A Trip to the Caribbean
If you’ve been dreaming about a warm beach getaway amidst soft sand and crystal clear waters, look no further than the Caribbean. With many serene islands scattered between the coasts of Florida and the northern reaches of Venezuela, there are endless possibilities to explore.
Sandals is an adults-only, couple-centric all-inclusive resort, with the spirit that “love is all you need”. There are currently 17 Sandals resorts across 8 islands, each offering their own character.
Which resort is best for you? We will talk through some of the differences we have noticed from our experiences so far visiting: Sandals Grande Antigua, Sandals Grenada, and Sandals Barbados & Sandals Royal Barbados, as well as our advice overall to create the ultimate Sandals vacation.
Setting the Scene: What are Sandals resorts like?
The moniker “all inclusive” can be a little confusing at first – what is and isn’t included under that umbrella? In general, all inclusive means that all of your food and beverages are included in the cost of your stay, as well as a large number of on-resort activities (more on those later). What is not included? Spa treatments, off-resort excursions, photo packages, and gift shop purchases will all have you reaching for your wallet. In general, though, Sandals gives you the opportunity to go for days at a time without so much as thinking about money, and it’s immensely liberating!
Sandals resorts are known for their swim-up bars, assortment of restaurants, beautiful beaches, and entertainment day and night. You can make the experience as active as you wish – attending any number of organized activities onsite or planting yourself in a pool-side chair and whiling away the hours enjoying the thrill of doing absolutely nothing at all.
Should you choose to partake, Sandals daytime activities include all the standard resort fare, such as pool volleyball, shuffleboard, ping pong, and even bowling (if you are at Sandals Barbados). There’s also a number of poolside games throughout the day – couples-based challenges such as Name That Tune, Sandals Trivia, and How Well Do You Know Your Spouse – which often end up being slightly embarrassing for the participants and riotously funny for the viewers.
You can also pick from an assortment of watersports like snorkeling (a boat will take you off resort), SCUBA diving (you can get PADI certified), hobie cats (a miniature catamaran / sailboat), and kayaking. At night, the staff will put on a different show for each day of the week. This can range from incredible dancing to Caribbean cultural nights to silent discos to guest karaoke.
One of the unique things about Sandals is that they have a “stay at one, play at all” model, so if you are staying on an island that has multiple Sandals resorts, you can shuttle freely between them. This is particularly useful on islands like Jamaica and Saint Lucia, which have seven resorts and three resorts, respectively, so you can plan a day trip to a different resort on your island for even more access to breathtaking beaches, swim-up bars, restaurants and more.
The Quiet Getaway: Sandals Grande Antigua
We love Sandals Grande Antigua for its long stretch of beautiful white sand beach right on the property. As a “grande” resort, it also provides a large array of restaurant choices so you never have to visit the same dinner place twice (unless you want to!). Grande Antigua is relatively quiet compared to other Sandals resorts, with a clientele that tends to skew a bit older. For that reason, this property is generally a favorite among repeat sandals travelers and those wishing for their Caribbean escape to have an emphasis on relaxation. As the first Sandals property we visited, we were blown away by the staff’s customer service and all of the entertainment options available to us. We did have a bit of a learning curve when it came to the “towel game” – more on that in the tips section – but in general greatly enjoyed our stay at Grande Antigua!
Pros
- Stunning white sand beaches and calm waters
- Laidback idyllic vibes which are perfect for older couples or those looking to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life
- Tons of restaurants to pick from, all within the one hotel
Cons
- The resort is quite large and can be a little difficult to navigate at first
- The main pool doesn’t have quite the same “wow” factor as other Sandals resorts
Favorite restaurants here: Eleanor’s and Kimonos
Favorite excursion here: Nicole’s Table Cooking Class (this was actually not a Sandals excursion, but one we found on the island and took a cab to). Nicole’s class focuses Caribbean-style cooking and includes a lot of fresh ingredients that she grows right outside her kitchen window.
Tips
The dress code at Eleanor’s is stringently enforced (this is their fanciest restaurant, so no flip flops, shorts or sleeveless shirts allowed)
The Royal Party: Sandals Barbados and Sandals Royal Barbados
Individually, Sandals Barbados and Sandals Royal Barbados are smaller resorts, but they are connected to each other so you essentially get two resorts in one! (Including 2 gyms, 2 spas, etc) Barbados even has a bowling alley that you can play at, and a foam party in the pool one day a week! This makes Barbados a more lively resort choice (though still far less party-centric than Jamaica). The one downside is that the currents are a bit stronger on the beach here and it’s a smaller beach, so you will want to plan some time to go out to Carlisle Bay for the most blissful beach experience.
Pros
- Lots of great entertainment including a foam party, silent DJ, bowling, and more
- Great main pool with an infinite edge
Cons
- The beach right on property is on the smaller side and the waves there can be rough
Favorite restaurants here: Bombay (Indian food), Chi (Asian), and Green House for farm to table breakfast. We also liked going to breakfast at La Parisienne for the views (though the food was the same as some of the other restaurant breakfasts)
Favorite excursion here: Barbados Swim, Snorkel, and Wildlife, where we got to feed the monkeys and spend time snorkeling off of the pristine Carlisle Bay beach. So worth getting off property to visit this soft sand beach!
The Choose-Your-Vibe Destination : Sandals Grenada
While most of the Sandals Resorts tend to either skew towards quiet serenity or beachside party, Grenada offers a unique blend of both options. With two “main” pools on the property, you’re free to choose between the quieter beachfront infinity pool and the livelier back pool which features the primary swim up bar. Given that Grenada is relatively small compared to the other options on this list, you’ll be able to settle in and find your routine quickly. And when you’re ready to change up the vibe, a quick 2-3 minute walk to the other side of the resort is all you need to get an instant refresh!
Pros
- Quieter vibes with a lot of rooms having ocean view
- Great staff that really made the resort home
Cons
- The resort is fairly small compared to many of the others. If you’re planning to stay for longer than 5-7 days, it may be best to consider a different island or larger resort.
- Slightly less grand of a beachfront than other Sandals Resorts
- Being the farthest sandals from the mainland USA, flight times are slightly longer than other destinations
Favorite restaurants here: Le Jaridinier, Kimonos
Favorite excursion here: We did the 4×4 Jeep and waterfall tour which was a fun way to see the island!
Tips for getting the most out of your Sandals trip
- Pack a range of clothing from your standard beachwear to more upscale outfits for dinner. Many of the restaurants will be casual, but some have a strict dress code where men must wear long pants and dressier shoes. Plus there is typically a “white night” during the week where everyone wears white and they have an assortment of chocolates.
- Ask about the daily events calendar when you check in to see some of the activities you may want to get involved in throughout the week.
- Make dinner reservations early. As soon as you get your room number, head over to the reservations desk and plan out your week. If you have a butler room, they will set these up for you.
- Wear layers when you arrive. Your room may not be ready right away but you can enjoy the pools and beach while you wait and will want to be dressed accordingly!
- There are mosquitoes. Bug spray recommended for dinner if you have a tendency to get bites!
- Explore off-resort a bit. It’s a great way to truly get to know the island’s culture outside of just the Sandals resort. We like to pick one or two excursions through Sandals, and perhaps go on a walk or find a local cooking class if available. (For example, we love Nicole’s Table on Antigua)
- Don’t forget to layer on the sunblock! You can always replenish at the spa or gift shop if you run out.
- Pools – There are lots of fun activities throughout the day at the pools, and many of them have great swim-up bars. You’ll want to play the “towel game” though and get your chairs early though if you plan to spend the day at the pool. If you have a butler room, they will reserve these for you. (Hence, fewer chairs for everyone else to snag!)
- Get to know the staff! They are so kind and can make the experience very fun!
- Enjoy the spa. Treat yourself to a nice massage on your trip if you want to really relax! Set your appointments in the first couple days upon arrival and keep in mind that you may be sunburnt by the time of your appointment! (Sunburn + hot rocks is rough) Note: Often if you book your next trip while onsite, they will give you a spa credit to use during your current trip.
- Order as much as you want (within reason). It’s all inclusive after all!
- Sandals Select is a no-fee membership that you will want to sign up for to accumulate points from your stays and turn them into future discounts. For members that have stayed at least 1 time in the past, there is a returning guests dinner every Tuesday where they give you a bottle of rum to take home – bring a checked bag for this and pack it well so that it won’t break! This is usually one of our favorite dinners as well.
What are the different room tiers and what do they mean?
There are 3 tiers of rooms: Luxury, Club, and Butler.
At the lowest level, Luxury gets you a nice standard room. You get champagne on check-in, and will mostly be organizing the experience yourself. This is the most affordable way to plan your trip, if you don’t mind doing some of the legwork.
At the mid level, Club gets you what you get above plus an air-conditioned lounge for check-in, and room service if desired. You also have select liquors available directly in your room.
At the highest level, Butler rooms cater to all your needs.
Is a butler room worth it?
This totally depends on how much you are willing to spend on your vacation to maximize luxury. What is worth knowing though, is that if you have a butler, they will save you chairs daily by the pool or beach (whichever you prefer), bring you drinks and sunblock throughout the day as they get to know your preferences, and they will book all of your dining reservations for you (so you don’t have to worry about squeezing in the restaurants you want). Without a butler room, we never had a true problem getting chairs or reservations if we were diligent, but we had to be a bit more flexible (especially if traveling with other couples as well).
When should I visit Sandals?
Hurricane season in the Caribbean typically runs from June – November. This will be the riskiest time to travel here, but also the cheapest. The most expensive time to travel is typically the winter holidays because the weather is most temperate then. If you go late spring/early summer, you will definitely be having some hot days! Keep those tradeoffs in mind as you pick the timing that is best for you.
Tips for getting the best discounts on your Sandals vacation
- Look out for the 7-7-7 deals (note that you will never pay “full” rack rate, but this deal adds an extra discount). These deals change regularly so keep checking back if you have your eye on a particular resort.
- Re-booking onsite (and on Wednesdays) will usually give you the most value, and you can generally book up to three years out. It gives you the flexibility to rebook within 6 months of the date you booked for so you can easily change the dates afterwards if something comes up.
- There are often last minute deals for extra discounts.
- Go in the off season for a cheaper rate (though beware of hurricanes).
- And look out for other promos like booking in birthday month or traveling near your anniversary.
The kid-friendly Beaches chain
Beaches is the kid-friendly chain tied to Sandals, on the same rewards program. There are currently 3 Beaches resorts, 2 on Jamaica and 1 on Turks & Caicos. Take your kids here and this will probably be their favorite trip. With special entertainment for the kids such as Sesame Street characters, waterslides, arcades, and more, they will be happy to roam freely. We would go with family friends and occasionally the kids would all go and have their own dinner while the parents did something fancier together. Plus, Beaches has the one water sport that we wish Sandals would get: Banana boats!