Sandals Vs Beaches Resorts: Which To Choose?

By Erik Ritland | Updated on November 10, 2025

Since Sandals and Beaches are owned by the same company, we get asked all the time what the difference is between the two brands. My wife and I have visited all 17 Sandals locations and both of the Beaches locations so we can share our first hand experience!

While both Sandals and Beaches resort provide a premium 5-star experience, Sandals is adults only and designed for couples in love, while Beaches is oriented toward family vacations.

The best choice will depend on the occasion, your budget, preferred location, and what vibe you are looking for.

Comparison Of My Resort Experiences

Although Sandals and Beaches are each all-inclusive, there are some key differentiators between them. As a Sandals Certified Specialist that has been to all of the resort locations, here are the biggest differences I noticed after staying at both resort brands.

Target Audience: The biggest difference between Sandals and Beaches is that Sandals is adults only while Beaches caters to families. Sandals is more oriented toward romantic vacations with couples, although it’s not strictly couples only. Beaches, on the other hand, is ideal for family vacations, or even individuals and groups.
Inclusions: Both Sandals and Beaches Resorts are all inclusive, and will even include airport transfers to and from the resort. Because they are owned by the same company, there will be similarities between the dining options, service level, and the no tipping policy. That said, Beaches will also include water parks, kids clubs, and more family oriented offerings.
Accommodations: Sandals has unique accommodations like Overwater Bungalows, Skypool Suites, and Rondoval Suites. The biggest difference is that Sandals only offers a single king sized bed in each room (because they are designed for couples), whereas Beaches has multiple different bed configurations to work for families, groups, or individuals. There are suites at Beaches that can accommodate up to 12 people!
Locations: Sandals has 17 locations throughout the Caribbean, including Jamaica, Bahamas, St. Lucia, Barbados, Antigua, St. Vincent, Grenada, and Curacao. Beaches has 2 locations, including Negril in Jamaica and Providenciale in Turks and Caicos. Beaches did have a third location in Ocho Rios Jamaica but it just closed in May of 2025 for renovations.
Price: It’s important to consider everything that’s included at each resort when comparing prices. Since Sandals has many more locations to choose from, it’s possible to find cheaper options for a couple’s vacation. Beaches can be more expensive because they offer multiple family activities like waterpark access and kids camp, and you are typically paying for more people as a family. However, you can get Luxury Level rooms at Beaches that are still very affordable. Note that Sandals rooms are priced per adult per night, while Beaches has an adult rate (16+ years old), a child rate (2-15 years old), and infant rate (0 – 2 years old) which are free.

Sandals Resorts Overview

What I love about Sandals is they bring a whole new definition to the term “all-inclusive”. I have yet to find another resort that includes more. Every location is unique in its style and character, but the one common theme is 5-star luxury service. Because they have so many locations and room categories to choose from, there is an option at every price point. There are also some drawbacks to note, which I’ll cover below too.

What I Love About Sandals Resorts:

Couples Oriented: Sandals is much more focused on couples and romantic experiences. Whether you have a honeymoon, birthday, anniversary, or just need a tropical vacation, you can’t go wrong at Sandals Resorts. Although Beaches Resorts can indeed accommodate couples and weddings, they has more of an emphasis on families, so there’re not as many options for romantic experiences, whereas Sandals is adults only.
No Tipping Policy: There’s a no tipping policy at Sandals. The employees will not solicit tips because it’s not allowed. This means that after you make your booking, you can put your wallet away because everything is taken care of! The only exception to this policy is if you have a Butler Level room, tipping your butler is fairly common but not required.
Exchange Program: When you stay at one Sandals, you get access to all neighboring Sandals. For example, if you stay in Ocho Rios, Jamaica, you will get access to all of the Jamaica resorts in that area. Or if you stay in St. Lucia, you can go to all three St. Lucia Sandals locations, which means you get access to 27 restaurants and 21 bars in total. The same goes for Montego Bay or Barbados.
Service Level: Sandals invented the Luxury Included® resort experience where you get more than any other resort, all with 5-star service, regardless of which room category you choose. I think the atmosphere is a little more professional at Sandals since it’s for only adults. Although we did encounter some spirited bartenders at the swim up bars! The staff is always happy to assist with anything you need and several times they greeted us by name as were coming and going!
Food Quality: There are a variety of restaurants at both Sandals and Beaches, but they skew a little more formal at Sandals. Some concepts you will find at both Sandals and Beaches, like Kimonos Teppanyaki, Barefoot BeachsideGrill, and some of the cafes. I appreciate that Sandals does a great job sourcing food locally as much as possible. From my experience, the overall food quality is fantastic compared to other all inclusive resorts that tend to be average at best. The good news is that each resort location has enough restaurants to try something new everyday!
Airport Transfers: Transfers to and from the airport are included regardless of which room you book. If you get a Butler Level room at select locations (Royal Caribbean or Royal Barbados), you can even get a transfer in a Rolls Royce or BMW. A lot of resorts do not include transfers, so it not only saves money having it, but it is also one less thing to coordinate. That’s why I say once you book your Sandals vacation, you don’t have to worry about anything else!
Exotic Locations: Sandals has 17 locations compared to Beaches Resorts that has 2 locations. But, because Sandals was founded in Jamaica over 40 years ago, they have picked up some of the most sought after beaches in the Caribbean over the years. Unlike other resort chains, Sandals Resorts are located only in the Caribbean islands.
Scuba Diving: PADI certified scuba diving is free for certified divers. They usually have two outings per day, weather permitting. You can also get certified right at the resort with a three hour class if needed.
Golf: Free transfers to and from the course, and free greens fees when you stay in St. Lucia or Jamaica. The only thing you would need to pay for is a cart if you want to rent one.
More Exclusive: Beaches Resorts are generally larger and each resort will have more rooms. For example, Beaches Turks And Caicos has 858 rooms, compared to a Sandals Resorts which typically has around 300 rooms. This makes sandals better suited than Beaches for intimate occasions with your partner.
Entertainment: There’s entertainment every night of the week at Sandals. Admittedly, some locations had better entertainment than others. Locations like the Grande St. Lucian has a large entertainment area that hosts fantastic performances like Carnival celebrations, fire dancers, throwback music parties, and plenty more. The piano bars are also a hot spot for lively nights and karaoke. Beaches also has daily entertainment, but it’s tailored for all age groups. It was still fun for us, just don’t be shocked if you see the Sesame Street parade come by!
Unique Accommodations: One of the biggest differences between Sandals and Beaches is the types of rooms and designs. Sandals feature unique suites like the Skypool Suites, Rondoval Suites, and Overwater Bungalow Villas, to name a few. Beaches does not offer these types of rooms, but that’s not to say they don’t have some awesome options to choose from! Sandals will also have features like tranquility soaking tubs that are better suited for couples.
Butler Service: Since Sandals and Beaches are owned by the same company, they both offer Butler Level rooms. I’ll say that the butler service is top tier because their butlers are actually certified by the Guild Of Professional English Butlers, whereas other resorts I’ve stayed at with Butler service were essentially just a glorified concierge.
Excursion Options: Sandals has their own excursion company called Island Routes where you can book any outing you want right at the front desk at the resort. They have a ton of options to pick from at each location! I highly recommend the sunset catamaran cruise!

Drawbacks Of Sandals Resorts:

Solo Travelers And Groups: Individuals are welcome to stay at Sandals, but there’s no single person occupancy rate, so the price is rather high if you need your own room. That’s why there are more individuals and groups at Beaches, because they have more flexibility as far as room layouts.
Non-Stop Flights: All Sandals locations are throughout the Caribbean islands, which means the flights can sometimes require a layover on the way, but not always. Airports in Bahamas, Jamaica, St. Lucia will definitely have non-stop flights from major US cities. Other Caribbean islands may have a brief layover in Miami or something similar, but the layovers I have had are all pretty brief on my way to the islands.
Room Service Options: Sandals has three room levels, and the introductory Luxury Level rooms will not have room service, but Club and Butler Level rooms will. For me, having room service was not a deal breaker so I do not mind it as much if it means getting a better deal.
Dinner Reservations: Some people don’t like that reservations are required for a few of the nicer restaurants, or at the Teppanyaki restaurant where you get assigned seating around the grills. You may not get a table if you wait until the last minute. A little known trick is that you can use the app to book ahead of time!

Beaches Resorts Overview

I think that there’s a misconception that Beaches is only for families and that the resort is solely focused on children’s entertainment. But they provide a lot of options for everyone to have a great time as well, whether you have children with you or not. My wife and I went just the two of us and loved it! The Italian Village at Turks And Caicos was our favorite village to stay at. That said, it is definitely a family oriented resort that’s perfect for children of all ages. Here are the highpoints that I loved at Beaches Resorts and a few drawbacks to be aware of.

What I Love About Beaches Resorts:

Waterpark: Both of the Beaches Resorts have a waterpark, which is something not offered at Sandals. The Negril location has multiple slides, a lazy river, and is 18,000 sq ft in total. The waterpark at Turks And Caicos is a bit bigger and has three long slides, a few smaller slides for the little ones, and a nice lazy river. There are also some kids fitness classes like “Splish Splash” that are great for the kids to work up an appetite.
Kids Camp: One of the best aspects of Beaches is they have a Kids Camp with certified nannies, and it’s free! The different age groups have different activities available: 0 – 2 years, 3 – 4 years, 5 – 7 years, 8 – 10 years, 11 – 14 years, and 15 – 17 years. Kids Camp is generally available from 9:00AM to 9:00PM. If you want to get one-on-one supervision, you can pay extra for private childcare services.
Night Club: Club Liquid is an amazing idea where you get the opportunity to let loose a little. From 10:00 – 11:00PM it’s for teenagers, and at 11:00PM it transitions to an adults only dance club. The bar is stocked with premium drinks so you can dance the night away to top notch DJs until 1:00 AM.
Fantastic Beaches: The Beaches at both Negril and Turks And Caicos are the best beaches on their respective islands. Turks And Caicos in particular is one of the nicest white sand beaches I have been to.
Entertainment: Every night there is live entertainment from extravagant beach parties to live shows like fire dancers or live music. There is also kid oriented entertainment like the Sesame Street parade and traditional carnival dancers. I felt like there was always something to stay entertained if you wanted because they also have people called “playmakers” that go around the resort to create organized activities by the pool and beach.
Service: The staff is highly attentive and works well with children of all ages. They are definitely a little more informal than the folks at the Sandals Resorts because there are more kids and families rather than adults only. That said, they still deliver on the 5-star service that has come to be expected at Beaches.
Restaurants: Top notch food by any standards, let alone a family all-inclusive. I loved the cool diners and restaurant concepts that are fun regardless of your age. There are still some formal options for a date night or a family dinner with older children as a few of the restaurants have an age restriction. Sky at Turks is fantastic for breakfast and dinner. It’s on the rooftop overlooking the beautiful Caribbean. But you choose from a ton of options with 24 restaurants at Turks And Caicos and 13 restaurants at Negril.
Waterports: Enjoy unlimited scuba diving, snorkeling, kayaking, skiing, wakeboarding, paddleboarding, and plenty more. If you plan on scuba diving, wet suite rental is about $25 to rent one. So if you have your own and can bring it, that’s a good idea.
Land Sports: There are also plenty of land based activities like pickle ball, beach volleyball, tennis, lawn chess, shuffleboard, and more!
Game Lounge: The game lounge has all sorts of fun options like video games, air hockey, foosball, pool tables, basketball, and plenty more. It’s the perfect spot for teens to hang out and burn some energy!
No Tipping: Just like Sandals, there is no tipping allowed at Beaches so you can put your wallet away once you arrive! I love that there are no surprise fees or extra expenses. You just show up and relax.
Airport Transfers: The transfers to and from the airport are included. It doesn’t matter what room level you book.
Adventures: There are dozens of adventures you can choose from and book them right at Islands Routes in the resort. We ziplined through the tree tops at Negril and the sunset catamaran cruise. They cost extra, but it’s a blast!
Golf: You get free greens fees at the Negril location in Jamaica! There are transfers that will take you to the course and back too. The only thing to pay for is a cart rental if you want it.

Drawbacks Of Beaches Resorts:

Overall Size: The Beaches Resorts are rather large, especially the Turks And Caicos location. It isn’t so much of a drawback, but a heads up that you may need to walk a little to get to various pools or restaurants. I’ll also say that the size pales in comparison to some of the mega resorts in Cancun or Punta Cana that feel overrun with people! That is not the case at Beaches.
Restaurant Reservations: There are some restaurants that have an age restriction of 12 years or older. This can be a good thing if you are looking to break away for a romantic night out, but it’s something to be aware of as you are making reservations. These are places like Sapodilla’s or Le Petit Chateau. There are still a ton of restaurants that have no age requirement nor require reservations though.
Flights: As mentioned above, direct flights might not be available from your departure city. Montego Bay is the airport you fly into for Negril, and that does have a lot of direct flights though. I highly recommend Club Mobay especially with kids to fast track through the airport quickly with all your luggage. For Turks And Caicos, you fly into Providenciales International Airport, and there are also a few direct flights.

Cost Comparison Of Each Resort

One of the most important aspects to consider is the cost of each resort. I always suggest taking into account everything that’s included at Sandals vs Beaches to make sure you are factoring in the full price of your vacation, especially if it’s for the whole family.

I’ll share the price breakdown for a week at Sandals Montego Bay and a week at Beaches Turks And Caicos to see how they compare. For an oceanview Luxury Room at Montego Bay, the cost is approximately $4,200 for 7 nights and two people, not including airfare.

For a week at the Beaches in Turks And Caicos, a similar Luxury Room costs approximately $4,500 for 2 adults, not including airfare. If you wanted to add children to the room at Beaches, it costs $61 per person per night. Therefore, a week-long vacation with 2 adults and 2 children would cost $5,354.

That said, the cost of either resort varies depending on the specific location, time of year, room category, and current promotions. The cheapest Sandals locations are usually Sandals La Toc or Sandals Ochi. At Beaches Turks And Caicos, the property is split into 6 villages. The cheapest rooms will be in the French Village or the Caribbean Village.

Keep in mind that there are several ways to save at both resorts depending on the time of year, if you are a veteran, if you are celebrating a special occasion, and plenty of other options to get a deal!

Overall Conclusion

Overall, Sandals will be the best option if you are specifically looking for an adult only experience in a romantic setting. Beaches is best for families or groups that are looking for an all-inclusive resort with more flexible room options. Having been to all of them, sometimes I like Beaches a little more because it is less serious, and they have things like frozen yogurt where you can make your own with your own toppings. And who doesn’t like froyo on a hot Caribbean day! Sandals is a little more sophisticated for an adult audience, and that is perfect for vacations where you want an intimate escape with your partner. Feel free to ask me any other questions that you have when making your decision!

Connect With Your Sandals Expert

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Item	Sandals Resorts	Beaches Resorts
Adults Only	Yes, Sandals is adults only.	No, Beaches is not adults only.
Family Friendly	Sandals is oriented toward romantic couples, but is not restricted to couples only.	Beaches is ideal for families with children of all ages and groups.
Locations	There are 17 locations located across the Caribbean Islands like Jamaica, Barbados, St. Lucia, and more.	One location in Negril, Jamaica and one location in Providenciales, Turks And Caicos.
Tipping	No tipping policy.	No tipping policy.
Airport Transfers	Transfers included for all rooms.	Transfers included for all rooms.
Amenities	Water and land activities are included, like scuba diving, skiing, boat rides, and more.	Water park, entertainment, kids camp, land and water activities.
Restaurants	Several premium restaurants to choose from, each with a different theme. Some require reservations, while others are more casual.	Each resort has several restaurants to choose from, some will require reservations and might have age restrictions.
Golf	Golf is included at St. Lucia and Jamaica Resorts.	Golf is included at the Negril, Jamaica location.
Sharing Privileges	Full access to all neighboring Sandals when you stay at any location. (all restaurants, pools, and beaches at all Sandals)	No reciprocal sharing program.
Rooms	Unique accommodations like Rondoval Suites, Overwater Bungalows, Bluff Side Villas, and Skypools.	Beautiful rooms that are well maintained, and with more bed configurations for families and groups.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Sandals or Beaches resorts adults only?

Sandals Resorts is an adults only resort where guests need to be 18 years or older. Beaches Resorts, on the other hand, caters to families with children of all ages.

Which resort is cheaper, Beaches or Sandals?

Both Sandals and Beaches have a similar cost per person per night, however, Beaches tends to be more expensive because it is typically families that go on vacation there and need to pay for more people. You can get an entry level room at Sandals that starts at about $200 per person per night, while you can also get an entry level room at Beaches starting at around $200 per adult per night, and children are an additional $61 per night at Beaches.

Can you have a wedding or honeymoon at Sandals or Beaches?

Yes, you can have a wedding and honeymoon at both a Sandals or Beaches Resort. For weddings that will have children in attendance, a Beaches Resort will be better since Sandals is adults only. However, if you are having a honeymoon or destination wedding and want a more romantic setting with adults, Sandals is a better fit.

Sandals Vs Beaches Resorts: Which To Choose?

Comparison Of My Resort Experiences