Quite Possibly the Best Resort in the Caribbean: Sandals South Coast

SPEAKER_02: Hey guys, welcome back to the slowdown on life and travel.

I'm of course Kevin Lowell and you're listening to episode number 27.

This is coming in the week before Valentine's Day, and so well we are continuing our month-long series on all things romance travel.

Today is certainly no exception as we find ourselves diving into a beautiful resort on the south coast of Jamaica.

Well, that's Sandals South Coast, one of the most amazing Sandals properties in all of the Caribbean.

And I have an awesome person here with me to tell you all about it.

Actually, she, a fellow travel advisor, Jackie Williams, she just got back after staying at this resort.

Oh my gosh, talk about feeling super jealous.

But I thought, who better to come on the podcast to give us firsthand knowledge of this amazing resort in hopes that you may feel like, you know what?

That may very well be the place for me.

Whether it's for your honeymoon, maybe a destination wedding, an anniversary.

Oh my gosh, can you imagine we're talking all-inclusive, pure luxury that just turns a vacation into something that you will remember forever.

So, without any further delay, let's get on with today's episode.

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Hey guys, I am here today with Jackie Williams.

Jackie, welcome to the podcast.

SPEAKER_00: Thanks, Kevin, for inviting me.

I'm so excited to be on Better Days Travel podcast.

SPEAKER_02: Well, wonderful! Well, thank you so much.

Yes, I'm super excited to have you, and I wanted to bring you on because we are in a month of all things romance travel here on the Low Down on Life and Travel podcast.

And so you recently just went to Sandal South Coast in Jamaica.

I did, I did, and I was like, oh my goodness, we gotta have Jackie on get her feedback and uh kind of give us the insider scoop of uh what she thought of the resort.

So that's why you're here, and I'm so excited to have you.

SPEAKER_00: Well, appreciate you inviting me.

I love speaking anything about sandals, so definitely when I got the text, I'm like, I'm on it.

Let's make it happen.

SPEAKER_02: Well, that's awesome.

Well, sweet.

So I guess first and foremost, would love to ask you.

I mean, what was just like kind of a rough idea?

Then we'll dive in, of course, into details.

But what did you think of Sandal South Coast?

SPEAKER_00: So this was actually my fourth time visiting Sandal South Coast, and it was pretty breathtaking.

You know, it's almost one of those things where I wasn't, I don't, to be honest, I was like, okay, I've been there before.

Do I want to go back again?

And I'm so happy.

I'm so happy I said yes.

I went for work, you know, in the in the life of a travel advisor.

We're constantly traveling to inspect our preferred partners.

And this is what I do about six to ten times a year, and it was paradise.

SPEAKER_02: Oh, that's so awesome.

So you went there just for work, or was it also a little bit vacationing, also?

SPEAKER_00: Or well, you know, I always find a little moment to to allow myself to reset.

My husband was not with me, unfortunately.

Oh man, because out of any other experience traveling to South Coast, this would probably be the one where I wish he was there the most.

Even for our anniversary.

This was because they've done so many renovations, and maybe because it wasn't at full occupancy, I don't know.

It was just magical for me this time.

SPEAKER_02: Well, that's awesome.

Well, I mean, to be quite honest, I think Jamaica is a uh marvelous destination by itself, let alone the resort.

So, I mean, I can totally understand where you're coming from.

So that's pretty awesome.

SPEAKER_00: Yes, the the destination.

Well, first of all, I'm an honorary Jamaican now.

My husband is from Kingston, Jamaica.

Um, not sure you knew that.

So yeah, it's like going home.

And Sandals is always going home.

So I was just welcome twice.

It was perfect.

SPEAKER_02: That's awesome.

That's awesome.

Now, for those not familiar, would you mind describing kind of where on the island Sandals South Coast is located?

SPEAKER_00: Exactly.

Well, and that's a great one.

So I flew into Montego Bay, Jamaica, which is on the North Coast.

It's a term you may hear reference often where the tourist destinations are on the north coast of Jamaica.

And what you would go, you would travel if 90 minutes transfer going west and south.

So you you travel towards Negrill, and then there's a turn off where which is west, and there's a turnoff when you head south, and that's where it's south coast.

So it's in the Westmoreland parish, and that's where it's located in White House, Jamaica.

SPEAKER_02: That's awesome.

So wonderful, so wonderful.

Yeah, you know, so I sent the last honeymoon couple who I had sent there, it was back when it was still called Sandals White House.

Yes.

Yeah, so that's awesome.

That's awesome.

Now, I guess also kind of getting uh things out of the way for people, you know, who are listening, who aren't familiar with everything.

Would you mind kind of sharing from your perspective kind of who Sandals is and who they're for and and what makes them different from other all-inclusive resorts?

SPEAKER_00: Really great question because all all inclusives are not built the same.

They're not for everyone, I should say.

But sandals is for anyone who's in love.

And they're couples only, resort adults only, however, couples only.

All of their rooms have king size beds, so it would be very challenging to kind of bunk up with a friend at a resort like Sandals.

And their properties are for the couple, I will say the active couple.

There's so many amenities and activities that keep you engaged.

And when anyone asks me, so what's the one word that comes to mind when you say sandals outside of romance?

I say fun.

I'm constantly engaged with the entertainment staff, which they call playmakers.

And they're absolutely the way they're trained and their enthusiasm to just engage you and pull you into the atmosphere, into the ambiance in the resort is just amazing.

Like, and they're so skilled at it.

So I'm constantly meeting friends.

I never come home from a Sandals property without having met a friend, whether it's with the entertainment staff, even housekeeping, the spa, the bartender, one of the chefs, or restaurant managers, the waiters.

Like you literally feel like you had the opportunity to engage with everyone at a sandals property.

So, yeah, sandals, there's six islands where the where they're located, and soon to be seven in the uh island of Cuisao.

So they're all around the Caribbean.

SPEAKER_02: Have you been to other sandals resorts?

SPEAKER_00: So of the six properties in Jamaica, they used to have seven, but of the six, I've been to all six sandals in Jamaica.

I've been to one of the two in the Bahamas, I've been to the Nassau Bahamas one, and I've also been to one of the two in Barbados.

Then they have a family.

I hate saying family, it's really a resort for all ages, beaches, and I've been to all three of those beaches as well.

Two in Jamaica and one in Turts and Caicos.

SPEAKER_02: Awesome, awesome.

So I'm I'm curious, how do you feel like the Sandals South Coast compared to the other Sandals properties that you've been to?

SPEAKER_00: Oh, why are you gonna put me on the spotlight, Doc?

SPEAKER_02: Uh it's just like, you know what?

Some people, when they when I'm talking to them about their children and stuff, I'm like, okay, well, who's your favorite?

And nobody wants to say who their favorite is.

And I'm like, just don't lie to me.

Everyone has a favorite.

SPEAKER_00: So you know it's so true.

We all do have a favorite.

I must say, and it's honestly not because we're speaking about Sandal's South Coast, it is South Coast.

However, prior to South Coast, in my experience, it was Sandals Royal Caribbean in Montego Bay.

However, and then I thought it was going to be the one in Barbados, just Sandals Barbados, but honestly, sexy South Coast.

Sandals Sexi.

It's such an amazing property.

And primarily, every room category is beachfront.

There is not one room without an ocean front view.

SPEAKER_02: Wow.

Okay, so so first off, so basically, we're coming up, we're around Valentine's Day.

I assume it's safe to say this resort done stole this girl's heart.

SPEAKER_00: It has.

SPEAKER_02: So kind of getting into what you're, I was kind of stopping you there, because I would love for you, everybody listening to the podcast, I think is kind of cool because everyone's like me.

We can't see.

So we're relying on descriptions.

And so I would love for you to do the best you can at describing to somebody what the resort looks like.

As far as, you know, oh, I don't know, like the style of the buildings and and the decor and just its overall setting.

Would love for you to kind of like set the scene for us.

SPEAKER_00: Oh my goodness.

You know, Kevin, only for you.

And I say that because this is the part where I always say, I can't explain it to you.

Just you have to go for yourself.

Yep, that doesn't work here.

So the low down uh audience, let me let me do this for you.

So you come into when you're driving, it's almost like a little roundabout that you're coming into with a fountain to the right, and then the lobby and the entrances to the left.

And you're always greeted with a cocktail or a warm towel, or a cool towel, I should say.

I guess I'm saying warm because it's in winter, but with a cool but with a cool refreshing towel, because you did come from a 90-minute transfer ride.

So they're always prepared for you.

When you walk into the lobby, I won't say it's super grand, but it's very large, tall ceilings, and it has this European feel to it.

Very soft though.

It's not very heavy Mediterranean, but it is a very European style.

When you exit through those lobby doors into where you're entered with paradise, you're looking at the statue that's in front of one of the largest swimming pools in Jamaica.

Okay, and then behind that is the ocean.

So when you're looking out from this perspective to the left, if what you could consider like a little piazza, like kind of like Italy, where you have the restaurants.

So all of the restaurants are on the left side in the towards the lobby entrance.

So it's one of those areas where everything happens.

The piano bars upstairs.

Okay.

There's a Mediterranean restaurant over towards the ocean, kind of sit by, listen to the waves.

The pool, like I say, is in the center.

And then as you come from that entrance, if we were to turn to the right, this is where you head towards the villages.

So there's three villages, and think of those as just building stacks.

So you have the Italian village that has more of that Italian flair, it has more of the beige coloring outside, and then now the newly renovated Dutch village.

That is my gosh, it's so so so so so sexy.

And then you have the French village, and behind the French is now I'm sorry, I'm sorry.

SPEAKER_02: You don't need to just say the Dutch village is sexy, and then don't say anything more.

SPEAKER_00: Okay, let me back up a little bit.

No, you're right, you're right.

I'm just trying to take you through the town, but let me take you through step by step.

So, what makes the Dutch village sexy, more sexy now than it was before, is in the front.

So as you're walking, they have now implemented this, the swim up suites.

They've they've completely just rebuilt this thing.

So you have these how to put it, it's it's it's kind of like white and blue.

Okay, okay.

So you have like the white surroundings of the building, and it's kind of like think about white sand, right?

And then you have the swim ups that kind of come through as the ocean.

So yes, that's why I say it's so sexy, and all of this is why you're overlooking the actual Caribbean Sea.

So wow, you're surrounded by water in the Dutch village.

SPEAKER_01: Oh, that's amazing.

SPEAKER_00: Yes, it's it's completely something I've I could have never envisioned this myself, and then the French is actually very unique because it's on the far end.

This is a 50-acre resort property.

However, it sits in the middle of 500 acres of wilderness reserve.

SPEAKER_02: Oh, that's that's pretty cool.

I did not know that.

That's awesome.

SPEAKER_00: Yes, yes.

So, well, that's why when I was when I was taking you through before, it's almost like you're really walking through a small little community.

SPEAKER_03: Okay, I understand, yes.

SPEAKER_00: Yeah, yeah.

And one of the things outside of the French village is they're the more entry-level rooms.

They still have the more traditional decor that Sandals is known for, rich Mediterranean tones, like the reddish marble and greenish, kind of that kind of tone with the woods.

And now the new rooms have more of a tropical coral theme to it, more of the beige and the corals and such.

So they've lightened up the flare.

You really do feel like you're more in the tropical sea, and then off in front of the French villages where they are teased because there's the heart shape overwater bungalows in that area.

Oh wow.

Okay.

Yeah, they're they're teased a lot by looking over the overwater bungalows, but in the back of that is their brand new village, and it's rendezvous.

So yeah, rendezvous are round circular structures which are sitting in their own little community surrounded by a lazy river.

So it's a lot going on over in South Coast.

SPEAKER_02: South Coast has got it going on.

Oh my god.

SPEAKER_00: They really do.

It's so hard to really paint the picture, but I hope I did some justice.

SPEAKER_02: Oh, you did.

No, no, no.

It sounds absolutely incredible.

So now I would like to know though, like around the property, like when you're walking, you know, in between the buildings and you're headed to the pool and stuff, it is it a lot of like tropical vegetation?

Is it is it stuff like that, or are you is it more just open grassy areas?

Kind of like how is that the landscape kind of?

SPEAKER_00: No, that's a really great question.

Very great question.

So, towards like I'm bringing you back to the lobby.

Okay, you're stepping out, you see this very huge statue.

I think they're horses.

Sorry, I will have to to remember exactly what those statues are because my mind goes something very important that you that's hilarious.

Because I go straight to the pool in the ocean.

Sorry.

Sorry, Sandals.

I really didn't pay attention to exactly what that structure was.

However, that area is more paved.

SPEAKER_03: Okay.

SPEAKER_00: You know, it's more of being in the town with the piazza, etc.

You know, you're eating, your eateries.

Now, when you head to the right, yes, it is lush vegetation.

Actually, where the rendezvous were built was this huge, just flat lawn.

It was just so beautiful with the greenest grass ever.

But yes, you have trees, tree coverage, a lot of green, grassy areas.

This is the area kind of walking towards the room, going to the elevators, going up the steps.

However, on the side where there's the beach, you know, in front of those buildings, on the Italian side, you have a little bit more vegetation.

That's where the beach is more covered, okay, you know, with the trees, etc., to give you really great shade coverage.

When you come into the Dutch, and this is what was new for me, it was so bright.

SPEAKER_03: Okay, yes.

SPEAKER_00: Like when you want to get the best tan, when it's just like the sand is so golden and the sun just beams down.

So that's where you're gonna get the most sun in front of the Dutch village.

SPEAKER_02: Okay, so so each of these villages, like the Dutch village that you turn, do all of them basically are near the beach?

SPEAKER_00: They're all on the beach.

They're okay.

That's what I was wondering.

Perfect.

They're all on the on the beach line.

Cool.

And so if you look at them, if you were able to look at a map, okay, yes, you will think that I know it will look like a V.

Oh, okay.

Yeah, it will look like a V.

So the Italian would be the point of the V on the bottom.

SPEAKER_03: Okay.

SPEAKER_00: And the left side of the V going upward would be the Dutch and the the French, and then you'll have the bungalows.

And then to the right side is where you're going towards the the Venetian piazza area where the the restaurants and the water sports is located.

SPEAKER_02: So that's a perfect example.

Awesome.

Great, awesome.

Great, wonderful.

So it sounds absolutely in in everything, I imagine, is top-notch, very clean.

SPEAKER_00: Very well manicured.

I'm not sure if I ever visited any sandwich property that was not well manicured from the lawn as well as the accommodations.

SPEAKER_02: Of course, of course.

Awesome.

Now we gotta get to the uh the recent updates that were done at South Coast.

I know you've kind of spoken to them a little bit as you were giving us the walkthrough, but would you mind giving us a little bit detailed into those updates for anybody who maybe had been to the property before and now we're telling them now they're like, ooh, might have us going back.

SPEAKER_00: So exactly.

And I would sort of go back to if you've ever been to Sandals when it Sandals South Coast when it was called Sandals White House, it's a completely different property, is what I would say.

Okay.

The experience and the feel of it.

Since it was called White House, they've kind of turned this whole thing is that you're surrounded by the ocean, and they've brought the ocean into the storyline a lot more.

So they've built an the first overwater chapel, wedding chapel.

SPEAKER_03: Oh, is that real pretty?

SPEAKER_00: It's very beautiful.

There's like a dock that leads from the sand.

Very kind of narrow.

About two or three people can maybe walk along this dock side by side.

Okay.

That leads you into this white chapel that is open.

Kind of so you you walk into the chapel, they have this deck surrounding, so you can actually walk the perimeter of it and you know and look at the sea.

But inside of the chapel, as you're walking in the center, they have the glass flooring similar to what many people expect in an overwater bungalow, so that you can actually see the sea life under you.

Oh wow.

Right.

So your guests are sitting on either side of this of this floor, this glass flooring, looking at you with the bite drop on the left would be the mountains.

And then especially in the evening, the sunset would be to the right.

So it's really beautiful in this overwater chapel.

And that's where I hope to have my vowel renewal soon, if possible.

Yes.

And so that's one of the updates.

And then they have an overwater bar called Latitudes.

SPEAKER_03: Okay.

SPEAKER_00: This is alone, this is between the French and the Dutch village.

Okay.

SPEAKER_03: Okay.

SPEAKER_00: And this thing is there's like this paved, they kind of they've kind of paved it going from the land into the ocean.

And as you're walking to the to the actual bar, you have on either side there are these like benches with a fire pit.

So there's really great for social groups, social environments.

You want to just sit there with your honey and have the fire pit with the ocean behind you.

It's really beautiful.

But the bar itself is is round and they have hammocks surrounding the bar.

SPEAKER_03: Oh my gosh.

SPEAKER_00: Yeah, so you can have your cocktail brought to you while you're in your hammock.

You know, the bar in the center with the bartender, and there's you know, you can stand around the bar, so it's really, really great, especially when the breeze kits in.

So whether you want to sit in the fire pits or sit on the hammocks or be at the bar, it they have so much for you there.

I mentioned earlier the the overwater bungalows.

SPEAKER_02: Yep, I was gonna be asking you about more about this.

SPEAKER_00: Yes, so the overwater bungalows have a really great view.

So the one unique thing about this property is that depending on where your room is located, and the bungalows probably have the best view on property, you can see the sunrise and the sunset.

SPEAKER_04: Really?

Yeah, that's pretty cool.

SPEAKER_00: Yes, so over behind the the restaurants, the mountains kind of is what your backdrop is on that side, the sun rises on that end, and in the middle of the ocean between latitudes and the bungalows is where it sunsets.

SPEAKER_01: Oh, that sounds gorgeous.

SPEAKER_00: Yes, but the bungalows are huge, they're amazing.

You kind of walk, so think about a heart.

Okay, okay, you have the heart shape.

Now, the tip of the heart, the bottom of the heart is where the debt comes from.

They have their own check-in lobby, and so you have this wooden debt that leads to the point of the heart, and then you can either go left or right.

Okay, okay, to complete the heart.

SPEAKER_03: Okay.

SPEAKER_00: And so when you walk into one of the bungalows, there's a butler's pantry where you have the cappuccino machine, you have your refrigerator, their own customized bar.

And what I mean by customize is you can literally request whatever alcoholic beverage that you want, and they'll make sure it's there stocked for you before you arrive.

And then when you come through that door, through that area, you have a seating area in front of you to the right, and then to the left, it just opens up.

It opens up into your king size bed that's over like literally facing the opening of your deck that has your plunge pool, well, your plunge, your tranquility tub, outdoor shower, a hammock.

It's just breathtaking, and you're just looking at ocean.

You can snorkel from your you have a platform where you go down and swim and snorkel right from your your bungalow, the shower, the indoor shower.

It's just really beautiful.

So, yeah, that's really breathtaking as well.

SPEAKER_01: That sounds absolutely gorgeous.

SPEAKER_00: Yeah, that's breathtaking.

And yeah, do you have another question?

Because they have so much.

SPEAKER_02: No, I was I was just gonna say, like, leave it to sandals too, though, to not only have like these insane, gorgeous overwater bungalows, but to place them in a way that it forms the shape of a heart.

SPEAKER_00: I know, right?

I mean, they if you're not in love when you go to sandals, their mission is to make you like love your partner.

Honestly, you can't help but love your partner when you're forced to sleep in the same bed together.

And like, and everyone else is a couple, so it's not even like you can mingle with others and get distracted.

So, yes, you must be in love, or you're definitely gonna fall in love when you leave this place.

SPEAKER_01: That's so awesome.

So awesome.

SPEAKER_00: Yeah, no, most definitely, and then the rendezvous, that's the latest edition.

Other that and the swim ups with the Dutch village, these rendezvous are really unique.

I'm trying to give a really great example of how they look.

Just think about a I don't want to call them huts because that would completely diminish the value of it, right?

It's not the right term.

Okay, okay.

Just like around bungalow on land.

Think about a bungalow on land, but it's circular.

SPEAKER_03: Okay.

SPEAKER_00: Okay.

And the community, first I'm gonna talk about the community, the village itself.

It has like a drawbridge where under the drawbridge is the lazy river that connects all 20 rendezvous together.

SPEAKER_02: This is starting to sound like the Disney world of all inclusive resorts.

SPEAKER_00: It is, that is what I say.

If you're a Disney fan, you must go to a Sandals property in the Caribbean.

Exactly.

So, oh my gosh, and it's so beautiful here.

But that's what it is.

You have this lavy river, so yeah, it connects everyone.

So if you have like a group of friends and you all want to have your own space, but then you want to have that ability to kind of swim to each other, it's a really great buyout for just some friends to kind of like talking about like the ultimate like bachelor, bachelorette party, you know.

SPEAKER_02: Oh my goodness, that'd be insane.

SPEAKER_00: It would be, and I can definitely see like The Bachelor, the show, yeah, buying out this section of the property, to be honest, absolutely and creating a whole nother vibe.

SPEAKER_04: Yep.

SPEAKER_00: And maybe they're listening to you low down.

Yes, bring it to Sandal's South Coast.

SPEAKER_02: That's right, because I watched the Bachelor and Bachelorette.

We're ready for a good season at South Coast, so let's exactly that'd be amazing, right?

SPEAKER_00: But yeah, when you walk in, you're walking to the left or the right, depending on which unit, but I'm kind of coming from the from the left.

You circle around, you have your your walk-in shower, you have your soak-in tub, which it and then it's it, but it's all open, there aren't any doors.

Okay, okay, there's nothing really separating when you look in and you look to the left, you can see the shower and the tub and the sink area.

And then you can also walk through, and as you're walking through, you have the access to your outdoor shower and your private plunge pool.

Oh wow.

Private plunge pool that will actually lead you into the lazy river lagoon if you wanted to.

SPEAKER_01: Oh my gosh, that's so insane.

SPEAKER_00: Yes, that also circles back around into where you kind of have like the traditional patio where you can actually draw the curtains for more privacy so that the lagoon, you know, you don't necessarily see anyone else from the lazy river, but then when you turn around, now you're looking at your bed again.

SPEAKER_01: Oh my god.

You know, that's just awesome.

SPEAKER_00: Yeah, it's pretty amazing.

They have a seat in the area with a TV and sofas, and then they have a little table where you can eat and dine inside our outdoors.

They really bring the outdoors in in this particular unit.

It's literally having a bungalow on land.

SPEAKER_02: Of course.

Now, now, do you know off top of your head, like thinking about it, about how many of those there are in that area?

20.

Okay, awesome.

Wow, that's amazing.

That's so incredible.

Yeah.

Now, talk to me about the food at the resort.

Because, of course, anybody listening, remember, all inclusive, everything is included in your price, all the food, all your drinks.

And so I'm super excited to hear about the food options.

I mean, I'm it's listen, I'm a guy who likes to eat, and I'm like, you know what?

I mean, what goes better than a beautiful destination than some beautiful food?

SPEAKER_00: Well, you know, I'm laughing.

Well, before I go to the reason I'm laughing, they are known for five-star global gourmet dining.

SPEAKER_04: Okay.

SPEAKER_00: Okay.

And I say global because they actually have tastes from around the world.

Now, why I'm laughing is because I'm not a foodie, actually.

I'm not.

SPEAKER_02: Girl, see, I don't know.

We might just need to go ahead and end the podcast right there.

SPEAKER_00: I know everyone says they're like, how can you not be a foodie?

I'm like, and then on top of that, Kevin, don't don't get at me, but I stopped eating meat like two and a half years ago.

And that's actually a torture when I go to Jamaica because I can't eat curry goat or curry chicken or brown stew chicken or jerk chicken.

So I'm missing out big time.

SPEAKER_01: I don't know about you.

SPEAKER_02: I just don't know about you.

SPEAKER_00: I know, right?

I know, right?

But I can definitely speak about the cuisine.

Okay.

SPEAKER_02: Okay.

So I'm glad we got that out of the way.

She's not gonna speak at how delicious the meat is or anything, but let's hear what else she has to say.

How great the vegetables are.

SPEAKER_00: Oh my god, it's hilarious.

Okay, there's nine restaurants at the resort.

Okay.

SPEAKER_03: Okay.

SPEAKER_00: There's nine restaurants, and they have an Italian restaurant, they have Asian, they have a Cafe Dupree, which is where you get your pastries and your coffee, you know, your custom coffee.

The Blue Mountain coffee is available.

The best.

The best coffee is in every room, it's in every restaurant, and it's definitely at Cafe Dupree.

You have Eleanor's, which is their Pan-Caribean cuisine restaurant.

That's where you're gonna get your jerk chicken on the dinner side of it.

You know, that's where you're also gonna, you know, tafe the ox tails every now.

Depends on the menu and the night.

They have different specialties on special nights, but that's Eleanor's is where you're gonna definitely get your Jamaican Akian soft fish breakfast, you know, with dumplings and such.

So that's that.

Awesome.

Yeah, you have Bay Side restaurant.

Bay Side is more of an international flair, I would say.

Schooners.

That's I'm so mad.

That's the seafood grill.

That's the one place that I didn't eat on this trip, but oh my goodness, this is where you get your lobster when when lobster season is in.

And it's the best seafood I've ever had in the Caribbean, to be honest, is at Schooners.

Neptune's is your Mediterranean by the sea.

Both the schooners and Neptune's are like seaside restaurants.

Okay.

You have sushi on the sand, fresh made sushi in Jamaica.

Ooh, now we're talking.

Right?

Absolutely amazing.

And then the restaurant that everyone loves to snack at is the jerk shack.

Okay.

The jerk shack is where everyone has they have to eat there at least three times throughout the stay.

This is where you get your jert chicken, you get your festival, which pairs well with jerk chicken, you get your breast.

SPEAKER_02: What is that?

What is the festival?

SPEAKER_00: Festival, yes.

I remember when I first had festival, it's like a sweet dough.

Ooh.

It's like a sweet, like fried dough.

SPEAKER_02: It's like a festival in your mouth.

Ooh.

SPEAKER_00: It is a festival in your mouth.

Yes, one of the few things I can eat that I still love.

Exactly.

And it pairs so well with the fish and foil, which is jerk fish.

SPEAKER_03: Okay.

SPEAKER_00: And with vegetables on top, and it's very juicy.

And yeah, and this is where you get your jerk chicken.

And it's amazing.

SPEAKER_02: Wow.

Well, that sounds they have nine restaurants.

SPEAKER_00: It's a lot of fun.

That's incredible.

SPEAKER_02: Now, if somebody doesn't want to go to do they do room service?

SPEAKER_00: They do, but not all room categories.

SPEAKER_02: Okay.

SPEAKER_00: Okay, so there's three room categories at Sandals.

There's your luxury room, that's your entry level.

You do get your Robert Mundavi wine in that particular category with your your juices, but no alcohol and water and such.

And then you have what they call the club level rooms.

And club level is when they introduce concierge service, and that's where your room service comes in from 7 a.m.

to 9 p.m.

And and then Butler, however, gets 24-hour room service.

SPEAKER_01: Yeah, that's what I'm talking about.

Yeah, exactly.

SPEAKER_00: Me too.

Me too, me too.

SPEAKER_02: I grew up watching Fresh Prince of Bell here.

I've always wanted a Jeffrey.

SPEAKER_00: I know Jeffrey's the best, and he listens to your stories and everything.

Yes, I want a Jeffrey too in my life.

We need him.

SPEAKER_02: No, now I do want to clear up.

Talking about the entry-level rooms, when you talked about no alcohol, you just simply mean no alcohol in the room.

Not like exactly.

SPEAKER_00: Thanks for that clarity.

So one thing about the Sandals property, which I love, the brand I should say of Sandals and Beaches, let me bring them into the phone here.

Of course.

Is that everyone gets the same access on property for the most part?

Anything is, you know, the only difference is in the rooms category that you choose to stay in.

But any access as far as water sports and dining and alcohol levels, because they're all premium alcohol here, everyone gets that access.

So it's not as if you have you don't have wristbands.

So it's not like, oh, well, I can't enjoy this pool or this side of the beach because I'm not in this particular room category.

That is not how it works.

So every access is the same on the resort as everyone else, except having butler service andor concierge access for just those conveniences or having the beverages in your room.

SPEAKER_01: Okay, that's awesome.

Cool.

SPEAKER_02: Cool, cool, cool.

That's really good to know.

That's perfect.

SPEAKER_04: Yes.

SPEAKER_02: Awesome, awesome.

Now, I wanted to ask you as far as like the beaches and and stuff, how are the beaches awesome?

I guess far as set up with all the chairs and umbrellas and and stuff like that there at South Coast.

SPEAKER_00: I'm so glad you asked about this because this is probably the best beach in Jamaica to me.

SPEAKER_02: Really?

Okay, awesome.

SPEAKER_00: I know everyone loves Nagrill and the Seven Mile Beach, and this is the best, in my opinion.

SPEAKER_03: Okay.

SPEAKER_00: They do have, first of all, the sand is absolutely soft, it's not too hot.

It's a very wide beach, and it's a good depth of sand, too.

It's not one of those narrow beaches where you come from the grass and you have the beach, and it's like, where is everything?

SPEAKER_04: Yes, yes.

SPEAKER_00: It's the perfect resort, at least in Jamaica, that I can say for social distancing at this point, if that's something that's important to anyone, right?

Yeah, yeah.

Very expensive.

They definitely have the chairs, they have the little, I guess you can call this a hut.

Like the little the little flare outs.

See, this is where I told you I'm challenging my description.

So I'm sure I'm gonna help you out.

That's right.

SPEAKER_01: It's not easy on this podcast.

SPEAKER_00: I know.

But it's like, okay, but this is where you have the covering, you know, you have like the the thech roof coverings for certain beach chairs.

One of the features that they offer that I actually got to enjoy with some friends this last trip are cabanas.

Ooh.

They have about six cabanas, and many people say, okay, yeah, cabana is not that important.

Well, I was sleeping on the cabanas for the longest and never again.

For$140, you get access to your cabana from nine to five.

Okay.

Okay.

And that also comes with butler service.

SPEAKER_01: Oh, wow.

SPEAKER_00: And when it's very awesome because your breakfast starts in your cabana.

Okay.

Oh wow.

They have uh two kind of like chase lounges.

Okay.

They have a ceiling fan.

SPEAKER_03: Okay.

SPEAKER_00: Okay, you also get your own beach loungers as well in front of the cabana.

And when I tell you your butler, he or she will just start serving drinks and food from every menu of every restaurant on the property.

SPEAKER_01: Oh, wow, that's awesome.

SPEAKER_00: It's amazing.

So, no, their beach is expansive, it's large, and it's absolutely amazing.

Like, this is the best beach, in my opinion.

And it's because of the location of the property, it's private.

It's not a real private beach because all of the beaches in Jamaica are public beaches, but because of the location, it's completely private, in my opinion.

That's what I would call it.

SPEAKER_02: No, no, like how is the ocean there, like as far as the waves and stuff?

SPEAKER_00: Very calm waters.

SPEAKER_02: Okay, awesome.

SPEAKER_00: Very calm waters.

There, what you call it?

It's not seaweed.

There's some the little grass that grows in the water.

Yeah.

Okay.

You have some of those in little in little areas, but it doesn't disturb the the look and feel and the enjoyment of the beach at all.

SPEAKER_04: Of course.

SPEAKER_00: Well, that's awesome.

Very calm waters.

They have a reef that's probably uh this is where I'm not the greatest, maybe like a hundred feet out there, maybe farther out.

Yeah.

Half a mile out into the ocean.

Where and so I bring that up because if you're into snorkeling and diving and and anything that sea life, this is one of the better resorts to stay at, to enjoy all of those activities.

SPEAKER_02: That's great.

That's really great to know.

That's awesome.

Now, if somebody's not big into the beach and stuff, what about the pool?

I know you said the pool's massive.

Does the resort only have just the one big pool?

SPEAKER_00: Or no, so like I said, the main pool is where they have the the most of the entertainment, the DJ throughout the day, and it's very large.

And one thing being January 2021, it was so great to see everyone able to stay in their own little bubble.

I thought that was amazing.

So you can definitely enjoy the pool there.

Even though in the Dutch village, you have the swim out rooms, okay, but then there's this small little divider, like I said, that it's like the look of white waves, like a white sandy wave.

Okay.

And then you have the another pool that you can enjoy in front of the swim out.

Okay.

So you can still enjoy that pool.

And then the French village has its own pool, and that's very active.

For some reason, those folks down there in the back are having the greatest time.

That's where you see the pool volleyball happens right there.

Okay.

It's a very lively bunch.

And then, of course, if you're in the rendezvous, you have the lazy river.

So there's pools galore.

SPEAKER_01: That's awesome.

I love it.

SPEAKER_02: It's so cool, so cool.

Now, do you have like a favorite kind of pool area?

The Dutch?

The Dutch.

Okay.

Awesome.

SPEAKER_00: I mean, of course, I would like a little shade, but I think everyone gravitated towards the Dutch village on this particular trip.

It's just amazing over there.

It's beautiful.

It's so bright.

That's my favorite pool right now.

SPEAKER_02: That's cool.

Now, do any of them have like their cool, like infamous swim-up bars?

SPEAKER_00: They do.

The main pool has a swim-up bar as well.

Oh, you're gonna challenge me.

I believe the French village pool is a swim up bar as well.

SPEAKER_02: Cool.

Because I don't know why.

I mean, I'm not a big sit-at-the-bar kind of drinker, but I am definitely a sucker for a swim-up bar.

I think I think it's like the cool, it's like the coolest thing ever.

So I'm always like, I'm like, you know what?

If I get a swimming pool at my house, you better bet I'm building in a swim-up bar because it's just so awesome.

SPEAKER_00: That is so funny.

Yeah, the Dutch pool does not have a swim-up bar.

However, it's right there.

And we did have a server coming and taking our drink orders too.

So I mean, it's about the same to me.

SPEAKER_02: Awesome.

Awesome.

Now, one thing I did wanted to ask you about the resort, and this this kind of goes back to me being blind, is I pay a lot of attention to my surroundings as far as the vibe of somewhere.

And I was kind of curious if you could kind of think about it and and kind of explain for for especially like thinking of us, you know, being travel agents and we're always trying to qualify our clients and figure out what's the best resort for them.

As far as as Xandal South Coast, what would you kind of say the vibe of this resort is?

Is it just cool, relaxed, and chill?

Is it more a party vibe?

Or I kind of almost imagine with as big as it is, it may kind of differ depending where in the resort you are.

But but I just wanted to ask you kind of about that.

SPEAKER_00: And you're right, it really does depend on where you are on the property.

Because I'll say prior to these current enhancements, I would have said it's completely chill.

This is where you would come to make a baby.

Um, to be honest, I mean it's sexy like that.

SPEAKER_04: Wow, okay.

SPEAKER_00: This is where you come to relax and and to reconnect because there's many areas where you can just be alone, just the two of you, okay.

But now, like on Wednesday night, we got there.

This was probably the biggest surprise to me.

They had a silent um DJ party.

So it was the most energy that I had ever seen on property before at South Coast.

Oh my gosh, they had these very sexy dancers, both men and women, and they were in like these angel wings, and yeah, it was a lot of sexiness going on.

So that's awesome.

SPEAKER_02: And I mean, you gotta remember, I mean, it's it's a couple's resort.

I mean, everybody wants a little sexiness in their way.

SPEAKER_00: From the senses, they definitely feel you on that part, and the music, definitely the lot of vibes.

But I would say if you're if you're looking to completely relax, that was what the Dutch village area was.

Okay.

And I can see the rendezvous being that way as well.

They're in their own community right there, it's so quiet.

However, like I said, when you needed some energy, you could either go to the main pool area, the the the sports, like so the water sports and the main pool kind of all connects on that side.

Okay, and then also the French village.

They have a lot of a lot going on over there.

But at nighttime, it was so it was interesting.

They have, like I said, they had a silent party from the nights that I was there.

Karaoke, I closed it down every night in karaoke.

I'm a karaoke girl.

Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_02: What what what do you have a go-to karaoke series?

SPEAKER_00: I do.

I have a few.

I have Killing Me Softly by Lauren Hill.

SPEAKER_04: Yep, classic.

SPEAKER_00: That's the one that I do the most.

And oh my gosh, my husband would get me.

Say it Ain't So, is that by Weezer or Radiohead?

It's by Weezer.

Say it Ain't So by Weezer.

I I love seeing that song as well.

SPEAKER_02: So I love I love I I love that it's not just one genre.

You definitely mix it up.

SPEAKER_00: I do mix it up.

It's definitely gonna be some rock or RB for me, yes.

SPEAKER_01: Uh I love it, totally love it.

SPEAKER_00: Awesome, yes, but no, it's a very chill vibe, you know.

Being south of the grill, the grill town is known as the capital of chill.

Okay, and yeah, it's the capital of chill, and so South Coast takes a little bit of that, but then they bring the set seedness to it as well.

SPEAKER_01: So that's that's awesome.

SPEAKER_02: That's so awesome.

SPEAKER_00: It's the best of all worlds now.

SPEAKER_02: That's so cool.

Now, now, did you get a chance at all to kind of get out of the resort at all and experience any of Jamaica?

SPEAKER_00: No, not this time.

I didn't get to experience home on this trip as much as I would have preferred.

However, Sandals does have their own excursion company, Allen Roots.

SPEAKER_03: Yes.

SPEAKER_00: And Allen Roots, they were operational.

A lot of the current, again, January 2021 tours are water-based.

So whether you're going to do a day trip to the Pelican Bar is actually an overwater bar, like on like out in the west of Jamaica, just sitting out outside of the grill in the middle of the ocean.

SPEAKER_02: Yeah, kind of like on a big like sandbar type thing or island, I guess.

SPEAKER_00: Kind of, yeah, it's like a yeah, similar.

Yes, exactly.

Or you can do a blight river tour, the sea of crocodiles, you got Wyatt's Falls, you have the Appleton Rum Factory on that side of the island.

That's really great to explore.

You have Treasure Beach area.

That's a very community-driven.

So if you're really big into being with the locals, chilling out with the fishermen, maybe even doing some volatourism, Treasure Beach area, which is south in the South Coast region, is a really great uh community to visit as well.

So, and and you can do all of that with Allen Roots.

SPEAKER_02: Okay, that's cool.

Now, just out of my own curiosity, on your previous trips and stuff to Jamaica, is there anything that stands out that you've got to experience in Jamaica that has just really stayed with you?

SPEAKER_00: Oh man.

See I don't want to take away from the conversation around sandals, but I love being in Kingston.

SPEAKER_02: Okay.

SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I love And why is that?

SPEAKER_02: Why is that?

You know what is it about Kingston?

SPEAKER_00: You know, you will hear if you if you watch YouTube or watch different things, and you may hear the real Jamaica.

unknown: Okay.

SPEAKER_00: You may hear a turn say, Oh, this is the real Jamaica.

Well, that's where you have all of the energy, Kingston being the capital of Jamaica.

SPEAKER_04: Okay.

SPEAKER_00: That's the cultural Mecca, that's the music where Bob Marty was at.

That's where, but that's where the people like the heart of the Allen itself, they're most of them kind of originate from that that blood of Kingston, right?

SPEAKER_01: Yes, yes.

SPEAKER_00: So it's hustle, bustle, it's fast.

And I'm a I love the Allen life, but it's pretty interesting when you're in the bustle of the city.

Of course.

And just seeing the hustle.

So I think it's just such a high contrast from what we're typical of knowing Jamaica as.

SPEAKER_01: Of course.

SPEAKER_00: Yeah, so I really love that area.

And so, and that's where my family is at.

So, one of the funniest, funniest experiences when I was staying at Beaches and the Grill, and it was my first time staying at an all-inclusive and beaches was that with a friend for our birthday celebration, and we took a regular tight seat, just a regular street tight seat.

Okay, and she was not ready.

It was so hilarious because I tell you, Jamaica is where Uber Pool was was originated from.

You get into the tight seat, and there's like three other four of the people in there, and they're like, squeeze in, where are you going?

You know, we're going to Ritz Cafe.

Okay, they drop you off, and you have to take another tight seat at the roundabout to another area.

And it's just get in where you fit in, to be honest.

SPEAKER_02: That's so funny.

SPEAKER_00: Yes, it's definitely not for the faint of heart.

And it's but the people, it's the energy of the people, and they really love to laugh.

They you see no problems, man.

And it's not that they don't have problems, but they just know how life goes.

So if you focused on those problems, you'll never live it.

So they kind of just operate in the spirit of this is life, it can be our last day, and let's just keep it moving.

SPEAKER_02: Yeah, well, I tell you, I tell you what.

So I had gone to Jamaica, I've only been once, and I went with a small group of other travel agents, and we had stayed in Montango Bay, and I actually did a podcast episode earlier on about my experience traveling to Jamaica.

It was actually my first time traveling outside of the country by myself after becoming blind.

SPEAKER_00: Okay.

SPEAKER_02: And, you know, I had just gone, no family members, just me and a group of travel agents.

Anyways, I said that it was the people of Jamaica that made me fall in love with it.

I said, besides from all the the amazing resorts and the things that we did and all that, I said it was the people.

SPEAKER_00: Yep.

SPEAKER_02: And so I totally understand what you're saying.

SPEAKER_00: Yeah, it's always the people.

And that's why I say staying at a sandals property, they allowed their staff to engage and to show you the people, you know.

SPEAKER_01: That's awesome.

SPEAKER_00: And one of the things that you'll find, depending on where the resort is located, is always typically locals from that community.

Okay.

So yeah, so it's definitely a sandals proper that this the brand of sandals is definitely not, oh, I've been to one, I've been to all.

SPEAKER_04: Of course.

SPEAKER_00: No way, it's never that.

So you definitely want to kind of explore the different sandals because when you do that, you you get an opportunity to explore Jamaica as well.

SPEAKER_02: Awesome, awesome.

That's so wonderful.

Now, just going back, you know, we're kind of wrapping up a little bit, but going back as far as you know, your experience at Sandal South Coast, is there anything that you feel like somebody who is considering a trip to Jamaica or they're just considering sandals or anything that you feel like they should know about South Coast to sell them on it or to make them realize, you know what, maybe it's not for me.

SPEAKER_00: That's a good point.

So it's not close to the airport.

You will have a drive.

So if you're looking for something really quick, I get from the airport and I'm there at my resort in 30 minutes or so, this will not be the best property.

However, it's worth the drive.

SPEAKER_04: Okay.

SPEAKER_00: It's definitely worth the drive.

If you're wanting to have space, if you're wanting to have opportunities where you can connect and not really feel like you have a lot of people on top of you, South Coast is for you.

If you're wanting great water sports and you're wanting that whole like outdoor vibe where you can chill at the overwater bar at night and you can enjoy Neptune's after dark, is what I call it, because that's they close at like 5 a.m.

for snipes and such.

If you want the amazing, like any room that you choose has an ocean view, this is the property for you.

If you want an amazing staff, if you want great seafood, you know, this is the resort for you.

If you love pools and the sand isn't your theme, then you also want some sushi, this is the place for you.

So it has actually, because I was thinking about this, preparing for our conversation.

I was like, you know, it really is probably the one of the few properties that has something for everyone.

Another thing I'd be remiss to say, they have accessible rooms.

Not every resort in Sandal's property is accessible, right?

SPEAKER_01: I am so glad you brought that up.

That's awesome.

SPEAKER_00: Yes, they have buildings with elevators, and one of the things, and I don't know if I noticed this before.

I don't know if I was just really more observant this time, but a lot of their pools are like really shallow ability to walk into.

So you can even have like one of those wheelchair, like those floating wheelchair type devices to enjoy the pool because there's like there are areas where there's no steps, you just kind of like walk into or roll into it.

So, yeah, it's it's a really great property for all ages.

There was literally every age group from 18 and up represented all having fun and enjoying paradise together.

SPEAKER_02: Well, that's wonderful.

Oh my gosh, it sounds absolutely magical.

SPEAKER_00: It is.

SPEAKER_02: Yes, oh my goodness.

Well, before we wrap things up, is there anything else that you would like to share with those listening?

SPEAKER_00: Well, about the sandals brand in particular, if you're a person who really cares about the community and the environment, they have the Sandals Foundation.

Not many people know that.

That's their nonprofit organization, but they give back to the area of all the islands they're located, not just Jamaica, in the areas of education, community, and the environment.

And you can pack for a purpose where you can bring footballs and school supplies, and they will actually donate that to the community school around them.

You know, and during the pandemic, they've really, really been a real pillar in helping the community stay up.

So that's one of the things that not many people know.

And so I really wanted you to know about the Sandals Foundation.

SPEAKER_02: Absolutely.

I think that is so amazing.

I love it to hear stuff like that.

And and I know other couples, and I tell you what, it's it's one thing that, you know, for any other travel agents listening to this podcast, you know, it's something, again, to be sure to mention to your clients because I tell you what, my honeymooners who I've sent to Sandals, and when I tell them about they get so excited.

And they can't wait to bring different supplies and and stuff.

So I just think that's really pretty amazing.

SPEAKER_00: Yep, yep.

And they also, if you're not like just say you forget, and this this time I didn't forget, it's just that I'm not shopping in stores.

Of course.

So I I was able to give a cash donation or a dollar donation, and a hundred percent of that goes to the foundation.

So definitely if you want the opportunity to give back while you enjoy paradise and reconnect with your significant other, you know, Sandals has it all.

And and the Sandals Foundation makes that other part possible as well.

SPEAKER_02: Well, that's fantastic.

Well, my goodness, this has been a wonderful conversation with you.

And I just want to thank you so much for being a guest on the podcast.

SPEAKER_00: Thank you for inviting me.

You know, I just returned home on Sunday, so to have you invite me so soon, I really appreciate that.

I love speaking about Sandal.

So this has been fun, and you're amazing.

So thank you for all you do for our community as well.

SPEAKER_02: Hey guys, this is Kevin.

I just wanted to pop in real quick.

Oh my gosh, was Jackie not awesome or what?

This was actually my first time ever talking with Jackie, even though we've known each other in the world of Facebook for quite some time.

And oh my gosh, I was just totally blown away.

She's absolutely amazing.

So, one of those things when I had this conversation with her, that I was reminded of just how awesome it is to have finally started this idea of mine, this podcast, to have made it come to life.

Because, well, it gives me an opportunity to get to meet all of these awesome people.

And I just absolutely love it.

So, whether you enjoyed the interview with Jackie or just enjoyed learning about Sandal South Coast, I'd really appreciate if you'd leave a review and share this podcast episode with your friends.

That's how we get found here at the Lowdown on Life and Travel.

It's by people like you leaving a review or sharing the podcast with your friends.

Alright, and just remember, if Standal South Coast sounds like the place for you, you've got yourself a decision to make.

You've got two awesome travel agents, myself or Jackie, who are ready to make your dreams come true.

You can of course find all of our contact information in the show and that's the logo on Like the Travel.

SPEAKER_05: Like your more than a