For my husband and I, Sandals Grenada was the trip of a lifetime. Newlywed and fizzing with the flush of honeymoon bliss, this was a major splurge. But for others, holidaying with the hotel chain is a way of life. Of the many people we chatted to at the luxury all-inclusive resort, only a handful were first-timers like us. One couple even won an award for racking up 400 nights across Sandals’ 16 Caribbean locations.
I was sceptical. While few of us would say no to spending more than a year being pampered in paradise, this level of devotion to any travel brand seemed almost cult-like — especially given the price point. Having read glowing reviews before booking our last-minute getaway to the ‘Spice Isle’, I was keen to see if this place was really worth the cash.
And splitting our stay between two rooms — one on the more affordable side of luxury, the other at the very top end of the scale — seemed like the perfect way to do just that.
The Cheaper Room: Lover’s Lagoon Hideaway Walkout Junior Suite
It’s not exactly budget, but you get a lot for your money with the Lover’s Lagoon Hideaway Walkout Junior Suite, which starts from £2,469 per couple for a week (that’s £353 per night). Sandals doesn’t do small, and this room is no different. There’s a massive freestanding bath, double walk-in shower, king bed and storage for days, as well as a fridge restocked daily with wine, beer and a selection of soft drinks as part of the all-inclusive package.
Then, on the patio (which overlooks a tropical lagoon that’s home to tortoises, lizards, iguanas, and an especially friendly cat) is a giant circular tub, where you and your companion can enjoy a romantic al fresco soak. Just make sure the privacy curtains are fully closed before you get too carried away.
A similar room in the Maldives can often cost more than this per night — and that’s before you factor in airport transfers, gratuities, premium unlimited booze, speciality dining, unlimited water sports, land activities and the round-the-clock entertainment included here. For us, this was well worth the cash.
The Penthouse Suite: Italian Oceanview Penthouse One Bedroom SkyPool Butler Suite
The rather inelegantly named Italian Oceanview Penthouse One Bedroom SkyPool Butler Suite is located on the top floor of a five-storey building overlooking the ocean. With a living room, kitchen, bedroom, double bathroom, and dressing area with multiple walk-in wardrobes set across over 1,000 sq ft, it made our (decent-sized for London) flat seem tiny — there was even a step to get up to the cloud-like king size bed.
The balcony is the real selling point here though, complete with panoramic views, a private infinity pool, a bath, and a telescope for stargazing. The suite also comes with 24-hour in-room dining and butler service, which as an awkward Brit terrified at the prospect of being ‘a bother’, was a daunting prospect.
On arrival, we were given a dedicated phone so our butler team (who work in shifts and look after a handful of guests at a time) could keep in touch, but we barely needed to use it. Alex, Don and Raul somehow preempted our every whim, from an afternoon snack to tide us over until dinner to a fresh cocktail just as we were thinking of heading to the bar for a top-up. Each morning, the team quietly took care of the little things that can become a bit of a nuisance on holiday. Fancy spending the day by the pool? They’ll reserve a pair of the best sunbeds before breakfast, plus a cooler filled with ice-cold drinks. Planning dinner? They’ll make reservations at whichever restaurant takes your fancy.
The price for such privilege? £8,575 per couple per week, or a cool £1,125 a night. For clarity, there are more expensive rooms across the Sandals portfolio, including St Lucia’s Overwater Bungalows (they’re on the reserve list for my second marriage, if need arises). Here in Grenada though, the penthouse is peak indulgence — with a price tag to match.
It’s undeniably extravagant, and certainly not the kind most people book every year (if ever). But for our honeymoon (hopefully something we’ll both only do once), splashing out on an experience like this felt justified — even if it has ruined most other hotels for us forever.
Things to Do: Culture, Beaches, and Tours
Keen to experience some culture, we ventured out. One day, we took a taxi into Grand Anse, and spent an afternoon eating chicken wings, drinking Caribs, and watching the world go by among the locals at Umbrellas beach bar, which looks out onto a two mile-long stretch of pure white sand.
In my opinion, however, one of the best ways to acquaint yourself with this spectacular island is a guided tour. We went for a full-day excursion ($120 each), booked through Sandals’ Island Routes Caribbean Adventures and led by Chris, a proud Grenadian keen to showcase its beauty. Over the course of about nine hours, we visited the St George Nutmeg Museum, Jouvay chocolate factory, Rivers rum distillery and Belmont Estate, followed by a trip to Grand Etang National Park to meet the resident mona monkeys and take a dip in Annandale Falls.
It’s a lot to get through, but well worth it to soak up Grenada’s lush landscapes and rich history. Better still, when we arrived back at Sandals after a long day of exploring, the butlers had a rose petal-adorned bubble bath and chilled champagne waiting for us. What more could you want?
Still, if you want to stay inside the resort, you certainly won’t be bored. We spent most of our days around the ‘party pool’, which has a DJ spinning tunes from 11am onwards, and games like trivia and ‘fish-a-rum’ (where you try to hook a circular disk on a fishing rod over a bottle to win it). Elsewhere, there’s a more chilled-out pool and the beach where you can snorkel or try a range of watersports, a free daily glass-bottom boat trip, activities like darts, snooker and bocce ball, a gym, and a spa — use of the sauna and steam room are part of the all-inclusive deal, but treatments are quite expensive.
Come evening, we split our time between the Tipsy Turtle pub and the Living Room, which hosts nightly themed shows, with everything from dancing and singing to fire-eating. And speaking of eating, it’s pretty much a constant here, to the point stuffing your face is almost an activity in itself.
It may sound gushing, but between the filet mignon at Butch’s Chophouse (genuinely one of the best steaks I’ve ever had; you could have cut it with a butter knife), Japanese teppanyaki at Kimonos or even Jamaican patties by the pool, we didn’t have a single bad meal. To celebrate something special, you can also book a private sunset dinner on the beach for $199. This was one of the highlights of the trip for us, but my husband was eaten alive by mosquitoes, so don’t forget repellent.
My Verdict: Is the Penthouse Worth It?
If I won the lottery tomorrow, I’d be tempted to move into the Sandals penthouse full-time, but realistically, I’ll probably never set foot in a room that fancy again. While my husband and I are planning to return to Sandals Grenada for our five-year anniversary, the fact is we’d be saving up until at least our tenth if we went for the priciest suite again. When money’s no object or you want something extra special, I do think upgrading is worth it.
For an only slightly less luxurious experience at less than a third of the cost though, the Lover’s Lagoon is the place to be.
Getting to Grenada
British Airways flies from London Gatwick to Grenada’s Maurice Bishop International Airport. Return fares start from £591 return and the journey time is just under 11 hours each way, with a stop in either Barbados or St Lucia. You don’t need to disembark if you’re travelling on to the final destination. From the airport in St George’s, the transfer to Sandals takes less than 10 minutes.
