Jonathan Patton
Three of Jamaica’s most popular Sandals resorts are not just reopening after Hurricane Melissa. They’re being completely reimagined and aligned with the Sandals 2.0 modernization philosophy that Sandals Saint Vincent and Sandals Dunn’s River are so well known for.
Announced in March, 2026, Sandals Resorts International (SRI) has committed $200 million to a ground-up transformation of Sandals South Coast, Sandals Royal Caribbean, and Sandals Montego Bay, three properties that were already among the most popular in the entire Sandals portfolio of 17 resorts.
“When they reopen in late 2026, they will not look, feel, or function the way they did before the storm. They'll be significantly better. We’ve seen the renderings and they’re amazing…”
HI! We’re Jonathan and Angela, founders of Best Caribbean Resorts. As Sandals Chairman’s Royal Club Diamond Elite advisors who’ve personally stayed at every Sandals resort, many of them multiple times, we’ve been following this story closely and are being briefed directly on the plans.
This is what we know, what it means for your trip, and what we’d recommend right now depending on your travel timeline.
Understanding the current situation means knowing how the dates have changed, because a significant number of travel blogs and websites are still publishing outdated information.
We want to make sure you’re informed and up to date with the most relevant information.
Let’s begin…
October 2025 — Hurricane Melissa hits Jamaica
Hurricane Melissa caused widespread damage across Jamaica in October 2025. Sandals conducted a comprehensive assessment of all eight of its Jamaica properties in the aftermath.
November 2025 — Original dates for three closed resorts
Sandals Montego Bay, Sandals Royal Caribbean, and Sandals South Coast were initially given a May 30, 2026 reopening date. Many travel sites still show this date, but is no longer accurate.
December 6, 2025 — Five properties reopen
Sandals Dunn’s River, Sandals Royal Plantation, Sandals Ochi, Sandals Negril, and Beaches Negril all reopened on December 6, 2025, as planned. These properties in St. Ann and Negril were largely spared the worst of the storm damage and underwent standard restoration and cleanup. They are fully operational and amazing to visit right now.
March 2026 — Dates revised, $200M transformation announced
As restoration work moved forward at the three closed properties, Sandals made a decision that changed everything: rather than simply repairing what was damaged, they committed to a full-scale renovation of all three resorts simultaneously as part of the Sandals 2.0 initiative, which, as mentioned in our opening, introduced the same design language at Sandals Saint Vincent and applied to the rebuilt Sandals Dunn’s River.
The result was a revised timeline and a $200 million investment, representing the most significant financial commitment to Jamaica’s tourism infrastructure in the brand’s history, featuring new pools, dining concepts, club, and butler-level room levels.
April 2026 — Current confirmed dates
| Resort | Status | Reopening Date |
|---|---|---|
| Sandals Dunn's River | Open ✅ | Reopened December 6, 2025 |
| Sandals Royal Plantation | Open ✅ | Reopened December 6, 2025 |
| Sandals Ochi | Open ✅ | Reopened December 6, 2025 |
| Sandals Negril | Open ✅ | Reopened December 6, 2025 |
| Beaches Negril | Open ✅ | Reopened December 6, 2025 |
| Sandals South Coast | Closed — Renovating | November 18, 2026 |
| Sandals Royal Caribbean | Closed — Renovating | December 18, 2026 |
| Sandals Montego Bay | Closed — Renovating | December 18, 2026 |
South Coast has always been one of the most private and secluded properties in Jamaica. A private two-mile stretch of beach, the iconic Overwater Chapel, and Sandals overwater bungalows made it one of our clients’ most popular choices for honeymoons and milestone anniversaries.
The Sandals 2.0 renovation is addressing the areas that long-term guests will recognize as the ones that needed attention most.
What’s confirmed:
Our honest take: South Coast was already extraordinary. The overwater bungalows are among the best in the Caribbean, regardless of brand. A full renovation at this property will produce something genuinely special, and couples who book post-reopening stays at pre-renovation pricing are getting amazing value, as availability will be highly competitive when doors open.
Royal Caribbean holds a unique position in the Sandals portfolio as it’s one of the few properties with a private offshore island, which has always been one of the most romantic features in the entire brand. The reimagination here is ambitious, and the payoff will be worth it.
What’s confirmed:
Our honest take: Sandals Royal Caribbean was showing its age more than almost any other property in Jamaica. The private island concept was brilliant, but the execution had been inconsistent and the layout wasn’t the best. Parisol Beach Club is a genuine reinvention, and Suppa, as a Jamaican-focused dining concept, is exactly the kind of differentiation the property needed. Of the three renovations, this one has us most excited for what it will become.
Montego Bay is where Sandals began. As the original flagship property, it carries a significance in the brand’s history that goes beyond its physical footprint. The renovation here is described by Adam Stewart as using the closure as a “blank canvas” moment.
What’s confirmed:
Our honest take: Montego Bay’s primary advantage has always been its location, just 1 mile from the airport with access to Sandals Royal Caribbean through complimentary transfers. The beach is excellent, and the airport’s convenience is super useful for short getaways from the East Coast. The renovation will address what the property lacked in design modernity compared to newer builds. One thing that won’t change is the airplane noise, as the airport proximity is both the property’s biggest advantage and its most consistent drawback. Worth knowing before you book.
Yes, 100%! This question comes up constantly, even today, and the answer is unambiguous.
Five Sandals properties in Jamaica have been operating normally since December 6, 2025. The hurricane damage was concentrated in Montego Bay, the South Coast, and the Trelawny corridor. The St. Ann parish, where Sandals Dunn’s River, Sandals Royal Plantation, and Sandals Ochi are located, and Negril were largely unaffected by the worst of the storm.
Open and amazing right now:
If you’re planning a trip to Jamaica before November 2026, Sandals Dunn’s River is our top recommendation right now. It’s operating at full capacity, the design is Sandals most modern, and with the Jamaica 2.0 renovation driving demand toward the other properties, availability at Sandals Dunn’s River remains higher than ever.
You had a booking at Sandals South Coast, Sandals Royal Caribbean, or Sandals Montego Bay
Sandals has been proactively rebooking affected guests to open sister resorts. If you haven’t heard from your travel advisor, reach out immediately. You have options: another Jamaica property at the same level, an alternative Caribbean destination, or the option to push your booking to a post-reopening date at the same property.
We’ve been handling these rebookings for our own clients since the closure was announced. If you booked directly and haven’t been contacted, we can help you navigate the options regardless of how you originally booked.
I have to say that, personally speaking, Sandals has been amazing for our clients affected by the extended closure, with each receiving massive upgrades.
You want Jamaica before November 2026
Book Sandals Dunn’s River. It’s our #1 Jamaica recommendation right now by a significant margin with modern design, excellent dining, world-class pools, and daily flights from Miami to Montego Bay and even seasonal options to Ian Fleming Airport in Ocho Rios, making it more accessible than ever. If you specifically want Seven Mile Beach, Sandals Negril is the way to go.
You specifically want Sandals South Coast, Sandals Royal Caribbean, or Sandals Montego Bay
Book for post-reopening dates now. Rates at newly renovated Sandals properties tend to increase as demand builds around the opening. Booking while the renovation is still underway gets you in on pre-launch pricing. Sandals South Coast opens on November 18, Sandals Royal Caribbean and Sandals Montego Bay on December 18. Late 2026, and holiday-period dates are filling faster than typical for these properties.
You’re undecided between Jamaica and another destination
This is where a conversation with us makes the most difference. The Jamaica reopening changes the competitive landscape across the Sandals portfolio. It affects pricing and availability at St. Lucia, Grenada, and Barbados, as guests who planned to visit Jamaica move to other islands. We can walk you through which destination gives you the best combination of experience and value for your specific travel window.
When Sandals announced the extended closure in March 2026, the immediate reaction from many guests was disappointment. We understand that, and we’re disappointed, too.
But the decision to invest $200 million rather than simply repair the damage is, in every meaningful sense, the better outcome for anyone planning to visit these properties in 2027 and beyond.
Adam Stewart, Sandals’ Executive Chairman, described the closure as giving the company “something we almost never have in hospitality, a true blank canvas.” He’s right. Renovating an operational resort means working around guests, working in phases, and accepting compromises. Renovating three closed properties simultaneously with a $200 million budget and no guest-experience constraints to navigate is genuinely rare. We believe the final outcome will reflect that.
If the Sandals Dunn’s River rebuild is any indication of what $200 million of unfettered renovation produces, and we’ve stayed there since the rebuild, the result will be extraordinary in every way.
This is where things get genuinely interesting for guests who care about food and beverage, which, after 15 years of booking Sandals, we’ve found is most of them.
Buccan: A fire-forward grill concept centered around Jamaican food. Buccan represents a meaningful departure from the current dining program, with family-style seating, open-flame cooking, bright Jamaican flavors, and a more elevated experience than the standard Sandals grill experience. We’ve been to the one in Sandals Saint Vincent and cannot wait to experience Buccan at Sandals Montego Bay.
Suppa: Exclusive to Sandals Royal Caribbean at launch. A Jamaican-focused restaurant concept that brings the island’s culinary identity into the resort dining program in a way Sandals hasn’t fully done before. Given how amazing Jamaican food culture is outside the resort walls, this is long overdue.
Parisol Beach Club: The reimagined private island experience at Sandals Royal Caribbean. Not a restaurant in the traditional sense, a full beach club environment on the private island with its own food and beverage program. The existing private island at Sandals Royal Caribbean was good but underutilized. Parisol is a complete reconception of what that island can offer.
Expanded Rum Club: Across all three properties. Rum is Jamaica’s most iconic export, and an expanded Rum Club concept is a natural extension of what makes these resorts feel uniquely Caribbean rather than generically all-inclusive.
Pricing will change at reopening. Newly renovated Sandals properties typically command higher rates than their pre-renovation equivalent. Sandals Dunn’s River, for example, opened at price points reflecting its new standard. Guests who book now at current rates for post-reopening stays effectively get in on pre-launch pricing. This is not a trivial consideration for a $5,000 to $12,000 trip.
APEX price monitoring. For our clients who book post-reopening dates now, our APEX Promotion Intelligence system will monitor every Wednesday’s Sandals 777 promotion cycle to apply any eligible repricing before the window closes. You won’t need to track this yourself.
Room category selection matters more at newly renovated properties. The Sandals 2.0 renovation is introducing new accommodation categories at all three resorts. The relationship between the existing room hierarchy and the new categories isn’t fully public yet, which means guests who book without understanding what’s changed may end up in a category that doesn’t quite align what they expected. This is exactly the kind of detail a Sandals Chairman’s Royal Club Diamond Elite advisor like us tracks closely.
Transfer logistics haven’t changed. Sandals Montego Bay will remain the most airport-convenient property in Jamaica. Sandals South Coast is still a scenic 90-minute drive from the Montego Bay airport. Sandals Royal Caribbean sits between them, sharing Montego Bay’s access to the three-resort corridor.
We’ve stayed at all three closed properties multiple times over 15 years of Sandals specialization. Here’s our honest pre-renovation assessment that shapes our view of what the renovation needs to deliver.
Sandals South Coast was the best of the three before the storm. Located in an amazing natural setting, the overwater bungalows are among the best in the Caribbean, and the beach is exceptional. Its weaknesses were in the dining program and some room categories that felt a little dated relative to newer Sandals builds. Both are being addressed directly.
Sandals Royal Caribbean had the best concept with a private island that no other Sandals property in Jamaica has, but the execution didn’t always live up to that advantage. The rooms felt their age, the dining program was inconsistent, the beach was awkward and the private island underperformed its potential. The Parisol Beach Club and Suppa concepts are exactly the right response, and we’ll be curious to see if the vibe shifts as it reopens.
Sandals Montego Bay delivered way above its weight on beach quality and airport convenience, but was the most architecturally dated of the three. The redesigned beachfront and pool area shown in the renderings addresses its most visible limitation directly.
All three will be meaningfully better after this renovation. Our expectation, based on the Sandals Dunn’s River precedent and the stated investment level, is that the post-renovation versions will rank among the best properties in the entire Sandals portfolio.
When these resorts reopen, we’ll be among the first through the doors, and we’ll bring you the full on-the-ground report!
Whether you’re looking to visit Jamaica now, waiting for the reopened resorts, or still deciding between Jamaica and another Sandals destination, we’re here to help you work through it.
Our planning services are completely complimentary. Sandals compensates us directly and your price is the same as booking direct. What changes is the quality of the booking and the ongoing support around it, including APEX price monitoring after you commit.
Reach out and let’s talk through your options.
Jonathan Patton
At Best Caribbean Resorts, we’re more than travel advisors. What began as a simple love for travel has evolved into a dedication to creating journeys throughout the Caribbean that are both personal and unforgettable. With over 15 years of firsthand experience at every Sandals resort, we know the insider tips, the best suites, and the little touches that change your vacation into a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
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