Sandals lifts same sex couples band!
 

Not sure how some of the guests will feel about this one. I will continue to be a Sandals guest "Love the resorts" and will be back their in Feb for 2 weeks at Sandals Whitehouse.

I never knew Sandals had a same sex couples ban. That's weird. How would they know if you're there as friends or a couple? What else is on their "banned list" of behind closed door activities?!
(Unless, of course, you're actually talking about a band.)

Well, if it is indeed true, then I am glad. It still won't affect my overall opinion of Sandals, but it does move them up a notch in my esteem.

Sorry, for the misspelled word, "BAN"....

Actually Kimberly your speliing of "band" vs. "banned" made me smile.

A "band" on the ring finger should never mean being "banned" from anywhere.

I agree with EJ....I would never spend my money at Sandals ;-)....but this seems like progress and I commend them for becoming part of this century. Although the commendation probably has much more to do with economics than a *social conscience*.

Whatever it takes.....

Marion

They stated publicly that they are removing the ban and are now for "all couples in love" but from an email posted on another site from the MoBay manager, it seems that they have no intention of going after the gay market are really accepting any reservations. Seems like Sandals same old lip service again.

Just think, same sex couples are OK at Sandals, but could have been in violation of the U.S. Constitution. I don't think Bush's daughters will be staying at Sandals anytime soon. Robert

Dreamer,
Because Sandals has always been a "couples only" the way they got around it is this: There is a rep at the airport, so when they would see you and realize that it was a gay couple, they would suggest that you probably would not be happty there and give you vouchers to another resort. They know that there is other stuff that goes on, i.e. wife-swapping, but look the other way when it's behind closed doors. Because they are not part of the U.S. they are not required to follow our laws. I'm not sure you will find many gay couples around Sandals regardless.

What laws, exactly, does the US have about gay couples vacationing together? None that I'm aware of, thank God. At least we've not gone that far backwards in recent years. Now, if Sandals required that its guests be married, it would certainly cut down on both gay and straight revenue. But seriously, I'm curious, Robert & Knowing, which US laws that Sandals does not need to adhere to because it is not part of the US vis a vis same sex couples.

ejcrowe; I'm not sure. It seems that all international hotels would have to abide by local laws, so a general Sandals policy and procedural approach for all their properties would be impossible. I know that a gay cruise was turned back when the ship attempted to dock in Grand Cayman several years ago. Robert

With a strong matriarchal bent to its social outlook, compounded by archly conservative Pentecostal, Baptist, 7th Day and to a lesser degree Catholic
religious influencers, Jamaica is homophobic in public, tho not necessarily so in private. Put simply,
same-sex anything is against Jamaican law. Sandals is a mass merchandiser that answers only to Jamaican or Bahamaian or St.Lucian law. That they've announced a lift to their ban is mere public posturing for little reason as few same-sex couples would be attracted to the tackyness of what they offer at a rather high price. It's a Dick Cheney posture...

EJ-
Let me rephrase that for you. If in the U.S. you decide that you are not going to allow a gay couple to stay at your resort, you will have a lawsuit brought against you. The Caribbean is not the U.S. There are places in the world where people are assaulted and no one blinks an eye. The world has different rules depending on where you are.

Knowing, thanks for clearing that up. I was approaching your earlier post from the wrong perspective.

From tivertonhouse: "..few same-sex couples would be attracted to the tackyness of what they offer".

OK...so you are stating that gay couples have 'good taste' (i.e. that they'd never spend money at a 'tacky' resort) but hetero couples don't, since going to Sandals implies that people are OK with tackiness?

Ouch. I wouldn't want to try to defend that comment in a televised debate.

The voiced opinion of Sandals tackiness applies to anyone, regardless of gender situation...

Had to happen sooner or later, most Sandals properties have become outdated and worn. They NEED the business. Frankly it probably wont help, for most Caribbean islands are not too receptive to openly gay couples, especially such a "resort" as Sandals. This alone keeps gays away. Most gay publications hardly mention the caribbean. There are secluded and small places that cater to gays, but quite simply I don't think Queer eye for the Straight Guy will be visiting Jamaica any time soon.

knowing - you may have a lawsuit brought against you but it's success may very well hinge on where the hotel is located. There is no federal law that would necessarily prohibit this practice - sexual orientation historically has not been given the same status as race, sex, or ethnicity on a constitutional level. Some states and municipalities have laws that specifically prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, but not all do and our federal govt does not.

It appears this is more of a change to the way they advertise, especially in Europe. For an interesting article and what the government of St Lucia has to say (gays and gay sex are illegal in St Lucia)see this article:

http://www.stluciastar.com/weekend/friOct15-04/lead.htm