Almond Beach Village

We arrived at the hotel and were greeted with drinks and by the manager which was great. We then gave our luggage to the bellboys who brought it up to our rooms and you had to tip them. The rooms were old and tired, the air conditioning was dripping down the damp wall and very noisy, the bathroom was a joke absolutely tiny and the tv looked like it had seen better days! But we let it go as you would be outside most of the time. I don't know how they thought it had eleven pools as we only found five, most of which were tiny anyway. The bars were mediocre served only one type of beer (banks) but the soft drinks were great and they provided a lot of cocktails. Although there was one cocktail which one bartender did for us and we asked for it again but none of the other bartenders seemed to know what it was! The beach was lovely, probably the best part of the hotel although the locals tried to sell you 'aloe vera' or 'a wooden turtle' which a polite "no thanks" seemed to do the trick mostly. We did pay $30 extra each to go swimming with turtles which was a major disappointment. We got driven a couple of miles down the beach in a speedboat, offered rubbish scuba equipment and no turtles appeared. apparently they were "usually there". we could of hired a kayak and goggles and snorkel for free and done it ourselves. Another good thing was the water-sports as most of it was included and provided a fun day on the water. Onto the restaurants... The horizon was their main restaurant which was average and for families with children had OK food and was a main choice for breakfast. We found out later in the week that you could have breakfast in the reef restaurant which was in a prime location right on the beach. This was lovely and felt more homely as it wasn't so busy. You could request anything with eggs, such as omelette, fried egg, scrambled, as there was a special chef to do that for you. i have to say they were lush. also could have pancakes, bacon (quite fatty), french toast, porridge (or 'oatmeal' as they call it) and a small selection of fruit which wasnt too nice. There was also 'enids' the barbadian restaurant which was also only OK as the service was slow and you didn't feel wanted. The best of them was "la smarrita" which was the italian, and by far the best. You had to be over 16 to go there but my 13 and 15 year olds were allowed in, i guess they just dont want young children. The service was exceptional especially sabrina and the food was absolutely divine! Also, dont bother going to bridgetown its so rundown and theres only one good shop which is cave shepherd and thats basically the hotel shop anyway. On arrival at the hotel we got given a "VIP CARD" for Colombian emeralds which was the diamond shop, and there is free gifts so make sure you claim them! The entertainment was terrible just dancers that were really awful and cheesy and a limbo dancer which was good. The entertainment never changed though. Also be careful when you go as there are poisonous crab apples on the beach that have fallen off poisonous trees. These blister the skin with only a touch so please watch young children. Also the block where we were staying ( the pringles) was being refurbished on the bottom floor... you could hear them working at seven in the morning and to get to your room you had to walk past the workers doing their work and the paint and everything stunk out the place. On the up side, the cleaners were swift and did their job beautifully. Also, my daughter seemed to have got a face and mouth infection so we visited the hotel nurse(jenny) who was great and sorted out everything for us to go to the best doctor in town for a second opinion.. now 4 days later and everything is fine so he really is good (dr ricardo coppin)
Overall, we wouldnt go back to that particular hotel but barbados is a beautiful place just beware that it is definitely not 4* hotel more like 2*.

PROS:
-staff were friendly, co operative and went out of their way to make our holiday special
-clean, spacious, air conditioned rooms which are seen to by the maids daily
-spectacular view from the Reef restaurant overlooking the caribbean ocean
-loads of pools; we stayed for ten days and by the end, we still hadn't seen all of them
-beautiful beach on it's doorstep
-watersports such as kayaking, sailing, peddleboating, snorkelling, which are all free and avaliable any time of day
-the reef and the horizon are both brilliant restaurants with different menus every day
-if whether forecast says 'rain', it means it will rain for about five minutes in one day
-gigantic complex which is clean and looked after
-golf course right at the entrance
-lots of greenery
-swimming pools are huge and spotlessly clean
-large teen centre, kids club and nursery
-lifeguards on the beach are friendly and chatty
-you will never go hungry!
-a customer beverage centre at the back of the reef restaurant with free icecream, tea, icecream and fizzy drinks all day long
-thirty seconds walk to speightstown (pronounced like spikestown), a historic and cosy little place
-a short drive away from a show called bajan roots and rhythms. YOU MUST SEE THIS! i didn't know what to expect, but it blew my mind
-excellent for children of all ages
-hotel has it's own glass bottom boat which will take you five minutes down the beach to snorkel with turtles
-you will most certainly get a tan
-you won't have to get up to call dibs on a sun lounger because there are always dozens free
-a short journey to horse stables, where you can go on an hour and a half treck through forests and along a beach on the east coast. book through the virgin rep, not the men on the beach
-so much better than its sister hotel almond casuarina, which is grotty, dirty and bad value for money
-free pool tables in tommy's bar! :D
-hammocks dotted around the complex
-a lovely virgin rep called jane, very down to earth, funny and does her job well
CONS:
-rooms were a little dated, in need of refurbishing. however half the rooms were being refurbished while we were there to look more modern
-we didn't eat at Enid's restaurant, but everyone we met said the food there was disgusting
-avoid the men selling aloe vera on the beach. they claim it's a cure for malaria which they say is very common in barbados. i'd like to think the english would have enough common sense to realise that there is no malaria in barbados and there is also no cure, but you'd be surprised by how many people fell for it and payed a fortune for it, poured into an empty rum bottle
-the maids couldn't understand english
-the walls are like paper, so be careful what you say and how loudly you say it
-many sea urchins in the shallow water but obviously this can't be prevented
make sure you make the most out of your holiday! we got back on tuesday and i wish we were still there! definitely book this hotel

3 readers found this review helpful

I thoroughly enjoyed my recent holiday. Food was good, rooms were clean and linen was kept fresh and changed every day. We found the staff to be very friendly and helpful. Ken Watson was particularly helpful and friendly always enquiring if we were happy with the service we were receiving. We were also pleased with the security around the hotel,
I visited the beauty salon and was delighted with the service they offer and the standard of their treatments was excellent,
I have recommended this hotel to my friends and family.
In conclussion the staff were attentive professional and provided an excellent service which is a reflection also on the good management

2 readers found this review helpful

The standard of accommodation
PLEASE DO NOT UPGRADE YOUR ROOM - IT'S EXPENSIVE AND SO NOT WORTH IT!! We had upgraded to a superior, deluxe, beach front room. We've stayed in better standard rooms in other Caribbean resorts. We were given a room which was tired, shabby, very dirty and in the most appalling position being the last room next to a public road next to the hotel looking on to a mountain of sand and gravel, completely obscuring any view of the beach or the sea! After complaining to the hotel (no Virgin rep was available) they moved us to a room immediately above the one we were in. Apart from being one floor up, this room was no better! Please bear in mind that these rooms were meant to be superior deluxe – an upgrade for which we had paid a hefty premium.
The Virgin rep was of little or no use - she told us a much better room had been found for us - which never materialised! Evntually the hotel moved us to a room in the same block we were in (on the far extremities of the complex), but on the 4th floor. This room was clean and fresher but could in no way be described as superior nor deluxe!! It's worth noting that the 4th & 5th floors in this block have been added more recently and are in a better condition than the rooms on the first three floors.
Flight
But do upgrade the flight if you want to spoil yourself. We upgraded both ways to Premium Economy and that was great.
Kids Club
This hotel is trumpeted in the Virgin brochure as very family friendly with a top notch Kids Club which was a key factor in our decision to book this hotel. In reality however, the standard of care was lacking and as a consequence, my son attend only a few sessions during the entire fortnight.
The age group was also far too wide (aged 5 – 11) and with the exception of one session, during the few sessions my son attended, the age groups were lumped together meaning the smaller children were more or less ignored.
Free (or not) Ice cream Parlour
Free ice-cream is advertised in the Virgin brochure and on their website but the machine was out of action for approximately 50% of the time the ice-cream parlour was open. My son was understandably very disappointed.
Resort
On a more positive note, the (small 'ish) resort itself and the pools are very nice (but you can't get a sun lounger unless you're up before the lark). The beach, although perfectly nice, is I would say average for the Caribbean (there are definitley better ones elsewhere on the island). It also has lots of twiggy bits on it and you can't get a lounger with an umbrella unless again, you're up at the crack of dawn to tie some article of clothing to it - which seemed to be how you "bagged" a sun bed/umbrella.
Restaurants
The food was great and with one exception, all the restaurants were good, especially the Italian (sadly no kids allowed), the Reef (sea food mainly and in a lovely location on the beach front - also where you eat breakfast) and Enids (Caribbean food).The weekly outdoor BBQ is good too. You need to book for the restaurants (except for Enids) and you need to book early to get in. Unfortunatley the menus don't change so in the second week the food is a bit samey.
Excursions
The hotel runs a free bus to Bridegtown which is definitley worth visiting for the day. You can also walk into the local town from the resort (via the road or along the beach) which is small but quite pleasant with a few shops and cafes. It's well worth hiring a car to explore this wonderful island (all inclusive guests can request a packed lunch for the next day which is perfectly fine). Harrisons Cave is definitley worth a visit as is the Flower Forest, the Plantation Houses and Bathsheba on the East Coast which is stunningly beautiful but unsuitable for swimming due to the very strong currents & undertow.
All in all we did enjoy the holiday - but feeling ripped off over the room fiasco left a bad taste, hence the relatively low score. We would have scored the resort a bit higher (probably a 7) had the accomodation lived up to its billing. And its definitley not 4 star - more like a good 3 star.
Hope that helps!

What a disappointment. Apart from reasonable food in the very busy 2 main restaurants each with about 4 sittings per evening and the same menu for 2 weeks this is a very tired and disappointing hotel much like a Spanish hotel circa 1970's. Get your towel on a lounger by 7am otherwise you wont get one and a beach umbrella?... about 20 shared between the 800/900 guests.
Very poor evening entertainment repeated about 3 times a week. Noisy children who although excluded from one pool area have access to the one main beach immediately adjoining. This is definitely a hotel to avoid. There are many better and probably cheaper on the island.

Absolutely Fantastic.....The rooms are spacious with Queen size beds, The maids cleaned the room religiously everyday & to an excellent standard too! There was 12 of us holidaying in Almond Beach Village & every single one of us gave it 10/10 & would go back tomorrow & our ages ranged from 18-65. The Food was out of this world, top restaraunt quality, our favourites were La Samarita & Enids, but Reef & Horizon are faultless too...The staff were a joy to be around & we adopted their laidback 'No Problem' attitude! Nothing was too much trouble & they did everything with a smile. To be served evening meal by the same waitress that served us breakfast & she was still happy & singing along to Rhianna was just example of the outstanding customer service. My Husband and I got married in the Sugar Mill by Rev Ricky Orlando Kirton which was above and beyond my expectations, They made our day perfect!!!! If I had to write a fault it would be that the entertainment & bars closed too early & that 1am would be more appropriate than the 11pm that the stop serving but we did combat that by getting drinks from Rachel's Nightclub & carry on drinking in the outside bars! All in All the beach, the pools the food, the staff, the rooms & the overall holiday was 10/10...and if you're reading this because you're going there soon I'm so Jealous of You!!!

This was our honeymoon and our first ever all inclusive holiday. It was also our first trip to Barbados. We thought it was fantastic and plan to visit there again as soon as we can afford it!
We received a wonderful welcome to the resort from staff and got a few perks because it was a honeymoon booking - little extras which made it more special such as cocktails on arrival, fresh fruit basket in our room with champagne and a set of 2 champagne glasses as a keep sake! The first room we were given backed onto the kids pool which (being our honeymoon) we were not thrilled with. We asked to be moved and by the second day we had the most amazing garden room close to the biggest pool on the resort right near the gorgeous beach.
The village resort is massive with about 7 pools and 5 eateries, plus a few pool bars and BBQ. You also have full access to the sister resort by shuttle bus which has a wonderful health spa (we also received a free treatment through our honeymoon package).
The food was fantastic - I did not have one bad meal. The breakfasts consisted of a buffet with everything you could imagine - full cooked breakfast with a chef cooking fresh eggs to your liking or a gorgeous omelette. There were all local fruits, yoghurts, Danish pastries, warm freshly cooked pancakes with maple syrup - the list goes on and on - no wonder I put on 1/2 a stone whilst there. The lunches and evening meal were either al a carte or a buffet. Once a week the put on a splendid beach BBQ with fresh fish and meat grilled in front of you.
The drinks were very generous too - all the cocktails made with blended ice - I remember talking to my husband about a cocktail someone had just ordered across the other side of the bar - the bar staff must have over heard me - the next thing I have got one of these cocktails in front of me!! All the staff were really polite and friendly - true Barbados style.
We took a few trips all organised by the resort - again no complaints - all were well priced and organised - a great way to see Barbados.
We did not want to leave at the end of our trip and would recommend to anyone.

ABV what can I say, what an amazing place. We went there to get married and don’t regret anything at all. Everything went so smoothly with no problems.
The wedding coordinator and photographer were so helpful.
We picked La Smarriita for our wedding dinner, it was beautiful with a personalised menu and a decorated table.
The hotel supplied champagne in our room and at the wedding, also with our wedding package we went on a champagne sunset cruise for 4 hrs on the Sunday night. ( Def recommend couples to go on, v.romantic )
We also received a room upgrade to a deluxe ocean room on arrival (without asking!!!)
There was maid service everyday and the rooms were kept extremely clean.
Lots of people had requested to be moved from the Spa and Club to ABV as it is bigger with a better choice of restaurants and a better beach location. If you don’t know Barbados def go to the Village!! ABV has adult only pools anyway along with the boardwalk poolside bar which is also right on the beach.
The food was amazing we couldn’t believe these restaurants were all inclusive, La Smarrita would rival any top restaurant !
If you are going to Barbados go to Almond Beach Village. I know we will be going back!!

We visited the Almond Beach Village with two 7 year olds this July and had a very enjoyable time.
The room was spacious and very clean. The food was great with lots of fresh fish and various choices in different restaurants in the hotel complex. Ten pools including an adult only one. Kids club 9am-10pm if you wanted it with lots of activities going on.
The staff were very professional and friendly.
The hotel is situated beside the beach and has complementary water sports.
We paid locally to feed and swim with the Turtles which was excellent.

We travelled with Virgin Holidays to Barbados for our wedding and had the most amazing time of our lives. Obviously getting married made it so special; however, even taking the wedding out of the equation, Barbados and Almond Beach Village are both truly amazing.
The resort is very attractive and large so you never feel closed in. Although, it is not too big. We booked a standard room but were upgraded to a Superior Deluxe Pool View Room, which had a king size bed, fridge, nice bathroom, sofa and terrace. There is a TV with satellite channels and an alarm clock and telephone.
The All Inclusive package is exceptional and includes all meals, snacks and premium drinks, watersports including banana boats, waterskiing, kayaks, sunfish sailing and more, gym, sunbeds around the pool and on the beach etc.
The food is superb and not what I would usually expect from all inclusive. The breakfast items included sausages, hashbrowns, bacon, scrambled, poached, fried all boiled eggs, beans, cold meats, bagels, pastries, fresh fruit, yoghurts, different bread and rolls, fruit juices, speciality teas and coffee. The choice and quality is very good. For lunch there is a huge choice from a sit down 3 course lunch, to a buffet next to the beach to the usual burgers (good quality), pasta, freshly made pizzas etc. The evening meals are exceptional and are usually 4 courses.
The restaurants included La Smaritta (Italian) which I think is the best and serves things like King Prawn, lamb, steak. Gourmet food is served there so I would recommend booking in there as often as possible. Then there is the seafood restaurant (The Reef) which overlooks the beach (a really romantic setting) which has a good menu and the food was always to a high standard. The main restaurant gets very busy so the service is acceptable and pleasant but not exceptional like in the Italian restaurant, however the food is good. They serve a good variety of food from across the globe. The worst restaurant, in my opinion is Enids but it was still ok. They serve local food - some of it nice but there is no air conditioning so it is uncomfortable.
You can also eat at the sister resort Almond Beach Club and according to reports from other guests, the Enids restaurant there is excellent.
There is a weekly beach BBQ which serves amazing food and the entertainment is great. There is a live band and the young singer is really talented and engaging. Lots of drinking, eating and dancing.
The hotel staff are really lovely, especially in the Italian restaurant. Even security staff will take the time to get to know you.
The entertainment exceeds expectations as all singers are very talented. I am not so keen on some of the dance shows as they were not quite as good.
There are plenty of pools which do not feel too crowded. The adult only pool is the best and most attractive pool.
The beach is ok, but walk a hundred feet down the beach towards Port St Charles and the beach is gorgeous.
I would recommend Almond Beach Village to anyone as it is good for all ages and offers excellent quality food, entertainment and activities.
I would love to go back.