Onsite Review: Sandals Dunn’s River—Sandals 2.0 Looks Mighty Fine

VILLA POOLSandals Dunn’s River—Sandals 2.0 Looks Mighty FineBy Lydia GregoryWhen Sandals Resorts International executive chairman, Adam Stewart, touted the grand opening of Sandals Royal Curaçao as the beginning of “Sandals 2.0,” next in line was the multi-million-dollar transformation of the 260-guestroom, luxury all-inclusive Sandals Dunn’s River, the first of three resorts slated for Jamaica to the tune of $230 million, total. That’s a lot of coin—and it shows. First ImpressionsAfter the long (1.5 hr) but pleasant drive from the Montego Bay airport, we arrived at the resort and were greeted with a sweet “welcome home” song (past guests will recognize it) and a cold towel for our tired necks before being escorted to the Club Sandals lounge for our private check-in, signature blue cocktail in hand. A nice step above a regular stay, Club Sandals guests get all kinds of extras like robes in all rooms, complimentary W-Fi, a dedicated Club Sandals Concierge and much more. At the lounge we were met by Ian Spencer, regional public relations manager for the brand, and GM Deryk Meany, who gave us a heads up on the complete transformation of the resort—gone are the heavy, plantation-style mahogany furnishings and dark colors, in is a lighter, brighter palette of Caribbean blues and greens, ultra-lush grounds, a profusion of natural materials and a deeper infusion of the brand’s Jamaican roots through art and more: the water for its fountains, waterfalls, spa pools and even the main pool is, in fact, sourced directly from the Dunn’s River Falls. There are also quite a few “firsts” for Sandals on this property, from F&B to accommodations.DINING TABLESHungry? Every Bit (and Drink) is IncludedSpencer suggested our group go for some toes-in-the-white-sand dining at Galene, one of the 12 new culinary concepts on the property. With a menu of sandwiches, light dishes and pizzas from the Pizzeria Isola oven (they share the dining area), this became a favorite spot because you can, quite literally, step right in from the beach or the pool. Over the next few days, we enjoyed breakfast at the Saltaire buffet and Edessa, which serves a Greek menu for dinner; had delicious fresh sushi at Hanami; tried a selection of Asian fusion dishes at Banyu; and dined on perfectly cooked beef medallions paired with an excellent wine selection at L’Amande, their French specialty restaurant (the only one requiring reservations). Pre-dinner drinks were enjoyed at the swanky Lapidus Lounge, while après-dinner rum drinks were enjoyed at—where else?—Dunn’s Rum Club. A favorite gastronomic experience was a morning spent at BLUM, the resort’s specialty coffee shop, another of the many firsts for Sandals. There we were met by Jason Sharp from Coffee Traders, who proceeded to give our palates a tour of the local cacao that goes into their Likkle More Chocolate line. Of course, it pairs amazingly well with the full-bodied flavor of Jamaican coffee. Ask about this experience, as it can be made available to your clients. Oh, and we’d be remiss if we didn’t give a shout out to the exceptional freshly baked chocolate chip cookies that are re-stocked every few hours in a glass jar in the lobby. HOT TUB POOLStay & PlayWe checked into a Travertine Beachfront Club Level Room w/ Balcony Tranquility Soaking Tub (12 out of the 14 room categories sport a tub, a favorite feature for Sandals guests), which is airy and comfortable with a king-sized bed, walk-in shower, double sinks, a balcony with bistro set (and that tub) and a spectacular view. If needed, the balcony has curtains that could be drawn for extra privacy. During our stay the resort was at near capacity, but Ian was able to get us a look at the newest additions to the resort’s suites offer. Located on the ground floor of the newly built Tufa Terrace building, the Tufa Terrace Swim-Up One Bedroom Butler Suite w/ Patio Tranquility Soaking Tub boasts tons of space, a huge bathroom and a king-sized bed that faced the double glass doors to soak in the pool and ocean view but was tucked back far enough for complete privacy. In the same building, we peeped another Sandals first: the Tufa Terrace One Bedroom Skypool Butler Suite w/ Balcony Tranquility Soaking Tub, which had floor-to-ceiling windows and a cool infinity-edge pool all across the balcony with an ocean view. We also popped into one of the 12 new Coyaba Villa Swim-Up Rondoval Butler Suites w/ Private Pool Sanctuary. Seven of these are similar to those in other Sandals resorts—round with high ceilings and super intimate—but five have a rooftop pool and lounge area (another first), with telescopes and Stargazing Concierges. There are also plans for new over-the-water villas, so stay tuned. And as for play, here the resort is, indeed, your client’s oyster—think paddleboarding and snorkeling in the calm waves of Mammee Bay, windsurfing, Hobie Cat riding, PADI-certified diving and more—but there’s one activity that’s a must: A visit to Dunn’s River Falls. Organized by Island Routes, Sandals’ preferred partner (they have a desk onsite), we cruised out on a giant catamaran for a bit of snorkeling followed by a 1.5-hour hike up through the 660-ft. waterfall. Remind clients to bring water shoes, you can’t hike the limestone boulders without them, and they’ll kick themselves if they miss this. After a day of activity, make sure and book them for a treatment at the beautifully done Red Lane Spa: The Scents of Love Couples Massage with a candle and warm oil will not disappoint. Contact Information Sandals Resorts: taportal.sandals.com
COVERHAL GATE 1HAL GATE 2 & 3HAL GATE 4Table of ContentsSANDALSSANDALS SPREADEditor's NotesAMERICAN CRUISE LINESAdvisor Speak: Passion for Cruises Led Her Here— A $3 Million Travel AgencyIndustry Insights: Tour Operators are ‘Highly Confident’ About 2024Cruise: Swanky SailingsCruise: Multimillion-dollar Revamp for Windstar Sailing YachtsATLAS OCEAN VOYAGES SCATLAS OCEAN VOYAGESPRINCESS CRUISES SCPRINCESS CRUISESSCENIC SCSCENIC LUXURY CRUISES & TOURSSEABOURN SCSEABOURNDISNEY SCAlaska Cruise Season—Booking Options for 2024 & 2025DISNEY CRUISE LINEHOLLAND AMERICA LINE SCRECOMMEND EDU HOUSE ADALASKA RAILROAD SC ADOnboard Review: Discovery Princess—10 Reasons to Book for an Alaska VoyageOnboard Review: Celebrity Ascent Offers Elevated Experience for TravelersOnboard Review: Norwegian Viva—Cruising in Comfort and StyleMexico/Caribbean: Elevating Romance Through LuxuryPALLADIUM HOTEL GROUP SPREADATLANTIS SCATLANTIS PARADISE ISLAND BAHAMASINCLUSIVE COLLECTION SCINCLUSIVE COLLECTIONSANDALS SCOnsite Review: Impression Isla Mujeres by SecretsOnsite Review: Grand Palladium Jamaica Resort & SpaOnsite Review: Sandals Dunn’s River—Sandals 2.0 Looks Mighty FineOnsite Review: 3 Melia Hotels & a Theme ParkPALLADIUM HOTEL GROUPCUNARD