Is Sandals couples only?
 

I am planning a group trip for a bunch of people who are mid 30's. We liked the all inclusive option and Sandals sounded good. However a couple people in the group are single and didn't want to go somewhere that is all couples (meaning zero chance of meeting anyone else).

Is that how Sandals is, couples only? If so can anyone recommend an all inclusive that would include singles but not just be a singles scene since most in our group are married. For the most part we are looking for a good pool/beach and decent resaurants.

Yes, Sandals is couples only.

I don't believe Sandals is a "couples" only. I think you just have to be over 18 or something like that - if I'm not mistaken it's adults only. I think maybe you're thinking of the actual Couples Resorts that actually make you book as a party of two. I think the chains are:

SANDALS - ADULTS ONLY
BEACHES - FAMILY (NO AGE LIMIT)
COUPLES - PARTY OF TWO (OR MORE?)

Sorry... maybe I am wrong. I thought Sandals was just adult only.

Actually... no it is not Couples Only (I just checked). However, there are age restrictions - but definitely NOT couples only.

You should really check directly with the sandals property you want to visit.
Some still don't allow same sex couples to share a room (Royal Caribbean Bahamas just started last year).
This would lead me to believe that they are COUPLES only.
If you've been to Sandals, you get the feel that they are for couples. I don't think it would be the best property for meeting singles.

Actually.. if you check the website.. the tagline says.. for couples only.

http://www.sandals.com/main/bahamian/ba-home.cfm

I know it is for couples only, as I have worked with them before. I called a friend of mine, who works for them tonight and she confirmed it is a couples only resort chain. If you look at the website, I think they make that pretty clear.

Yes, it is for couples only, but it is no longer only for male-female hetero couples. They have finally expanded their policy to include same sex couples.

You're better off picking a place where the singles in your group are both welcomed and not the only singles there.

We've been to a few Sandals resorts as well as one Couples resort, and both chains are couples only.

We've also been to the Grand Lido resorts several times and Secrets resorts 4 times -- while those are both adults only (& not couples only), they both have mostly couples as guests.

For one of our vacations every year, we go away w/ a group of friends (my husb & I are both 36). In May 2003, we went to Aventura Spa Palace (adults only, all inclusive) south of Playa del Carmen (which is south of Cancun) w/ 6 other couples & we all had a great time there.

It's a huge resort (~1,200 rooms) so you can all do your own thing if you want to & not always be on top of each other. We thought the food was all very good, w/ plenty of restaurant options. The pools (one on the Aventura side & one on the Spa side) were huge & spotless. The resort is built on a man-made lagoon & the ocean is just on the other side of the lagoon. There is no 'real' beach to take long walks on, but we never really missed having that (there is sand that they brought in). All of the rooms there have 2-person jacuzzis, mini-fridges & on-the-wall liquor dispensers; and there is 24 hour included room service. There is a disco as well as nightly entertainment.

Another plus, is that the resort is only about 12 minutes from Playa del Carmen, so you can go into town for a night or two (bars or for dinner), just for some variety (i.e. Carlos & Charlies, Blue Parrot...).

Out of all of the resorts that we've been to, I think that the ASP is one of the best AI, adults only for a group that has a mix of married/non-married ppl.

I have pics of ASP (in folder "Cancun--Aventura Spa Palace--May 2003") if you're interested. http://photos.yahoo.com/jmrperotto


Jackie

Sandals is also only for hetrosexual couples. No singles are allowed.

Round Hill, Tryall and Half Moon all
just outside MoBay and The Caves in
Negril are AIs both couples and singles
would find comfortable for every keyword on the wishlist.

curt, not that it is relevant to this question, but Sandal's does allow same sex couples.

Let's be abolutely clear. Sandals is a couples-only resort chain. The couples do not have to be married, and (since last year) they can be same-sex, though I don't think most gay couples would find this a particularly inviting atmosphere, so it's not something I'd recommend gay couples consider.

However, I don't think anyone has really addressed kvball71's question about singles being able to meet someone (romantically, I assume). That is definitely something you cannot expect to happen at this kind of a resort. The whole idea is that there is NOT supposed to be any kind of sexual tension at all in these resorts ... that's why they are couples only. They're supposed to be romantic places where couples can enjoy themeslves and interact, not meet other people (in a romantic way, at least). There is actually alot of friendly interaction at a resort like this.

I wonder why then when I go to book it on Expedia, it gives me a price for a single for all Sandles Resorts. I would figure if it was for couples only and I only list one person as going, it wouldn't even give me the option of a Sandles Resort.

That's strange...

Actually, it's not so strange because Expedia is really just a computer program, and a rather fallible one at that. In this case, Expedia isn't being a very good travel agent because it's breaking the chain's rules. There's probably a single price available so that two people can pay individually, but that doesn't mean a single man or woman would be allowed to stay in a room alone. Expedia and other online agencies are notorious for allowing people to book things that aren't possible. It's the customers who pay the price. But you shouldn't draw conclusions about a company's policies by the fact that you can get a singles price on Expedia.

It's hard not to draw a conclusion like that if you were someone who religiously booked with Expedia, never had problems booking with them previously and relied on there information to be accurate since that is a travel website.

I think it is a shame that Expedia offers you the chance to book something that does not comply with the Hotel chain's rules. I don't religiously book with Expedia, but have every now and again and I would be highly upset if I ended up with a situation where I was given misinformation and my trip was ruined.

VegasM, if you want to read about another Fodorite's experience with Expedia's, and what it did to his vacation, go here:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34790210