SANDALS PRYMER

 A QUICK ONCE OVER
There’s really no reason to read this “primer” in order enjoy a visit to a Sandals resort. One can just show up and have a great time. This all-inclusive, adults / couples only chain of Caribbean Resorts is quite able and willing to cater to your whims and make your stay as enjoyable as possible. Greeted on arrival with “welcome home,” it is not simply a hokey sentiment, but a great attitude. Staying at a Sandals is always a pleasant, relaxing time, but with the easing of COVID restrictions and the world slowly opening up again, these endearments are closer to the heart and both guests and staff (happy to be working again) smile and breathe a sigh of relief.

JA MON

Readers of this TRAVEL blog may denote a change of heart from this adventurous scribe, for traveling to a resort like a Sandals doesn’t mean you are seeing another country. It was difficult to ease up on my quest for adventure and immersion into other cultures on my excursions. One doesn’t travel to a Sandals, or any other resort for that matter, to immerse, but to imbibe. If not for the trace differences at each location they would all begin to be the same. The ubiquitous Jamaican “Ja Mon,” offered by nearly every staff member at the Sandals Jamaica South Coast as affirmation of our drink order or menu selection, was probably the only bit of local culture hedging onto this secluded resort, reminding us we were in a tropical paradise and not just Lavallette, NJ.

GORDON'S PIER RESTAURANT
BAHAMAS

ESCAPE FROM PARADISE?

Of course, it is a stretch to compare a Sandals resort to New Jersey, the shore of my youth, for the serenity and luxuriousness of a Sandals is insulated from reality. And, at Sandals South Coast in Jamaica the world is very far away. The resort is set on a two-mile stretch of a private white sandy beach which is abutted by a 500-acre natural preserve. Because of COVID restrictions put in place by Jamaica we are effectively quarantined on the resort. That’s okay because one could walk a long way in every direction on the resort before having to turn around and slake their thirst at one of the seemingly countless bars.

On the previous trips to a Sandals, I did manage to get off the grounds for a bit of exploring, while Janet squeezed in a last day of diving. Beyond the gates of Sandals Royal Bahamian there is a busy road and a quiet neighborhood and a post office where I purchased some colorful stamps. 

At Sandals Grande Antigua I took a short van ride into nearby St. Johns, an interesting little town, but fled for the solitude of the resort again when massive cruise ships docked at the port and disgorged their charges who descended on the warrens of shopping kiosks like locusts.

RESERVE IN ADVANCE

There are a lot of restaurants on a Sandals, some are unique to that particular resort and some, like Schooners, Bayside or Eleanor’s are found in many of the resorts. 

Not all restaurants require reservations, but it’s a good idea that you reserve all your dining engagements as soon as you check in at a Sandals, even before you head out to your room. That way you won’t have to wait in a line if you simply walk up to the hostess’ desk. Some prime places require a reservation and you may not get the seating time you want unless you book in advance. Do not wait for the day you want to eat to book a reservation, you may not get in. Don’t worry the staff are very accommodating.

In Antigua our favorite restaurants were Barefoot By The Sea with tables set on the sand and Soy, their sushi restaurant. Their Bayside is very elegant and romantic with the tables set right up to the beach.

We ate at the equally elegant Caribbean cuisine restaurant, Eleanor’s, in both Antiqua and Jamaica where men are required to wear long pants instead of simply resort casual shorts.

Oddly in Antigua they had a Tex-Mex restaurant called OK Corral, which meant they had Don Julio Tequila for their margaritas, but you have to ask for it! In fact, rather than ask for a “Dirty Banana” or some other odd drink, ask your server or bartender for a specific liquor, like a Don Julio, or an Appleton 12-year reserve. They will willingly crack open a bottle for you with an appreciative nod. Really, the only thing you want in your rum is some ice, and according to some locals that’s too much.

In The Bahamas their Belle Epoque designed French restaurant, Baccarat, is a tough reservation to get, but it’s a beautiful atmosphere. Next door is the equally elegant Crystal Room which features a massive chandelier, but no reservations required…but you know the drill, reserve when able. And, Gordon’s Pier Restaurant is also a very romantic experience as you dine outside overlooking the Caribbean Sea

In Jamaica we ate several times at the Jerk Shack for lunch, but their Asian fusion restaurant, Jasmine's, as well as Sushi On The Sand, were also favorite restaurants for us. 

Admittedly, I'm not particularly fond of eating Italian in a Caribbean setting, but their Giuseppe's was very good.

At all the restaurants they will hand you a wine list. Ignore it. Unless you're into spending extra money their house wines are good enough. I mean, if you're going to spend extra money on an expensive bottle of wine why are you reading this blog about being cheap? .

BAREFOOT BY THE SEA - ANTIGUA

PLAN AHEAD!

If interested in diving, go down to the aqua center to sign up for lessons or if certified the next day’s dive excursion. There is a limited capacity on the dive boats, especially now with COVID concerns, so you can’t just show up for a dive. 

Also, it's a good idea to book any excursions or tours on your arrival; they can get overbooked..

WRINKLE ROOMS

Typically, the Sandals family of resorts attracts an older crowd, but there’s a revelry that still goes on with some of the younger couples and the swim-up bars during the day can be a bit frenetic. Thankfully there’s always a piano bar somewhere on the resort and that is sedate environment. 

We call them “wrinkle rooms” for the older clientele they attract. In Antigua the bar is located above the Courtyard Bistro area. In The Bahamas, the walls of the bar were decorated with memorabilia from when Wallis Simpson and Edward VIII used this hotel, the former Balmoral Club as their getaway after he abdicated the throne and became governor of The Bahamas.

Sadly, because of COVID the Jamaica South Coast piano bar doubled as a disco after the bewitching hour and we went scurrying whenever the throbbing music spun by the DJ began. The better choice is the Latitude Bar which is at the end of a pier and offers wonderful sunset views.

LATITUDE BAR, SANDALS SOUTH COAST

IN CASE OF RAIN

Spend down time like rainy days to plan ahead for any tours that you might be interested in taking, or going over to the Loyalty Desk to plan a return trip to Sandals. If you book, even tentatively, a future visit you can get a discount (plus a Sandals t-shirt...anything to delay laundry day).

Another perk as a returning visitor is their member appreciation dinner. Speeches are given, certain members are honored, and bottles of rum are handed out to all attendees. It’s nice, but I hope they never call us up to “honor” our multiple travels to Sandals.

Thanks for reading

Janet and greg

©2021 by Greg Dunaj

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