N/A Sandals Resorts

jordane93

jordane93

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Anyone ever been to one. Just booked Sandals Montego Bay. My wife and I have always wanted to try one out. It was pricey but really not that much more expensive than other resorts in Jamaica that we were looking at.
 
no experience...but I'm curious.
For reasons that I can't really explain, I sort of a little bit enjoy going on cruises once in a while.... and I think it's mainly because I park once, and it's all included and paid for (well at least all the big stuff in theory...it would be way better if it truly was "all inclusive")
Anyway, I suppose these "all inclusive" resorts might be sorta the same.... so I wonder if I'd enjoy. I don't know. I feel like I might go a little stir crazy after a while....
 
Brad W said:
no experience...but I'm curious.
For reasons that I can't really explain, I sort of a little bit enjoy going on cruises once in a while.... and I think it's mainly because I park once, and it's all included and paid for (well at least all the big stuff in theory...it would be way better if it truly was "all inclusive")
Anyway, I suppose these "all inclusive" resorts might be sorta the same.... so I wonder if I'd enjoy. I don't know. I feel like I might go a little stir crazy after a while....
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The nice thing about many of these all-inclusive resorts, contrasted with cruises, is that you can leave them at will to explore further.
 
jordane93 said:
Anyone ever been to one. Just booked Sandals Montego Bay. My wife and I have always wanted to try one out. It was pricey but really not that much more expensive than other resorts in Jamaica that we were looking at.
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I belong to a competitor Diamond Resorts (not nearly as upscale), which was bought by Hilton a couple years ago, and I have friends who are members of Sandals.
The Sandals resorts themselves seem to be very nice, and I have gone on a few tours of them. My friends like the resorts.
However, they are split right down the middle on if the resorts and membership are worth it.

So, I would say have fun. Enjoy the resort, but be very careful if you go on a sales tour :D

Tim
 
My wife and I have been to Sandals in Saint Lucia. We had a good time and if your scuba certified you get free diving!
 
I went to that Sandals in Montego Bay in 2011 for a wedding. I didn't enjoy it as much as I had Club Med, which was more active with more to do, including snorkeling and sailing. Club Med had a much more international feel and crowd, and few Americans. IIRC, Sandals had better food. Twelve year old info is suspect, but Sandals was definitely more than 'fine.' At the time, you needed a gated and secure resort in Montego Bay - hopefully, that has also changed.
If you go, please visit my favorite restaurant in the world - The Pork Pit! It's a somewhat touristy jerk chicken and pork place that was terrific.
 
Haven’t been personally but friends who’ve gone have spoken positively.

Like @G-Man I used to go to Club Meds (long ago) and they definitely have a more international feel to them. Many of them also have kids and kids programs, which I think the lack of is one appealing thing about Sandals for many.
 
The Mo bay Sandals is close to the airport which is nice as you don't need to take a multi hour bus ride to one of the other Sandals in Jamaica. There is significant poverty there in the towns and around the airport. I would stay at the resort; this recommendation is also what a former co-worker said she does when she returns to Jamaica (she is native Jamaican).
It is nice if you want to relax on a beautiful beach with plenty of good food and drinks whenever you like. They have some watersports included.
 
We went to Couples Negril. We had a nice time. We did talk to some people that were at Sandals and said they enjoyed it. Have fun but be careful leaving the resort and even on the resort.
 
My daughter and her husband just came back from Secrets couples resort in Montego Bay. They said it was definitely worth it.
 
We have been to a number of sandals and beaches resorts. Never Jamaica. They are great IMO. Bonus if you dive, it’s free while you are there.
 
jordane93 said:
Anyone ever been to one. Just booked Sandals Montego Bay. My wife and I have always wanted to try one out. It was pricey but really not that much more expensive than other resorts in Jamaica that we were looking at.
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We did Jamaica Southcoast for honeymoon. We have decided pretty much any place we go that has a Sandals we will stay at a Sandals. 100% worth it.
 
Mahneuvers said:
Any specific location recommendations?
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We really liked st Lucia and Antigua. With a kiddo, turkes and Caicos was fantastic. We hear mixed reviews about Jamaica and are just going to avoid there.
 
Just saying- You can age the guest by seeing who wears socks.
 
I have never stayed at a Sandals but have vacationed at a number of all inclusives owned by Riu. What makes Sandles so much different than other all inclusives to justify a cost 2-3x higher? Looking at the Riu vs Sandals in Jamaica the Riu is around 3k for 9 days while Sandals is just over 10k for the same 9 days in February.
 
We did their Beaches option in Turks and Caicos 20 years ago (as we had kids and my mom with us) and loved it. Killer interline deal at the time (80% off published rates if space available, if I recall, not sure what they do for cheap airline pilots these days). We said at the time we’d go back regularly, but of course kept trying other equally compelling opportunities and never did go back. Might be time for an anniversary trip!
 
Baked Potato said:
The nice thing about many of these all-inclusive resorts, contrasted with cruises, is that you can leave them at will to explore further.
Click to expand...
i would not suggest this in Jamaica. stay inside the resort. Jamaica is a very dangerous country. mo bay is not as bad as kingston, but I would still not venture out of the resort.
 
Ive stayed at an all inclusive in Cancun a few times. I stuck with Palace Resorts. It was great, but doing any sort of off resort activities seems to be getting more "not recommended"
 
kmacht said:
I have never stayed at a Sandals but have vacationed at a number of all inclusives owned by Riu. What makes Sandles so much different than other all inclusives to justify a cost 2-3x higher? Looking at the Riu vs Sandals in Jamaica the Riu is around 3k for 9 days while Sandals is just over 10k for the same 9 days in February.
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Surprisingly in March when I’m going sandals was about $500 more expensive than other resorts I was looking at. Diminishing returns for me probably wouldn’t be worth it if it was a few thousand dollars more.
 
charheep said:
Ive stayed at an all inclusive in Cancun a few times. I stuck with Palace Resorts. It was great, but doing any sort of off resort activities seems to be getting more "not recommended"
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We just finished a week in Cancun, and did a bunch of activities off of the resort including taking the city bus places. While the bus rides are an experience that reminded me of my childhood in New York City, at no time did I feel unsafe (staying in the hotel district, mind you) - and that’s from a New Yorker. I feel more uneasy in NYC.

Our resort wasn’t shy about recommending activities off the property either. I’d have no reservations suggesting it to anyone, we had a very good time.

3 years ago my wife and I went to the area for a long weekend and I felt very differently about safety. There was a lot of desperation in the attitudes of everyone we came across to make a sale, and desperation can breed crime. That was also during the Covid times of massively reduced travel, things seem more back to normal now and while the Mexican sales way is in your face, it was fine and people didn’t keep on pushing.
 
I have done all inclusive resorts. And just got off a cruise (as in yesterday).

I like both. They have their positives and negatives. My suggestion it to try them both. See if you like one more than the other, or like them both or neither. No one right answer for everyone.
 
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