The accommodation was also redone in the recent refurbishment. The chintz and the high pastel floral patterns have now disappeared in favour of calmer colour scheme – light blue, beige and green on a base of gold and mid and dark browns. Hardwood furniture has been brought in from the Far East. It is unfussy and elegant. Other features have been retained however, including the familiar embroidered cartoons of West Indian dancers. After the success of the Plantation Suites at the Coral Reef Club, there are also two impressive and extremely comfortable Tree Top Suites. These were styled on a traditional plantation theme by British interior designer Helen Green and they are subdued and elegant. They have private plunge pools and grand bathrooms with free-standing oval baths.
On the seafront you will find the white sand and calm waters of the West Coast, where watersports are available and of course there is plenty of opportunity to enjoy inactivity in the sun. During the day garden tables are set next to the thatch-roofed Harold’s Bar above the beach so you can take a leisurely lunch under parasols. There is also a large wooden deck right above the shorefront which is partly shaded and is good for sunbathing.
The Sandpiper is owned by the O’Hara family, which also owns the Coral Reef Club, a few hundred yards farther north on the West Coast. While the two brothers Patrick and Mark oversee the other hotel, sister Karen and her husband Wayne are the force behind the Sandpiper. Some of the facilities at Coral Reef Club are shared with the Sandpiper, including the masseuse, beauty treatments and a children’s playground. |
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Beach & Swimming
The Sandpiper fronts onto the broad sweep of a curved bay on Barbados’s excellent West Coast, and its section of sand is shaded by sea almonds and palms. Some of the frontage is covered with a deck and boardwalk and there are sunloungers both on it and below on the sand itself. The water is usually calm and the sand shelves gradually into the sea, which has good swimming. There is a beach bar, Harold’s, right above the beach, where you can retreat for a drink.
The hotel’s free-form swimming pool is set back in the grounds of the hotel, beyond the dining room, and it is surrounded by sprays of golden palms. |
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Sports & Recreation
The Sandpiper has a watersports facility on property, which offers complimentary snorkelling, windsurfing, waterskiing, kayaking and small boat sailing (Hobie Cats and Sunfish). There is a marine park not far off at Folkestone where the snorkelling is good. The watersports shop will lend you snorkelling equipment. Deep sea fishing and scuba diving can be arranged (at extra cost), through the Coral Reef Club.
There are two tennis courts at the Sandpiper, which can be lit for night play, and there are two other courts situated at the Coral Reef Club although each hotel has its own resident tennis pro each week. Guests at the Sandpiper are able to join the free clinics each afternoon between 4pm and 6pm. The Sandpiper also has a gym with equipment including treadmills, cycles and free weights. The services of a personal trainer are also available.
Hairdressing, health and beauty including a masseuse and a souvenir shop are available at the Coral Reef Club. |
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Staff
The Sandpiper is headed up by husband and wife Wayne and Karen Capaldi, who cast an artfully light hand over the intimacy that makes the hotel so pleasant to be in. Harold, of Harold’s Bar, recently won the Caribbean Hotel Association’s Employee of the year award for his bar work. His bar is a focal point between the beach and dining room. |
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The Rooms
Scattered around the garden, the accommodation blocks at Sandpiper come in two main styles. Some are built with Bajan coral rock, others with white stucco and wood, decorated to a theme of brown or black on white, with overhanging balconies. Both styles enable classic tropical living, with outside space onto which the bedroom or living rooms can be opened.
There is a variety of accommodation, some simple ‘rooms’, but also one and two-bedroom apartments with larger amounts of space. All however, have recently undergone refurbishment. The chintz and the high pastel floral patterns have been removed in favour of sleeker and calmer colours. The colour schemes in the rooms are now light blue, beige and green, on a background of browns and golds. And in place of the traditional Caribbean wicker, there is now sleek and elegant dark hardwood furniture. Some traditional Barbadian themes are maintained however. The walls are still sandy-coloured coral render and white stucco and some of the tray ceilings pickled pine. On the walls you will find fine old prints of island plants, scenes of old Barbados. Also you will see The Sandpiper’s familiar embroidered cartoons of Bajan dancers.
All the rooms have some outside space, a balcony or terrace, usually surrounded by greenery. Inside, all the bedrooms are air-conditioned and have bathrooms with combination showers and tubs. The one and two bedroom apartments have kitchens and living rooms. All rooms have fridges, toasters, hair dryers, CD player/clock radios and safes. The Tree Top Suites are the most sumptuous. They have been styled by English interior designer Helen Green and are larger and have their own plunge pools.
Dressing gowns and Molton Brown shampoos are provided in the bathrooms. |
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Dining
The dining room at the Sandpiper is set in a pretty, open-sided building with traditional West Indian features including a pickled pine ceiling and whirring fans, and of course set in copious tropical greenery. The Executive Chef is Christophe Poupardin who sets a daily changing menu to reflect the best of the ingredients of the day, including the local fish of course. The cuisine is eclectic and gathers tastes from around the world. Sandpiper can cope quite well with special dietary requirements. Let them know in advance so that they can arrange for any ingredients to be brought in. Tables are also set out in the open, next to Harold’s Bar. There is nightly entertainment over dinner in season and three or four times a week in the summer. |
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Children
Children are welcome at the Sandpiper except at the height of the winter season during 15 January to 15 March, when children under twelve years old are not permitted. During the summer months however there is a special programme to keep them busy. There is an unsupervised playground at Coral Reef and attached to it a creche. Some child and baby equipment can be provided by the hotel. A special childrens’ room service menu is available between 5.30pm and 7pm. |
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Practical Facts
Annual Closure Dates: 23 August to 08 October 2008
Dress Code: Elegantly informal. No shorts, faded or torn jeans, T-shirts or sandals in the restaurant in the evening. Smart jeans allowed. New Year’s Eve - Black Tie or Jacket and Tie are requested for dinner.
Facilities: Swimming pool. Gymnasium. Restaurant. Bar. 2 hard tennis courts. Unisex boutique, Beauty & Masseuse Clinic, Hairdresser and film processing all nearby at Coral Reef Club, the sister hotel
Complimentary: Welcome cocktail and flowers in room on arrival. Windsurfing, snorkelling, kayaking, Sunfish and Hobie Cat sailing and water-skiing. Entertainment nightly in winter; 3-4 evenings a week in summer; Weekly Manager's cocktail party on Wednesdays and barbecue on Sundays. Room service. Tennis pro programme. Shuttle service to Bridgetown (Monday-Friday)
Other Services: Exchange dining with other luxury West Coast hotels for guests on half-board (subject to availability). Facilities for wheelchairs available on request. Television in room US$50/week
Accommodation: 47 air-conditioned rooms and suites, all of which have a private patio or balcony, fridge, toaster, CD player/clock radio, wall safe and hair dryer. King or twin beds (indicate which you require when booking). Bathroom en suite with tub and shower. Garden Rooms have a garden view and accommodate two adults only. One Bedroom suites have a separate living room with a sofa bed (will take either 3 adults or two adults and 2 children), kitchen, and give either an ocean or garden view. Two bedroom suites are larger but similar, have two bathrooms and will accommodate up to six people (with two on a sofa bed in the living room). Tree Top Suites both have sea views, a covered terrace and open sundeck with private pool (12ft x 9ft), a spacious living room with TV, DVD player and CD player (selection of DVDs and CDs), bedroom with dressing area and large bathroom with tub and a large separate walk-in shower (all air-conditioned). Suites accommodate two adults, both with a king bed one of which can convert to two twins.
Children: Welcome except U12yrs not accepted during 15 January to 15 March. Children U16yrs cannot occupy a room alone, except in communicating room. Complimentary cribs and high chairs are provided by the hotel, which also offers a weekday afternoon crêche (for ages 2-8) and small children’s playground. Babysitting available
Weddings/Honeymoons: Honeymooners staying 7 nights or longer receive flowers and fruit in their room upon arrival. A 2008 Wedding Package for US$2000 is available for stays of 5 nights or more - weddings limited to one per month.
Credit Cards: Visa, MasterCard, American Express |
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Rates
| | 16 Apr- 07 Oct 2008 | 08 Oct- 14 Dec 2008 | 15 Dec- 06 Jan 2008-09 | 07 Jan- 17 Apr 2009 | | Meal Plan | BP | MAP | BP | MAP | BP | MAP | BP | MAP | | Garden Room 1 persons 2 persons | 280 395 | 335 495 | 295 415 | 350 525 | 845 865 | 900 975 | 740 760 | 795 870 | | One Bedroom Suite 1 person 2 persons 3 persons One Child U12yrs | 405 490 575 60 | 460 600 740 95 | 435 525 610 60 | 490 635 775 95 | 1170 1190 1360 115 | 1225 1300 1525 150 | 1050 1070 1240 115 | 1105 1180 1405 150 | | Two Bedroom Suite 2 persons 3 persons 4 persons 5 persons Child U2yrs | 875 875 875 1035 free | 985 1040 1095 1310 free | 940 940 940 1100 free | 1050 1105 1160 1375 free | 2055 2055 2055 2225 free | 2165 2220 2275 2500 free | 1830 1830 1830 2000 free | 1940 1995 2050 2275 free | | Tree Top Suite 2 persons | 1150 | 1260 | 1200 | 1310 | 2600 | 2710 | 2485 | 2595 | All rates are quoted in US$ per room/night and are inclusive of service and government tax. BP = Room and breakfast; MAP = Room, breakfast and dinner. Rates are subject to change without notice. Minimum stay requirements: 14 nights from 20 Dec 2008 to 06 Jan 2009 (no arrivals during 25 Dec-02 Jan), 7 nights 24 Nov-01 Dec 2008 and during 2009 from 01-28 Feb, 08-15 Apr and 23-30 Nov. Cancellation Policy: a charge of 3 nights if cancelled within 28 days of arrival during winter except during 15 Dec 2008-06 Jan 2009 when charge is 7 nights, and 3 nights if cancelled within 14 days of arrival in summer. These charges also apply to no-shows. |
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Special Offers
FREE NIGHTS - 7 nights for the price of 6 nights. Free night includes breakfast. Applicable for stays completed between 01-30 Jun 2008. Offer does not apply to Tree Top Suites.
FREE NIGHTS - 14 nights for the price of 12 nights. Free nights include breakfast. Applicable for stays completed between 01-30 Jun 2008. Offer does not apply to Tree Top Suites.
FREE CHILDREN - Children U12 years sharing a 1-Bedroom Suite with their parents will be free of charge on a BP basis for holidays completed between 01 Jul-15 Aug 2008. This is not combinable with free nights offer
FAMILY SPECIAL - All children 2-12 yrs staying between 01 Jul-15 Aug 2008 receive the following each week: 3 x half hr each of sailing and swimming lessons, 2 x half hr tennis lessons, one shuffleboard competition, 2hrs daily supervised child care for children between 2-8 yrs, Mon-Fri
Specials subject to change without notice. |
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How to Book
If you wish to make further enquiries or a reservation, please use the WEB LINK or DIRECT EMAIL ENQUIRIES facility at the top of this page to make contact with The Sandpiper Barbados hotel, or if you wish to telephone them, please click on TELEPHONE CONTACT to reveal the number. |
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Tour Operators
If you wish to book through a tour operator or travel organiser, please follow the link below.
See List of UK Tour Operators
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Locality
The Sandpiper is just north of Holetown, where the English first landed in 1625 and came back in 1627 to settle. There are two shopping centres, the smaller Cave Shepherd Plaza close to Sandy Lane and the larger West Coast Mall in Holetown itself. Here you will find a large supermarket, bank, photo centre, duty free shops, video rental, and various shops and boutiques. Opposite here is a gas station (as petrol stations are known locally)which has an in store mini-mart and an outlet of KFC, both open until late evening. Also close by is the Chattel House Village, a series of traditional looking Caribbean cabins selling souvenirs, the 24 hour Sandy Crest Medical Centre, and a market stall where you can buy fresh fruit and vegetables. As a local community, it has all you would expect to find in a small community – police station, post office etc.
There are a number of restaurants within just a few minutes’ drive. North of Speightstown are the Fish Pot, which has a lovely setting in Shermans Bay and La Mer, which has an excellent setting on the waters of Port St Charles. To the south you will find the Lone Star, any number of restaurants in Holetown (Olive’s, the Tides), and further south, about fifteen minutes drive, the Cliff and Calabaza. |
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Meet & Greet
If you are travelling independently, taxis are usually available at the airport and will cost around US$40 each way. The ride from the airport is around 45 minutes, depending on the traffic. Alternatively, if you would prefer to be taken care of from the minute you arrive at the airport, with a range of services that can include limousine transfers, a Concierge Service is offered by St James Travel & Tours. (Click through to their page on our site)
If you are booking through a travel organiser, it is likely that their representative will be at the airport to meet you. This service and your return airport transfers should be included in the cost of your holiday. Please check at the time of booking. |
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Getting Around
Hiring a car to explore the island or go to a different beach for the day is easily arranged. Book via your tour operator or direct with Stoutes Car Rentals, who will deliver the vehicle to the property and issue you your local driving licence at the same time. Be aware that at the height of the winter season there is often a shortage of cars in Barbados, so you are advised to book yours in advance. If you want a car for a week or more the rates can also be better. Vehicles can be returned at the airport or be collected from the property at a pre-arranged time on your departure day. Taxis are readily available through reception. It is also easy and quite fun to take buses along the West Coast main road. |
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