Millionaire Villa photos – Sandals La Toc St Lucia
September 14, 2011
Some recent photos of the Millionaire Villas at Sandals La Toc Regency in St Lucia
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St Lucia Pictures
June 7, 2011
Some Pictures from our recent visit to St Lucia.
St Lucia shoreline from road above in mountains
Sandals La Toc St Lucia
Pitons
Pitons from mountain lookout
Castries St Lucia from above
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Sandals Grande Riviera
February 1, 2011
Sandals has changed the name of the Sandals Grande Ocho Rios resort to the new name – Sandals Grande Riviera. With the newly constructed Beach Club and improved beach upgrades, Sandals is featuring the resort as a full facility beach resort. The Beach Club includes a pool, relaxed lounge areas, and fire pits. New restaurants have been added and significant upgrades to the piers have been performed.
Sandals Grande Riviera
Sandals Grande Riviera features a bit of everything from the beachfront to the mountain setting. 11 restaurants and wide range of accommodations makes the resort a popular choice for all budgets. Situated approx 2 hours from the Montego Bay airport, the resort is a golfers destination with a complimentary 18-hole championship couse. The refined relaxed luxury setting attracts honeymooners and romantic getaways for couples of all ages.
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Journey to YS Falls Jamaica
December 22, 2010
Jamaica has numerous popular excursions including Dunn’s River Falls, Bob Marley Museum, and swim with the dolphins. For those staying in Sandals Whitehouse, Negril, or Montego Bay resorts, make certain to visit YS Falls http://www.ysfalls.com
Located along the Jamaica’s southern shore just north of Black River. YS Falls is a series of 7 cascading waterfalls similar to the mega tourist spot – Dunn’s River Falls in Ocho Rios – but a much less known. Often grouped with the lower Black River cruise, this tour should not be missed. Found on a historic estate in a secluded valley, you will enjoy the scenic Jamaica country side framed by a mountain background. Upon arrival at the estate, you will depart your tourist shuttle for a tractor which you pull your tram through fields and a wooded roadway along the YS river up to the falls. This is a part of Jamaica that you will not have pictured.
YS falls has spring fed pools, a gift shop filled with local crafts, and relaxation areas. An attractive wooden step walkway climbs along the shore up towards the top of the falls. Along the way you can swim in the natural pools formed by the falls and utilize several swing ropes to jump into the river. Several rock outcrops allow you to lay out in the river overlooking the falls. Lifeguards will let you know where you can and can not swim.
YS Falls Jamaica
YS Falls also includes an optional popular zip-line canopy tour with the main line that starts on top of the falls and runs directly down the river. 4 other shorter lines prep you for the major run and exit you out of the canopy. For experienced zip-liners, these runs are average in speed and length but certainly well worth the experience and offer some excellent photo opportunities.
Just getting to YS Falls is half the experience as you travel through the Jamaica country side, small villages, and scenic roadways. Located outside the major tourist areas, be warned that these roadways are bumpy and filled with pot holes. Along with the shuttle driver, an experienced tour guide will teach you all about Jamaican culture, local industries, and the regional history.
We encourage travelers to get outside the resort for at least one day to tour Jamaica as it will add a certain dimension resulting in a much more fulfilling and memorable vacation.
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Sandals Halcyon New Butler Service Catagory
October 13, 2010
Sandals Halcyon, located in St Lucia, has recently added a butler service room category – the Romeo & Juliet Beachfront Walkout Butler Room. This is basically the same room as the Honeymoon Beachfront Walkout Concierge Room, but with butler service. The great thing about these 2 room categories is that it is the closest accommodation to the beach out of all the Sandals St Lucia resorts. If on the ground floor, just step off your patio and the beach is basically right there across the walkway.
My experience at Sandals Halcyon has always been a great stay. Although I enjoy each of the 3 Sandals St Lucia resorts for different reasons, the Halcyon offers the smallest and most intimate setting. It has the simplest accommodations among the 3 resorts and incorporates a more casual atmosphere. It is also the quietest overall and the most in tune with the St Lucia surrounding environment. At this resort you hear the birds at night and enjoy more of an authentic St Lucia feel. The lush gardens, strolling walkways, and unique architecture incorporate a polynesian style resulting in the most attractive grounds among the 3 resorts. In my experience, the resort also offers possibly the best and most consistent overall dining among the 3 resorts. Although smaller in size, it offers 2 large pools and a very nice beach stretch making in essence an excellent beach resort. Although I don’t necessarily recommend this as the choice resort for everybody, it should be at least a consideration for all Sandals travelers. Let’s not forget that all 3 Sandals St Lucia resorts have full exchange privileges with each other along with complimentary shuttle transportation.
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Royal Plantation Now ‘Sandals Royal Plantation’
September 17, 2010
Sandals sister resort Royal Plantion in Ocho Rios Jamaica is being incorporated into the Sandals brand Sandals Royal Plantation. Historically, the resort was the ultra luxury brand within the Sandals Resorts family. Royal Plantation Ocho Rios features fine dining, superior service, and overlooks the beach and ocean. Not widely known, this is really a terrific resort and next step up in a lot of ways from Sandals Grande Ocho Rios.
In addition to the inclusion of the ‘Up to 65% promotion, for a limited time for new bookings made through 9/24 for travel 10/1/10-12/28/11 (blackout 12/28-12/31/10), the resort is offering a complimentary Island Routes Tour Dolphin Encounter. Must use promo code DRP10 during the booking process.
Here is the fine print:
Receive one Island Routes Dolphin Encounter Package per room for 2 adults. Promo Code DRP10 must be entered at time of booking in order to qualify for this promotion. Valid on new bookings only. Upon check in, guest must visit the Island Routes Tour Desk at Sandals Royal Plantation to redeem this offer. Certain restrictions apply. Free Dolphin Encounter excursion will be based on space availability and weather permitting and all excursion changes or cancellations are at the discretion of Island Routes. Free Dolphin Encounter package has no cash value, is non-transferable, and no refunds will be issued for any unused portions. All offers subject to change or can be withdrawn at any time.
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Dunns River Property Opens as New Resort
September 12, 2010
The previous Sandals Dunn’s River resort has re-opened under new name and ownership – The Jewell Dunn’s River Resort.
You can visit the resort website at http://www.jeweldunnsriverresort.com
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2011 Early Booking Tips
September 9, 2010
We are now out of the Summer season, school is starting, and we are slowly turning our attention towards the Holiday Season. For those who plan on traveling between January through August of next year, just some quick notes about booking 2011 Sandals reservations and Caribbean/Mexico in general.
For those booking winter, spring, and summer 2011 – now is the time. Remember, the general rule for booking Sandals, the earlier you book, the better deal you get. At minimum, try to book before we get to 1/1/11. Once we hit the new year, we enter prime booking season and the deals are not as good. We see it every year – we hit New Years and it is like a light switch being turned on – the first 3 months of the year is by far the busiest time of year in terms of placing reservations.
There are several reasons for the post new year Caribbean booking surge:
1) People are looking to escape the winter freeze. But in addition, many are already booking their summer vacations.
2) Pre New Years, everybody is devoting their attention and budget towards the holidays with little thought focused on travel beyond New Years.
3) Holiday bonuses and commissions are often used to pay for vacations.
Of course the resorts and airlines know this as well as the deals suddenly are not as attractive anymore once we hit the new year. We advise Sandals customers to try to book before 1/1, even by just laying out the $400 refundable to deposit to lock in your price.
Happy travels!
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Bahamas Fly Free Companion Special Extended
August 23, 2010
The Bahamas Fly Free Companion Special has been extended to all new bookings through 9/15/10 (previous deadline was 8/22). Travel must be completed by 12/22/10. This special promotion can be applied to Sandals Royal Bahamian and Sandals Emerald Bay. Note that the free companion air is an upfront discount but only covers the base airfare (taxes are not included in the promotion).
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Beaches Boscobel Closing for 3 Months
August 16, 2010
Sandals sister brand resort Beaches Boscobel, located in Ocho Rios Jamaica, will be closing for 3 months effective 9/1/10. Sandals will be performing facelift renovations and structure refurbishing. Currently booked families with children are being relocated to another Beaches Resort. Booked couples have the option to switch over to a similar room category in Sandals Grande Ocho Rios.
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