Sandals pricing
Mar 25th, 2005, 04:32 AM
#1
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Sandals pricing
I was wondering, can some of you forward to my email what you are paying for your Sandals vacations? We haven't returned to Sandals since 2002 because the prices just seemed to be skyrocketing, but we really do want to go back some time. We miss the reunion fun. So I was just wondering, am I being unrealistic or is there better prices out there and I just haven't found them. Thanks for any advise.
PS>>> We usually book concierge level and are interested in any location (except the Inn).
Take care, Lisa S
PS>>> We usually book concierge level and are interested in any location (except the Inn).
Take care, Lisa S
Mar 25th, 2005, 10:53 AM
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We are currently attempting to book Sandals Regency in St. Lucia for Nov. The air for AA right now is running $936 p/p. 6 nights in a delux room (with air) I've been quoted: $3,500, $3,800, $4,075 and $5,100. by several travel web-sites, travel agents and Sandals website. We have not booked anything and are holding out for air to hopefully come down. Some of the prices quoted inclued our signature points from our stay at Sandals Royal Bahmaian.
We also have avoided Sandals since 2003 since their room rates are very high. I like Sandals concepts, their resorts and amenties, but their room catagories are ridiculous. I would never pay for anything over a standard room as the rooms are not worth it - IMHO.
We've been bumped by Air Jamaica twice on planned trips to Jamaica. However, we chose the Wyndham Rose Hall in Montego Bay. We didn't feel the Sandals resorts in Jamaica were up to par compared to their price.
I was unable to e-mail you since your address was not listed.
We also have avoided Sandals since 2003 since their room rates are very high. I like Sandals concepts, their resorts and amenties, but their room catagories are ridiculous. I would never pay for anything over a standard room as the rooms are not worth it - IMHO.
We've been bumped by Air Jamaica twice on planned trips to Jamaica. However, we chose the Wyndham Rose Hall in Montego Bay. We didn't feel the Sandals resorts in Jamaica were up to par compared to their price.
I was unable to e-mail you since your address was not listed.
Mar 25th, 2005, 11:23 AM
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To KVR: Are you aware of the turmoil at Air Jamaica right now?
We're also looking at a St. Lucia trip. Air Jamaica "suspended" service to St. Lucia, Barbados, and Grenada a few days ago, supposedly for just four weeks.
In the meantime, USAir and Delta have announced additional flights to SLU and Continental is considering it. And of course American flies there.
The whole airline picture is so muddled right now that I'm waiting for things to sort themselves out.
Butch Stewart, owner of Sandals, ceded his interest in Air Jamaica back to the Jamaican government, which is trying to figure out if they should downsize the airline, sell it (to whom?), or shut it down. Too bad - it was a good airline to fly a few years back.
We're also looking at a St. Lucia trip. Air Jamaica "suspended" service to St. Lucia, Barbados, and Grenada a few days ago, supposedly for just four weeks.
In the meantime, USAir and Delta have announced additional flights to SLU and Continental is considering it. And of course American flies there.
The whole airline picture is so muddled right now that I'm waiting for things to sort themselves out.
Butch Stewart, owner of Sandals, ceded his interest in Air Jamaica back to the Jamaican government, which is trying to figure out if they should downsize the airline, sell it (to whom?), or shut it down. Too bad - it was a good airline to fly a few years back.
Mar 25th, 2005, 04:03 PM
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It really is amazing how much the costs for Sandals differ. I have stayed at the Regency in St Lucia twice and the second time we saw a slight decline. I think the high end rooms are a rip off, but that is just my opinion. We have only booked Sandals when they have a special going on (33-40% off) and we got our comp upgrade for returning. We also stayed in lower end rooms, but with a good view. I'm sure there are others, but we used Twinsburg Travel in Ohio. They only do Sandals and Beaches bookings, so they get a good rate because of their volume. I would never book through their website.
Mar 25th, 2005, 09:34 PM
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CDT:
Yes, I am aware of problems with Air Jamaica. We were orginally booked for Jamaica at the Wyndham Rose Hall for May and they cancelled our flight. We re-booked on American to St. Thomas instead. We are staying at the Wyndham Sugar Bay. Air Jamaica also canceled our flight in 2003 and we ended up staying at Sandals in the Bahamas instead. Even if AJ can pull themselves out of their current mess, I would never book with them again.
We will be flying to St. Lucia on American as its the only airline from our home town that will get us there.
brenandg:
I totally agree with you that the high-end rooms are a "rip off". Alot of the negative reviews has to do with people not feeling they got there monies worth in the room they purchased. No matter what room you chose to pay for every body gets to use their facilites, pools, beach, restuarants/bars, etc. We never spend much time in the room anyway so why pay for something that really isn't going to be used. We purchased a concierge room at SRB and never used the in-room bar, concierge service, or room service. So we left feeling we didn't get our monies worth in the room catagory. As for the resort as a whole, we loved it.
The 35%-40% off rooms rates is a scam. They run that promation all year. Every quote I recieved the only difference in price was the air, not the room. I also looked on Sandals website. I put in various dates for each of the 12 months and the room rates never changed. In order to get a lower price, the air fare will have to drop. I've got plenty of time to wait it out.
Yes, I am aware of problems with Air Jamaica. We were orginally booked for Jamaica at the Wyndham Rose Hall for May and they cancelled our flight. We re-booked on American to St. Thomas instead. We are staying at the Wyndham Sugar Bay. Air Jamaica also canceled our flight in 2003 and we ended up staying at Sandals in the Bahamas instead. Even if AJ can pull themselves out of their current mess, I would never book with them again.
We will be flying to St. Lucia on American as its the only airline from our home town that will get us there.
brenandg:
I totally agree with you that the high-end rooms are a "rip off". Alot of the negative reviews has to do with people not feeling they got there monies worth in the room they purchased. No matter what room you chose to pay for every body gets to use their facilites, pools, beach, restuarants/bars, etc. We never spend much time in the room anyway so why pay for something that really isn't going to be used. We purchased a concierge room at SRB and never used the in-room bar, concierge service, or room service. So we left feeling we didn't get our monies worth in the room catagory. As for the resort as a whole, we loved it.
The 35%-40% off rooms rates is a scam. They run that promation all year. Every quote I recieved the only difference in price was the air, not the room. I also looked on Sandals website. I put in various dates for each of the 12 months and the room rates never changed. In order to get a lower price, the air fare will have to drop. I've got plenty of time to wait it out.
Mar 29th, 2005, 04:38 AM
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We went to Sandals Ocho Rios last month. We paid $1700 per person for flights from Baltimore, 5 nights, villa suites with butler service (this wasn't really my choice, my friends booked it). There were 6 of us in 3 villas.
I really enjoyed the villas: we had the butler bring us coffee every morning, there was a stocked refridgerator, they may dinner reservations for us etc.
I probably wouldn't do that again, it was really a luxury we didn't need, but it was kind of fun.
Karen
I really enjoyed the villas: we had the butler bring us coffee every morning, there was a stocked refridgerator, they may dinner reservations for us etc.
I probably wouldn't do that again, it was really a luxury we didn't need, but it was kind of fun.
Karen
Mar 29th, 2005, 08:06 AM
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I don't know the room rate but wonder what the current definition of "skyrocketing" is. I certainly agree that I would never book directly with Sandals - there are too many discounts out there [Funjet, Apple Vacations, AAVacations.com, etc]. I also never book an upgraded room since I don't spend enough time there to worry about the view. I always try to look at the whole picture and not just the price. If you subtract the airfare [so that you are comparing apples to apples], and figure a comparable hotel would likely run $100-150 per night and meals/drinks likely would run $50-100 per day per person [unless you never consume alcohol and really watch the budget] then for 2 people for 7 days a "traditional" hotel vacation could be as much as $2400 [$1200 per person]. Make sure you add up everything you would otherwise spend in a comparable non-all-inclusive property when you do the math.
Mar 29th, 2005, 09:30 AM
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We've done the math many times over the years and almost always wind up in a NON-inclusive, spending under $250 per day total for two people, including room and tax and meals and drinks, in "high season."
Granted, we don't eat at expensive restaurants, but I get the impression that meals at Sandals aren't exactly gourmet either.
It seems to me that the only places in the region with reasonably priced AI's are the Dominican Republic and Mexico. We recently took our first trip to Mexico and stayed in an AI because we found a very nice resort on a great beach for about $200/night, inclusive. That seems to be impossible in the winter in the rest of the Caribbean.
(I left Cuba out of the equation because I guess we Americans aren't supposed to go there!)
Granted, we don't eat at expensive restaurants, but I get the impression that meals at Sandals aren't exactly gourmet either.
It seems to me that the only places in the region with reasonably priced AI's are the Dominican Republic and Mexico. We recently took our first trip to Mexico and stayed in an AI because we found a very nice resort on a great beach for about $200/night, inclusive. That seems to be impossible in the winter in the rest of the Caribbean.
(I left Cuba out of the equation because I guess we Americans aren't supposed to go there!)
