Just returned from a great weeks stay in the casuarina. Contrary to many reviews we found the check in quick and easy. The rooms are clean and tidy and this was very well maintained throughout the week. I accept the room we stayed in was basic and slightly dated but how long do you really plan on staying in your room when on holiday in Barbados? Found the food to be fantastic in all the restaurants and the service excellent. The waitresses who served us did so with a smile and couldn't do enough for us. Just basic manners and conversation goes along way and we had a really good laugh with some of the waitresses who enjoyed good banter with the guests. In fact we was quite embarrassed by how rude some guests were with their inability to say a simple please or thank you. The pools are to a good standard and are clean with plenty of sun loungers and towels available. The beach and sea is a beautiful location to spend the day lazing in the sun and the daily beach barbecue for lunch again adds to this. Locals will chat to you occasionally on the beach but again a bit of banter and then a polite " no thanks" is always accepted. The entertainment on an evening was a bit disappointing or not to our taste at times. The drinks service on the main bar at night was good especially from one lady in particular who was excellent at keeping your drink topped up and for general politeness and conversation. You will see who I mean! Overall fantastic stay, fantastic location and would go back. For those of you who suggest the staff are rude may I suggest you look at your own manners and attitude first!
"Treat those as you wish to be treated" :)

We were in the hotel from the 30th December for one week after a weeks cruise around the Caribbean.. We arrived from the ship about 1.30 and we were informed (all of us) that our rooms would not be ready until 3pm or so. Finally we were given our keys etc. which was on the 4th floor in block one, just what we wanted. Walked up to the room, opened the door only to find the chain on....... Tried again, same thing only this time a very irate young lady with a very small towel around her answered, she had paid extra to stop there until 4.30pm. As luck had it housekeeping was passing and saw the whole thing or it could have been very nasty, even more so it the chain had not been on. We went to reception who said 'sorry' and we could have the room if we waited till 7pm?......... We said no and waited for another hour to be reallocated to the second floor. Next thing to happen was hubby thought I had opened the balcony door but I had not, he walked straight into it, he split his nose, I thought he had broken it, there are no warning stickers on the glass. Very funny now, not then. Several times we went to see our rep from Thomson but never found her, reception (a desk in the lobby) said we would just have to wait for her. We finally caught up with her the day before we left. It appears that all the info for trips, contacts, local area, welcoming meeting (get the drift) had not been left in our room because we had changed rooms. it did put a bit of a cloud over our holiday, we were grieved we missed out on quite a lot. Our room was lovely, not a thing wrong, hotel in general fab. We were surprised however that the Dover restaurant which we paid extra for was exactly the same menu as the Calypso, don't get mislead with it, if fact the steaks on the beach and the Calypso were fab, the lobster and steak in the Dover were rough to say the least. The boys in the bars were lovely, the problem came with the cocktails, I had one only that was as I ordered, all the others were slapdash and nothing like I ordered. All the staff seemed very hard working and nothing was too much trouble. The surrounding areas were far more quiet than we were led to believe in the brochure, if you want to go anywhere you had to have transport, no where was within walking distance which was a big disappointment to us. The other and greatest disappointment was us finding out that the Almond chain had been sold last year and we were unable to visit the other hotels in the chains as advertised. I shall be contacting Thomson about this.

Poor service from unfriendly staff dirty pool and dirty overall shame as could have potential for a very good hotel would not go back. Staff very grumpy and everything an effort . No communication from first choice rep did not check in til 6.30 after arriving at hotel at 2pm clients were all up in arms and were not told why ! Food ok would be ok if staff were friendly could not believe their arrogance !

We (two adults and one teenager) just returned from 6 days/nights over New Year's. We had a great time, but there's always something...We stayed in a one bedroom, garden suite in Block 5 (the farthest from the action/beach). While the room was a good size, the quality of the room, especially the bathroom, left a lot to be desired. It was tired and stained. Water pressure was a dribble at best and was either hot or cold, rarely in between. Beds were fine for sleeping. TV was fuzzy. Wireless was only available in a 50 sq foot area near the Calypso Lounge, otherwise they charge an arm and a leg.

The beach was beautiful and you could take a ride on a Hobie Cat for free (as a guest) ... well worth doing! Though, we got lucky because they have three boats, two are broken and the guy barely wanted to take us out. Reserve your sun loungers early in the morning to get a good angle and a place near the water's edge. Sports equipment was shabby, including the teen center pool table and table tennis. Though, who's there for that. We heard bad reports from other families that the kids' club was not good, although we did not experience this first hand. Drinks were readily available...weak during the day and only a little better at night. There was nothing really in the way of entertainment. Disappointing.

Though on New year's Eve they pulled out all the stops. We did go to Oiston's on Friday night for dinner at the fish/craft market. Even got to hold a monkey named Sunshine. We also spent a day at Harrison's caves and a nature preserve (where we fed monkeys)...fun for kids of all ages. One afternoon we took a sunset cruise on a catamaran and swam with turtles...expensive but worth it. All can be booked from the hotel.

The staff was nearly all very friendly and accommodating. It was the odd surly one that really stood out. Name tags for the staff would have been helpful. Some did, most didn't. The common restrooms were filthy and full of sand by the end of the day. So "go" before dinner, as they are the same restrooms as you use after the beach.

Overall we enjoyed ourselves and were able to relax and enjoy our surroundings. The trip was expensive, but what do you expect that time of year? It was a happy New Year, had by all!