The Sandals Difference

​This was my first time at a Sandals property and to be honest, I was pleasantly surprised with the service and quality. I visited Sandals Royal Caribbean for 4 days and spent an afternoon at the Montego Bay property as well. They are neighboring properties with a shuttle service between the two. Extremely different properties that will probably be for another blog, but for now, lets just discuss the differences between Sandals and other all-inclusive options.

Sandals are Adults Only

​This is something that is becoming a lot more popular with other resorts as well. For example, Secrets, an AM Resorts Property, are completely adults only while some others have a section that is adults only. This is a very nice feature to know that there will be no children running around the property period. This does not mean it will always be quiet, which depends more on the resort, but it does give you that peace of mind when you are trying to escape to a tropical destination.

Food

The food was one area where I was pleasantly surprised. Each resort has a wide variety of different sit-down restaurants. These ranged from Indian to steakhouse to Sushi. I am not a huge foodie, but Sandals was the best resort food I had in a while. Some Sandals properties have buffet options while others are sit-down only for lunch and dinner. This makes a quick evening snack or late lunch a little more difficult. Sandals believes in a personal touch at every moment. This means that sometimes you can’t sneak up to the buffet just to grab a plate of French fries or desserts. Overall the quality is definitely higher, but sometimes it might not be as convenient.

Everything is Included

​This was probably the biggest selling point for my wife and I. Everything is included, even water sports. This means that paddleboards, kayaks, glass bottom boat rides, snorkeling, windsurfing, and even scuba diving is included. If you are a PADI certified diver, which I am, your dives are included! This is a huge advantage if you want to dive a few times while on the resort. This can save you a few hundred dollars easily. This is a nice perk and you do not feel nickel and dimed for everything. The only thing I remember seeing that was an additional cost was certain bottles of wine. I never saw an item on the menu that was an upcharge which was a plus as well!

Butler Service Difference

Several resorts have butler service, but this was top notch. The butlers are limited to a certain number of rooms, so they are not pulled in a million different directions. Sandals Royal Caribbean was also a more intimate property, so you were constantly walking past and bumping into your butler. They setup all our dining reservations, reserved our chairs by the beach every morning, and even schedule scuba dives, spa services and any other activity we wanted. This is still pretty standard, but the one thing that was above anything else was the little treats along the way. This includes the numerous drinks and snacks brought to our chairs right on the beach, sometimes without even requesting them. He learned our favorite drinks fast and made sure we were well taken care of. They also had a cooler by our chairs full of different options just in case we wanted something else. They had a hot bath drawn one evening when we got back from the beach, another day a full plate of different fruits, cheeses, and crackers. It was amazing and anytime I felt like I might “need” something, it was normally there.

Staff and Tipping

​This gets roped in with the butler service, but the staff at Sandals were extremely friendly, even though most cannot accept tips! The only two people that can accept tips are butlers and spa personnel. This means that the drink staff is genuinely happy to see you and gives you the best service knowing nothing is coming in return. This is a big different from other resorts and it shows. The staff genuinely enjoy their time with you and always look to add that extra touch. I did stay at Royal Caribbean which constantly gets high reviews about their staff which might make this a little bias, but I’m sure it is not too far above the standard Sandals sets.

Drinks

One of the biggest complaints about all-inclusive resorts is the lack of alcohol in the drinks and the types of drinks available. This was not the case at Sandals. They had a board full of different drink options all of which were amazing. Top shelf liquor was served, and they were not stingy in their pours. You can also create your own drinks in your room. Upon check in, they ask what bottles of liquor you would like to have in your room, so you never have to worry about not having enough to drink!

Room Category Options

This is a little confusing and, in my opinion, a downfall for Sandals as it does not make it “easy” to book. However, people that are Sandals fans really like it because they know exactly what room they are getting. You can even request a specific room number to make sure it is available when you book. Since there are so many different room types and each category is designed a little different, it does allow you to experience something completely different at the same resort. 

What I consider to be the Sandals Difference

​The first thing I learned quickly is how obsessed people are with Sandals properties. There are a lot of people devoted to the brand and their resorts. There are even some arguments among Sandals aficionados about which resort is the best as each resort is different (we will save this topic for a later blog). I’m a huge Disney fan and I kind of describe Sandals as if Disney created an all-inclusive resort for adults. They include everything you need and pay attention to each finite detail. The food presentation, the cleanliness of the pools, room design, etc. Every square inch of the property was thought about and well maintained. However, the combination of no tipping, watersports being included, and the friendly staff made the difference for this resort. 

​The big question for anyone, is the price worth these benefits. We work directly with the resorts and management to find discounts for you, but honestly, it all depends on the traveler and what they are looking for! Give us a call and we can help you see the differences and find the perfect resort for you!