Sandals Resorts

Sandals Resorts is a Jamaican operator of all-inclusive resorts for couples in the Caribbean and part of Sandals Resorts International (SRI), parent company of Sandals Resorts, Beaches Resorts, Grand Pineapple Beach Resorts, Fowl Cay Resort and several private villas. Founded by Jamaican-born Gordon "Butch" Stewart in 1981, SRI is based in Montego Bay, Jamaica and is responsible for resort development, service standards, training and day-to-day operations. Sandals Resorts International has properties throughout the Caribbean islands of Jamaica, The Bahamas, Saint Lucia, Antigua, Turks & Caicos, and most recently Barbados, and Grenada with sixteen Sandals Resorts, three Beaches Resorts, one Grand Pineapple Beach Resort, one Fowl Cay private island resort and four villa properties in Jamaica. Famously Sandals Refused to refund patrons that were scheduled to arrive as the resort shutdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Sandals Resorts
IndustryHotel, Resort, All-inclusive resort
Founded1981
FounderGordon Stewart
HeadquartersMontego Bay, Jamaica
Number of locations
16 Resorts
Area served
Caribbean
Key people
Adam Stewart (Chairman)
Number of employees
10,000+
ParentSandals Resorts International (SRI)
WebsiteSandals

Properties

Sandals Resorts properties include:

  • Sandals Montego Bay
  • Sandals Royal Caribbean Resort & Private Island
  • Sandals Ochi Beach Resort; (formerly Sandals Grande Riviera Beach & Villa Golf Resort)
  • Sandals Negril Beach Resort & Spa
  • Sandals South Coast (formerly Whitehouse European Village & Spa)
  • Sandals Royal Plantation Ocho Rios, Jamaica
  • Sandals Grande St. Lucian Spa & Beach Resort
  • Sandals Regency La Toc Golf Resort & Spa in St. Lucia
  • Sandals Halcyon St. Lucia
  • Sandals Grande Antigua Resort & Spa;
  • Sandals Royal Bahamian Spa Resort & Offshore Island
  • Sandals Emerald Bay Great Exuma, Bahamas
  • Sandals Barbados Resort & Spa
  • Sandals LaSource Grenada Resort & Spa Grenada
  • Sandals Royal Barbados Resort & Spa

Former resorts:

  • Sandals Dunns River Ocho Rios, Jamaica;
  • Sandals Inn Montego Bay (formerly Sandals Carlyle), Jamaica

In July 2009, SRI partnered with Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia to bring customizable Martha Stewart Weddings to brides and grooms having a destination wedding at any of the 16 Sandals Resorts and Beaches Resorts beginning January 1, 2010. The companies also announced that they will introduce Martha Stewart Crafts classes for adults at Sandals Resorts and craft camps for families at Beaches Resorts in 2010.[1]

In August 2009, SRI announced the purchase of the former Four Season Great Exuma, which debuted as Sandals Emerald Bay, Great Exuma, Bahamas on January 22, 2010.[2]

In December 2020 SRI announced the purchase of the former Santa Barbara Beach & Golf Resort on the island of Curaçao with plans to open it as a Sandals Resort in the 4th Quarter 2021[3]

Leadership
Main article: Adam Stewart (business executive)

Adam Stewart is the current Chairman of Sandals Resorts International (SRI). Adam became Chairman upon the death of his father Gordon "Butch" Stewart, the Founder of SRI, on January 4, 2021. Gebhard Rainer is the current CEO of Sandals Resorts International.

History

In 1981 Gordon "Butch" Stewart purchased an old hotel (the Bay Roc hotel) on one of Montego Bay’s largest beaches, despite having no hotel experience and opened it as Sandals Montego Bay.[4]

As of 2007, Gordon "Butch" Stewart controled what analysts estimate to be a billion dollar, privately owned Jamaican-based empire that includes 25 Caribbean resorts, Appliance Traders Ltd., and The Observer newspaper.[5]

Adam Stewart is the current Chairman of Sandals Resorts International (SRI), which owns and operates Caribbean-based Sandals Resorts, Beaches Resorts and Grand Pineapple Beach Resorts. Stewart oversees all areas of SRI operations, which is headquartered in Montego Bay, Jamaica. He has held this position since 2021 upon the death of his father Gordon "Butch" Stewart.

In 1984, Sandals launched the Caribbean's first swim-up bar at its Montego Bay Resort in Jamaica.[6]

In March 2009, Stewart launched The Sandals Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Sandals Resorts International.[7]

In August 2009, Adam Stewart was appointed as Deputy Chairman of the family-owned ATL Group comprising the Jamaica Observer and a chain of appliance outlets.[7][8]

Sandals Corporate University (SCU) - a regional adult education program for the 10,000 employees of Sandals Resorts and Beaches Resorts - was launched in March 2012. Through partnerships with internationally-recognized universities, professional organizations, and local education institutions, SCU provides courses on skills such as customer service, leadership, the art of selling, and professional communications. [9]

Controversies

Policy on gay couples

The company had a long-standing policy dating from 1981 that banned gays from their "couples-only" resorts. The policy was variously stated by characterizing the accommodations as "resort for couples (heterosexual) only", or "Couples only. A couple is defined as one female adult and one male adult", "policies require male/female couples only", or "couples of the same gender are not accepted." Sandals' anti-gay policy received a great deal of publicity when stays at their resorts were offered as prizes in various promotions by companies such as Microsoft, Yahoo!, and US Airways in 1999.[10] Later reports indicated that some resorts also made no accommodations for people with disabilities, prompting the ACLU to opine that companies offering Sandals stays as prizes, or otherwise doing business with Sandals resorts, might be the targets of lawsuits. The companies involved promptly severed their relationships with Sandals, stating they were unaware of its discriminatory practices.[11] Adverts for the company were banned from the London Underground in 2003 after public objections were raised.[12] One possible cause for this policy may have been that homosexuality was illegal in Jamaica. Sandals ended its policy of refusing service to gay couples in August 2004 after further protest.[13]

Corruption allegation settlement

In January 2013, the government of Turks and Caicos Islands and Sandals agreed to a settlement of US$12 million around local corruption allegations, without admission of any liability.[14][15][16]

References
  1. Inc., Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia. "Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia and Sandals Resorts to Launch Martha Stewart Weddings Program in the Caribbean". www.prnewswire.com.
  2. Resource, Hotel News. "Sandals Resorts International Purchases Four Seasons In Great Exuma, Bahamas". www.hotelnewsresource.com.
  3. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sandals-resorts-announces-expansion-to-curacao-301190810.html
  4. http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/sandals-resorts-international-history/
  5. Allen, Desmond (2007-02-02). "Gordon 'Butch' Stewart – Jamaica's First International Superstar Businessman". Bonita Jamaica.
  6. Claire Ballentine (4 October 2019). "Love It or Hate It, the Swim-Up Bar Isn't Going Anywhere". Bloomberg.
  7. Evans, Hope. "Sandals Foundation Now a Reality". Jamaica Gleaner. Archived from the original on 2010-02-21.
  8. "The Luxist Awards". Luxist.
  9. Linda Hohnholz (27 May 2020). "Sandals Corporate University: Higher Education with a Higher Purpose". eTurboNews.
  10. "Gay rights travel flap snares Microsoft, Yahoo".
  11. JA. "The Microsoft & US Airways Anti-Gay Sweepstakes Controversy - February 1999 - complete information, press releases, screen captures". www.wiredstrategies.com.
  12. Muir, Hugh (June 5, 2003). "Tube bans 'anti-gay' holiday firm adverts". The Guardian.
  13. Zezima, Katie (October 24, 2004). "TRAVEL ADVISORY; Sandals Resorts Ends Single-Sex Policy". The New York Times.
  14. "US helps Turks and Caicos recoup millions from Sandals Resort". The Miami Herald. 23 January 2013.
  15. "BUTCH STEWART SPEAKS OUT". Turks & Caicis Sun. 22 May 2013.
  16. "MAJOR CHANGES TO BEACHES DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT". Suntv. 24 May 2013.
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