Sandals Resorts

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Sandals Resorts
Sandals Resorts International (SRI)
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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

Beach at Sandals, Negril.

As of 2023, Sandals operated 18 resorts:

Jamaica

  • 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

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

Bahamas

Barbados

Antigua

Curaçao

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

Grenada

Saint Vincent

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

Leadership

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 is the current CEO of SRI.

History

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.[7] In 1984, Sandals launched the Caribbean's first swim-up bar at its Montego Bay Resort in Jamaica.[8] In March 2009, Stewart launched The Sandals Foundation, the philanthropic arm of SRI.[9]

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.[10]

On December 1, 2016, Sandals opened Caribbean’s first overwater villas, at the Sandals Royal Caribbean in Montego Bay.[11]

Controversies

Policy on gay couples

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 from 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

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.[13] Adverts for the company were banned from the London Underground in 2003 after public objections were raised.[14] 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.[15]

Corruption allegation settlement

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.[16][17][18]

References

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

External links

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