While Sandals all-inclusive resorts are designed to deliver romantic experiences for couples’ vacations and honeymoons, many people wonder, can I go to Sandals with friends? Or a family group?
Yes, you can go to Sandals with friends and family members. Sandals can be great all-inclusive resorts for groups of friends or family members—as long as everyone is above the age of 18. (Since Sandals resorts are adults only, no children are allowed. If you’re interested in group travel involving kids, check out Beaches all-inclusive resorts, which also offer group specials.)
It’s super easy to plan Sandals group travel by using the website, or you can reach out to a Certified Sandals Travel Agent to help with all the coordination. Sandals even offers group travel discounts and benefits.
Read on to learn all about Sandals group travel, how to book it, and what sorts of Sandals group travel deals and extras you can get.
Sandals Group Travel Details
Sandals offers luxury all-inclusive group experiences that are perfect for family vacations, reunions, special occasions, weddings, and even business meetings. The website says, “Our inspiring all-inclusive luxury vacation group experiences combine deluxe facilities, flexible meeting spaces and more quality inclusions than any other resort on the planet – the difference is, it’s all included!”
Some of the types of group travel that Sandals specializes in include scuba diving groups, weddings, social groups, and meetings and incentive travel.
For business travel like meetings and incentive trips, Sandals offers personalized event management, top quality facilities, state-of-the-art equipment, and excellent food and beverage service with special menus. They can also create custom events and activities. Groups of all sizes are welcome.
And of course, Sandals resorts are perfect for weddings. They offer a huge variety of wedding packages (read all about them here), and plenty of extras. Sandals group travel perks for weddings range based on how many rooms you book.
Sandals resorts are also perfect for dive group travel, since they offer the most comprehensive resort dive program in the Caribbean. Not only are scuba diving trips free for PADI certified divers, but you get extras if you book 5 or more rooms.
Sandals Group Specials and Discounts
Sandals resorts offer all sorts of extras and discounts for group travel. They are generally based on how many rooms you book, and sometimes how many nights you stay.
For business travel (meetings and incentives trips), you get one complimentary upgrade to club level room for a VIP (subject to availability and not available at Sandals Royal Plantation, Sandals Emerald Bay, and Sandals Royal Barbados) for groups with 5 to 9 rooms.
For groups with 10 or more rooms, you get a complimentary club level upgrade for every 25 paid rooms (subject to the restrictions above); a private group check-in; a complimentary 1-hour cocktail reception with hot and cold hors d’oeuvres and open bar; a complimentary 2-hour group dinner; coffee breaks during scheduled meetings; a hospitality desk with an easel, flipchart, markers, and in-house phone extension; and use of meeting facilities and basic A/V equipment.
For social groups (like families, friends, reunions, etc.), book 5 or more rooms and receive a free group photo session and 5×7 print per room. Booking 10 or more rooms gets that as well as a 1-hour cocktail reception, a group dinner, and group activities.
Dive group extras (if you book 5 or more rooms) include 20% off night dives, 10% off certifications, private dive boat for groups of 18-25, and 20% off nitrox (where available). If you stay for 3-4 nights, you get a private boat for a day, and if you stay for 5 or more nights you get a private boat for 2 days.
Sandals wedding group bookings give the couple extra “Bells & Whistles” for their ceremony and reception. If you book 5-7 rooms, you can choose one from extras like a name change service, tiki torches, or a sangria bar. If you book 8-11 rooms you get to choose two extras from the same list.
For 12-14 wedding group rooms, couples can pick 2 options from a longer list of extras. For 15-19 rooms, they get 3 choices, and for 20-28 rooms they get 3 choices from a longer list (which includes amazing perks like $1000 credit toward a catamaran cruise or a welcome cocktail party).
If you book 29-35 rooms, you can choose 4 options from the list. For 36-49 rooms, choose 5 options from a longer list, and 50 or more rooms gets you 6 choices (including a 6-night upgrade to a Love Nest Butler Suite).
For all groups, if you stay at least 3 nights, you can get a free room for every 6th or 12th room booked, as well as a free upgrade to a butler level suite if you book 11 rooms (date and resort restrictions may apply).
There are also discounts available for Sandals group travel, such as 8-11% off contract group rates if you book 10 or more rooms. These are generally good at certain resorts on certain dates. The further in advance you book, the more you can save.
How to Book a Group at Sandals
It’s very easy to book Sandals group travel. You can either go to the website and click on the “groups” tab, or reach out to a Certified Sandals Travel Agent. If you have a large group, or are booking for a wedding, meeting, or other special event, a travel agent can be invaluable in helping you manage the process.
Sandals Group Travel Inclusions
In addition to any extra perks you get for your group travel booking, all the usual things are included. What is included at Sandals resorts? Practically everything! At Sandals resorts, when they say all-inclusive, they really mean you can arrive at the resort without having to worry about what is included and what is not.
Your rate at a Sandals resort includes complimentary airport transfers; all dining and beverages including unlimited premium liquors and unlimited Robert Mondavi Twin Oaks wines; a stocked minibar in your room that is refreshed daily; a coffee maker with Jamaican Blue Mountain Blend coffee; a huge variety of nonmotorized water sports and equipment plus professional instruction; scuba diving for certified divers; WiFi; daily and nightly entertainment; unlimited land sports; state-of-the-art fitness center; transportation and greens fees at golf courses if available; roundtrip shuttles to the other resorts if there are any nearby; and all tips, taxes, and gratuities.
Have we answered all your questions about Sandals group travel? If not, let us know in the comments!
He is an expert travel advisor and enthusiast. He has traveled extensively in the USA, Central America, South America, and Europe. He has visited every Sandals Resort and is one of a select few Diamond Elite members of the Sandals Chairman’s Royal Club.
Dan graduated from Johnson & Wales University with an associate degree in Culinary Arts. Later he graduated from the University of Utah with a bachelor’s degree in International Studies with a focus on people and culture.