Four middle aged couples recently stayed at the Sandpiper in early July. Time of stay ranged from 5 nights to 8 nights Each couple had been to Bermuda various times before. We found the Sandpiper to be an affordable, simple & clean and centrally located guest house. Some rooms seemed a bit better than others but all were OK. The kitchenettes are great for breakfasts and snacks and storing food. lt provides the basic utensils, plates, glassware etc. (Food etc.can be purchased less than a mile away at a small supermarket). The 5-cup coffee makers are very nice to have in room. The bathrooms were simple & clean. A hairdryer was in our bathroom. Our room had a security box. (This was inconveniently located above the top shelf in the closet),

The pool and pool area are so-so in our opinion. The common courtyard area is nice, great for group breakfasts and happy hours but quite close to the main road as is the pool. The Sandpiper has both charcoal and gas grills, seemed in good shape (were used by others.)

The staff is friendly and helped us when needed calling for taxis or seeking local information.

It is located within very easy walking distance of the new branch of the Swizzle Inn, easy walking distance to a gas station & 7/11 type store and easy walking distance to a bus stop. We rented scooters and other than the hill up to the road it was fine with easy parking. Its location made for easy commutes to Hamilton, Horseshoe Bay beach and other fun areas of the Island.

If you are looking for an affordable place to stay, conveniently located, the Sandpiper might be just the right place.

My husband and I just got back from a 5 night stay at the Sanpiper Inn. We are not fans of large resorts and do not usually take advantage of all that they offer. I was looking for a self-catering room that allowed us to fix breakfast for ourselves and serve as a base for exploring the island. I started searching for a place probably two months before our trip – June 29 thru July 4 – and came up a little short on options.

The Sandpiper Inn worked fine; it is a VERY basic inn right on the South Shore Road. The lawn and pool area are small and noisy – we never hung out here. The room was clean and adequately equipped; the bathroom was in need of some upgrades but got the job done. We had a lower studio facing the street that had little to no privacy. One of the upper rooms would have been much nicer – ask for a room on the second floor with a balcony.

The Swizzle Inn – basic bar food at a reasonable price, lunch $40 dinner $60 for two– is located next store and there is a gas station with decent mini mart a short walk away. The bus stops in front of the gas station and the Swizzle Inn – very convenient. Access to Marley’s beach is just past the Swizzle Inn – take the road with the ‘Southlands’ gate – we probably were trespassing but we never saw anyone else on the beach. Great early morning swim! I would of preferred something with a bit more atmosphere and quieter. We did save a bit by not staying at one of the large resorts but sacrificed some of our time by having to travel around for lunches and dinners - you will get no where quick on the island.

My recommendation would be to try to get one of the other inns that have a bit higher review, look into the resorts – having everything you need right there may be nice, and if the Sandpiper is the only thing you are left with, no worries it is clean and close to the south shore beaches.

We stayed for two nights at the Sandpiper Apartments in Bermuda. This is an inexpensive option for folks that want a kitchen to do their own cooking or reheating of takeout, and to be centrally located on the island near a bus stop, and one of the two Swizzle Inn restaurants. Luxury it is not, but the staff is very helpful and friendly, and the rooms are very clean and comfortable. This is a great value for the money.

The Unit
We were in the Robin's Egg, a one bedroom up one flight of outside stairs. The other units are either studios, other 1 bedrooms, or I believe one with 2 bedrooms. The units look like they may have been built in the 1950's with some updates. You walk into the living room, which is a pleasant fairly large room with new tile floors. Two futon bed sofas are in the room (the unit can permit up to 4 people.) There's an armoir with TV, a dining table and chairs, and a small kitchenette with open countertop to the living/dining area. The living room also has a combo ceiling fan/light. Your windows will probably be open when you checkin, but we like it cold, and thankfully, the window unit in the living room does a great job. However, the cold air does not make it into the bedroom very well, and we found it stuffy even cranking the unit to the max and using the ceiling fan in the bedroom. The last night we slept in the living room on the futons and slept well. The kitchen has a small 4 burner electric stove and oven, a short refrigerator, sink (no dishwasher, and the sign says the maid won't do your dishes.) It reminded us a bit of the kitchen from the Leave it to Beaver 1950's show. There's a microwave, coffee maker, dishes & glasses, flatware, and a few misc items like bottle/can opener, cooking spoons, pots etc. The microwave scared us at first - looks dirty - but then we realized it was just rust. No food is in the kitchen - no salt & pepper or spices & condiments - so you need to stock up yourself. You get a small dish rag and kitchen towell, and dish detergent. The bedroom had two full beds, a dresser with mirror, and a closet with iron & board. There's a ceiling fan. The bedroom closet doors are ugly, but there is adequate space in the closet. Overall, the unit is spartan, but clean; the bedspreads and curtains match and look newer. The furniture is varnished pine and is not offensive - and for the most part comfy. The bathroom is very, very small, and has not been updated other than new shower curtain and paint. While clean, the bathroom seems old. You get adequate clean white towels, soap, combo shampoo/conditioner, and lotion. If you are a party more than 2 folks, the bathroom will be an issue - only 1 person fits in at a time. The units were mostly full, but we did not hear any noise from neighbors and the nights were quiet.

The grounds.
While small, you can see that the Sandpiper has tried to have a nice garden area by the pool, and there are tables and chairs with a bbq for your use if you wish. We did not go into the pool (it being fairly cool weather during our stay), but the pool looked clean. The apartment is located in a very densely populated area, but to our surprise, not much noise. A couple of healthy friendly cats wandered about, and lovely tree frogs sing all night (they won't keep you up.)

Nearby.
Swizzle Inn is a short walk away, and a relatively inexpensive restaurant. Saturday night they have delicious rib & chicken BBQ. Try the Rum Swizzle, their famous drink (yummy!), or the Dark N Stormy. New Englanders, beware - the fish chowder all over Bermuda is nothing like you are used to...it's more like conch chowder or turtle soup- tomato based with unusual (we thought) spices. We did not care much for it, but some folks love it. Fish is rather limited on menus, oddly; you'll find English style fish 'n chips (cod) - good, and the local wahoo - which we did not try. Everyone tells you to try the rockfish, but it was very expensive on all the menus we saw, so we skipped it.

Coming soon
A new building is going up almost next door to the Sandpiper, which will have a new grocery store. This will be a great boon to the Sandpiper and those who stay there, as getting groceries will be a breeze. In the meantime, you have to travel to get to one of the few groceries on the island, and pretty much only be able to bring back one bag either on the bus or your moped.