We've been to several all-inclusive resorts before...

We've been to several all-inclusive resorts before, but Sandals Royal Bahamian blew them all away! The food, the service, they do it all right! Now, full disclosure, we went with their Butler Elite option, so we were pretty pampered, but the quality of the food and the attention we got from everyone was among the best.

Our room was spacious with an amazing view of the beach and crystal clear Caribbean. The decor has an island vibe, very much in the vein of Tommy Bahama, with the furniture in great condition. There were plenty of outlets with "American" plugs, so no need to bring an adapter or a power strip.

The resort itself is gorgeous, with lush, well maintained foliage. There are two pools, one being the "party" pool, and the other know as the "quiet" pool. These names are VERY accurate, so try both and see which category you fall into. Regardless of which pool you choose, there is plenty of seating, space to swim and multiple hot tubs. Both pools have swim-up bars with plenty of seating. There are also attentive servers who circle the pools making sure you never go dry.

Speaking of bars...there are MANY bars on the property to quench your thirst! All of the bartenders are highly skilled, and quite generous with their pours. One of our favorite haunts was the piano bar which hosted raucous singalongs every night. There is a bartender there with the nickname "Fluffy" (the reason for this is still a mystery), and he makes his own blend of rum which he keeps on the bar in a cask. Ask Fluffy for a taste, and you won't be disappointed.

There are MANY great restaurants on property, so you really never need to leave. Our favorites were "Gordon's on the Pier", Baccarat, Casanova, and the Crystal Room. You can't go wrong with any of the eateries, but we ate at each of these multiple times during our 9 day stay. My recommendations? Try the Grouper or Surf & Turf at Gordon's, the Gnocchi at Casanova, the Pork Chop at the Crystal Room, and the Filet at Baccarat.

Now, at the risk of sounding elitist, I need to tell you about their Butler Elite class of service. When we travel, we like to make it into a luxury experience. Having a Butler at Sandals makes you feel beyond pampered. Upon arrival, you are greeted at the airport by a Rolls Royce which whisks you to the hotel. Upon arrival you meet your Butler who takes you to your room and handles your check-in there, away from the crowd at the front desk. You're given a cellular phone that works anywhere on the property to call your Butler and request anything you might need. Like what? Well, drinks by the pool, a last minute reservation to a restaurant, room service, pretty much anything you could think of wanting! The service is 24 hours a day, so you have a team of Butlers for your stay. They're all fun, professional, and aim to please. Sure, it's a pricey way to go, but in my opinion it's worth every penny!

While we haven't been to other Sandals, we spoke with many guests who had, and they all seemed to like this location over many others they'd visited. Parting was sweet sorrow, but we fully intend on returning!