Sandals Resorts

Jamaican operator of all-inclusive resorts

Sandals Resorts

Industry| Hospitality
Founded| 1981
Founder| Gordon Stewart
Headquarters| Montego Bay, Jamaica

Number of locations

| 16

Area served

| Caribbean

Key people

| Adam Stewart (Chairman)

Number of employees

| 10,000+
Parent| Sandals Resorts International (SRI)
Website| www.sandals.com

Sandals Resorts is a Jamaican operator of all-inclusive couples resorts in the Caribbean. The company is a part of Sandals Resorts International (SRI), which also operates Beaches Resorts, Fowl Cay Resort, and several private villas. Founded by Jamaican-born entrepreneur Gordon "Butch" Stewart in 1981, SRI is based in Montego Bay, Jamaica and is responsible for development, service standards, training, and day-to-day operations of the resorts.

As of 2023, Sandals had 18 resorts: seven in Jamaica, three in Saint Lucia, two resorts in The Bahamas and Barbados, and one resort in Antigua, Curaçao, Grenada, and Saint Vincent.[1]

## Properties

[edit]

Beach at Sandals, Negril. The main pool at Sandals, Negril.

As of 2023, Sandals operated 18 resorts:

### Jamaica

[edit]

* Sandals Dunn’s River in Ocho Rios[2]
* Sandals Montego Bay in Montego Bay
* Sandals Negril in Negril
* Sandals Ochi in Ocho Rios
* Sandals Royal Caribbean in Montego Bay
* Sandals Royal Plantation in Ocho Rios
* Sandals South Coast in White House

### Saint Lucia

[edit]

* Sandals Grande St. Lucian in Gros Islet
* Sandals Halcyon Beach in Castries
* Sandals Regency La Toc in Castries

### Bahamas

[edit]

* Sandals Emerald Bay in Great Exuma[3] (Closed since August 15, 2024 to undergo renovations and rebranding)
* Sandals Royal Bahamian in Nassau

### Barbados

[edit]

* Sandals Barbados in Saint Lawrence Gap
* Sandals Royal Barbados in Saint Lawrence Gap

### Antigua

[edit]

* Sandals Grande Antigua in St. John's

### Curaçao

[edit]

* Sandals Royal Curaçao in Santa Barbara[4][5]

### Grenada

[edit]

* Sandals Grenada in St. George's

### Saint Vincent

[edit]

* Sandals Saint Vincent and the Grenadines in Buccament near Kingstown[6]

## Leadership

[edit]

Adam Stewart is the Executive Chairman of SRI. Stewart became Chairman upon the death of his father Gordon "Butch" Stewart, the founder of SRI, on January 4, 2021. Gebhard Rainer was the CEO of SRI till June 2024.[7]

## History

[edit]

In 1981 Gordon "Butch" Stewart purchased an old hotel (the Bay Roc Hotel) on one of Montego Bay's largest beaches, despite having no hotel experience and opened it as Sandals Montego Bay.[8] In 1984, Sandals launched the Caribbean's first swim-up bar at its Montego Bay Resort in Jamaica.[9] In March 2009, Stewart launched The Sandals Foundation, the philanthropic arm of SRI.[10]

Sandals Corporate University (SCU) - a regional adult education program for the 10,000 employees of Sandals Resorts and Beaches Resorts - was launched in March 2012. Through partnerships with internationally recognized universities, professional organizations, and local education institutions, SCU provides courses on skills such as customer service, leadership, the art of selling, and professional communications.[11]

On December 1, 2016, Sandals opened Caribbean’s first overwater villas, at the Sandals Royal Caribbean in Montego Bay.[12]

## Controversies

[edit]

### Policy on gay couples

[edit]

Due to the laws in the countries in which they operate, the company had a policy dating from 1981 that could not allow same-sex couples into their "couples-only" resorts. The policy was variously stated by characterizing the accommodations as "resort for couples only." In various Caribbean islands, a couple is defined as "one female adult and one male adult", "policies require male/female couples only", or "couples of the same gender are not accepted." This policy received a great deal of publicity when stays at their resorts were offered as prizes in various promotions by companies such as Microsoft, Yahoo!, and US Airways in 1999.[13] Later reports indicated that some resorts also made no accommodations for people with disabilities, prompting the ACLU to opine that companies offering Sandals stays as prizes, or otherwise doing business with Sandals resorts, might be the targets of lawsuits. The companies involved promptly severed their relationships with Sandals, stating they were unaware of its discriminatory practices.[14] Adverts for the company were banned from the London Underground in 2003 after public objections were raised.[15] One possible cause for this policy may have been that homosexuality was illegal in Jamaica. Sandals ended its policy of refusing service to gay couples in August 2004 after further protest.[16]

### Corruption allegation settlement

[edit]

In January 2013, the government of Turks and Caicos Islands and Sandals agreed to a settlement of US$12 million around local corruption allegations, without admission of any liability.[17][18][19]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "SANDALS® Caribbean Beach Resorts: Compare All Resorts". Sandals Resorts. Archived from the original on 2023-11-24. Retrieved 2023-11-22.
2. ^ "Sandals® Resorts International Unveils Plans For Three New Resorts In Jamaica". AP NEWS. 2021-05-26. Archived from the original on 2021-09-28. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
3. ^ Resource, Hotel News. "Sandals Resorts International Purchases Four Seasons In Great Exuma, Bahamas". www.hotelnewsresource.com. Archived from the original on 2009-09-28. Retrieved 2009-12-09.
4. ^ "Sandals Resorts Announces Expansion to Curaçao". Archived from the original on 2021-01-17. Retrieved 2021-01-07.
5. ^ "What to Know About the New Dutch Caribbean All-Inclusive Resort Sandals Royal Curaçao". Archived from the original on 2022-06-27. Retrieved 2022-06-27.
6. ^ "Sandals Is Opening a Beaches Resort in St Vincent". Caribbean Journal. 2020-07-22. Archived from the original on 2021-09-28. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
7. ^ Zellinski, Andrea (June 12, 2024). "Gebhard Rainer is leaving Sandals to lead the HX expedition cruise line". Travel Weekly. Archived from the original on June 12, 2024. Retrieved June 12, 2024.
8. ^ "History of Sandals Resorts International – FundingUniverse". Archived from the original on 2021-10-23. Retrieved 2021-01-07.
9. ^ Claire Ballentine (4 October 2019). "Love It or Hate It, the Swim-Up Bar Isn't Going Anywhere". Bloomberg.com. Bloomberg. Archived from the original on 2019-11-27. Retrieved 2019-11-27.
10. ^ Evans, Hope. "Sandals Foundation Now a Reality". Jamaica Gleaner. Archived from the original on 2010-02-21.
11. ^ Linda Hohnholz (27 May 2020). "Sandals Corporate University: Higher Education with a Higher Purpose". eTurboNews. Archived from the original on 12 June 2020. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
12. ^ "The Caribbean's First Overwater Bungalows Are Here—After 50 Years in the Making". Condé Nast Traveler. 2017-01-11. Archived from the original on 2022-03-28. Retrieved 2022-04-25.
13. ^ "Gay rights travel flap snares Microsoft, Yahoo". Archived from the original on 2024-07-06. Retrieved 2014-07-03.
14. ^ JA. "The Microsoft & US Airways Anti-Gay Sweepstakes Controversy - February 1999 - complete information, press releases, screen captures". www.wiredstrategies.com. Archived from the original on 2008-05-09. Retrieved 2008-05-12.
15. ^ Muir, Hugh (June 5, 2003). "Tube bans 'anti-gay' holiday firm adverts". The Guardian. Archived from the original on July 6, 2024. Retrieved December 17, 2016.
16. ^ Zezima, Katie (October 24, 2004). "TRAVEL ADVISORY; Sandals Resorts Ends Single-Sex Policy". The New York Times. Archived from the original on March 9, 2017. Retrieved February 18, 2017.
17. ^ "US helps Turks and Caicos recoup millions from Sandals Resort". The Miami Herald. 23 January 2013.
18. ^ "BUTCH STEWART SPEAKS OUT". Turks & Caicos Sun. 22 May 2013. Archived from the original on 26 November 2013. Retrieved 19 June 2013.
19. ^ "MAJOR CHANGES TO BEACHES DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT". Suntv. 24 May 2013. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21.

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sandals Resorts.

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