When it comes to booking a vacation, Sandals Resorts is one of the most expensive all-inclusive options. When you look at everything that is included it starts to make sense why Sandals is so expensive.
Accommodations
Your choice of accommodations at Sandals will decide how expensive your vacation will be. Sandals resorts usually have more affordable basic rooms similar to any hotel room, but then go up to very luxurious suites.
The most expensive is going to be an overwater bungalow, but relatively few people ever stay there or can afford to stay there. Other suites that are very expensive are the rondaval suites and suites with private pools. The swim-up suites are a good balance between getting unique amenities without paying for the top-dollar suites.
The more expensive suites are expensive since they are usually larger, so the resort could have more less expensive rooms in that same amount of space if they wanted to. Additionally, the more expensive rooms are usually recently renovated.
One other thing that will make a stay at a Sandals Resort more expensive is the level of service. Club-level rooms and Butler suites have additional perks and benefits that come with them, so naturally they are more expensive.
Food & Drinks
At Sandals Resorts all the food and drinks are included in the stay, and that comes at a cost. From your morning coffee to late-night snacks you never have to think about cost when it comes to ordering.
The only thing I can remember having an extra charge was a “romantic” dinner on the beach set up and the manager’s wine list at dinner which we rarely saw ordered from.
Sandals Resorts often boast a variety of restaurants, with some resorts having as many as 16 different dining options. These can range from local Caribbean fare to sushi bars, Italian bistros, French restaurants, steakhouses, and more.
The food at Sandals rarely means a buffet and definitely comes at a cost. With all the food being available all day long it make sense that a Sandals Resort stay will be expensive.
When compared to other all-inclusive resorts, Sandals Resorts can still be more expensive. This can be apparent by the lack of buffets and the quality of the food. Its also when comparing the different Sandals Resorts. The ones with the better food with new food concepts tend to be more expensive.
Activities
One place that Sandals stands out, but also makes it more expensive, is all the activities that are included. At each Sandals Resort, all the watersports are included. You are not going to need to pay to rent the kayaks or anything like that.
Each resort also has daily snorkeling trips that are all included.
What I have never seen at a resort besides Sandals is that scuba diving is included. They do make money on the scuba certifications, but it is very well priced and actually cheaper than other options.
Other Inclusions
Some other inclusions that you will not find at other resorts that make Sandals so expensive are the airport transfers and the tips.
No need to carry around 1s and 5s all day to tip everyone during your trip since tips are included in the price of your stay. This really makes Sandals similar in price to similar resorts when you focus on price.
With Sandals, as soon as you show up to the airport you can relax knowing your trip to the resort is covered. They keep an eye on flights and will be there if your flight is delayed or early. Additionally Montego Bay and a few other airports have a Sandals lounge or area where you can get a drink or snack before boarding to get to your resort.
You can even get a free wedding at Sandals if you stay 7 or more nights in a club or butler level room. The Sweetheart Package, which usually costs $1000, is good for up to 10 people and also gives you a 15% discount at the spa as well as credits toward photography and videography packages. Free ceremonies are limited to Monday through Thursday, between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. And if you honeymoon at one within 30 days of your wedding, you can get a free honeymoon package.
So yes, Sandals is more expensive than many resorts, but when you look at everything that is included it is clear why.
One other thing we have noticed is that prices fluctuate. The post-Covid travel boom caused prices to go very high and on some rooms and suites we have seen the prices come back down. Additionally, we have seen more deals and discounts come up which might continue as demand may go down a bit.