Are you dreaming of an overwater villa for your honeymoon? Luckily, multiple countries offer the opportunity to book a romantic bungalow; you could look at the Maldives, Tahiti, or Fiji as possible destinations. What if you don't want to fly halfway around the globe? If you're going to stay closer to home, consider one of Sandals Resorts' stunning Caribbean overwater bungalows. The brand has three hotels that offer them, and each is quite different. I thought it would be helpful to review each of the bungalows and the resort so that you can find the best fit for you. Each of the alternatives is an exceptional all-inclusive resort in the Caribbean. Here are my reviews of Sandals overwater bungalows; expect to learn the good, the bad, and the ugly about each.
Sandals Royal Caribbean in Jamaica
Located a mere 5 minutes away from Sandals Montego Bay, Royal Caribbean offers a more elegant atmosphere. It has a private offshore island featuring a Thai restaurant, another pool, and the resort's best beach. The location, price point, variety of activities ensure that Royal Caribbean is an excellent choice for large groups. Everyone will find some to love at this resort.
Overwater Bungalows:
5-Overwater Private Island Butler Villas with an Infinity Pool
12-Overwater Private Island Butler Villas
The overwater bungalows lie on an elite private island across the lagoon from the main resort. The island possesses a restaurant and beach bar that feels rare, and guests can spend the days on the island without going to the central part of the resort.
Pros: Royal Caribbean is the only resort to have infinity pools with their overwater bungalows, and it is the closest to the Montego Bay airport. This resort has the best swimming under the villas of all the Sandals, and it will remind you of Bora Bora or the Maldives.
Cons: It isn't as large as the other resort that offers overwater bungalows. You WILL hear planes taking off, and it's relatively loud. Royal Caribbean has some of the worst food reviews of the entire brand.
Trips to Cherish Rating: 4 out of 5 stars. In my opinion, the poor food and frequent noise overshadow the fabulous villas.
Sandals South Coast in Jamaica
Located 90 minutes away from the airport on the isolated Jamaican southern shore, Sandals South Coast is worth the drive for anyone that enjoys being active outdoors. The resort's major strengths are its broad span of secluded beach stretching over 2 miles, vast and attractive pools, a modern luxury design, and excellent service and dining. You will love the incredible variety of outdoor adventures. You can plan on spending your day snorkeling, sailing, hiking, kayaking, riding water bikes, and diving. It is also the only resort to offer ocean views from every suite.
Overwater Bungalows:
12-Overwater Honeymoon Butler Bungalows
The standout area of the resort is the overwater features. The overwater bungalows and chapel are stunning, and the overwater bar, Latitudes, is exceptional.
Pros: The bungalows are gorgeous, and the overwater areas of the resort are the most beautiful part of the resort. You can get complimentary in-room dining. Sandals South Coast is one of the best resorts in the brand, and the beach is stunning.
Cons: The villas lie at the beach, behind a security station at the gate to the pier. There are no bars or restaurants on the dock, so you will have to head to the central part of the resort several times per day. The water under the bungalows is deeper than the other Jamaica resort. Sandals South Coast is far from everything. Luckily, the resort has many things to do onsite because you will not be leaving until it time to head back to the airport.
Trips to Cherish Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Stars. South Coast is one of the most romantic Sandals resorts in Jamaica, but the distance means that you will not leave your resort for the entirety of your trip.
Sandals Grande St Lucian in St Lucia
The most extravagant of the three St Lucia Sandals resorts is also home to the best beach of any St. Lucia Resort. The imposing pool sits on the beach overlooking glittering Rodney Bay; the resort lies on a peninsula between the bay and the Atlantic Ocean. Picture-perfect views surround you no matter where you are at the resort. The sunsets are spectacular.
Overwater Bungalows
9-Overwater Honeymoon Butler Bungalows
The overwater bungalows sit on the southern edge of the resort. In truth, the villas at Grande St Lucian don't look incredible from the outside. But once you step inside, you will realize that they are excellent; they are huge, and the views are gorgeous.
Pros: They are among the largest and most luxurious overwater bungalows in the Caribbean.
Cons: The water villas lie off a peninsula; you won't be out over the water until you are inside the bungalow. Grande St Lucian is the most "Americanized" resort of the St Lucia Sandals. It would not be the resort to go to if you want a local experience. The ride to and from the airport is long and winding. I suggest doing the helicopter transfers. And there are tons of vendors on the beach.
Trips to Cherish Rating: 4.5 out of 5. Sandals Grande St Lucian is one of the best resorts in the Sandals portfolio, and the villas are stunning.
Jessies Final Notes:
Several things plague all three of the Sandals resorts with overwater bungalows I want you to know.
The Sandals bungalows are lovely, but the prices are incredibly high. What they lack in budget-friendliness, they make up with ease of travel.
They fill up quickly. Since there are so few bungalows available at each resort, you need to book early, or you will not find them open.
The bungalows are close together, so they do not offer the privacy you will find in the Maldives or Bora Bora resorts.
The Sandals bungalows aren't as spacious and do not offer bells and whistles (private pools, upstairs living areas, luxurious and spacious bathrooms, slides, rooftops that open with a touch of a button, etc.) that you will find in other countries.
The overwater bungalows at Sandals are among the best in the Caribbean. If you are searching for gorgeous and romantic villas within a few hours of your home, you will be thrilled with the Sandals brand.