The "Anti-Sandals" Honeymooner
 

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but does any one else out there have the same view of the Sandals Resorts that I do?

Now I will be honest that I have never stepped foot on one of their properties, BUT from the pictures I have seen and the things I have read I am just not sold on them yet. I have heard that they are very "closed off" from the country and culture around them. ...almost like they are in there own little Americanized bubble. My position is that if I am going to spend time and money to go to a beautiful foreign country then I want to be able to experience the REAL version of it...not some Walt Disney World version. Don't get me wrong...I'm not looking to stay in some grass hut...I want full on luxury...i just feel there are better options for it.

If I am wrong in my belief then PLEASE feel free to say so! All I want is to be able to give my future bride the trip of a lifetime.

Give your future bride Sandals.I have been to Montego Bay,Jamacia and The Royal Bahamian,Bahamas.Both were beautiful. I am going to get married at Sandals Grande St. Lucian in Feb 2009. The resorts can be a little closed off from the general public but i wouldn't want homeless people wandering around trying to sell me their goods and wares while I'm laying on the beach on my honeymoon.Your safety is in mind.You have got to remember that you are in a foreign country.These areas are not as "safe" as most american vacation areas. Sandals does offer full on luxury.You can schedule trips outside of the resorts to "experience culture".I don't think you would be disapointed.

Does the bride want Sandals? If so, then I'd say go for it and do the "real" trips later on. If she wants Sandals, then it is probably because she wants the cleaned up version so that you guys can have a luxury honeymoon without worrying about anything or making a decision beyond "pina colada or mai-tai?"

Or perhaps you can compromise - not Sandals but some other resort that isn't as much of a bubble. More research is required, but they are out there.

If your bride feels the way you do, then go elsewhere. Sandals isn't for everyone. Like you, I haven't been to one and from my research, they aren't high on my list of places to go - in general, all inclusive doesn't appeal to me.

My husband and I went to New Orleans for our honeymoon and had a blast.

It does depend on what the bride wants, but personally, as a bride, would have hated Sandals for the same reasons you do. My honeymoon was in Yorkshire, England, doing day trips out to ruined abbeys and small villages in the Yorkshire Dales, and I loved it!

GreenDragon - That sounds like a fabulous honeymoon. We considered something similar, but chose to stay in the US for budgetary reasons :) With the state of the dollar against the pound though, sometimes I think we should have gone for it then - LOL.

I also loved the trip to Nova Scotia last summer, another lower-cost option. We were told we need to come back when the leaves were changing :)

Another vote for Nova Scotia...we honeymooned there 20 years ago and went back several years ago. Beutiful, relaxing, good food...