Overlooking the shores of Barbados, Sam Lord’s Castle is a former Georgian mansion from the 1820s, now being transformed into the Wyndham Grand Hotel. With its legacy architecture and ambitious design upgrade, the project posed unique acoustic challenges that required both precision and sensitivity.
The vision was clear: create a seamless and serene guest experience—from intimate guestrooms to grand ballrooms—without compromising the building’s historic charm. But achieving acoustic comfort in a large-scale heritage renovation is never straightforward. Different hotel zones come with specific needs: while ballrooms require well-controlled reverberation to support clear speech and vibrant events, lobbies demand a softer ambient feel, and guestrooms must prioritize privacy and rest.
To further complicate matters, the building’s natural materials, structural constraints, and tropical location added layers of complexity, particularly regarding ventilation noise and insulation performance. From early design stages, it was essential to define realistic acoustic goals and ensure these could be implemented cost-effectively and without delay.
Delhom Acoustics joined the renovation from the very beginning, conducting acoustic assessments of the existing structure to ensure tailored, efficient solutions. Our team worked hand-in-hand with the architects and the Hongtao Group to understand how each area would be used—ensuring that every acoustic treatment served a real purpose.
We defined specific targets for reverberation, airborne noise control, and mechanical noise containment, especially in the most sensitive zones: guestrooms and ballrooms. We proposed discreet and design-integrated treatments to preserve the hotel’s aesthetics, while delivering comfort that guests would feel—but never see.
In a setting where ventilation systems must handle humid tropical air, we also addressed HVAC noise control to ensure technical equipment wouldn’t disrupt the calm environment of private or public spaces.
At Wyndham Grand Barbados, acoustic design became part of the transformation—not just a technical layer, but a silent contributor to guest comfort. From the moment guests step into the lobby to the quiet of their rooms, sound has been carefully managed to support rest, discretion, and atmosphere. Ballrooms now offer clarity for celebrations without echo, while guestrooms ensure privacy even in a lively resort setting. By joining early in the design phase, we helped integrate effective solutions without compromising aesthetics or heritage elements. The result is a sound environment that feels as effortless as the ocean views—calm, clear, and built to last.
