The Sandpiper Hotel

Sandpiper was built in 1970 by Budge and Cynthia O'Hara, who had come to Barbados from England, in the 1950s, spending their honeymoon on a passenger cargo ship. Budge came to be General Manager of Coral Reef Club for three years, and they loved the island and the people so much that they made this their home, having three children in Barbados and devoting their lives to the hotel business. They had two sons, Patrick and Mark, and a daughter, Karen, who spent happy childhood years growing up in these beautiful surroundings and more time in the water than out! All went on to the United Kingdom to be educated and have returned to the island to run the family businesses, with their spouses. There are eight grandchildren who are growing up quickly. Patrick and Mark, along with their spouses and sister Karen, run Coral Reef Club, whilst Karen also is involved at Sandpiper. Her husband, Wayne Capaldi, and fellow Director and General Manager, Russell Croney, run The Sandpiper. Sadly Budge died in 1995. The younger generation has taken on the challenge of bringing The Sandpiper and Coral Reef Club into the 21st century whilst still maintaining the personal service and family atmosphere that their parents created. Having inherited an incredibly high rate of repeat guests, they are maintaining this high rate with a whole new generation of repeat guests.