This past weekend I was invited down to Sandals Royal Curacao as one of their top Sandals Resorts Chairman's Royal Club (CRC) travel agents, to meet with Sandals Resorts executives. It was my first time seeing and experience this resort since it opened its doors two years ago. There were so many reasons I was excited to check this property out, but now that I have, I'm even more excited to share my feedback with you all. So, without further adieu, my review of Sandals Royal Curacao.
The Island
This is one of those islands where you don't feel like you're even in the Caribbean. Colorful buildings stand out agains the bright blue waters and sky. Unlike the other Sandals destinations, drivers on this island drive on the same side of the road as we do in the USA, making it a popular destination for tourists to rent a car and explore. Especially since the island is safe and friendly.
The native language spoken on the island is "Papiamentu" which is a Creole blend of African, Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, French, English, and Arawak Indian.
Details About This Resort
Sandals Royal Curacao sits on 44 acres, with 361 guest rooms (currently) and 25 room categories (currently). There are 11 dining options which include 8 restaurants and 3 food trucks, 13 bars, 3 freshwater pools, 1 natural water pool, and 2 whirlpools.
Something different about this resort is that it's located in a golf community with an HOA. In order to get to the property you will enter the community's main gate that is guarded 24/7. Once inside you'll drive along the golf course that belongs to the community and then arrive at the resort at the end of the property. The resort itself is located by the first hole for the course.
Airport Arrival
Arrival may have been the most streamlined process that we've ever experienced. We were first off of the plane because we had been in row one and didn't have to wait for checked bags since we only had our carry-on luggage. That helped speed things up for us. But the use of their new e-gates meant no long lines for customs or immigration. It took us 5 minutes from the time we got off the plane to the Sandals welcome desk.
One thing that will help you get through quicker is to fill out the Digital Immigration Form online prior to arrival. They will not give you paper forms on the plane anymore, so if you don't do it prior to arrival you'll have to get in a separate line which takes longer time. The form can be filled out up to 7 days prior to travel.
Once you exit the airport, after customs and the baggage scan, you'll see a big "Welcome To Curacao" sign. If you continue to walk to the right you'll see an equally big "Sandals" sign at the end of the terminal. Once there, a staff member will offer you a drink and a snack and get you marked off for arrival then to the waiting bus for the included transfer.
The Transfer and Drive to Resort
The drive was around 45 minutes due to a little traffic when we arrived. Our transfer was in an air conditioned bus that was comfortable and updated, includng USB charging ports for each seat.
Driving over the bridge by downtown gave us a brief view of the colorful buildings. If we had more time on this trip we definitely would have gone into town to explore.
I don't know if I'll ever get used to a Sandals property being in a destination where they drive on the same side of the road as us. Or one being set among such an arid landscape. Seeing the rust colored soil and bunches of cacti along our drive was unique and much different from our usual Sandals transfers.
The Check-In Process
Our check-in was a different experience as we were a large group doing a group check-in. But as is standard with all Sandals and Beaches Resorts, your check-in will be done in the lobby for luxury level rooms, the club lounge for concierge level rooms, or in your suite or in the butler lounge for butler level rooms (depending on if your room is ready or not).
You’ll need to place a card on file for incidentals and they will place a $400 hold on the card. Make sure your card company knows you are traveling so they don’t flag this as fraud. You will also have the ability to place the card on file when you do the online check-in, which speeds the resort check-in process up significantly.
As soon as check-in is complete, a staff member will escort you to your room if it is ready. If the room is not ready, you’ll be shown somewhere on property where you can have lunch or hang out while you wait. There is a departure lounge by the Club lounge which has lockers and a place to change or shower. My recommendation is to keep a swim suit and cover up in your bag and slip into that when you arrive so you can enjoy the resort if you need to wait for your room. You will have full access to the resort while waiting. The same goes for departing - utilize the lounge if you want to enjoy the facilities for longer.
The Room:
For this trip we stayed in the Carisia Club Level Oceanview Room (CCO). Our room number was 2425 and we had a view of the gardens with a view of the ocean to the left. I personally liked the central location from this room. It wasn't too close to the main pool, so we felt it was quieter during the day. At night, it was far enough from the entertainment, except for Tuesday night when they had a show going on in the plaza between the buffet and coffee shop. I felt it was easy to walk to most places, although the walk to the beach was long.
Our room had a spacious closet with a safe for our valuables. Since we were club level we received bathrobes and an umbrella in the closet. We also had an in-room bar next to the closet which included name brand liquors and wine. The mini-fridge was fully stocked with beer, soda, water and juices.
The bathroom had a separate water closet, with a wooden door for privacy. Then the a single sink, and a stand-up shower with a rain shower head as well as a hand-held shower head. One thing that was a little interesting was that this room category has a glass window from the shower into the room. It’s frosted except for one strip all the way at the top and all the way at the bottom. Other rooms we toured had a privacy feature where a painting slides over the window, but this was a full glass wall. Whenever one of us were showering the other could clearly see it. So that is something to keep in mind. We personally didn’t have any issues with it, but some may find it to be a little too intimate. In that case, you’ll definitely want to consider a room with more privacy for the shower.
We did have some issues finding enough US outlets in this particular room. There was a type B plug (three prong) where the coffee maker sits in the bedroom. There was also one in the bathroom. Otherwise, everything else was European. Thankfully, we had a converter with us that we’d used at Sandals St Vincent and we were able to use the other outlets. But definitely bring an extension cord for plugging in multiple items at once, or even a converter. I have some recommendations for the ones we travel with here.
Video walkthrough of our room:
Other Rooms & Suites
The resort is reportedly building more suites back behind the Melemele room block. But for now, we were able to tour 8 rooms categories in total, including the one we stayed in.
The Carisia Luxury (CLX) is an entry level room on resort. The room is almost identical to my club level room, except the furniture is slightly different, it doesn't come with the in-room liquor, or the other club amenities such as bathrobes and room service.
The Amante Club Level Oceanview Room (ACO) is located above the swim-up suites. The room we toured overlooked the food truck pavilion. This room had the club level amenities, and again was similar in set-up to our club room, just with slightly different furniture.
The Subi Premium (SPR) is located on the back side of the building and is an entry level room.
The Carisia Club Level Oceanview Walkout Room with Patio Soaking Tub (WCCO) is the walkout version of the room I stayed in.
The Melemele Club Level Walkout Junior Suite with Patio Soaking Tub (WMJS) is located up the hillside from the main areas of the resort and near the quiet pool (by the golf course). It's a walk, so if you have mobility issues, keep that in mind.
The Melemele One Bedroom Butler Walkout Suite with Patio Soaking Tub (WM1) is a butler suite located up the hillside from the main areas of the resort and near the quiet pool (by the golf course). It's a walk, so if you have mobility issues, keep that in mind. You can also call the butler to come get you in a golf cart. I loved the sunken-in tub in the bathroom and the soaking tub on the private patio (accessible from the shower).
The Kurason Island Poolside Butler Bungalow w/ Patio Soaking Tub (KB) is a butler level suite located near the Aolos restaurant. This suite has access to the pool from your pool deck, and there are 8 suites in total that surround a heart-shaped pool. It's a perfect option for a group of 8 couples to book together for their own private shared pool.
The Beachfront Infinity Pool Villas
These suites are just... wow. I honestly don't have words for them. There are five in total and unfortunately at the time we traveled they were all sold out so we couldn’t tour one. I did find out that the interior is identical to the Kurason suite, so my room walkthrough of that one can help you understand what this suite will look like inside.
As for the outside, I completely fell in love with this category just looking at the outside of it. Imagine spending the day in your own private beachfront infinity-edge pool and your butler bringing you all your food and drinks throughout the day. The epitome of relaxation and romance. And because this beach isn’t the swimmable section (I’ll discuss that more later) you get privacy in these suites.
The Resort Grounds
Sandals did a great job taking this resort and making it look and feel like a typical Sandals, even though the island and location doesn't feel like a normal Sandals destination to me. Maybe it was the fact they drive on our side of the road? Or maybe because of the desert-like terrain?
Somehow they've found a way to tuck this beautiful little property into a cozy corner of Curacao and make it into a vacation paradise. This resort exemplifies romance - from the heart shaped pool to the heart-shaped beach beds. Love is everywhere here.
One thing Sandals made sure to capture was the essence of the island. The moment you pull up to the resort you’re greeted with a larger than life statue of the island’s famous “Chichi” doll. In Curacao, Chichi translates to “older sister”. The idea behind these dolls on the island is to represent and celebrate the older sisters who are “strong, proud Caribbean woman” who is the backbone of a family, helping the parents while also helping the younger siblings.
The resort grounds are meticulously maintained, as usual with Sandals. You’ll find the typical flowers adorning pathways. Rows of tall palm trees stretching to the sky. Everything you’d expect to see at Sandals.
A few things I noticed about this resort that sets it apart from others are the random wind chimes in the trees. Every so often the wind would blow and I’d hear the melodious sounds of the wind chimes and it was so peaceful. I also noticed the lack of the sound of Caribbean tree frogs at night. I don’t know if that was just because of the location on the island, or if the island doesn’t have them as plentiful as other islands, but it’s one of my favorite sounds while on vacation at Sandals and not hearing them at night felt odd to me.
I also saw less stray cats here than usual. Normally we’d see them wandering around the property and nearby the restaurants. We saw one by the food trucks in the evening, and then another one up by the quiet pool another evening. But it seems they kept away from the main areas. Friends of ours did say they saw a dog up by the property line near the quiet pool, but it was terrified and took off running. It’s possible the dog even belonged to someone who lived in the development.
Bicycles
Something fun and unique is the use of bicycles on resort. This was first introduced here and has since been added to Sandals St. Vincent after it had become a favorite inclusion among guests.
Sandals has several bicycles located all over the resort property for all guests to use. If you see one sitting somewhere, even in front of someone's room, you are free to take it and ride anywhere on resort. When you're done, just leave the bicycle where you are and the next person will take it.
This is great if you're not wanting to take a long walk to get anywhere.
Convertible MINI Coopers
One exciting and unique amenity at this resort is the inclusion of a Convertible MINI Cooper rental for all guests staying in the Kurason Island Poolside Butler Bungalow with Patio Tranquility Soaking Tub (KB) or the Awa Seaside Butler Bungalow with Private Pool (ASP) villas.
This island is safe and exciting to explore independently, so this complimentary rental is a great added perk to have. And because they drive. on the same side of the road as us, it's easy to get around without confusion. For guests who don't have access to this amenity, there are other car rental companies available where you can rent similar types of cars and explore the island on your own.
Stargazing
I'm always looking up at the sky when we travel. It's incredible some of the things we've seen - like the one time we saw a fireball over the private island at Sandals Royal Bahamian or the sky blanketed with stars at (the now closed) Sandals Emerald Bay.
On this trip, we had taken a late night stroll around the property and found ourselves over by the food trucks. I was looking up at the sky and saw what I thought was the Milky Way. Sure enough, it was. We decided to walk further up the hill and get to an area that was darker. We found ourselves as the quiet pool, where. we turned some lounge chairs around and faced the ocean. In the darkness you could clearly see the Milky Way and caught a dozen or so shooting stars. This was an incredible place to stargaze.
The Beach and Water
This was the big question everyone asked me to check out for them. The beach is different from what we are used to at other Sandals properties. This isn't a beach that faces out to the ocean. It's set on an inlet where boats go in and out to the ocean. There is a dock that creates a barrier to keep swimmers safe from the boats. This area has soft powder sand and a few yellow rings for guests to enjoy. There are some shells on the beach and in the water closer to the Gatsu Gatsu restaurant.
There are also some areas inside the water with seagrass. I'm one of those people who hate walking on seagrass, so I was wishing I'd packed my water shoes for this trip. If you have a pair, bring them. Otherwise there are definitely pockets of no sea grass, and bigger spots of all-sand like down toward the water sports area. I was able to walk in certain areas and then swim to the rings from there to avoid walking on the seagrass.
The water is surprisingly deep down toward the water sports area. We walked in less than ten steps in and found it was already up to my chest and I'm 5'5". That was the spot we preferred to hang out, even though it was a bit more of a walk back to our room.
Bring your snorkeling gear! We were here for a quick trip so we didn't pack ours and wished we did when my husband noticed a bunch of colorful fish swimming over by the dock. One important thing to note is that anyone using a kayak or paddle board is using one in this area, and they stick to the area over by the dock. You will maybe see one or two out at a time so it doesn't feel crowded. This is a great property to learn to do those since it's enclosed.
The water sports manager, Ryan, did tell us that there are plans to expand kayaking and paddle boarding to outside of the pier/jetty soon. They also do all their dive training right there in the water at the beach, which is different from other resorts where they do them in a dive pool.
There are also some covered beach cabanas to rent here, for an additional fee. Shade isn't as plentiful on the beach here as at other properties.
What would be the normal beach area that faces out to the ocean is too rocky to swim, but is still nice for anyone who wishes to sit out on the sand or admire the ocean from the infinity pool.
The Pools
The main pool is the active pool. It's the focal point of the resort with its two tiered infinity edge. I will say, it's an incredible thing to see because it's such a unique design. This pool is where the DJ plays during the day starting at around 11am. That is the best time to enjoy that pool (in my opinion) since it's empty and quiet in the morning. There is a swim-up bar at this pool so it can get crowded once that opens and the DJ shows up. In fact, we ended up sneaking off to the corner where there was some shade near the swim-up bar and enjoying some time looking out at the ocean but we didn't stay long because it just felt too loud and busy for us. Just to note, the cabanas around this pool are included for butler guests only. They are not available to reserve unless you're in a butler room.
The smaller pool set off to the side of that one is the quieter pool. That one has a bar next to it but it doesn't have a swim-up. It's generally quieter, but you can still hear the music from the other pool. We hopped in one day just as they were setting up the net for pool volleyball there, so FYI, after lunch, that pool becomes the area for pool games. There are also cabanas for rent around this pool which cost extra. It's $75 for half a day or $150 for the full day. The cabana comes with guaranteed shade and privacy curtains. It also comes with unlimited refreshments (cooler provided), lunch delivered from Pietra and Strand, Cabana concierge, and one bottle of house champagne. They'll also decorate your cabana for a special celebration if you wish.
So where do you go if you want to swim and not be around. a ton of people? The quiet pool! It's so quiet it's almost a secret. You have to walk up the hill, behind Aolos (restaurant) out by the golf course, but back there you'll find a pool. There is no bar, but there is a cooler full of soft drinks, waters and beers, as well as wine for you to help yourself while there. There are also shaded cabanas, comfy loungers, and a view of the golf course and the ocean beyond it. We never went to this pool during the day, but we did sneak up there at night to stargaze and it was the perfect place for some peace and quiet. I don't think a lot of people even realize it's up there but it is, and you should definitely check it out if you want to swim somewhere without the noise or the crowd.
The Service
The staff here is wonderful. Very friendly if you take the time to speak with them and ask them about themselves. There is a bartender named Fitzgerald who is beloved by the guests.
We ran into multiple staff members who went above and beyond to make our stay as enjoyable as it was.
We also met a lovely young woman named Beyonce (pictured), who my husband joked we'd tell everyone we got to meet Beyonce in Curacao.
The Food:
This was tricky for us because we only had 3 nights on property and we wanted to try everything so we could tell our clients about it. So some nights we found ourselves dining at two different places. We tried to try them all while there and here is our feedback.
Gatsu Gatsu
Type of Cuisine: Sushi
Dinner (a la Carte): 6:00 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Dress code: Resort Casual
Normally my husband and I stop in for a sushi appetizer every night while at Sandals. But since we had so much ground to cover in such a short time, we only dined here once.
While we still got our tried and true favorites -- tuna sashimi and champagne lobster rolls -- we also decided to try something new: the mixed seafood Ishiyaki. This came out on a hot rock slate of 575° with the uncooked seafood around it. Carefully (with the metal tongs only) we had to cook out food on the rock. It was a pretty cool experience but I'm not going to lie, we had a hard time with the scallops that got stuck to the rock. Next time, I'd get the chicken or beef and skip the seafood. But it was still a fun experience.
Butch's Island Chophouse
Type of Cuisine: Steak & Seafood
Brunch (a la Carte): 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Dinner (a la Carte): 6:00 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Dress code: Resort Evening (Reservations required)
We dined here for both dinner and brunch during our stay. For brunch, we enjoyed being greeted with fresh mimosas when we walked in. The steak was better here for breakfast than at Aolos.
For dinner, we did the fried goat cheese salad, the crab cake appetizer, surf and turf (filet minion and lobster tail), and the snapper. It was probably the best dinner we had on resort.
Zuka
Type of Cuisine: Latin Fusion
Dinner (a la Carte): 6:00 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Dress code: Resort Casual
On night two we had already committed. to dinner elsewhere and decided to pop in here for a quick appetizer. Well, that backfired and turned into us ordering multiple things and leaving feeling like we. had no room left!
The Tajin Spiced Ahi Tuna appetizer (pictured) was so good we fought over the last piece. The shrimp and grouper ceviches were okay, but lacked the extra flavor I had expected after the tuna. We also tried the Seco de Pollo which was chicken with mashed potatos, corn and sweet peas. That was very good.
Vincent
Type of Cuisine: Modern European
Dinner (a la Carte): 6:00 p.m. –9:30 p.m.
Dress code: Resort Evening (Reservations required)
This was our least favorite meal on property. I had such high hopes going in because the decor is fantastic. Very "Sandals 2.0" (the new style of Sandals).
However, that was where the excitement ended.
We ordered the mushroom bisque and it has no flavor at all. It was so bland that we added salt and pepper hoping to help make it bearable. Finally, we gave up and left it. We also tried the crab salad, which was good. My husband put the salad inside the hard boiled egg it came with and said that tasted better than eating it plain. For dinner, I got the pork tenderloin and my husband got. the pan seared Atlantic salmon (pictured). My pork was barely edible. It was so dry and I had to dip it in the thick gravy in order to eat it. My husband said the salmon was good but the lentils. it came with were "awful" (in his words).
We barely ate most of the food, but we did stick around for the dessert, only because I was adamant on trying the Vanilla and Cream Pavlova (my kid's a "Bluey" fan and I'd never tried Pavlova before). That was very good and worth sticking around for.
Pietra
Type of Cuisine: Italian
Breakfast (Buffet): 7:30 a.m. –10:30 a.m.
Lunch (Buffet): 12:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Pizzeria: 12:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Dinner (a la Carte): 6:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Late Night Snack: 10:00 p.m. – 2:00 a.m.
Dress code: Resort Casual
This restaurant is the buffet during breakfast and lunch and then serves pizza in the late afternoon followed by a la carte dinner and then snacks in the late evening.
We only dined here for breakfast and lunch, for the buffet. Looking back, we wished we had skipped Vincent and come here for dinner just to try the Italian menu.
For lunch, it was an easy in and out. We got seated quickly, helped ourselves and then were done giving us plenty of time after our long morning meeting to get to the pool and beach. Food was pretty typical - there was some chicken, fish, and beef options. I did like that they had different types of salt to put on your food. For example, there was a sea salt and cumin mix and a sea salt and herbs mix. Just some different spices mixed with sea salt to put on your various meats.
For breakfast it was the same usual meals, a tray of scrambled eggs, hash browns, bacon, sausage, etc. Nothing too special. Personally, when I'm not in a rush to attend meetings, I prefer the sit down breakfast restaurants (here they were Aolos and Butch's).
Aolos
Type of Cuisine: Mediterranean
Breakfast (a la Carte): 8:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Dinner (a la Carte): 6:00 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Dress code: Resort Evening
If you want your breakfast with a view, this is where you'll find it, overlooking the golf course and the ocean. We dined here for breakfast but didn't get a chance to for dinner. For breakfast, I had steak and eggs. My husband had a fruit plate, eggs and bacon. All of it was good. The coffee here was the best we had on resort, including from the coffee shop.
Strand
Type of Cuisine: Seafood
Lunch (a la Carte): 11:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Dinner (a la Carte): 6:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Dress code: Resort Casual
This is the beachside restaurant. We dined here for lunch one afternoon but didn't make it here for dinner, sadly. I will say, this is where I had the best fried fish sandwich I've ever had at Sandals. I'm kicking myself for not trying dinner here. I wish we'd. had more time. We also had the cheeseburger with fries (very good), the cobb salad, and the gilled fish filet. We also tried the Bitterballen as an appetizer at one of our events, and it was surprisingly good. It's a deep fried meat stew with a mustard dipping sauce which is a traditionally Dutch dish.
Kanaal
Type of Cuisine: Dessert/Wine and Cheese Bar
Open: 6:30 a.m. – 10:30 p.m.
Dress code: Resort Casual
If you get anything from this blog, let it be this. Run, don't walk, to Kanaal. Order the "waffle on a stick" (pictured). You can add whatever toppings you prefer (I added caramel) and ask for a scoop of ice cream with it. It. Is. Delicious! I ate way too many of these and I'm still paying for it. But it was worth it.
This is a great place to pop into for a cup of coffee or tea, maybe a late night pastry, or a cookie (seriously, their oatmeal cookies made me like oatmeal cookies again). You can also get a glass of win here and a cheese plate.
Toteki
Type of Cuisine: Traditional Curacao Fare (Food Truck)
Open: 11:00 p.m. -7:00 p.m.
Dress code: Resort Casual
One thing I love about this resort is the food truck court. There is a lovely shaded area by the ocean that has three food truck options available to guests. It's the perfect place to sneak off and have a quick bite to eat mid-day. I wished we'd had more time to try them all.
However, we did stop here on our resort tour and have some samples from each. For this one, the traditional Curacao fare, we tried the grilled fish kebobs with the dipping sauce. YUM! I can only imagine how good the other options on the menu are.
Kishi
Type of Cuisine: Asian fusion and Bao buns (Food Truck)
Open: 11:00 p.m. -7:00 p.m.
Dress code: Resort Casual
I didn't get a change to try anything from this truck, and looking at the menu now I'm regretting that decision.
If I had been able to order here I would. have gone straight for the chicken Teriyaki bowls. The beef curry looks amazing, too.
Why is it always so hard to pick just one?
La Palma
Type of Cuisine: Spanish Tapas (Food Truck)
Open: 11:00 p.m. -7:00 p.m.
Dress code: Resort Casual
This food truck has such a unique design. It's a shipping container with two tables and bench seats cut into it. Above is a covered seating area. It's painted in all these colorful designs. It was such a cool thing to see and something I had certainly never seen at Sandals before. The only thing I got to try here was the albondigas (meatballs) and they were excellent.
Room Service
24 Hours for Butler suite categories of accommodation
From 7:00 a.m. -10:00 p.m. for Club Sandals accommodation categories
I'll admit, we had four days and three nights to try all of these restaurants, so we didn't once try room service. I don't even think we looked at the menu. By the time we got back to the room we were so full and exhausted we couldn't even think about food. But I did see plenty of trays outside of the rooms every morning so room service must have been good.
Food Sensitivities/Allergies/Etc.
Make sure to stop by the Culinary Concierge desk if you need to discuss any dietary restrictions, food allergies, food sensitivities, etc. Or if you need to make dinner reservations. You will find the desk tucked into the area by the first bank of elevators in the Carisia building. Here they have menus for the different restaurants, as well as a concierge on staff to go over menu options and help you meal plan.
The Bars
We aren't big drinkers so we didn't spend a lot of time at any of the bars, but there are thirteen in total.
When you first walk into the lobby you'll find the lobby on the left hand side. This bar is open from 10am - 2am daily. Then you have the swim-up bar in the main pool, open from 10am-6pm daily. As well as the bar by the smaller pool which is also open from 10am - 6pm daily.
A full list of bars and their hours can be found here (subject to change):
Aolos Bar 05:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.
Beach Club Bar 04:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m.
Butch’s Bar 06:00 p.m. – 09:30 p.m.
Gatsu Gatsu Bar 06:00 p.m. – 09:30 p.m.
Lobby Bar 10:00 a.m. – 02:00 a.m.
Main Pool Bar 10:00 a.m. – 06:00 p.m.
Pietra Bar 10:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Tuin Container Bar 11:00 p.m. – 07:00 p.m.
Strand Beach Bar 10:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Kanaal Café Wine Bar 04:00 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.
Quiet Pool Bar 10:00 a.m. – 06:00 p.m.
Vincent Bar 06:00 p.m. – 09:30 p.m.
Zuka 06:00 p.m. – 09:30 p.m.
The liquor on resort is plentiful and all the big name brands. We saw everything from Titos, Absolute, Appleton, Jameson, Jack Daniels, Southern Comfort, Crown Royal, Jim Beam, Makers Mark, J&B, Johnny Walker, Remy Martin, Tanqueray, and many more brands.
Water Sports
Water spots are different here. Because of the set up on the beach it's not as simple to launch the various kayakas, boards, hobie cats, etc. In this case, the hobie cats are on the outside of the pier and you're able to sail over there- while being mindful of boat traffic. It's important to note that there are NO hobie cats going out on weekends because too many boats going in and out on the channel.
Inside the pier is where the kayaks and paddle boards stay, for safety. There is talk of expanding that out at a later date.
Snorkeling and scuba excursions go out by boat, but personal snorkeling can also be done inside the confines of the pier, if you prefer. They also do the dive training and certifications in the water at the beach right there, instead of in a pool. When there is a red flag day and water sports can't go out, they take guests on a tour of Spanish harbor by boat, just for fun.
Curacao is known for some of the best diving in the world and calls itself the "diving jewel of the Caribbean". If you're going to get certified and try diving at a Sandals, this would be the best one to do it. They also have great wall diving where you dive along a coral reef wall. Because of the popularity for diving on this island, Ryan, the water sports manager, explained to us that they plan to expand their dive operation soon to two boats and two dive teams.
Golf
While golf isn't included at this resort, you will find that the resort is situated next to a golf course. The first hole actually sits behind the food trucks. The course belongs to the HOA community behind Sandals, so there is likely no way Sandals will be including it in their package, unless by some miracle it goes up for sale someday and Sandals can grab it. But that. is doubtful.
For now, if a guest wishes to golf, they'd be paying for all of the fees and costs out of pocket. Someone with our group said it was around $275 per round for green fees and the cart rental, and that didn't include equipment rental, too. They also noted it was quite windy near the first few holes, which are right by the cliffside near the water, making it tricky when the wind is against you.
Entertainment
During the day, the entertainment staff, led by entertainment manager Javada, can be found all over the resort keeping guests entertained and socializing. In the evening, everyone meets at on the beach at Coconut Grove for the nightly shows that run Wednesday-Monday evenings from 9PM - 11PM. On Tuesdays from 9pm - 12pm, guests can find the entertainment moved to the plaza between the buffet and the coffee shop/wine bar.
Entertainment includes dance routines, live singers, and more. Wednesday nights are the best nights because locally famous musician, Benji, plays the saxophone at 9pm, followed by fire dancers and then the Silent Disco party. If you haven't done a silent disco at Sandals or Beaches Resorts, you're missing some serious fun. All guests attending wear headphones and the DJ plays different songs on different channels - you can tell which one everyone is listening to based on the color light on their headphones. The best part is, once the headphones are off, you don't hear music. You will hear a bunch of people singing three different songs but the good news is, people in the rooms near the beach won't be kept up with the loud music.
Speaking of late night, loud entertainment, we were told that the resort is planning to add a a speak easy, similar to the one at Sandals Ochi, for indoor air conditioned entertainment at night.
Fitness Center/Gym
The gym here is located next to the spa, on the ground floor below the lobby. It's on the smaller side in terms of Sandals gyms, but it has everything you'll need. Multiple cardio equipment options and the usual items you'd find in your gym at home - such as ellipticals, stationary bicycles, Jacob's ladder, treadmills, weights, squat rack, resistance bands, and more.
Resort Departure Lounge
There is a departure lounge located behind the club lounge. They have showers, lockers and bathroom facilities that are available for all guests. If you arrive and your room isn't ready you can go there to shower, use the lockers, and change into your swimsuits. The same is on departure, if you wish to enjoy the facilities longer and your transfer isn't until later in the day.
Check-out/Concierge Lounge:
Check-out was a breeze in the Concierge lounge. The main lobby is open air, so. we were very happy to have the air conditioned club lounge to wait in. Even though there was a line of three couples and only two desks open, we were able to check-out quickly and find a comfy seat. There were snacks and drinks available to us, as well as TVs and games to keep us occupied while we waited for our transfer.
Airport Departure:
The ride back to the airport was around 30 minutes, without traffic. Check-in at the airport was quick for us since we didn't check a bag and did the online check-in on the app. We went straight to the security line. They use e-gates on departure, too, which sped things up for us. Once through security we entered the main area with the gates.
Over by Gate 4 is the VIP Lounge which is included for Priority Pass holders and others with airport lounge perks. If you don't have Priority Pass, you can pay around $35 per person to gain access to this lounge. They have comfy seats, places to plug in, bathrooms, a kids play area, buffet food and drinks. Definitely worth it. But like with any airport lounge, make sure you pay attention to your flights because you likely won't hear them called in the lounge and you don't want to miss boarding or important announcements.
In Closing
I would absolutely go back to this resort and and try any and all of the things I didn't get to try. From some of the restaurants and food trucks, to driving around the island exploring all it has to offer.
I cannot wait to see what is in store for this resort in the coming years. It sounds like it's only going to get better.
But for now, there is so much to do here already that I wouldn't recommend a short stay. Take your time and enjoy this property and the beautiful island of Curacao.
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