Divi Southwinds Beach Resort - Barbados

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It was enjoyable. Visited: October 2001 Posted by mwellslewis After reading all of the horror stories from others who stayed here, I was a little nervous about what to expect. My husband, my daughter and I had no complaints. The on-going renovations were not an obstruction. I mean, as long as you have fresh towels and a clean place to sleep and eat, that is all that really counts. You don't go on a vacation to spend 90% of your time in the room! The staff was all accessible and very friendly. I didn't have one bad thing to say about our stay here. 3 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? Fantastic stay! Visited: September 2001 Posted by godzyk My husband and I vacationed here for a week. We had a very good time. The Southwinds was very clean at all times. Our room was cleaned daily and they supplied us with plenty of fresh towels. The condos were very nice, and the furniture was in excellent condition and very nice. The staff was always very helpful and friendly with a smile. I believe all of the points in the bad reviews have been taken care of, and it looks like they have renovated a lot—and still are. We went for happy hour every night and visited with Charles the bartender. He was very helpful and informative. We will vacation again at Southwinds. 0 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? It was quite pleasant and relaxing! Visited: August 2001 Posted by mariacarroll2 I've been coming to Divi 1-2 times a year and yes, there have been changes - but all for the good. If you are expecting a high end resort, stay away. If you are expecting friendly people, the best beach, perfect location in the Gap - you never even need a taxi around Divi - this is it. You can walk to over 20 restaurants - some of the best on this island. Many times I have come alone and I've always felt safe and have met wonderful people. There were some problems back in 2000, but the management has since changed. If you want to stay in one of their new beach front units as I did, they were marvelous. If you stay in the main hotel area, it's less than a 3 minute walk to the beach! I've been an owner for 8 years and I'm pleased with my investment. Always remember - if something isn't to your satisfaction, report it immediately in a friendly and courteous manner and you'll be treated in kind. I'll return in Sept. 2002 and I'll let you know! 0 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? It was a Paradise on earth. Visited: August 2001 Posted by genegroseclose It was my first visit to Barbados. Our room was clean and comfortable; kitchen utensils and towels were plentiful. The room was cleaned promptly each day. The cleaning staff was polite and quiet helpful. The front desk clerks were always helpful. It was so beautiful on the grounds that my traveling companions were married right in the courtyard. It was beautiful. The beach access was convenient and breathtaking. The Divi isn't responsible for the vagrants on the beach selling the Aloe Vera, but hey, you need the aloe after a day in that sun. It was great and I can't wait to return next year. Thanks Divi for a great week! 0 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? Attitudes need renovation as much as the property Visited: July 2001 Posted by radecke Our family (Mom, Dad, and 2 teen daughters) just returned from 7 days at this property. Property: The renovations are still ongoing. Our unit (2-bedroom "penthouse") was commodious and for the most part clean (except for mold in the bathroom, a malfunctioning toilet, rotting wood on the balconies and other minor stuff that physical renovations will take care of in time). Staff: Unfortunately, we found precisely the same problem with staff attitudes that others have reported. I don't go to a resort expecting to make new best friends with the staff, but I can't comprehend their treating guests like bothersome and unwanted visitors. The only exceptions were the activities staff who hit precisely the right balance of being cheerfully invitational without being pushy or making you feel guilty for preferring to veg out instead of engage in an activity. Staff attitudes at this property were (ironically) in stark contrast to the helpfulness of the random Bajans we stopped to ask directions or engage in conversation. They were uniformly helpful and friendly. Restaurant: After a mediocre and expensive breakfast and a "hamburger" that I think explains the mysterious disappearance of Mister Ed. We bagged the Divi restaurants in favor of other venues. Just Dumb Stuff: Laundry is open 24 hours a day. Machines are not coin operated, but token operated. Tokens can be purchased only from the cashier, who works daylight hours. (Why can't the 24-hour front desk staff sell them?) Pool Bar: This bar was closed the entire time we were there. Maybe because it was low season, but no explanations were given. Pool Hours: A book in the room said that it was open 24 hours a day. The sign at the pool said it was closed at about 8 p.m. Would I stay there again? Probably not. But the place can be (was for us) a bargain. The money saved allowed us to do some activities and island exploring we wouldn't have done otherwise. The property feels pretty safe, although St. Lawrence is a lively nightspot area and seems much less sedate than the upscale west coast. It was also pretty torn up due to water and sewer repairs (nothing stinky, just ripped up roads and lots of detours). The Beach: It is very nice and clean, though a bit of a schlep from the main building (250 yards or so). 0 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? Renovations are great, but office has an attitude Visited: April 2001 Posted by dickparvin Since the earlier postings are controversial I'd like to add my two bits, commenting first on the facility then on the personnel. FACILITY -- The renovations now nearly complete have rendered the older complaints obsolete. Guests are put in the renovated rooms which are very nice, though there is minor evidence typical of older hotels in the tropics (rust, peeling paint, crumbling plaster, rotting wood)-- not a problem, really. It would help to have salt, pepper, and sugar in the room. We had to buy large boxes or bum some from the restaurants. PERSONNEL -- It would not be appropriate to use words like enthusiastic, cheerful, or even dutifully helpful in refering to the reception desk. I had several occasions to contact them and in each case I felt like we guests were interfering. A simple question like "Can you tell me where the laundry machine is located?" got the answer, "It's not in service." Period. It would have been helpful to hear something like "but we expect it to be back in service by tomorrow. In the meantime, the dryer is working if that would be a help, and there is a commercial laundrymat just down the road."(or whatever). Another: We planned to go to St. Lucia for the weekend after checking out, but didn't want to take our larger bags. The airline wouldn't accept them two days before our return flight, and neither would the airport. We were almost in a panic (exaggeration) because we couldn't get a yes or no from the front desk about their holding the bags for us. Only when we actually checked out (prepared to take the bags to St. Lucia if necessary) did we find out that yes, they have a baggage room and we were welcome to leave the bags there. The housekeeping staff and restaurant staff were much better. And hey, having your room cleaned and dishes washed everyday is great! It might be profitable if the DIVI corporate management (in NC) would do something about the front office problem. A great beach! 0 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? A wonderful vacation! Visited: March 2001 Posted by fpj70147 We purchased our Divi timeshare three years ago and this was our first opportunity to spend time at our resort home. After reading the negative reviews, I contacted guest relations at Divi headquarters to address all of the issues mentioned. I was answered promptly and told that major renovations were in progress and towels, beds, new t.v.s, and air conditioning units were already replaced. When we arrived the resort was indeed undergoing major renovations in their two lobby areas. New beds were delivered to all rooms during our stay, new drapes and bedspreads were already in place and the units were all freshly painted. Work still needs to be done, but the progress since the new management has taken over has been very impressive. New units were being built overlooking the ocean, which were beautiful. The staff was very friendly and helpful, our rooms were cleaned every day and there were plenty of clean towels. I was awakened at 2:00a.m. one morning by a very loud guest, and called the front desk where I was told they would send security to take care of it. Five minutes later I was back to sleep. I'm sure in due time Divi Southwinds will be the five-star resort it once was. We are looking forward to our trip next year to see all the new improvements. A side note: we were never approached by any drug dealers, just locals selling aloe for sunburns. We always felt safe walking at night to the numerous restaurants and clubs thate surrouned Divi.We had a wonderful vacation! 1 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? This property is in desperate need of repair Visited: October 2000 Posted by erica_m_matthews_gpd Needless to say, my very first experience since purchasing my timeshare has been very disappointing. The Divi Southwinds resort should not be listed for guest accommodations in any timeshare or vacation catalogue until it undergoes major renovations. Our family arrived at the Divi Southwinds at approximately 10:30 pm. The check-in went rather well but that was the only thing that I can positively comment on in regards to the resort. As soon as we turned on the lights in the unit, we were disheartened by the condition of the unit. The furniture was old and worn. Worse still, there were cockroaches in the kitchen and bathroom. I immediately notified the front desk clerk. She sent a maintenance worker to inspect the room. Cockroaches were present along with their droppings on the kitchen counter/stove, etc. The front desk clerk advised that there were no rooms available comparable to our timeshare unit but that they would be able to offer a unit in the older buildings. I was given keys to inspect 2 rooms. One room had the stove ripped from the wall, furniture was dirty and stacked on top of one another. Further, there was no electricity in the bedroom or bathroom. The condition of the second room was similar. The Divi Southwind management and staff were rude and seemed unwilling to understand why a cockroach infested room was not acceptable. Visible evidence of pest infestation not only at Divi Southwinds but at any hotel/resort is unacceptable for guest accommodations. We refused to stay at the Divi Southwinds and left the resort that night to find more suitable accommodations. The island of Barbados was beautiful! 0 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? We had a great time! Visited: October 2000 Posted by Ashleigha%20 We had a great time on our holiday. The staff were great, especially Tyrone. We always had something to do and he kept us busy for three weeks; he was really friendly and fun to be with. Also, the barman, Ricky, kept my Mom and Dad busy. The room was really nice; we had a great time and made lots of friends. Thank you for giving us a great holiday. 0 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? A good time was had by all! Visited: September 2000 Posted by hbrown_jr After reading the other reviews, we panicked and attempted to change our hotel, but were unable to. Upon arrival, we were upgraded to a suite and were pleasantly surprised. The suite was clean, neat and airy. All of the available amenities were functional; there were no bugs or other critters, ample towels, and a nice view of the pool. The housekeeping was timely, and very courteous. The front desk staff were very polite and helpful. They always had a recommendation for someplace good to eat (like Oistins on a Friday night), and Rose was an excellent source of things to do and places to see. She helped make my wife’s birthday something really special for both of us. (Do sail on the HeatWave if you like catamarans.) The Southwinds is not the "Divi Elegance" we had experienced previously at Divi St. James, but we had a wonderful time on the beautiful beach. We were thrilled to be able to witness turtle hatchings. Although we ate out most of the time, what we did eat at the hotel was tasty. Our only complaint was the grounds needed a little T.L.C., but nothing a little paint and elbow grease couldn't overcome. Some new furniture and tv's wouldn't hurt either. With some T.L.C., the Divi Southwinds could be the place that lives up to it's motto, "Divi Elegance," but it will take some financing and work. All in all, we returned home relaxed, refreshed and unwound. I would recommend it to my friends simply because of the friendly people that we met. 0 users found this review helpful. 1 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? New Management ans getting better again! Visited: August 2000 Posted by msiemons I've been an owner since '93 and have traveled using interval exchange as well. Divi, like all older properties, needed the new management that had just been put into place during my last visit. Part of Divi Southwinds' charm is that it is not a stuffy, over-priced resort. I have stayed there 6 times and only once did I have a problem and it was resolved first thing on Monday morning after arriving Saturday night. The new manager spoke to me and I followed up to Divi corporate office in the U.S. and a response to my letter was promptly received. I write travel articles and plan on writing one about the benefits of timeshares, especially for the 55plus age group; knowing where and what you are getting, etc. My suite was always well stocked and whenever I needed extra towels (as always) the housekeeping staff remembered and gave me extra every day. I have never seen an ant let alone a roach! The people of Barbados are proud and courteous and if you are friendly and out-going, they will be too! I'm outgoing and friendly and travelers who are, usually find that they are treated in kind. Divi is not the Ritz-Carlton and I wouldn't want it to be. There are high end resorts on the island and I've visited them only to find the staff quite stoic and the guests often unbearable. I'm staying at Divi Southwinds again at the end of June 2001 and I'll write about the many renovations! 0 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? Disappointed Visited: August 2000 Posted by lgadson Went on vacation August of 2000. The brochure pictures for this property will have you fooled. The hotel rooms were truly disappointing. The kitchen appliances were very old and the furniture was falling apart. The Divi grounds were beautiful, that's it. Staff friendly. Nice property, but they need an upgrade. 1 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? My stay at Southwinds was disappointing! Visited: July 2000 Posted by Subalady Our stay at the Southwinds was disappointing. I thought because I owned a timeshare that I would not experience what I had read previously before going on vacation. Boy was I wrong! Because I booked my exchange and flight in February of 2000, I was not able to change my vacation. Our major complaints were not the island of Barbardos itself, but our stay at Southwinds. The staff were discourteous and housekeeping were scarce with towels. We had to ask for additional towels each day because we showered twice a day. We received the additional towels and then housekeeping did not provide face clothes anymore after the third day. Although, the villa was old and needed repairs, it was clean and neat. In a whole, our vacation was very enjoyable. Barbados itself was a beautiful island and I would recommend anyone to visit. 0 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? Tremendusly disappointing, a low, low budget Visited: June 2000 Posted by cball1 We arrived at the Divi, somewhat leery after reading the reviews posted on this site but had not known before we booked. Since our vacation had been planned for a year we went ahead and gave it the benefit of the doubt. Unfortunately, we were most disappointed with our stay. Our "penthouse view" looked out (from the bedroom) to a run down rooftop, with lattice that needed paint...to nothing! Our balcony on floor one needed painting and decent furniture; floor two was wooden and seemed unsafe to stand on. Out the front door, no art, plants. The beach, though nice, was across the street, through the dilapidated hotel property - very inconvenient. Our experience echos all of the negatives that are mentioned in other reviews...only one half-working elevator, towel shortages (one day we had no face cloths), kitchen supplies - scant and some missing (sad), broken refrigerator, unkept grounds, filthy even, needing much repair. Our view overlooked a worn tennis court. The plumbing leaked and drained very slow, rusty bathroom fixtures, and lukewarm water in the shower, cheap, mismatched furniture, etc. We even spoke with others who felt the same way. Because it was a timeshare exchange, we dealt with it. But it was most uncomfortable. Not the way you want a luxury resort vacation to be, at all. The only saving grace was the friendliness of the staff and the wonderful people of Barbados. We tried to stay away (from the resort) most of the time. They can be very proud. Every person native to the island was always courteous and helpful. Often when we were asked where we were staying, they acknowledged that at one time Divi was really nice. We were fortunate to have a great taxi driver, Sandy. If you do go, please ask for him. Very pleasant, friendly and knowledgeable, been on the island all his life! Barbados has much to offer for a vacation. We explored several beaches, all breath-taking. Much shopping, good variety of food. Barbados will see us again next year, but we will definitely stay in a different place. 0 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? It's not better in the Bahamas! Visited: August 1999 Posted by ATraveler After reading these posted reviews, I must post one of my own. My Mom and Dad have been returning to Divi Southwinds annually for about the past 12 years, and it's all they ever talk about. Last year my daughters and I were fortunate enough to be included. Upon arriving at the Divi, we were greeted by a most warm, polite, friendly and professional staff. There was even a sign in the lobby that read, "Welcome Home." Mom and Dad were immediately recognized, and obviously the staff doesn't have that high of a turn over, because Dad knew them all by name. The grounds were beautiful. Unlike other island resorts, I was not the least bit worried about letting my daughters roam freely. The air had a sweet aroma. Our penthouse was clean. All of the appliances, furniture and everything else well maintained and functional. I didn't happen to see any cockroaches or other creepy things, either. No towel problem, in fact, if you turn in your beach towels before 5 pm, you get fresh ones on the spot. The elevators worked just fine once you realized there was a weight limit! I made many friends within my first few hours here. Patricia was our maid, Mom said she always has been in the past as well, and she was thrilled to see my parents. She gave my girls and me a hug and kiss and knew all about us. My girls had been here once before. I immediately felt at home. I relaxed on the beach all day, everyday, for two weeks. One of the taxi drivers named Bruce would sing "Good Morning Beautiful" to me as I walked to the beach each morning. Can you beat that? And yes, you do live in your bathing suit, a.k.a. "Barefoot Elegance." The weather is 85-90 degrees all day with a gentle island breeze. Divi basically has it's own beachfront, with plenty of comfortable lounge chairs and room to hang out. It's just for their guests, and Beulah the Braider. I came home with a dynamite tan. The cocktail parties and daily activities were so much fun, but be careful with the rum punch. The food was great; we ate out about three times a week, but we had our own kitchen, and nothin' beats Mom's gourmet cookin'. The staff was at our service at all times. I felt like a princess. Telma, who is at Jocelyn's, the beachfront restaurant, would bring me my daily fish cakes and umbrella drinks. She had it down pat by day two—what a great lady! Wally in the Aquarius Restaurant was most accommodating as well. There were great little stores right on the grounds for doing a little shopping, and the prices were reasonable. I wanted to get a job here, so that I could stay, but Dad said I was getting back on the plane with the rest of them. As a matter of fact, we're all returning very soon. I can't wait! 0 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? Clean, friendly staff, older rooms in need of maintenance. Visited: December 1969 Posted by ATraveler Our stay at Southwinds (time-share) was chosen due to the warm climate. Rooms were clean but in need of some repair. Staff were pleasant and helpful. We especially liked the activities directors, Juliette and Tyrone! The mini-market on the grounds was helpful. My wife and I play tennis and were happy with the chance to play at night because of the humidity during the day. The courts were not well maintained in respect to the surface. The lighting was excellent on the courts and we had no trouble reserving a court. We liked the chance to tour the island and there were many options. A unique feature was hiring a cab to take us around. We were fortunate to hire Byron Forde who was an excellent guide and gave us a complete tour of the island highlights. Prices were not too expensive since the American dollar exchange was fair. We enjoyed our stay at Divi Southwinds. 0 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? This is a low budget hotel. Visited: December 1969 Posted by pnutile This is a low budget hotel. The first night we were at Divi, I noticed a swarm of small black bugs swarming over my husbands head as he slept on the dilapited damp bed which was collapsed on one side. In the morning I noticed a bug the size of a small mouse on the floor near the bathroom. The air-conditioning had also shut itself off during the night making our room unbearable. The swimming at the small beach where Divi is located was pleasant however. We were constantly solicited by unrelenting drug dealers both on and off the beach and told by the staff at Divi to be careful walking the area after dark. Needless to say, as soon as we were able to find another hotel with availability we immediatley moved out of the Divi. 0 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful?

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