I know lots of people who have loved Sandals for their honeymoon! I would take what you hear here with a big grain of salt; lots of negativity.

Kristin, Ain't this what its all about, lettin these here people know how NEGATIVE a trip to sandals is honey?

LISA, dont cancell my daughter was married there last May and it was the most beautiful wedding. The staff was Super! everything was perfect. email me if you have any ?'s.

I posted this reply on another thread, but we traveled on our honeymoon to Ocho Rios. We met a couple that traveled from London for their destination wedding and it was an awful experience. They were at the Royal Caribbean and were transferred to Beaches for a week for their troubles. They also got a return week to another resort. From what they said, nothing went right. Specifically asked to not have red and white roses as it means death in England in a wedding bouquet. Five minutes before walking down the aisle, sure enough, there was the bouquet with red and white roses. Promised a candlelight dinner, got it next to the wedding that was performed right before them. Photographer took 24 pictures of them and gave the 12 for $150 and wouldn't give them the rest. The staff was rushing them out of their dinner so they could clean up--they were married at 4:45!<BR>Anyway, this is my post from another thread!<BR><BR>Message: I would say to stay away. BUT, that depends on what you are looking for. We went to the Beaches Royal Plantation and it was awesome. Food and service were incredible and there were only 80 rooms and only 106 people at the time we were there. If you are at that property, you have the chance to go to all Sandals and Beaches on the island. We went to the Sandals Ocho Rios for dinner and it was a pit. I guess we were just snobs from next door. The service was so-so and we were overdressed! Hubby was in khaki shorts and a linen shirt, while i was in a tube dress. We had an incident with the hotel (robbed while we slept) and had to go to the Embassy in Mo Bay. They transfered us to the Sandals Mo Bay and here's what we found. The property is at the end of the airport runway, where at least 10-15 planes take off per day. They made it a big joke by waving at all of the planes while they went over. I felt so sorry for the couple reciting their vows while the plane went over. The room wasn't all that clean. I took a shower and the water went from steaming hot to freezing cold and you couldn't take a shower while someone above you or next door was taking one. We decided to hit the beach while the sun was out (it rained the entire trip) and I went to get some drinks. I felt like I was in college again. The smell of dried beer was rampant and when I asked for some strawberry daiquris, the bartender asked if I wanted rum. Uh, I didn't ask for a virgin! As I walked back to the beach, several of the street peddlers on their kayaks tried to get my attention. Had a seat and was SO tempted to take part in the activity at the pool bar. Someone was banging on a trash can yelling "Body Shots!!" I am not a stick in the mud, but I was on my honeymoon! We had dinner at the party outside and it was pretty discusting. I kid you not, there were at least 10 desserts and I couldn't name a single one but vision or taste! <BR>My advice is to rethink your decision if you are looking for a romantic vacation. If you are looking to party with tons of people (that Sandals has 246 rooms) then that may be the place for you. Despite being robbed and rain, the Beaches Royal Plantation is amazing. Other than that, you might consider going to Mexico or another island, just really investigate the Sandals thing. <BR>Sorry this is so long and I hope I didn't burst your bubble, but I certainly don't want someone else to have the same experience, especially not on their honeymoon!<BR><BR> <BR>

A year ago we attended a Sandals Info night as a consideration for our honeymoon. We found it was very overpriced and I had also seen negatives comments on many of their resorts. I am sure that there are people that love Sandals and have had great vacations with them but I would prefer to get something nicer for what they charge. I have been to Grand Cayman and Freeport Bahamas and found that the locals and hotel staff in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico were much nicer and harder workers. The atmosphere is laid back in all three of those locals but I just found those parts of the Caribbean ruder and lazier.

Change to Sandals Antigua it's a nicer island.

To Lisa,<BR>If you read a lot of negative things, there is a reason. I have been reading this thread and people are not being nit-picky they are real problems that you may or may not experience but why take the chance. If you posted a statement that you are getting nervous about Sandals, then you must have a bad feeling about it, meaning you already know the answer. Follow your gut instinct and change while you can. Don't waste anymore time. These people are not lying to you but you will be lying to yourself if you decide to "take it with a grain of salt". This is not just a vacation, its your WEDDING and you should not take it with a grain of salt. Really consider what is being told to you. Its not like you can have another one - like a regular vacation where you say well this was terrible we'll never come back next year we will go to .......<BR><BR>There are many options out there for every budget. Don't take the easy way out - INVESTIGATE your options and dont settle on the most important day of your life. The choice is yours.

you hit it on the "money" Randy, People aren't being negative because of idle time on the computer to "blast" Sandals, the majority are real people who experienced real problems. I've seen other sites that have people who are having the same problems with Sandals. These are not isolated instances, people are having REAL unfavorable dissatisfaction with these "ultra" resorts of Sandals. Spending alot of money and not thoroughly researching beforehand may cause the surprise you DON'T want.

Randy is so right. I read all the postings on this board, good and bad. But I decided to take the good at face value and the bad with a grain of salt for some reason. What a mistake that was! I learned my lesson. <BR><BR>Sandals was a huge disappointment. Our last day there, we met a really nice couple who had just come in for their wedding. They had stayed at Grand Lido Braco (I think that's what it's called) the year before, loved it, and thought they'd try Sandals. I felt really, really bad for them. I just couldn't imagine having to get married and honeymoon there. It's just not somewhere that evokes a romantic atmosphere. It reminded me a bit of a bad fraternity party from college.

Went to Sandals Golf and Resort at St Lucia for my honeymoon last July.<BR>Hated it.<BR>To say it was overpriced is an understatement.<BR>For $5500 from NY we could've had a much better time somewhere else.<BR>Booked a special room which was not available when we got there despite American Express' "white glove service". The WORST food, average rooms, average beach, average island.<BR>Decided to stay there due to heavy marketing at wedding shows, wedding magazines etc.<BR>Visited Sandals Halcyon when we were there.<BR>Worse than where we stayed. Would never recommend this vacation.<BR>The worst vacation I ever took.

We went on our honeymoon to Sandals Dunn's River in May. I was so busy with the wedding that I wanted a honeymoon that didn't require a lot of planning, which is why we went with an all inclusive. It was the worst vacation we've had in our 10-plus years together. It rained the entire time and snorkeling and scuba were canceled the entire time we were there. The pool was too frigid for anyone to swim in. The food was medicore and the "no worries man" attitude got really old when there were problems and they were not being addressed. Sandals idea of replacement entertainment for swimming and snorkeling was to offer musical chairs. I kid you not! I could go on and on but..<BR><BR>We don't want to go back to Jamaica but we do want to make up for the $3,400 honeymoon that was awful (our wedding was perfect btw). I complained to Sandals and we got three free nights anywhere but Royal Plantation. We have to use it within a year.<BR><BR> Because we don't want to lose our free nights, which Sandals resort would you suggest? We were going to go with SRB because neither of us wants to return to Jamaica but these reviews are scaring me. Thank you very much.<BR><BR>

Keep in mind that if you are inviting family and friends, they too, have to find somewhere affordable to stay for the wedding. I think this is the reason that a lot of people choose the bahamas. Family and friends won't go broke attending the wedding. <BR>If you choose not to do Sandals, The Ocean Club is gorgeous, and friends and family can stay at less expensive hotels in the area. My favorite in the area is the British Colonial Hilton.

I have to agree with Randy and theothers who are trying to warn you about Sandals/Beaches. We went to Beaches Turks and Caicos in June, 2001. O have never spent so much money so foolishly! What a rip-off. Sandals/Beaches is VERY creative with its advertising. It tells you that the resort is voted # 1 - HOWEVER- it doesn't let you know who exactly it is, or what group voted them this distinction. Seems to me that Sandals/Beaches voted itself #1. (Or, perhaps it really means a one star rating). Check out the Radisson Cable Beachinthe Bahamas. I haven't been there in about 5 years but whe I was there were beautiful weddings and the place offers an all inclusive plan. However, I would be concerned about the weather both in the Bahamas and Turks and Caicos in November.

Plenty of time to back out of both.

Lisa, please tell us what you've decided.

Dixie,<BR>Sorry to hear about your honeymoon. We experienced the same as you at Dunn's River. We kept asking the front desk to be transferred to another resort and they told us everything was booked. Finally after the 4th day, we called Sandals Mobay and they said there were plenty of rooms. So we packed up in 15 minutes and headed out of there! We enjoyed MoBay - it is not luxurious by any means but at least we had a decent meal and the staff was great. <BR>Try the Grande St. Lucian - stayed there when it was the Hyatt last year. The resort is so new they really didn't have to do a lot of renovations. Beautiful beach, large rooms, great area ..<BR>Think you might enjoy St. Lucia.<BR>

People!!!! Sandals = slick advertising = Mass Market = importance on bottom line = McDonalds = Taco Bell........get the picture???? My family of 4 spent 6 days at Beaches T & C a couple of years ago and spent over $6,000 for an "ocean front suite". (Including air from Denver) but the accomodations were $4000 on a travel agents rate. Did not receive the value we were expecting for our $. That has to be the most disappointing thing to happen on a vacation. Sandals is too big for thier britches and it is really beginning to show. There are plenty of other all inclusives that place importance on your experience. Why have a McDonalds wedding????

The above posters are correct. I have seen most of the major websites for Caribbean travel. Sandals generates more negative feedback, by far, than any other resort in the Caribbean. Atlantis is a close second. Both are way out of line with their prices and offerings compared to other resorts. Most complaints cite mediocre food, lousy service, run down facilities, and Motel 6 type rooms.

We were married at Sandals in the Bahamas on 6/8. Neither of us have any negative things to say and if I had to do it all over again, I would in a second. The staff was wonderful and the food was awesome. I had shrimp and lobster and scallops for dinner almost every night! We have beautiful pictures from the ceremony and our wedding was like right out of a story book! I'm not sure what all the negative remarks are about but we had 13 people go with us and not one person has anything bad to say. Maybe we lucked ouut - this was definietly not a "McDonald's Wedding!"

About 13 years ago, my sister got married at Caneel Bay - it was fantastic! Also, what about the BVI's?