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Caribbean Travel RoundupNewsletter - Paul Graveline, Editor |
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Trip September 3-6,1999 We booked the air through Travelocity, and our tickets were $850, total. We flew on American to Miami and then on Bahamasair to Nassau. The Miami flight was on time. They fed us the typical American Bistro Bag "continental breakfast". The Bahamasair area was in terminal G & H, where we had never been. We were told the flight would leave 15 minutes late due to arriving in Miami late. Our departure was an hour late even though the plane did only arrive in Miami 15 minutes late. We got to Nassau 40 minutes late. Our driver was waiting for us. We had brought carry-on only luggage. We were taken in a white Lincoln Town Car. The driver was named Patrick and has been at the Royal Bahamian since the beginning. He was born in the Bahamas and went to school in Jamaica. Todd tried to tip him, and he said he was not allowed. Of course sometimes, drivers work for Sandals, and sometimes they don't. Therefore, you tip or not accordingly. Our flight from Houston left at 6:35 a.m. We were supposed to get into Nassau at 12:25 p.m., but it was 1:05 p.m.. We were taken to the concierge area for check-in. We were given champagne and a cold towel. We had filled out the returning guest check-in card we were given at the airport. Rhonda, one of the managers, came in to greet us and welcome us on behalf of the resident manager. We were given our amenity kit and taken to our room after identifying our bags for the bellman. We were concerned about making the lunch buffet at Spices, but the girl who took us was taking us on a slow stroll pointing out some things new on the property. The Room We were in room 1401 of the Windsor Wing, the new side. It was a lovely suite with a sitting area, dining area, wetbar, bedroom with double French doors, a bathroom with double sinks, a bench and dressing table, and a nice-size Roman tub. There were two closets (his and hers) and additional shelf space in the bathroom and several chairs and a writing desk in the bedroom. The balcony could be reached from the bedroom, and the view was of the new pool, ocean, and the private island. There was a full-length mirror, a makeup type mirror, iron, ironing board, lots of hangers, etc. There was lots of mahogany furniture everywhere. There were two TVs and one vcr. There was an alarm clock. The room had a great digital safe- -no key to worry about. The room key was a card, also. The wetbar was tall with a sink and a bar setup. There were 4 types of liquor, red wine, white wine, champagne, apple juice, orange juice, cranberry juice, tomato juice, beer (two kinds, local and Miller Lite), club soda, bottled water, tonic water, ginger ale, regular and diet soda, and lots of spare to add. The wines were good quality. We were told they would stock it daily and given a phone number to call. The concierge came daily around 11:30 a.m. or so. If you want the stuff you like the best stocked the most, catch the concierge or leave a note. There was a coffee maker and coffee and tea setup on the bar. The sink had hot and cold water. There was a fabulous flower arrangement with two red roses, TONS of red carnations, and lots of different yellow and purple flowers. There was a lovely try of fruits and cheeses. We ate those and had some wine while we waited for our bags. I'm not sure if this was because we were returning guests or because we were suite guests. Our balcony had a drying rack for swimsuits. The balcony was also accessible from the sitting room. The bathroom had plenty of towels in all sizes and a special long rack for beach towels. The maid came early in the afternoon and then again for turndown service. She was very thorough and friendly. She didn't seem to mind if we wanted to stay in the room while she was there. She just worked around us, and we sat on the balcony or in the living room if we were about to get ready to go to an activity. The Property The whole atmosphere at the resort has changed since they built the new side. The resort was so compact before, and activity was usually centered in one or two areas when things were happening. Now, the resort has things happening in several places in order to accommodate all the people without giving an overcrowded feeling. Now, it seems more like MoBay or Dunns where you find where you like and hang out there. The Manor House side remains the same--just about everywhere you go, there is some upscale setting--the chandeliers, the statues, the water dripping from walls, rocks, and columns. Everywhere is just beautiful. The spa was big and extensive, and you could get to it from outside by the pool or from the rooms through a back way. The workout area is on the 7th floor of the Manor House (you take stairs from the 6th floor), and the entire back wall offers a chance to view the ocean and Sandals Cay, the offshore island, as you work. There are two balconies to go out on from the fitness center. Both offer a nice view. Last time we were there, you could see all the way down into the water from the spa. Due to the recent hurricane (Denniis), the water wasn't clear enough for that. The water became clearer each day, however. The Villas offer a hiding place to stay, and there are several pools and a Jacuzzi nestled back there. The largest pool back there is quite nice and next to the Jacuzzi. That Jacuzzi was a nice temperature on our previous stay but didn't seem to be heated at all on this visit. Todd liked that. A very nice addition back there is called Royal Villa Oasis. They've added a machine with iced tea, lemonade, and a couple of other drinks that are non-carbonated, as well as water. The addition of some soda would be great, but at least now you can get something out there. This is an excellent pool to use if you find yourself unable to get a float in the two big pools where most people go. The tea had that fake lemon taste, and I heard the lemonade tasted like pure sugar. At least they've taken a step in the right direction. It still works best to bring your own drink of choice. Around 5:30, there is still the appetizer happy hour outside of Manor House Bar. In addition, there are cheese and crackers and finger sandwiches at Crystal Room Bar and the Pub. At the pub, they also have a cold-cut sandwich bar, along with a variety of fruit. Some of the appetizers available were bites of pigs in the blanket, chicken wings, baby quiche, small pot stickers (similar to eggroll), and smoked salmon on toast. In the villas, if you are near the very back, you might hear noise of the cars that go by. The wedding gazebo on the main beach has two cherubs like in the brochure. Early in the morning, the gazebo top looks rather rusty, but by the time the sun is beating on it, any rust is hardly noticeable. I'm not sure what could be done about that. Before, it was a challenge to get across the sand in your gown, as there really isn’t a path. They've now gone to having a red carpet for the brides. Receptions are held on the side patio of Spices. There were quite a few weddings, maybe 4-5 a day. Everyone we saw had different flowers. Brides were escorted down the stairs and over to the gazebo while music played across the property. Some couples were alone, and others had quite a few people with them. Most did white gowns and tuxedos. That is a personal choice and not a requirement. At one reception held while we were eating at Spices, there were maybe a dozen guests with the bride and groom. They danced and had a singer serenade them. There is a wedding gazebo on the private island that is just like the one on the main beach. This one it is newer- looking. The Manor House is the main building on the original side. On the first floor, there is a bar. As mentioned, they serve appetizers between 5:30 and 6:30 p.m. outside in the lobby. This is very popular. The backside of this bar is the piano bar. Most nights, there is a sing-a-long. There is an elegant sit-around table built around the piano, and there are other nice chairs around, too. At night, you can pick up a bottle of wine and some glasses here to take off to a romantic spot. There are a lot of seats here that are quite comfortable. Unlike many of the Jamaica Sandals resorts, the Royal Bahamian offers a terrific setup for sunset viewing. On our visits, this was about 8 p.m. Some nights it was too overcast to see much. There are tables set up outside and a pier that goes out in several directions and has two swings. Several people sit, and several people stand to watch the event. There were great fish to feed from the pier in quite a few varieties on our previous visit. This time, there were 4- ft. waves, and we were watching the waves instead of the fish. The high tide came up quite high, and a lot of people's stuff got wet, as they weren't expecting it. One thing I really enjoyed about a room close to the ocean was either sitting on the balcony watching and listening to the waves or opening the balcony doors up with just the screen across or listening. The beach isn’t really long, but it is nice. The sand down in the water has some little rocks in it, but it is no big deal. The water temperature was great. There was a lot of seaweed from the hurricane (Dennis) the previous week. Waves were still so high that sand washed up over the pier, a foot or two high. On Sunday, some watersports guys were shoveling it into the back of a utility truck. Even when snorkeling, we saw what I'd call surf. Watersports are the typical Sandals variety, and there is optional jetski right there on the beach. With all the waves, it was so popular with about a half dozen or more going of several varieties. The hobie cat lessons were popular, and some days, people took the aqua trikes and kayaks out. Although you can see other properties, you can’t walk down the beach to them, as there are rock barriers that prevent it. The Sandals beach is shared with some property next door, so it is quite possible to see families there, especially at the far end by the watersports hut. That end is where the new wing is. These people won't bother you. Don't be surprised if you occasionally get asked if you want to buy a necklace or get your hair braided. "No thank you" works the first time. You can see Sandals Cay, the offshore island from the beach of the Royal Bahamian, but it is too far to swim. The boat takes guests out there about once an hour. There is a pool, Jacuzzi (not hot tub), and a restaurant out there. You can't stay out there past 4:30 except as a dinner guest. On our snorkeling trip, two couples asked to be dropped off there. The watersports guys did that for them. On the Windsor side, they've built a pool very similar to the original side. It has a swim-up bar but has a Jacuzzi at only one end. A second one would have been welcome, as the one there is often crowded (crowded to me means 6 or more people). At this pool, they have most of the games and the water aerobics. They have a basketball hoop and volleyball net at one end. The atmosphere remained fairly quiet though and not wild and partyish. Both pools had the syndrome of people getting a float and hogging it all day, even taking it out of the pool and stuffing it with their things when they went somewhere. There was also the behavior we saw at Dunns where one person would float more than one, saving it (or them) for others. This is rude in my opinion. Pool temperatures were warm, probably around 90. It was not possible to get a float at Windsor once they were all in use until dinnertime. I found that some floats were available until 10:30 or 11 when the bar opened. There were some available off and on at the sunset (Manor) side. There were always some available in the villas. Windsor doesn't have the misting pool or the water wall, but you get the view of the interesting buildings they've done up in various gingerbread colors. There is the backside of the theatre, the pub, Kimonos, and Casanova. There is also a nice fountain outside of Kimonos that has multiple lions in it. They've added a lot of figurines and statues similar to the Manor House side. The Windsor wing is longer than the Manor House and has two entrances. Somewhere in the back is a business center. Down at the end we were in, there is a front desk. It is possible to check out right there, and there are always attendants to help you day and night. There were extra newspapers there in case you didn't get one. Miami Herald is the paper we received, rather than New York Times fax. The paper was available some days and not on others. The best views are in suites that have both an ocean and a pool view. Some rooms in Windsor face away from Sandals. The resort offers many interesting settings. The restaurants are quite classy. Baccarat, Crystal Room, the Pub, & Spices are all interesting. Even the Royal Grill is a nice setup. Casanova is very interesting inside, too. The property offers the opportunity for a la carte dining at all 3 meals, or guests can opt for buffet breakfast at Spices or Casanova or healthy fare at Baccarat or room service breakfast. However, as at other Sandals golf resorts, there is no early option for golfers that want to leave by 7:30. Lunch is available a la carte at Royal Café Grill and buffet style at Spices and Casanova. I preferred Spices at both meals, it just seemed better, but maybe it was our timing. On Saturday, they have the International Buffet at Spices. On Monday nigh the resort has the Junkanoo Beach Bash. At many resorts, when there is a buffet night, all other restaurants are closed. However, there were always 4 other dining options when they had a buffet. Spices seems to have gone to a buffet them (at least all 3 nights we were there). One night, they had Chinese. Another night, they had Indian. This did not appeal to a lot of people, including us. Some of the entertainment is held at the Royal Theatre (a nightclub) indoors. This backs up to a large bar on one side. That bar has a popular self-serve area of non-alcoholic drinks. They eliminated the mango slush and put in something else, maybe it is the time of year. They still have strawberry. The slushes are fat-free. Sometimes (most times) there were no glasses there and it was necessary to wait in line at the bar. The bar also had a window at the back for walk-up customers from the beach. There were many seats there and a TV. They've taken down the movable wall between the theater and the sports bar. There were self-serve popcorn and ice cream cones at the sports bar. These used to be at Royal Cafe. This area had a lot of tables and two ping pong tables. A billiard room offers pool at 2 tables. It is usually in use. There are checkers and another game in there (backgammon or chess). There is another game room, also. That is the snooker table outside the pub. The ping pong tables are under roof. Tennis courts are out near the villas, as are a huge chess set and shuffleboard. Tennis equipment is right out at the court in a rack hanging on the wall. The equipment looked new. There was bottled water next to the equipment. There is also water from a large bottled spicket near the pool bar. There are several Jacuzzis and a hot and cold plunge pool near the spa. They seem to have fixed the problem with the temperature at the hot and cold plunge pools where the hot used to be scalding. It is not that warm, but it is now usable. The misting pool offers a great setting to lounge and get cool air as you watch one of the dripping waterwalls. Several people enjoyed putting their lounge chair just at the edge of this. Behind the villas, there is a guard and an exit to the Sandals gift shop, Royal Tings. It is possible to get to the gift shop by walking down the driveway from the main entrance, also. Across the street from the gift shop, there is a strip center. It houses Subway, Dominos, a T-shirt shop, a dentist, and some other things. I If you want to buy rum, buy it there or at the airport. If you leave the property, you must bring the Sandals card that they put in the amenity kit to show to the guard when you come back. The resort entrance, courtyard, two lobbies are quite elegant. The fountain in the courtyard on the Manor House side was working more often on this visit. Sandals Cay--they were doing the snorkeling there on Saturday because they weren't using the snorkel boat at this time. On Sunday, we snorkeled out off a boat trip. When we dropped some people off at the island, I noticed a lot of people with lounge chairs at the back beach. Trips to Sandals Cay offshore island are available every hour for about 8.5 hours of the day. Dinner at Café Goombay, the island there, requires reservations. There are two times for this—6:15 and 8:15 in the evening Gambling Excursion--Sandals provides free transportation to the Marriott for the casino excursion beginning at 6 p.m. every day except Monday. Some staff will tell you that the bus leaves on the hour. Others will say 10 after the hour. We went on Friday night on the first bus. We lost $40 at roulette in about 90 minutes. Drinks were offered faster than anyone could have possibly drunk them and were large. Just about everyone I heard on Saturday that went to the casino said they drank WAY too much. I can relate to that. One guy in the hot tub Saturday said he lost $2000 in 5 minutes playing black jack and that the table had a $2500 limit. The Marriott is only 15 minutes away by foot, and you can catch the #10 bus for 75 cents right outside the resort. It comes QUITE often. We walked down on Sunday at about 4 p.m. and stayed until 6. It was quite crowded. They only have two roulette tables. We lost $100 there in about an hour and 45 minutes. Then I got a little back in the slots, getting $25 from my $10. We got one drink this time, but it was a little bit of a hunt. The wine is better at the resort. If you have in mind going to Atlantis, realize it will take more effort to get there, and the tables have higher limits. The ones with lower limits may be full. Golf Golf can be booked at the guest relations desk. You have to book 24 hours in advance. Green fees and transportation are included in the all-inclusive price. Cart is required and is $30 per person. Show up 30 minutes before your tee time for the bus to the Radisson. Club rental is $25. Todd rented clubs this time. They were Big Berthas and better quality than he expected. He was back from his round in about 4 hours on Saturday. He bought a hat down there for $20. He said the course is very short. Tours Many tours are available at an extra charge. They include things such as swimming with dolphins, powerboat over to an out island for an eco tour, Crystal Cay and other underwater viewing places, catamaran cruises, parasailing and banana boat tours, and Stingray City. Dining Breakfast Baccarat offers a la Carte breakfast. It is a lovely setting and offers a good meal. It is more healthy fare. Spices offers a buffet from 8-10 or so. Then they change to a continental breakfast. Basically, they pull the meat. They never did that before 10:15. It lasted until about 11. The buffet is high quality. Everything tastes very American. There are now two lines for omelets and eggs to order. Hard- boiled eggs are available , also. They cooked up 4 kinds of sausage, ham, and bacon. There is an area where waffles and crepes are prepared with a large selection of toppings. French toast (very good) and pancakes were available daily. Some days, they had French pastry filled with pie filling. One day, they even had doughnuts. Other items were things like potatoes, hot and cold cereal, fruits such as watermelon, grapes, apples, nectarines, peaches, dried apricots, nuts, toast, English muffins, eggs benedict, lunch meat, and cheeses. On two days, there were fresh blueberries. There was usually at least one presentation of smoked and a bagel sandwich. They also served English muffins, bagels, and bread for self-toasting. If you wanted tea, it was best sit outside. Drink service was better out there. I was served a huge pot of water each time that I was able to get service (every day except one). Inside, they serve milk, cranberry, orange, and apple juice. When tea was presented, a box was offered for selection of tea. Casanova The buffet is supposedly similar to Spices. We didn't try the breakfast there because we were very happy at Spices and knew Spices was better for lunch than Casanova. Lunch Royal Grill offers a la carte dining from a menu from 11 to 5. They have soup part of that time. Watch for flies! One day, there was one in the soup, and a woman skimmed it out and ate soup "from the bottom". They had salad plates with samplings of lettuce, potato, and pasta, etc. all on one plate. They also had self-serve desserts such as lemon pie and peanut butter pie. We ate there a couple of times. We tried the chicken burger the first time. It was lightly breaded and was very spicy. The other time, Todd had a bacon- cheeseburger and I had 1/2 a burger. Once, he tried a grouper sandwich. That was fried. They also served nachos (maybe fajita nachos), quesadillas, grilled chicken salad, pizza, Jamaican meat patties (beef or chicken), fried conch, to name some items. There is a self-serve soda fountain there with a basket of limes. Bring your own bar drink here. People got waited on there, but we didn't. Wait to be seated here or you will confuse the wait staff. We waited 10 minutes for a menu the first day. Spices 12:30-2 p.m. This is a great buffet. Every day, there was a station for pasta to order. You pick the pasta, the sauce and the toppings. We didn't try that. There were 2-3 kinds of pizza from the brick oven every day. There was display cooking of things such as mahi- mahi, ribs, chicken, and grouper. They had carved meat every day. The only dish I didn't like was the stuffed seafood shells because I tasted salt. There were various types of sandwiches. The salad bar offered few dressings, unlike before. I ended up using red wine vinegar. There were many cold cuts and lots of salads that I term “other” and many fruits. Most days, the desserts included chocolate- covered strawberries, either white or dark chocolate. Normally, dessert never tempts me. Seating is available inside or outside. This resort offers bar service. They offer a smoking preference at meals at this restaurant, as well as indoor or outdoor dining. They may offer wine or drink service here. One day, they had good vegetable lasagna. They always had at least two types of fish and a chicken dish or two. The red bean soup I had was amazing, but I had to dip it with a tiny spoon, as no utensil was in it. I got someone to add one for other guests after I got mine. Casanova Hours are something like 1-3 p.m. One day, they had the grilled lamb chops (a la Grand Lido-style). Those were terrific. They had fajitas one day. They had a small salad bar every day and pizzas every day. One day, the seafood chowder looked great, but I was full before I saw it. One day, they had grilled steaks. The first day we ate there, it was close to closing time (2:30). Drink service was prompt. Food didn't seem that it had been refreshed during the meal. One day, I got food to go from there. They had shrimp and mussels. Snacks Everyday except Monday, hot snacks are available outside the Manor Bar from 5:30-6:30. There is a good variety. Items such as brick oven pizza, pigs in the blanket, chicken wings, conch fritters, quiche, bite-size pizza, and pot stickers are served. On Monday night, the Manager’s Cocktail replaces this. Dinner Of the 8 restaurants, only Cafe Goombay on the island required reservations. This is new. Restaurants are open from either 6:30- 9:30 or 7-10 depending on the restaurant. Crystal Room No reservations required. Friday--We showed up after the gambling excursion, late. There was a 45-minute wait. When we got in, it was almost closing time, and they were out of just about everything. I had my heart set on pumpkin soup, but they were out. I had a dinner salad. Todd had grilled grouper and rice. We had some good wine. I'd had some bad wine at the casino and great champagne with some people in the hot tub, so I didn't eat much!!! The restaurant offers a great selection of seafood, lamb, chicken and beef dishes. This place is still quite popular. The Crystal Room bar outside the restaurant is still a great place for a drink even if you don't eat at the restaurant. Spices No reservations required. It seems to have gone to a rotating buffet theme. Friday, they had Chinese. Todd ate there on Friday after the gambling. I was just there to be there. I was not doing great. Too much job-stress led to over-doing, I guess. This was not busy AT ALL. Saturday, they had the International buffet. I will discuss that more in another section. Another night, they had an Indian buffet. Baccarat No reservations required. This appears to be an improved experience. Before, you couldn't get in without booking 4-5 days in advance and accepting a 9 p.m. seating. Now that there are so many restaurants, it seems to be easy to get in. The menu looks much better. At least 3 of the courses seem to offer seafood. They have aged sirloin on the menu, too. Dishes are still served from covered silver, and the view is of the Manor House pool. Royal Grill There is a regular menu and various features. This was touted as a Tex-Mex restaurant, but the food is not like here in Houston. We didn't eat there this trip. Last time, we had a good steak, but we didn't like the corn on the cob and other companion items. Cricketeers Pub food is offered. This includes items such as pizza, chicken wings, chef salad, club sandwiches, fish and chips, etc. Some people just sit around at this place. The menu hasn't changed at all from last time. Before dinner, you can get sandwiches and fruit. This is quite handy to the pools. It isn't highly advertised, so you have to look. The food is in the back. Casanova They offer pasta, veal, chicken and beef cooked Tuscan-style. The are not open every night, so pay attention. You can dine inside or outside. The restaurant is quaint. Café Goombay This is on the offshore island. Reservations required. Boats at 6:15 and 8:15. Most items on the menu have conch in them. Kimonos I've never seen a teppanyaki place at an all-inclusive that didn't need reservations. However, the no- reservations policy worked rather well, though. The hostess was Japanese. She invited us to sit in the waiting area. She offered us some sake (not heated). They also had plum wine and water available, but it wasn't offered. Some people helped themselves. We heard in the hot tub about some people having 3 bottles of the plum wine the night before and getting snookered. We waited a maximum of 15 minutes and were shown to a table with two other couples that had already become acquainted but had not arrived at the restaurant together. We allowed them to sit together. They sent another two couples to fill the table. We waited a while and then they brought out carafes of red and white wine. These wines weren't very good. We managed to get a glass of champagne or bar drink order all around. An even longer time later, we were on with the meal. We were given our choice of appetizer and choice of soup. Salad was a yes or no answer. We both had the spring roll appetizer. A notable alternative was a variety of sushi. Todd had the corn soup. I had the miso soup. We were given fried rice (I prefer steamed). Our chef (female) cooked this. The salad was the ginger dressing kind. The entree was called emperor's feast. It had scallops, shrimp, grouper, chicken, and beef. The scallops and shrimp were our favorite. The two couples that were on our left all hated seafood and vegetables. I don't know why they ate there. They hogged a lot of the seafood onto their plate and then threw it away. Some of the chefs sang and delighted their dinner guests. Ours just explained everything, but we enjoyed her. The desert was a trio of a small bite of cake, a petit four, and a hunk of chocolate. We were stuffed after this meal. International Buffet This was served on Saturday night inside and outside of the Spices restaurant. Flies were a SERIOUS problem. They continue to offer quite a lot of seafood. There were mussels prepared about 4 ways, lots of sushi (we don't eat it), several types of grilled seafood, fried scallops, conch, chicken, pork, lots of pasta, two soups, some oriental dishes, etc. They had a bar setup, but we didn't go there. We got our own wine from Manor House bar. Eventually, the house band played and then a cabaret singer serenaded everyone. We, and others, sat in lounge chairs around the pool for that. Junkanoo Beach Party Night Buffet Held every Monday night. We left on Monday but went last year. The Junkanoo band comes around in traditional costumes. This is the party with the beach games and limbo dancers. Last year there was a singer, too. Tables were set up on the beach. Returnee Dinner I believe this has moved to Friday. If not, it is still on Thursday. If you've ever stayed at Sandals before, ask them when you check in when this is so they will confirm you right then. Watersports Kayaks, paddle boats, aqua trikes, hobie cats, windsurfing, and sunfish were available. Scuba was also available. Snorkeling was offered several times a day. We went on Sunday and got about 45 minutes in the water. They gave us bread to feed the fish. We saw a lot of fish--some similar to Jamaica, several kinds of grouper, some catfish, and several varieties of blue fish. We saw more last year, but this year, we were 5 days after a hurricane. Activities The next day's activity sheet was placed in our room late each afternoon when the maid came for the turndown service. A very nice booklet outlining the week’s activities is provided in the room. In addition, a board of what is offered is posted outside of Spices. A paper list is provided outside of the spa downstairs from the Manor Bar terrace. That list outlines exercise classes. These are not noted anywhere else on the property, so you must check there if interested. They have exercise everyday at 8:30 a.m. and some water aerobics and other stuff some other times. Everything is subject to change, but they pretty much stuck to the schedule when we were there. We did not do much while we were there. We attended a bingo for prizes and didn't win anything. It was too popular. The cards weren't free, the money went to charity. It was delightful fun in the Royal Theater, though. Some of what’s offered: orientation everyday at 10 and 5. Some sort of aerobics was offered every morning at 8:30. The classes varied from circuit training, toning, aerobics, power walk, step, to low impact. Toning involved either resistance bands or weight machines on the circuit after an aerobic workout with bike, treadmill, and/or Stairmaster. Water aerobics were offered most days. Various other things--beach volleyball, bocce ball, table tennis tournament, pool volleyball, pool tournament, water balloon toss, aerobics, water aerobics, mixology, and pool volleyball, bingo, Caribbean dance class, drinking competition, shuffle board tournament, water balloon toss, group tennis lessons, pool basketball, table tennis tournament, water balloon toss, honeymoon games, , beach Olympics, scavenger hunt, water races, Mr. And Mrs. Royal Bahamian. Entertainment On our first night, they had the staff and guest talent show. This sounds cheesy but can offer some neat stuff such as impersonations, singing, and skits. On the second night, there was a cabaret singer. On the third night, it was kind of slow, being Sunday. Monday, they have the Junkanoo beach party. Books and Board Games Both are available for loan from the playmakers. Points Points are awarded for activities such as volleyball, aerobics, aquacize, contests and games, tennis, basketball, talent night, Olympics, and bingo. Beauty Salon There is a full service beauty salon inside of the spa. Services offered include a wide array of waxing, manicures and pedicures and hair treatments. There is more offered than in the spa brochures, so ask for what you wanted. On Sunday, I had hand and foot paraffin. This is not in the brochure. It was wonderful. It made my skin feel so soft. Spa The spa setup is quite nice. The spa is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. In addition to a wide variety of services at a charge, there are separate men’s and women’s steam rooms, saunas, and jet showers. There are bathrooms, changing rooms, lockers, and a few toiletries in the spa. There are packages available on the website (call Unique Vacations at 1-800-Sandals or your travel agent). These are a bit different from those offered once you get to the resort, but I am sure both are honored. All tolled, I had 3 treatments at the spa. I still like the treatments better at the Dunns River spa. Elaine, the manager there (at Dunns) does a lot to customize treatments to the individual and has a holistic aura going with lots of nice scents all around. However, the facilities are in much, much better shape at Royal Bahamian. The maintenance man comes around all the time for preventative checks. At Dunns he was trying to fix stuff already broken. The prices are higher at Royal Bahamian than other resorts and are the highest of any spa I've ever visited. However, if this keeps the place ship-shape, I’m more than happy to pay a few bucks extra. You can even schedule personal training. Last time, I noted that prices were slightly higher than most spas but that the price included a 10% gratuity. This time, prices were already higher (most hour-long treatments were$75 to$85). Then 15% was tacked on top of that. The treatments were 55 minutes standard and 85 for the extra long. The 85 minute ones ran about $110. To save a little, you can book packages. I did that last time but not this time. Since our stay was only 3 nights, I wanted to book exactly what I wanted when I wanted. My schedule: I tried to book most of my treatments when Todd would busy with golf or another activity, such as sleeping in. One day, I visited the steam room. It was still quite nice. My first treatment was a seaweed facial. I believe the therapist was named Stacie. She personalized the treatment and made me feel quite special. I still missed George, the previous therapist. The second day, I had a Shiatsu massage. I wanted a deep-tissue massage. Aleen gave this. She was great in getting me set up and comfortable. The massage was quite intense and varied from pleasant to kneading. I had notable bruises for a couple of weeks. I had such intense knots, and she was kneading them. I bruise easily. I imagine she is the strongest woman I've ever encountered, but I'd get her to adjust pressure if you need her to. I didn't ask. On the third day, I had the hand and foot paraffin treatment at the beauty salon. You can get this in conjunction with a manicure and pedicure or alone. I had only th 1/REGIONAL NEWS Angui Other Guests The resort was close to 90% full when we arrived but had some emptying by the day we left. The guests ranged from 20- something to 70-ish. There were lots of Germans and many Americans and Canadians. We saw a lot of thong bathing suits, which was quite a surprise. We even saw a few g-strings. At night, the dress was mostly casual- elegant. Other female guests wore cocktail dresses, casual dresses, and slacks. Men wore Dockers and golf shirts for the most part. Concierge Service We loved the private check-in with champagne and cold towel. We didn't need any restaurant reservations. Most days, we received a Miami Herald in our room. The bar stocking was the best we've seen at any resort, and they were impressively well organized. Departure and Return Home No one told us when to check out. Our flight was a 5 p.m. At 11:30, someone knocked on the door wanting to know why we weren't out and said we might have to pay to stay. I called the front desk. They wanted $80 for us to stay a few hours. We asked for time to pack our bags and were told to set them outside the room and get a locker at the spa for anything we wanted to keep in there during swimming, etc. We did just that. We ate a bite at the buffet and at Royal Grille and had some drinks and swimming. I got Todd to try the men's steam room. He enjoyed that. I managed to say goodbye to Stephen, the GM, and we hopped on the busy bus for the airport. Customs is held in Nassau. They mostly take your departure tax money and wave you on. We arrived in Miami on time, but the next flight was delayed. We were due into Houston at about 8:40 but arrived an hour late. We waited for the bus to the parking lot. The driver was the rudest human we've encountered in ages, and several people took his name and bus number to have a fit. We just wanted to go home. We got home quite late and had to work the next day. Comments Sandals Royal Bahamian is a very lovely resort. The resort remained quite full during our stay. However, with just a few exceptions, guests were quite tame and into relaxing or doing a few activities if the mood struck. There are plenty of romantic spots on the property.. The a la carte breakfast offers the opportunity for a healthy meal or a heartier breakfast. People were at the pool claiming their spot early in the morning. By 10 or so, there was difficulty getting a seat, although all day, there were plenty of seats that only had a towel in them, and there were many more seats with a towel in them than there were people in the pool and Jacuzzis. Some people hung out on the beach. The sand on the beach was very thick and somewhat hard to walk in. The showers on the beach now had a spout just for feet. That was a previous complaint I had, and I was surprised and pleased this had been added. There is food available at least 19 hours of the day, so this is not a real problem. Menus are available at the guest relations desk or posted near the restaurants, in some cases. Choose wisely, as some will meet your tastes better than others. Traditionally, the Royal Bahamian has been high-priced, compared to other Sandals. However the resort seems to have actually lowered prices since the expansion. I feel that this resort is well worth a look for those wanting golf, gambling, spa, or fine dining. We found it nice that we could get a bottle of wine or champagne at any bar anytime they were open and take it to our room. The only things missing at Royal Bahamian are laundry/dry cleaning included and 24- hour room service. If you are "room people", there is no doubt that a suite might be worth it to you. The pools were nice and warm. Bahamas is not always warm, so plan for the warm season. However, this year, they are fighting hurricanes, so that is a concern, also.
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