We just returned from 5 nights at the Southern Palms and we very much enjoyed our visit. We had a second-floor beachfront room in the new section (room 209) and we were most satisfied with the accommodations. Our room was nice and the beach/ocean view was spectacular. We did not purchase the meal plan because we prefer to sample the local restaurants (which were all very good but a little on the expensive side- relative to the other islands we have visited). While the resort's breakfast buffet was sumptuous, it was very expensive ($26.50 US, I believe) so we elected to eat breakfast at Happy Days Cafe across the street (pancakes, bacon and coffee for a very reasonable $7.50) or order ala carte at the resort restaurant (where the above ran $10.00). We checked our e-mail and used the internet in the resort's computer room (no charge and seldom in use when we went there). The resort's pool, beach, landscaping and buildings are beautiful and in excellent condition! There was very nice live music 3 of the 5 nights which was very nice and the bands were quite good. The resort's location is excellent and was one of the reasons I chose to stay here; it is very close to some nice shops, restaurants, bars, etc., as well as a bus stop (cheap and fun way to get to Bridgetown). Our only complaint about the island, and to a lessor extent the resort ,is that some of the tourist industry people were not overly friendly, as they are in the 6 other Caribbean islands we've visited.

I returned from the Almond Casaurina yesterday. Overall, my family and I had a good experience, but there were some things that bothered us, and other guests shared our same concrens. 1) I did not have internet access for an entire week. There is no WiFi at the resort and the hard wired connection was not working. In 2011 I think it is unacceptable to not have free WiFi at a resort. 2) Prior to arrival I was not informed of the requirement for men to wear 'long trousers' for dinner. I where a suit to work everyday, and when I am on vacation on an island in 90 degree heat I like to wear shorts. Because of this requirement I was only allowed to eat dinner at the buffets and I could not go to some of the finer dining experiences. 3) Customer service skills were lacking in most of the employees. The front desk staff should always greet you with a smile, but I am not sure if I saw any of the young ladies in guest services smile at anyone. The bartenders and the beach staff were the only personable staff. Some of the waitresses were good, but some acted as if I they did not want to do their job. 4) The resort is very well kept and it is very close to the airport. I enjoyed the food even though I could only partake of the buffets. As I walked through St. Lawrence Gap, it did appear that the Almond Casaurina was one of the nicest resorts in this area. My parents are from Barbados, so I will return to the island, but I will probably stay somewhere else.

Our family of 4 (2 boys ages 6 & 8) traveled to Barbados for the first time and had a fantastic time at the Bougainvillea. We were looking for a resort that offered the option of cooking some meals in our room, as well as going out. We had a full kitchen, a comfortable living room area and a great bedroom. The deluxe studio suite was perfect for us as we needed to ensure we all had enough space to chill out when not at the beach. Speaking of the beach and the resort grounds - they were absolutely breathtakingly beautiful!!! Very clean, lovely trees, flowers and greenery all around. The beach and the pools were also amazing and offered a wonderful option of where to stay and play for 2 very active young boys. The service at the hotel was great, friendly and very accommodating staff - they were a pleasure to interact with. We rented a car which allowed us to travel around and explore the island - something I would recommend especially if you don't want to be stuck eating at the resort during your entire vacation. The resort has 2 restaurants, both very nice, but exploring the cuisine the island has to offer is a must. I highly recommend this resort to any family looking to get away, relax, and enjoy some fun in the sun. We would go back in a heart beat. My children keep asking when are we going back to Bougainvillea? Soon I hope. Go you will love it!

While we enjoyed our stay in Barbados, and the staff were incredibly helpful, I expected more for the money. There was very little entertainment at the resort and no bars were open late. This is an all-inclusive resort so I felt that some entertainment should have been included. For a highly rated hotel, I also felt that there should have been a higher quality of mattress and bedding in the rooms. While we will return to Barbados at some point, we will stay at a different resort.