Desolate ABANDONED Tropical Resort

After decades of being a popular beach resort on the island of Barbados, the Almond Beach Village Resort had closed for the final time in 2018, after years of struggling. But the guests memories weren't the only thing it left behind. Today the resort has been left completely abandoned and open to the elements. I'm taking a look inside to discover what's left and piece together a before and after look a this incredible, abandoned resort.
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Chapters:
Opening - 0:00
Resort's Beginnings/Rooms - 1:04
First Closure/Shops - 3:48
Glimmer of Hope/Lobby - 7:09
Final Closure/Pool - 9:13
Kids Club/The Future - 12:03
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Bright Sun Films 2023
Presented in 4K

[@NoName5589]

I love that you consistently find and use old footage and pictures in your documentaries as comparison between then and now. It makes it easier to follow and really satisfies the curiosity of what was

[@SuperMegaSammy]

Me too I do enjoyed his video, anybody can records abandoned property. But he put history and faces of the property during glorious days. Keep up excellent work Bright Sun Films.

[@anthonyvalenti3419]

agreed! it is my favorite channel for abandoned structures and bankrupt companies. Truly fascinating to watch these videos, my curiosity is constantly peaked.

[@perceivedvelocity9914]

It's amazing how quickly nature can take back the land that we use.

[@grumpynomad3551]

You wouldn’t even be able to tell humans lived here after about 2 hundred years. Almost like it’s happened before and now we can’t explain things like the pyramids.

[@stenbak88]

I will never understand not cleaning to save costs. You will 100% guaranteed loose a majority of paying customers if it isn’t clean enough

[@Grantland_Ewing]

Reminds me of my mother talking about how nasty her brother’s house was and said “cleaning supplies ain’t that expensive”.

[@SLAAMIT]

its always easier in life to be lazy......never forget that sadly

[@user-gq2vn1xj2r]

*lose

[@Toastybees]

Staff is the biggest expense for any service oriented operation, especially in vacation locations where staff has to either live on site or get paid enough to commute in from outside of the wealthy areas. They probably figured scrimp on staff and try to get more work out of fewer people, but people can only be stretched so thin.

[@BrownEyePinch]

Costs money to clean

[@TheBigRoyalz]

My parents got married there back in 2002 at the sugar mill. We visited again around 2016, so sad to see it like this now.

[@mjc8248]

We were there in 98ish, and it was so good. It's pretty sad to see it now.

[@childhoodncstalgia]

Agreed, can’t stop crying

[@kirkthejerk7258]

There's nothing like a new bright sun film to brighten my day. Keep up the great content!

[@BrightSunFilms]

Thanks!

[@nealjones2007]

I have to wonder if civil engineers or materials engineers study places like this to determine what products and materials hold up to the elements better than others.

[@RichieRouge206]

Those ceiling fans at 9:00 are Hunter Originals which are cast iron and pretty indestructible, shows compared to the other fans which have lost blades and are badly rusted. Such a sad place now it’s decayed and it was obviously a lovely resort back in the 80s and 90s. Great video Jake

[@pierreklee8032]

you are correct but I am not so sure they are that great any more, like so many American companies, Hunter is made overseas and has been for years.

[@RichieRouge206]

@pierreklee8032 this is true but those at the resort would have been the earlier generation US made models if they were installed in the 80s or 90s. The non-US models were 2000s onwards.

[@pierreklee8032]

@@RichieRouge206 exactly

[@Jamon1916]

It's amazing how much change happened in 5 years. It looks like it has been closed for a decade or two (from the outside at least). Great Video, Jake!!!!

[@Sorrowablaze]

As soon as water makes it's way in, it's all over. Just having air conditioning going really keeps moisture out .... and it's REALLY bad if a hole gets in a roof . You'd be surprised ,but houses deteriorate fast with no occupants . my town has a bunch of derelict houses , crazy how fast some of them go to shit .

[@ACoolKidsProduction]

@@Sorrowablaze To piggyback off of this a bit, the tropics have a LOT of very intense rain, and with it, moisture.

[@GMAMEC]

I concur with the others. Water is horrible. If you ever have a leak or flooding, stop and/or turn off the water ASAP. It’s imperative that you properly dry out the area and fix the problem immediately . It may be expensive, but ignoring the problem, even for one hour, can make a huge difference.

[@rohanlaron]

So I live in Barbados and when sandals came to the island and built their other resorts they got something like 40 years duty free concessions on imports, but just as the government changed in 2018 when sandals started doing work on the beach area, other hoteliers on the island put pressure on the government about sandals duty free concessions, saying we’ve been here longer why can’t we get as well, so government and sandals went back to the negotiation table, sandals asking for if any company gets a better deal than what sandals has, that they be upgraded to a similar or better deal and they also wanted protection from any new tax law parliament may enact. The two parties couldn’t reach an agreement on the aforementioned issues and therefore the project was put on hold.

[@skeletor9121]

Curious. Since you live in Barbados, is the Shady Lane Resort still operating?

[@rohanlaron]

Lol if you’re referring to sandy lane, yes it still operates.

[@skeletor9121]

@@rohanlaron Thanks much. Sorry I got the name wrong.

[@jhey5639]

@@skeletor9121I read that 3 times and couldn’t work out the difference haha - coffee time! PS Thanks to OP for this comment, its crazy how almost everything comes back to Politics :(

[@childhoodncstalgia]

This absolutely broke my heart even more. I grew up going to Almond every year for Christmas, back when it was Almond Beach Village. So many happy memories. I knew the place like the back of my hand. RIP Almond. Thanks for everything 😢❤

[@LegendOfLocky]

Thought it looked familiar; went on holiday here in the early 2000s. Was our last full family holiday as my folks split not long after, so a lot of fond memories despite only being 11 at the time.

[@Kdkdleeme]

Bitter sweet :(

[@CommanderTK9091]

It's wild how so many of these abandoned videos mention the 09 financial crisis as turning point in the property's history and almost exclusively led to the downfall and eventual closing of the property. Also at 8:00 that's definitely the Lego Island font

[@777jones]

For ANY property that was relatively near break even, 09 plunged those MILLIONS of properties below the survival point.

[@Wnick1996]

I'm surprised that the resort hasn't become scrap piled ruins, given it deteriorated this fast and the constant hurricanes it faces

[@bradlevantis913]

My wife stayed here around 2010. She was amazed at the amount of decay. And she remembered playing air hockey on that table!

[@dogbsas]

I LOVE when you put the images of how it was and how it looks now. :)

[@PatrickWagz]

yes!!!

[@benjaminmatheny6683]

You didn't go into it, but I find it interesting. The reason the Sandals resort has stalled is that Sandals is apparently wanting concessions promised to them (not in writing but verbally) by the previous administration. For an idea about what those kind of concessions are, One was that Sandals would get paid if Barbados ever gave another Hotel company a tax break. That alone is essentially asking for a defacto monopoly on the Hotel business on the island, as the added expense would reduce any prospective tax break or incentive the government could give a competitor. Allowing Sandals to out-compete them with that unfair advantage.

[@skeletor9121]

Hmm. Sounds about right. Great summary.

[@williamharris8367]

I love the juxtaposition of the vintage photographs with the current views of the same area.

[@fixins]

The mattresses were likely piled in the lobby for a buyer who upon seeing them (perhaps already waterlogged) decided against buying them or even taking them. So there they stayed.

[@73Karlita]

My first thought, as well. Also thought about how one or more people probably broke their backs moving them there for nothing. 😞

[@Sashazur]

@@73KarlitaPresumably they got paid to move them, but since it’s unskilled labor they probably didn’t get paid much.

[@killercaos123]

This place hosted Grand Tour? That’s surprisingly awesome. Didn’t expect that

[@Libantdot]

honestly this tropical resort was really cool the desgin and everything so sad to see it go now! i really hope somebody fixs it up i cant believe this used to be a big resort now its just all abandoned

[@childhoodncstalgia]

I still wish for this as someone who regularly stayed at ABV/ABR 😢

[@robertmailhos8159]

It's a miracle that this place is still standing in the hurricane Alley

[@Vic_Coco]

Stellar work as usual Jake! The before and after photos you were able to include were amazing! What a beautiful resort it used to be back in the day. Too bad it’s prime real estate will one day be bought up and then overcharge guests for years to come

[@avrinrose5457]

In my fictional world, this place never gets abandoned and still successful

[@childhoodncstalgia]

Mine too 😢

[@bajanblue246gaming2]

As a fan of your channel it's nice to see uploads from my home country, hope you enjoy your stay in Barbados Jake

[@Mazxlol]

Hard to believe such a cool place is abandoned.... how?!

[@Revkor]

poor management

[@checkingoutwithmfg]

I was visiting the Sandals Resort, and on a private Island tour in November 2018. The driver took us here to show us where the new resort was going to be. They were actively working on the site at the time.

[@1KingCoop]

Wow hard to believe it was only abandoned/closed down a decade ago, it looks like it's been abandoned for double, or even triple that amount. Nature definitely took over/reclaimed that spot.

[@davidn8245]

Damn, I stayed there as a kid in the 80”s. It was amazing.

[@driley5004]

BSF is so fascinating. Fav YT subscription in my feed!

[@TheSweetbabykitten]

Absolutely love your videos Jake. You always get the vibe across of the places you explore, feels like I was right there on the island and could smell the breeze. Thanks for the fantastic work you share

[@Marpat-Camo]

As always, thank you for starting everyone's weekend off with a great video!

[@jacobasuncion3132]

Having lunch while watching a new video by Jake what a good day to spend my Friday 😁🙌🏽

[@joaquinhernandez6940]

Another great video Jake! ❤ And perfect timing for the weekend no less.

[@ericneo2]

Keep hearing the same story with places like this. Some Corpo entity buys the place with no idea how to run and maintain the place, cheaps out on maintenance and the people stop coming because of it.

[@hannes3452]

As always, a really great and amazing Video! How quick the nature is taking back is fascinating to see.

[@mads3732]

I just have to say I adore your videos. When I was on surgery I watched these constantly and now im back to watching them again. As a fellow urbex enthusiast you as a creator hit all the points I like to see for abandoned buildings. I just really really love these and hope you know how appreciated your content is.

[@charlesmarmor6822]

Breaks the heart to let something like this resort just fade away!

[@alishamaryleerichardson-go2106]

its a tremendous amount of decay and destruction for only having been abandoned a few years ...great video!

[@Hannah-uc4vb]

Awesome video. I love how you put the before and afters in like that.

[@RealRyanMcLeod]

Jake, I'm not sure if I'm the only one or not, but I'd love to see a 3rd person angle. You're totally the star of the show. I'd offer to be your cam op one time to test it out! 😅

[@AddyCat-kv1ui]

Jake you're one of the best story tellers I've seen. I love your content

[@theunseenfool]

It makes me happy to see someone who i consider on of the first people to do abandoned content on the internet and also being on of my first subs when i got onto youtube is still chuggin along

[@kaywee4200]

You do suchhhhh a good job on these videos ❤

[@slidewaze]

What a great beginning to your video! Awesome as always....

[@Whiskin87]

You tell great stories in these videos!

[@T-Rav-reviews]

Finally getting back to good videos, your good at this abandoned videos, keep it to that. We all miss it and the #1 reason we subscribe

[@Claytor22]

i love this series so much

[@cliffdog2004]

I remember this The Almond Resort way back. I thought this was what might have happened. Another informative video, Jake. Thank you.

[@optical_ideas]

I like those flashbacks to the past or the retro intro fading to what's today. amazing location and wow what a beach 😎

[@gaywizard2000]

So great you found that game show footage! Very thorough!

[@99percentirish64]

Thanks Mr. Jake. I absolutely love these videos!

[@rossvinskas]

Thanks again Jake for another great video!!

[@thethresh]

Jake! Great episode as always. My week end is ALWAYS a plus when I get a BSF video!

[@braintrust12]

@00:30 the editing on this channel is genuinely hilarious. the subject matter is like, some abandoned beach resort and then the music kicks in and it's like DRAMA! TRUE CRIME! CHAOS! BEHIND THE SCENES! WHAT IS THE TRUTH?! type music lmao frenzied violins racing around like we're witnessing one of the most epic, awe inspiring things in the history of man

[@blw957]

The sheer waste of materials is appalling, as is the fact they just left it all. Sigh . . . .

[@gaywizard2000]

Sheer

[@JYMAHJAMES]

loving these Barbados videos, hope you enjoyed your stay here brother

[@hockeyfans91]

When life gets in the way and I fall behind on bright sun films but all up to date now great work as always Jake look forward to the next one

[@mahatmarandy5977]

I never mentioned it on your videos for “The Colony” in Sarasota, but I really appreciated those. (This reminded me of them) I used to go to The Colony every summer for a few years in the early 1980s, and loved that place.

[@shrtdrgonfly2774]

Without your comparison pics i never would've thought there was pool or water on some of those areas before.

[@kristinepfs]

Looks like it was such a nice place in its day. Lots of charm.

[@johndewey6358]

Sad to see so much human effort and jobs be lost. I hope they can revitalize it and bring the site back to life.

[@philipmurphy2]

Great video as always, These places are nature's wonder over time.

[@BenficaBigBoiii]

Recommend you take a look/investigate the abandoned resort in Bavaro, Dominican Republic. Paradisus Punta Cana

[@philiproszak1678]

Great writing/editing on this ep. You integrated the history and tour really well.

[@BrightSunFilms]

Thank you so much!

[@shannonyoast6906]

As always great video. 👍

[@MissMTurner]

If theres one thing i can complement them on, that blue paint hasnt faded in the sun at all. Impressive. (Living in Florida, im used to everything fading quickly)

[@jokitownleite1959]

Great video jake keep up the good work

[@panthershockey77]

One of the most underrated KZbinrs

[@tonyidle7813]

I always enjoy watching your video's. thank-you.

[@Ellllliiiiiiee27]

I love your content! Thanks for the video ☺️

[@BrightSunFilms]

Thanks for watching!

[@Sparty-pi3jq]

Another amazing video!

[@erp7625]

Such a captivating piece of land. Even in its current state the beauty and quaint charm pull through. I wish it could be restored to former glory instead of demolished for more souless megaresorts.

[@Revkor]

likely to expensive to restore.

[@JC-cm9bn]

Jake, Thoroughly enjoy your videos very interesting and informative. 😎👍

[@paulraftis7063]

Such a Shame, it’s on a beautiful beach and next to a public dock that some larger boats utilize. Had a walk by on our last visit to Barbados. Thanks for posting!

[@halfghostgirl]

So cool. Really great video. Wasn't a huge fan of the TV static transitions, they were kinda disorienting. But your work and art is highly appreciated, thank you for the video! You are a great travel buddy.

[@seattledoug1342]

Did you notice there was NO graffiti anywhere. Spray paint must be expensive in the Barbados.

[@lukethompson5558]

Or they don’t have gangs

[@FlatDerrick]

Assuming it's similar to Jamaica it's because hand/spray painted signage and murals are so common (although it's dying out a bit the last 20 years) that it never really took off as a rebellious/criminal thing.

[@EAHacker35000vr]

Babe wake up. It's a new Bright Sun Films video

[@karenhaupt4321]

Great video my first time watching

[@ImAlwaysFrisky]

I miss that show they were so good together

[@stevencognevich4352]

Always enjoy the videos

[@hAnD90]

Great video! There's a lot of newspaper advertisement to be found, starting in March of 1990 and being extremly present in 1990 (much less after that). So I agree with you that it may have opened sometime in the 80's, probably very much near the end of that decade.

[@OliCM3]

Had the best holidays as kids at Almond Beach and the nearby now demolished Kings Beach throughout the late 90s/early 00s. Went back recently having not visited for the island 20 years and was gutted to see a place full of such treasured memories in ruin. Everyday we'd walk all the way from St Peters bay down to Gibbes, stopping off at the few bars & BBQs on the way, shading under the trees lining the edge of the beach, now you can't walk more than 100ft of sand without having to find a way through the super developed sea front to get back to the road to bypass rocks from the devastating sea erosion. Barbados is still a fantastic place to holiday, but the endless tranquil beach that stretched virtually the whole way along the West coast dotted with quaint developments nestled in natural vegetation is far bygone.

[@FunkyStudios]

2018 doesn't sound that long ago, but that was 5 years ago... There's no way it's been that long, no way.

[@IcemanJosh]

As a fellow Barbadian 🇧🇧 who watches your vids occasionaly and saw a video posted 1 hour ago while i was eating, only to hear barbados in the first couple seconds of the video was extremely cool

[@IcemanJosh]

Also cause just before this, I was watching Outer Banks which had scenes filmed in Barbados

[@julieoleary874]

It’s really cool that he traveled there!

[@loriepostlewaite162]

That place is a deteriorating mess they should completely demolish it and get the beauty of the land back sad to see such a grand place come to this thanks for sharing 👍👍

[@reaperkollyns6495]

How do you find these clips? Like the game shows,news footage, previous photos, etc? Are they tagged with "Almond Resort" or do you have to do fancy? It's so cool.

[@janeflanagan8410]

I had been several times love the place🇨🇦

[@okiecubsfan1961]

I find it very sad to see these abandoned resorts whether they are on the beach or in the catskills or New York. I love that you show pictures of when they were bustling with families and guests and then compare to what they've become. It's hard to imagine that the island has let that prime piece of real estate just sit in ruins and that something else has not wanted to come in and take it's place. I understand that Beaches was going to build there, but apparently that's not going to happen. I'm sure the pandemic and covid has something to do with that. People are still reeling from that and probably a lot of companies don't want to invest the money it would take to build a first class resort just yet. I always enjoy listening to your voice and you telling about these abandoned properties.

[@rossini138]

Another great video

[@reynatejada8484]

Thank you very much for not adding any music during the video. ❤ It’s way better that way

[@skylineXpert]

What I saw of the sheraton resort on the cook islands came back to me with this...

[@mktoddsparky]

Amazing video as always. What is the instrumental music you used at the end of the video? It's stuck in my head.

[@kuukeli]

thank you for the video

[@user-uh1yl7km7f]

I stayed at the village many years ago - the same week Peter Stringfellow got married in the wedding windmill (we called it). We had the 1st week at the Almond Casuarina (now Sandals) & the 2nd week at the village. It was full of character then, albeit a bit run down. Great beach & snorkelling.

[@JustSheilz]

This location was probably spectacular back in the day!

[@tjclarke4604]

Holy hand grenades, I literally remember this place being advertised on TV, it looked SO luxurious, as a kid, I kept asking my parents if we could go there. Great video! (no, my parents laughed it off, we never went)

[@outsidethelines2162]

So funny thats the beach from the Grand Tour!

[@Siggyroka]

Great video

[@addycat8275]

In 24 hours 3 of my fav youtubers all uploaded at the same time, including jake.