The Sandy Lane Barbados, is a world famous hotel to the rich and famous, its is the ultimate luxury. So what could make this experience better? The Sandy Lane Gold Cup, with seven nights in the breath-taking Sandy Lane, and a fantastic days race perfectly placed in the middle of your trip.
Let’s start with the hotel, a personal favourite of Simon Cowell, Philip Green and the Rooney family it’s safe you will be in one of the best hotels there is and certainly the best on the island. The rooms are decorated in a traditional english style but are all very new and most certainly don’t feel old. The rest of the hotel flows beautifully with different pools to explore, a spa of dreams and enough restaurants to not even leave the hotel, oh and did we mention it is literally on the beach, you can roll out of bed onto a sun lounger and dip your toes in the sea!
Next we have the golf course, even if golf is not your thing I recommend going along just for the views. To explain why, the Sandy Lane has three golf courses, The Old Nine, The Country Club and the world famous Green Monkey so famous they even named a horse after it. Starting with The Old Nine built in 1961 is a real old favourite for repeat guests, at 3,345 yards, par 36 is an intimate yet demanding course. The Country Club boasting views of the caribbean ocean that alone makes it world class, 18 holes of golfers paradise. Finally The Green Monkey, carved in a limestone quarry with exposed rock faces and dramatic views, even if you are not a golfer you must go just for a peek! With 18 holes to test your golf and an actual green monkey made of grass do not miss this one!
Now the important part, well at least in our eyes, the racing!! The racing attracts jockeys, trainers and spectators from all over the world. Greats like Frankie Dettori have ridden there, but the competition is fierce amongst the Caribbean jockeys who predominantly dominated the results in previous years. The track itself is unique and has a real island feel to it, lots of the locals support it too which is great. The Sandy Lane Gold Cup is on the 5th day of their first racing season and is great time of year to be on the island, it’s not too hot and falling before our flat season lots of jockeys and trainers go over for it!