September 2006 Saizan's Travel visited Almond Village Barbados Resort  (see pictures).

Almond Beach Village (All Inclusive Resort) is northernmost resort on the west coast and the family-oriented faction of the Almond Resorts duo. (Almond Beach Club does not accept children 16 and under.)  

Almond Village Barbados is a 12-hectare property considered by many to be the best all-inclusive hotel on the island. It is not posh, but activities and amenities are generally a good match for anyone staying a week.  This huge self-contained cluster of architecturally diverse buildings resembles a college campus—one with 10 pools, two whirlpools, five tennis courts, a squash court, nine-hole pitch-and-putt golf course, a large fitness center, a long beach, and even a child-free enclave.

The vast open-air lobby signals the scale of things here.  The air-conditioned reception area, where guests sit down at mahogany desks at check-in, is one of the few air conditioned public areas.   All but one restaurant are "open air," with Caribbean breezes to keep you comfortable.

Of the four restaurants here, two take reservations, and the others operate on a first-come, first-served basis.  The spiffy continental restaurant features a formidable a la carte menu. The top pick here is the upscale northern Italian venue, the only air-conditioned dining room on-site.  It is also off-limits to children.  Tommy's, the playful Bajan bar and restaurant, is a riot of brightly painted tables and chairs, hand-carved gingerbread trim, and broad ship-lap siding exuding a village feel.  Toward the beach, guests relax at a large hardwood bar.  The late-night disco is very popular.

The Family Club, which includes nearly one-third of the guest rooms, has a playground, an activities center and three pools.  The hotel is roughly divided between this section and the adults-only side, which has a whirlpool, two large pools and a bar with free drinks.  The long beach is lined with casuarina trees and palms, and guests have free use of Sunfish and catamarans.   Waterskiing, snorkeling and banana-boating are also possibilities.   During high tide the beach is short and rocky.

Long two-story wings contain eight grades of guest quarters, and room and suite proportions vary considerably between wings.  Unlike those at many hotels on Barbados,  there are no rooms here viewing the parking lot.   Though they are not large, the rooms are well equipped with frigid air conditioning, ceiling fans, sofas, armoires, TVs, coffeemakers, safes, small combination baths with hair dryers and magnifying mirrors, and patios or balconies.   Between guests the air conditioning is shut off leaving a mold like smell...which quickly and completely disappates once the A/C is turned back on again, so there is no reason to panic.  Suites add minibars and clock radios.   Room service delivers at lunch and dinner.

The spaciousness and breadth of facilities make it a preferred choice for American families.   American's will also meet many Brits here on vacation, making an opportunity to form friendships with those "across the pond."

Onsite Amenities: 
Outdoor Pool
Dining On Site
Golf Course On Site
Fitness Room
Tennis Court
Meeting Space
Business Center
Handicapped Accessible
Air Conditioning
Beach Front
Modem - Data Ports
Hot Tub / Jacuzzi
Free Parking
Children's Program for ages 4-12

Nearby Activities: 
Guided Tours
Water Skiing
Jet Skiing
Fishing
Parasailing
Boating
Swimming
Paddling
Scuba Diving
Snorkeling
Biking
Spa

Pictures taken by the agents at Saizan's Travel during their visit to Almond Village Barbados in September 2006