Traveling to Sandals South Coast

One of the biggest challenges with my profession is dealing with all the unexpected things that can happen regarding travel. Last-minute cancellations due to sickness, unexpected forest fires, hurricanes, political changes, changes in processes and authorizations are examples of the unexpected. It’s not my favorite when this happens, but it’s also what sets me apart from booking online. I problem solve. I take care of things. Sometimes the unexpected can be wonderful too.

A couple weeks ago I received an unexpected email. It was from my travel consortium which includes thousands of travel agents. The email was to invite me to this new training concept about content gathering and social media. This email didn’t go to thousands of agents. It went to only a few of us and I was honored to be one of the lucky ones. The training is at Sandals South Coast. I looked up flights, and they were surprisingly affordable so two weeks later here I am! I’m in Jamaica!

This is my third trip to Jamaica not including cruise stops. Jamaica has really upped their game! They require that you complete a C-5 digital form prior to arrival which was so easy to complete. Once at the airport, I found a kiosk. They have over 40 of them so I didn’t have to wait in line. Then, I scanned my passport, and it prompted me to take a picture. I removed my glasses and stared at the camera. A few moments later the picture is taken and I can print the receipt. I took this to the next area where I was sent to the kiosk exit. I scan my paper and the gates open. Lastly, I visit a person at a booth who looks at my passport and then I’m done. The whole process took about five minutes. It was by far the fastest customs/immigration process I’ve ever experienced. And I didn’t get interrogated which is always a plus.

I ask for directions to the Sandals lounge which was very close. The Sandals rep tags all of my bags and then I’m invited into the lounge for snacks and drinks. They tell me it will be about a twenty-minute wait, but it ends up being really quick. I only had enough time to use the restrooms and grab water and a snack to go. We’re escorted to a shuttle bus and then we’re on our way to the resort.

Sandals South Coast is located in a more remote part of Jamaica. It’s South of the airport and in a different location than my previous visits. (Negril my first visit and Ocho Rios for my second visit) We were warned to take motion-sickness medicine and I’m so glad I did. It’s not that the road is super bendy. It’s that the road is physically in bad shape. It looks like an earthquake struck and the driver is constantly maneuvering around holes. We have to nearly come to a stop several times to dodge the chunks missing from the road. The drive takes about 90-minutes.

We arrive to Sandals South Coast and are greeted with lemongrass scented cool towels. The cool towel feels amazing in this heat. The bags are unloaded, and we each identify our bags. We move into the lobby and then are escorted over to the Club Level lounge. Here we sit and are greeted with a refreshing drink. We then check-in which was a quick and easy process. Last, we’re escorted to our rooms.

My room is spacious and recently renovated. I have a balcony with a soaking tub that overlooks the pool and beach. The resort is older, and older resorts often mean that the buildings are near the water. I love this view! The resort was fully renovated last year so even though it’s an old resort, it feels new. I quickly unpack and then I’m out the door to explore.

Building names were changed after the renovations, but the name change hasn’t fully been implemented. The building I am in was the old French section and staff members still call it this. The new name is Long Beach.

Sandals South Coast

I’m surprisingly energetic and I start to explore. I ran into one of the staff members who has all the luggage. He recognizes me and is surprised I’m already out and about. He tells me he’ll put my bag in my room. The thing I think sets Sandals apart from other resorts is their friendliness. The staff treats you like family coming back home.

This resort is easy to navigate. Everything is basically in one line along the beach. The overwater bungalows are on the far side then French Village/Long Beach then Dutch Village then Italian Village and finally Venetian Piazza. The map has the old names so I’m not clear yet what matches with the new names. There is also the South Seas Rondoval Village which is across from the French Village. This is the exception to the line but offers a quiet area for those guests. The French Village is the lively area. The music at the pool started at 8am. It’s not overly loud with the door closed but can be heard.

Dinner tonight is at Schooner’s and all three of us order the Surf and Turf. What a treat to end the day with steak and lobster. This is the good life. I’m so grateful.