98Hokies

My husband and I just got back from 8 days at this resort where we celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary. It was our first experience with Sandals or any all-inclusive resort, and I can promise you, we will be back! The resort was beautifully appointed, safe, spacious and amazing clean. There were 9 different restaurants to choose from – definitely make reservations for the Crystal Room and Baccarat when you arrive – and the food was amazing! The alcohol was free flowing, and despite other reviews I’ve read, my husband and I (admittedly not heavy drinkers) felt the pouring was quite generous. The staff was engaging and genuinely dedicated to making sure we were having a good time with even the landscaping crew stopping to participate in a pool basketball shoot-out. The playmakers (think cruise directors for those who are new to Sandals) were a riot and we especially loved Iliya, Fabia, Nevada, Keith, Samantha, and Theo. Chefs “Tiny†and “Charlie†(short for Charlotte, if I remember correctly) in Kimonos were entertaining as well as great chefs! Fo lunch, we definitely recommend the pizza by the Manor Pool - delicious! Goes great with beach volleyball, which was scheduled twice a day, but we were able to also play pick-up games for several hours a day. The playmakers jump right in and play with you. I was worried that there would not be enough places to be alone outside our suite, but I shouldn’t have been; it was the perfect mix of group activities (beach volleyball, bocce and poolside trivia amongst our favorites) when we wanted to be social and private places when we wanted it to be just the two of us. Our room even had wireless internet so we could webcam with our kids at home each night. The snorkeling was not as nice as where we’ve been before (St. Johns) – the colors of the coral not as vibrant, smaller fish – but still enjoyable. Loved being able to take out a small catamaran and sail to the private island. A few hints for future guests: bring plenty of sunscreen ($17/bottle in the gift shop!) or walk across the street from the resort to the drugstore (somewhat cheaper); also bring bug spray as the mosquitoes were pretty bad for me (my husband was spared), even inside the lounge one night. Aloe is provided in your room in addition to the standard shampoo and lotion and the in-room bar is stocked with more alcohol, sodas and bottles of water. Food is available 24-7 (overnight is in the Cricketer's Pub) and at least the Grill, the Pub, the pizza place and Spices are willing to wrap up a plate for you to take and eat elsewhere. I had a great manicure and pedicure in the spa on day 2 and the manicurist was kind enough to send me home with a small bottle of sparkly nail polish for my 3-yr-old daughter. Long story short, we had an amazing time and met some great people. Beats cruising any day! I’m hoping to make it an anniversary tradition from here on out!