Sandals South Coast, Jamaica
Last month we went down to Jamaica for our final getaway of 2020. It’s been a long crazy year, filled with many ups and downs, but we decided to end it on a high note and visit an island that has long been on our list - Jamaica. Still amidst the COVID-19 situation, we were able to stay safe and enjoy one of the island’s vast and beautiful resorts, where we knew we could safely keep our distance and have private moments to relax. Known produce some of the most luxurious all-inclusive resorts in the world, the Sandals brand was an easy choice. The only question was, would it live up to the hype?
There are 15 Sandals resorts located throughout the Caribbean, each offering something unique and special. On Jamaica alone, Sandals has 7 different locations. Which one is the best? Well each one has its own personality, but as South Coast is one of their adults only, smaller more intimate resorts, we knew it was the one for us! Set within a 500-acre nature preserve, and designed for anything from romantic couples getaways and honeymoons to a care free escape for friends or family, Sandals South Coast was a little slice of Jamaican heaven! Just picture your perfect tropical vacation filled with white sand beaches, clear turquoise water, sipping fresh coconut under a cabana, and even staying in an overwater bungalow! We don’t say this lightly, but to be honest, it exceeded even our high expectations.
BEST TIME TO VISIT Jamaica
Being so close to the equator, the climate doesn’t really fluctuate all that much. Islands in the Caribbean are generally warm and tropical throughout the year, so you can expect to get a lot of sunshine and warmth no matter when you go. That said, things to consider are:
· High Season coincides with their dry season and with revolves around European/US holidays in Mid December-Mid April. This is when you will find the highest rates and most limited availability. Weather is slightly cooler during this time.
· Low Season falls from June-November. Also known as hurricane season in the region. But that does not mean hurricanes all the time, just something to keep in mind. It does mean lower rates and much less crowds, though.
· Shoulder Season is probably the most desirable time to visit Jamaica. This runs from Mid April – May and also from November - Mid December. You will find desirable weather and not too many crowds!
Traveling during Covid
With COVID travel being what it is, we were surprised at how simple the process was to enter Jamaica. First, they have a 10 day testing window, which is the longest of any Caribbean island. Most international travel locations require somewhere between 48 and 72 hours, which can feel pretty tight. We were relieved to have so much time to make sure we got the exact testing we needed in order to be safe. It even allowed us to to get a free test (offered in many different states but can take anywhere from 2-3 days for results).
Once you get the negative test results, you just have to apply for travel authorization on the Jamaica tourism website (https://www.visitjamaica.com/travelauthorization/) It is very simple and is at no additional cost. Authorization is immediate and then we just made sure to print out the required documents for our airline (We just had to have or negative test documents and travel authorization paper documents in hand).
And with the new testing requirements for re-entering the US and Canada, Sandals is now offering tests onsite at their resorts free of charge.
AIRPORT TRANSFER/ARRIVAL
Sandals South Coast is about 1 hour’s drive from the Montego Bay Airport. Sandals provides a transfer service to make this transition as smooth as possible. They even have their own Sandals Lounge in the airport where you can wait for your shuttle service to arrive and grab some drinks and a few snacks. No need to worry about renting a car, because there is plenty to do on location at Sandals, but should you want to discover other parts of the island, the resort can arrange that for you.
Service
The service at Sandals resorts is what really made it stand out in our minds. The staff are always kind and helpful from the restaurants, to the concierge, to their VIP lounge located in the middle of the property, which can help book up any activities or special celebrations. They take extra care to make sure to go above and beyond for you. No matter where you go, you’ll be met with a smile and friendly wave.
There are golf carts you can call to transport you around the resort if you choose, and staff around all areas of the property are constantly checking in to see if you need any drinks or towels.
Some of the high-end rooms will even include personal butler service. You’re provided with a special cell phone just for communicating with them, which means you can be in touch wherever you are on the property. They assist in everything from in-room dining services, to booking your dinner reservations or activities, to even unpacking your bags upon arrival. Basically they take care of all your worries so you can just focus on how to relax as much as possible during your stay. To maintain their top level of service, Sandals flies out specialized butler trainers from England every year to train the Elite Butler team.
ACCOMMODATION
There is a wide variety of accommodation at the Sandals South Coast location. You can experience anything from complete seclusion to sharing drinks and playing volleyball with new friends. So whether you prefer to never leave your room and enjoy a private bungalow with plunge pool and ocean front access, or spend the day at swim up bars meeting new people and enjoying the exciting night events, South Coast has the best option for you.
For us, we preferred a secluded couples getaway, so we stayed in the Overwater Bungalow Suites and the brand new Rondoval Swim Up Suites. Both of these are serviced by Sandals’ Butler Elite Service and were some of the fanciest rooms we’ve stayed in.
Over the Water Bungalows
The iconic overwater bungalow is surrounded by Jamaica’s pristine blue ocean. Waking up to this uninterrupted view each morning was a dream come true. It has been a bucket list item for us to stay at an overwater bungalow and we were pinching ourselves that it finally came true.
The room is at the end of a heart shaped dock in the middle of the ocean and includes an overwater hammock, outdoor tub and dining area, king sized bed, indoor and outdoor shower, floating pool ring, personal snorkel gear and even a glass floor panels for beautiful ocean views any time of day. The bungalows also provide Sandals’ Butler Elite service, and your own designated beach front cabana in case you want to spend a few hours by the shore.
Swim-Up Rondoval Butler Suites with Private Access River Pool
Unique from anything we have seen before, these secluded suites are all connected to an expansive river pool that links the entire collection, yet still maintains your privacy. They also each have their own private plunge pools, directly accessible from inside the suite, so you can choose where you want to swim for the day! They also include an indoor & outdoor shower, outdoor deck and dining area, king size bed, and couch for lounging. Similar to the Over the Water Bungalows, the Rondoval Suites also include Sandals’ Butler Elite service.
Dutch Village Suites
With views directly out to the ocean, this suite also has an expansive spa-style bathroom. Depending on the room you choose, they either come with direct access to a swim up pool or will have a private tub on the balcony looking out to the beautiful sea. These suites come with Butler Elite service and a great view out to the beach as well as separate living room and king size bed..
Italian Beachfront Suites
Boasting incredible vistas of Jamaica’s ocean, the Italian suites are spacious and beach front, many including private balconies and spacious rooms. They also include Butler Elite service.
French Suites
Sandal’s South Coast most affordable option, these rooms still flaunt beautiful views, private terraces and access to all of Sandals’ amenities.
AMENITIES
There is no shortage of things to do around the property. You could easily spend a week here and not run out of new activities to try and places to explore.
Pools
Sandals South Coast offers calm and tranquility with it’s one-of-a-kind location nestled into a 500-acre nature preserve. Across the property there are 8 different pools with varying levels of privacy and excitement ranging from tranquil and secluded to lively and fun with swim up bars and volleyball nets. As you saw above, most of the rooms either have direct pool access, or are just steps away. And unlike other resorts where it can feel like a battle to get a nice seat around the pool or on the beach, there’s enough pools and places to relax that it never feels like a competition to get the most relaxing spot.
Beach
With over two miles of beachfront access lined with palm trees, Sandals has access to Jamaica’s finest blue water along the south coast. There’s everything from private wood framed cabanas, to thatch umbrellas, to sunbathing beach loungers to fit whatever kind of beach front experience you prefer. Though we enjoyed the pools, we preferred our days out on the beach, listening to the ocean lazily lap up on the sand and the wind slowly trickle through the palm fronds.
Water Sports
If you find yourself seeking some adventure beyond relaxing in the sun, you can try out some of the activities they have on offer free of charge, including scuba diving, kayaks, waterskiing, windsurfing, snorkeling, sailboats, tubing, paddle boarding, glass bottom boats, wakeboarding and even knee boarding. Depending on how confident you feel in the water, you can take out the equipment to adventure yourself, or have one of the instructors assist you. We took advantage of the snorkeling and boat trip to see the beautiful reef surrounding the shore line.
Fitness
If you are looking to stay fit during your vacation, you can join a high energy group fitness class or stop in to the well-stocked fitness center with all of the cardio and resistance equipment you will need. They also offer ways to wind down and recover with yoga and stretching.
Land Activities
From beach volley ball, to tennis, to squash and croquet there are plenty of activities to try if getting in the water isn’t your thing. There’s also nightly entertainment such as live bands, piano bar, white nights, shows and themed parties that can make for a lively evening out with friends or an exciting date night feel.
Weddings & Events
If you dream of saying “I Do” in a chapel over the water, and walking down a glass aisle set over the oceans of Jamaica, South Coast can make your dream wedding come true. They have in house wedding planners with hair, make-up and floral experts to make your special day perfect.
Spa
Red Lane Spa is an oasis of peace and tranquility. It boasts multiple treatment rooms, beauty salon, yoga studio, steam room, plunge pools and a variety of intimate relaxation areas secluded by gardens. We enjoyed a couples hot salt stone massage that was everything we needed after a long day of international travel to get into the vacation mode.
MEALS
Sandals South Coast boasts 9 restaurants with a rich variety of cuisines. Fortunately, all of these meals are included with your stay, so bon apetit!
Giuseppe’s Italian restaurant provides a higher end dining experience with perfect wine pairings to boot. Jasmines Asian Cuisine offers a slue of different Asian dishes guaranteed to please the palate. Café de Paris cooks simple but elegant Parisian cuisine, with of course all the french pastries & crepes you could want. Eleanors is the place to go for authentic Caribbean cuisine and to where you can try some of the authentic Jamaican Jerk. Bayside restaurant is going to be your all-arounder restaurant, serving a variety of foods with elegance. Schooners seafood grill is going to be your fix for grilled seafood Sandals South Coast and amazing views of the beach.
Neptunes Mediterranean seafood is more Mediterranean focused and located right along the beach. The Jerk Shack is your true Caribbean experience perfect for a casual lunch. Sushi on the Sand is going to be your one-stop sushi stop during your stay at Sandals South Coast! .
When it comes to fine dining, Sandals has you covered. And if you are in one of the suites serviced by Sandals’ Butler Elite team, then you can opt for room service and enjoy your meal in complete privacy.
You can also arrange to have a special romantic meal right on the beach itself, complete with flowers and candle light. If you plan to do this, we recommend scheduling it for the first part of your trip, in case there is a tropical shower around dinner time and you have to postpone. They do 2 seatings - one at sunset around 6:00 pm and another at 8:00 for full candle light. We unfortunately had ours scheduled for our last night on property, and had it rained out. We enjoyed an intimate dinner inside our Rondoval suite, but still will have to look forward to trying one of their beachside dinners on another visit!
To sum it up, Sandals South Coast is a destination not to be missed. There’s a little something here for everyone to find their ideal paradise, and if you can the splurge, the overwater bungalows really are one of the most magical places we’ve ever woken up in. We would come back in a heartbeat and can’t wait to visit again soon!