Almond Beach Village
Heywoods, St. Peter, Barbados
(246) 422-4900 or 1 (800) 4-ALMOND (North America)
Fax: (246) 422-0617 Almond Resorts
Resort Overview: Almond Beach Village is set on 30 acres on Barbados' Platinum Coast on the grounds of a former sugar plantation. The resort is approximately 12 miles from the capital city of Bridgetown and a 45-minute drive from the international airport. This sprawling all-inclusive property is particularly popular with families, and parents speak highly of the friendly and supportive nursery and children's program staff. The property features expansive grounds with a section just for families, ten pools, a 9-hole par 3 golf course, a white sand beach, and a wide variety of watersports. Guests at Almond Beach Village can visit the resort's sister property, Almond Beach Club, in nearby St. James. This is a smaller beachfront adult-oriented property, so only children ages 16 and older may visit this resort with their families.
Accommodations: Almond Beach Village offers 330 rooms located throughout the complex. The rooms are divided into 11 different categories based on size, view, and other factors. Almond Beach Village is in the midst of a $10 million dollar renovation, and it is suggested that families request one of the recently renovated rooms. Our renovated one bedroom ocean view suite was beautiful, and featured a large bedroom with an adjoining living room, mahogany furniture, views of the ocean, and a large covered verandah. The living room provided a pull-out sleep sofa and plenty of room for a rollaway cot or a crib. All rooms have a balcony or patio, air conditioning, private bath and shower, ceiling fan, safety deposit box, hair dryer, coffee maker, satellite color TV, and other amenities. Those families with young children may want to request one of the rooms on the ground floor with a patio or one of the suites with a large balcony. These are very convenient when the children are napping, and while the resort cannot guarantee requests, they will do their best to meet your needs.
Restaurants: The food offered at Almond Beach Village is delicious -- especially for an all-inclusive property, and guests can choose from a number of dining options. Breakfast and lunch are offered in the Horizon Restaurant and the Reef Restaurant each day. If you would like an a la carte lunch, make sure to head to the Horizon Restaurant. Formal afternoon British-style high tea is available daily from 3:00 to 4:30 p.m. in the Horizon Lounge. Dinner is offered in the Horizon Restaurant (Continental cuisine), Enid's Restaurant (Bajan cuisine), La Smarrita Restaurant (Northern Italian cuisine, children 16 and older only), and the Reef Restaurant (seafood). Children's menus are available at all restaurants except La Smarrita. Room service is available for lunch and dinner, and snacks can be found at Tommy's Bar. Special themed buffets and restaurant menu changes take place during the week, so make sure to consult the Almond Beach Village Newsgram for details. Reservations for all restaurants should be made in advance. Please note: La Smarrita is the only resort restaurant that is air-conditioned, although ceiling fans in the other restaurant locations do keep the air moving. The dress code at the resort does not permit shorts at dinner, and shoes must be worn at all times. Dinner dress is "resort casual" which is a collared shirt and slacks for men, and dresses, skirts or long pants for ladies. This dress code applies to adults and all children ages 14 and older, so make sure to pack accordingly. Convenient shuttle buses run between Almond Beach Village and the Almond Beach Club, so parents may arrange for childcare or utilize the evening children's programs and enjoy a "Parents' Night Out" at the resort's sister property.
Children's Programs: Almond Beach Village offers free children's programs for a wide range of age groups, including a fully-staffed nursery for children up to 2-years old. Parents commented on the nursery's friendly, attentive staff and several mentioned that they had returned to the resort specifically because the nursery staff was so good with their children. The Mini-Club is the place to be for children from 2 up to 5 years of age, and the staff here was also lauded by parents as being particularly attentive. Programs at the Nursery and Mini-Club last from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with a one-hour lunch break. The resort's Kids' Club provides activities for children ages 5 to 12, including local dance lessons, arts & crafts, pool and beach play, computer and video games, outings, and other activities. Activities at the Kids' Club run from 9 a.m. until 10 p.m., with a thirty-minute break in the late afternoon. The resort's Teen Center offers one afternoon activity and several events during the evening. Babysitting is also available for a fee, and 24-hours notice is suggested.
Special children's pools are available at the resort. The pool in front of the nursery is particularly popular for the little ones, while families with older children tend to head for the pool in front of the Kids' Club or the large pool in front of Horizons. Those families with teens ages 16 and older may prefer the pools in the adult section of the resort.
Activities and Amenities: The resort offers 10 pools; 2 cool freshwater jacuzzis, a variety of watersports including free snorkeling, waterskiing, banana boat rides, windsurfing, reef fishing and kayaking; a white sand beach with good snorkeling close to shore; a fitness center; and 4 lighted tennis courts. Free hair braiding is offered for guests, and appointments can be made right outside the Kids' Club. The 9-hole, par 3 golf course is also popular with families, and a small fee is charged for club rentals. A new state-of-the-art European style spa will be available at the resort by the end of 2005. Almond Beach Village also offers a wide variety of daily tours and outings. Make sure to look into the "Swim with the Turtles" trip, offered several times each day. Visits to Harrison's Cave and the Barbados Wildlife Reserve are also highly recommended family tours. The Outback 4x4 island tour is an excellent way for families to see the island of Barbados, but it is best for those who don't mind being jostled around as the vehicles travel along rugged roads.
More Information: If you go, it is very important to quickly become familiar with the wide variety of daily activities offered by the resort. Orientation sessions are offered at 10 a.m. daily. If you do not plan to attend, make sure to visit the resort's Guest Services Center and pick up a copy of the Almond Beach Village Newsgram as well as the daily tour list. In addition, renovations to the resort are currently taking place. Make sure to request for one of the newly renovated rooms -- they are attractively furnished and very comfortable. If noise is a factor, you may wish to request a room as far away as possible from the renovations and the disco. If you have a chance, try to get off property to go shopping in Bridgetown or take one of the many tours offered by the resort. Take the opportunity to see as much of this beautiful island as possible during your stay. The people are friendly and the scenery is breathtaking.
