“All-inclusive” are the words on every traveller’s lips right now, it’s one of the biggest travel trends in 2026. With 45 years’ experience serving up the full holiday package, Sandals Resorts knows how to get it right.
Online searches using the ‘all-inclusive’ filter have “jumped 60% year over year” according to recent stats – and we understand why. Imagine a resort where you can forget about everything. Even your (probably now-digital) wallet. Welcome to Sandals.
Still run and owned by the same Jamaican family that founded the company, since the 1980s Sandals has been the go-to all-inclusive for discerning adults looking for the best of the Caribbean; their Caribbean roots mean they know the islands well, and can share the best of them with guests.
Their very first resort, Sandals Montego Bay in Jamaica, was a game-changer when it opened: flipping tourism in the Caribbean on its head. At the time, Jamaica was primarily known for those seeking adventure and culture – Sandals provided all of this, but it did so in style. It also added the high-end touch to Caribbean island getaways. No longer did tourists have to rely on no-frills accommodation, nor did they have to study guidebooks (this was the no-internet era, remember) for a half-decent meal.
A couple on the beach in Jamaica
Sandals arrived in Jamaica with a concept quite different from anything the island had seen before: pay once when you book your beach break, and everything you might want or need for the duration of your stay was covered – be it transfers, watersports, dinner, housekeeping, entertainment, tips and more.
Better still, everything came with a luxury mindset: gourmet dining replaced soggy sandwiches; premium rum in as many punches as you could manage was the norm; plump loungers on the soft-white sand awaited guests; and poolside service meant no more standing in line for an extra towel or one more cocktail. The list of services that became available to guests at Sandals goes on (and on), and was quite the revelation for sunseekers in the eighties.
“My father dreamed bigger than anyone I have ever known. He instilled in us the importance of exceeding expectations, and so innovation is the driving force of our company,” says Adam Stewart, Executive Chairman of Sandals Resorts International. “We have had many ‘firsts’ – innovation remains at the core of our forward vision, and the driver of our ‘Sandals 2.0’ strategy”.
Something else was different too: Sandals decided to cater to a very specific audience – those travelling without children. In doing so it quickly cemented itself as the leader in romantic Caribbean getaways, honeymoons included.
Fast forward 45 years, and in 2026, Sandals is still the leader in the all-inclusive Caribbean beach getaway, thanks to its true and time-tested understanding of what works, paired with its innovative, progressive mindset that was at the forefront of tourism from the get-go.
Yet, while their initial high-end, all-inclusive concept was wildly forward-thinking for the time, they paved the way for others to follow – and what was once exceptional has become the norm for many hotels across the Caribbean, and the world. But an ongoing trailblazing approach keeps Sandals at the forefront of consumer luxury all these years later, too. “We are challenging ourselves to reimagine every facet of the guest experience,” Stewart asserts. “We’re going beyond traditional luxury and taking a thoughtful approach to design and amenities that make every aspect of a holiday even more fulfilling”.
Take the most recent property, Sandals Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Standing proud on its own secluded beach cove in the lesser-discovered eastern Caribbean, the location alone makes this property a pioneer. Tourism hasn’t touched this island in the way it has many others; to open a new property of this calibre here is forward-thinking in action, it’s ahead of its time and will likely set the trend for Caribbean tourism in years to come.
Sandals Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
The design of the property follows in pioneering suit, and will perhaps become somewhat of a blueprint for how holidays in Saint Vincent can be. For now, though, it stands out, ahead of the crowds (and the trends) with overwater accommodation, beachside butlers, private pools and some of the biggest suites in their entire collection, alongside the most extensive dining options at any of their properties. This includes dishes with a solid grounding in local produce – and a roster of guest experiences rooted in Saint Vincent’s culture.
But the innovations at this resort are far from the only new initiatives Sandals has implemented over the years, there’s been an ongoing careful consideration of how to improve the Sandals experience for guests – found in everything from property design to wellness options and dining concepts – as well as for locals via island sustainability, community outreach, and by addressing environmental concerns.
This is a brand that, despite its heritage and long-rooted Caribbean-island standing, never rests on its laurels, and is instead always dreaming up ways to enhance the hospitality experience for all. The best thing about it? However you choose to indulge, it’s all included in your initial booking. You’ll find no reason to think twice about your bank balance here.
The trailblazing initiatives from Sandals that we love:
Design
Innovation is at the forefront of design concepts at Sandals’ resorts, particularly evident at some of their newer properties, aka ‘Sandals 2.0’. Water-connected suites available at all resorts bring you closer to the main attraction – that calming Caribbean sea – with options including swim-up suites, overwater bungalows and villas, beachfront suites and Skypool suites with private infinity pools. Another water-focussed Sandals’ design innovation that we love are the Overwater Vincy Two-Story Villas – you’ll find butler service at all of them, as well as an open-air rooftop deck, plus glass floors in the bedroom peering down into the crystal-clear ocean below. Find them at the new Sandals Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. At Sandals Royal Bahamian Spa Resort & Offshore Island in Nassau, there’s even a brand-new Overwater Serenity Wedding Chapel – did someone say ‘I do?’.
New Regency La Toc, Rondoval private Villa with pool at
Butler-level accommodation is the way to go for a truly escape-it-all (and never-lift-a-finger) stay. First introduced at Sandals Grande Antigua in 2004, first-class butler service is available at all Sandals’ resorts (we’ll take a spa reservation followed by two glasses of champagne, please). But it’s the brand-new Rondoval Butler Villas with Private Pools at Sandals Regency La Toc in Saint Lucia that have caught our eyes and imagination; their conical-roof design is immersive, with the indoor-outdoor flow giving a true back-to-nature-but-luxury feel. Better still – twenty more are coming to Sandals Saint Vincent and the Grenadines on 1 November 2026.
Dining
While Sandals’ all-inclusive dining concept has long been a game-changer for drinking and dining on a Caribbean holiday, recent initiatives aim to bring in a more local feel to the experience. Their new sharing-style restaurant, Buccan, brings ancient hearth-based techniques to the cooking and uses local ingredients to plate up authentic meals like skewered chicken, lamb curry and a charred salad using native greens like chadon beni and callaloo. Unsure what you might like, love or want to avoid? Speak to the Culinary Concierge for recommendations (we love this concept!).
Sandals Saint Vincent Buccan Restaurant
On-site à la carte dining spans up to 16 different restaurants (resort dependant) as well as complimentary drinks, but do make the most of the ‘Island Inclusive Dining’ programme at Sandals Royal Curaҫao and Sandals Royal Bahamian in Nassau. It encourages guests to get out and about taking in the sights, smells and tastes of nearby restaurants with a $250 dining voucher (available to those staying in select butler-level suites for seven nights or more).
Wellness
As much as we love a massage, wellness in 2026 goes beyond the obvious – and Sandals knows this, introducing complimentary activities that are as good for the mind as they are for the body: think candle and soap making, painting and even starbathing (there’s also a Stargazing Concierge service at Sandals Dunn’s River, available to guests staying in the Coyaba Sky Rondoval Villas).
Pickleball, one of the world’s fastest-growing sports, is a big deal across Sandals’ resorts, too – so much so that they’ve recently been named on the USA Pickleball’s “Official All-Inclusive Resorts”. And it’s no wonder, when they have more than 70 courts across all their resorts – with unlimited games included in every stay – including those set mountainside at Sandals Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Other land activities include beach and pool volleyball, basketball, table tennis, bocce ball, bowling – and a whole lot more.
Of course, just being near water is also proven to calm and relax us, a wellness activity perfectly executed across all of Sandals’ resorts: on the sunbeds but also out on the water taking part in watersports. Sandals offers the most comprehensive watersports options in the Caribbean: one morning you might find yourself snorkelling or paddleboarding, that afternoon perhaps you’ll take a glass-bottom boat or go wakeboarding. And yes, it’s all included.
Sustainability
Pineapple skins used as garnishes and coconut husks used for fuel are just the start of the ways Sandals is innovating to make all their properties more sustainable. Importantly, they recently launched their ‘Environmental Social Governance (ESG)’ strategy which aims for a 30 per cent reduction in carbon emissions, water and landfill waste and single-use plastics across resorts by 2030. To begin, Vero filtered water systems have been installed at Sandals Saint Vincent and Sandals Montego Bay, paper straws have been replaced across all resorts, and produce comes from local farmers and fishermen.
In fact, 56 per cent of produce served at Sandals Resorts is purchased from local farmers, with 59 per cent of seafood sourced and purchased locally. In Jamaica 90 per cent of Sandals’ produce needs are harvested and purchased from local farmers. Last but not least, all coffee served is Jamaica’s Blue Mountain Coffee. Holding themselves accountable, resorts are certified by EarthCheck (and 13 of their resorts have maintained the top certification for over 15-years).
Giving back to the community and environment
Since 2009, the non-profit Sandals Foundation has created ways to give back to the Caribbean communities that Sandals’ resorts share an island with; it funds and supports more than 120 projects spanning education, community and the environment each year. The results are evident, too, with its programmes valued at over $115 million across the islands, and with more than 1.7 million people in the Caribbean seeing the benefits.
Sandals has also developed a Place for Nature concept, introducing designated nature areas at all resorts to promote environmental awareness. The Sandals Foundation recently unveiled an expansion of their coral restoration efforts in The Bahamas and Curaҫao. At Sandals Royal Bahamian guests can take part in reef rescue; in partnership with the Perry Institute for Marine Science “Reef Rescue Network” guests learn the skills for coral gardening. Coming this year at Sandals Royal Curaçao is a new PADI BRANCH Coral Restoration Course, where guests learn to propagate and outplant corals, helping sustain the reefs and ecosystem.
For guests who really want to get to the heart of it all, join a Reading Road Trip excursion to local primary schools to work with children on their reading skills. It comes at an extra cost, but all profits go back into the community. Giving back isn’t limited to guests at the resorts either; an annual ‘Island Challenge’ invites staff and other sponsors to get involved with a four-day endurance event raising money for the Sandals Foundation.
Lead image: Georgina Pounds Gallery
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