Caribbean & Bermuda

Many Firsts at the New Sandals Royal Curacao

June 29, 2022

Prevue was on site for the grand opening celebration of the new Sandals Royal Curaçao, which showcased many new firsts for this all-inclusive brand.

The new 351-room Sandals Royal Curaçao Resort, set on a dramatic stretch of oceanfront with the rocky desert terrain as a backdrop, is Sandals‘ first resort in the Dutch Caribbean and a symbol of changes to come for the 40-year-old all-inclusive brand.

“Put your seatbelts on, the next 5 to 10 years are going to be insane,” said Executive Chairman Adam Stewart during a press conference where he spoke about company’s growth plan to reach “the four corners of the Caribbean.” Next up for Sandals is St. Vincent, which has been largely untouched by visitors and just opened its international airport 5 years ago.

Stewart spoke of how his late father, Sandals Founder Gordon “Butch” Stewart, had been purchasing some of the finest beachfront property in the Caribbean for many years. The company also just acquired 5 hotels during the pandemic. It appears that this family business, which started with 99 rooms in Jamaica, is entering a new era of growth and innovation.

One example of that is the rollout in Curaçao of the “Island-Inclusive” concept, which includes all-inclusive off-site dining options at 8 partner restaurants around the island. Guests in the top-level suites also have a fleet of MINI Coopers at their disposal.

Another first are two new room categories that are ideal for incentive winners: the Kurason Island Poolside Butler Bungalows and Awa Seaside Butler Bungalows, which overlook private lagoons. This is also the first Sandals to have a bi-level infinity pool, the Dos Awa Pool, with fabulous views of the ocean below.

Sandals also used the grand opening celebration to showcase a new uniform concept, commissioning renowned fashion designer Stan Herman. The resort’s own employees showed off the uniforms, which were created to feel sun-washed and have a natural-feeling soft fade to the fabric, during a breakfast fashion show.