In The News

~From an emerging podcast to a unique trend-house exploring the latest in travel and beyond, the Caribbean’s leading resort company receives top honors from Travel Weekly, acknowledging its excellence and innovation in hospitality~

Sandals Resorts and Beaches Resorts earned a record-setting eleven (11) collective accolades in the 2023 Magellan Awards, hosted by Travel Weekly – one of the industry’s most influential providers of news, research, opinion and analysis to the North American travel trade marketplace. These esteemed awards include five gold and six silver honors recognizing the luxury included resort company’s unwavering commitment to innovation – from the trend-spotting Sandals Institute of Romance to evolving special needs programming, impactful philanthropic initiatives, unprecedented new penthouse designs and more. 

“As one of the most distinguished and dynamic outlets in the industry, Travel Weekly sets the bar high for brands across the world to deliver truly remarkable experiences,” said Adam Stewart, Executive Chairman of Sandals Resorts International. “These recognitions are particularly special because they represent not only the devotion to our guests and the communities we call home, but to the future of our brands and our promise to keep delivering experiences that speak to our commitment to evolution.” 

Innovative Hospitality Design

Sandals Dunn’s River won gold in the New Penthouse Designs category for their Coyaba Sky Villa Swim-up Rondovals, Sandals’ newest resort nestled on the coast of Ocho Rios. Reimagining an iconic Sandals suite design, the villas feature open-air rooftop terraces, complete with telescopes and a Stargazing Concierge to set up celestial experiences under the Jamaican sky. Beaches Negril also earned gold in this category for the new Eventide Penthouse Four Bedroom Butler Villas, which revolutionize the family travel experience accommodating up to 16 guests, capturing the essence of Negril’s laid-back paradise with high-end finishes in a stunning beachfront setting. Sandals Dunn’s River was also awarded as a top New Resort/Hotel, designed to reflect the phenomenon of the nearby Dunn’s River Falls with elevated and authentic Jamaican elements infused through every touchpoint. 

Specialized and Inventive Programming 

Winning gold in the All-Inclusive Resort/Hotel category, Sandals Royal Curaçao, which debuted in June of 2022 and was the brand’s first venture into the stunning island of Curaçao, has seen tremendous success from the launch of its immersive ‘Island Inclusive’ program, which takes guests to partner restaurants around the island as part of the all-inclusive offering. SRI was also recognized in the Giving Back Initiative category for the company’s Future Goals program that turns fishing nets sourced from the ocean and recycled plastic waste into soccer goals for children in partnership with Dutch professional football club AFC Ajax. Additionally, Beaches Resorts’ exceptional autism programming was awarded in the Special Needs for Hospitality category, particularly for the brand’s new ‘Sensory Guides’ that allow caregivers and guests to further cater their on-resort experience based on the sensory sensitivities they may have.

Excellence in Marketing

Taking home a gold award for best Hospitality Marketing Campaign, the Sandals Institute of Romance is a trend-house that leverages Sandals’ four decades of romance expertise to analyze and spot the latest news in modern love via global surveys aimed at real couples, with results driving the development of important partnerships and on-resort programming to enhance the guest experience. Another gold achievement, the Sandals Palmcast brings to life the behind-the-scenes happenings across the resort portfolio, with colorful insight from creative minds via weekly episodes, earning a top spot in the Hospitality Marketing Podcast category. 

The Magellan Awards represent the best in the travel industry and the travel professionals behind it all, and received a record-breaking number of entries this year across a broad range of hospitality segments. The awards are judged by a panel of top travel professionals, and winners are determined solely by a standard of excellence, meaning a category may have multiple winners or no winners at all.  

The 11 awards won under Sandals Resorts International’s portfolio are as follows:

 GOLD

• All-Inclusive Resort/Hotel – Sandals Royal Curaçao

• Luxury (Five-Star) Penthouse Design – Coyaba Rondoval at Sandals Dunn’s River

• Luxury (Five-Star) Penthouse Design – Eventide Penthouse at Beaches Negril

• Hospitality Marketing Campaign – Sandals Institute of Romance

• Hospitality Marketing Podcast – Sandals Palmcast

SILVER

• Special Needs for Hospitality – Beaches Resorts’ Autism Program

• Business/Conference Resort/Hotel – Sandals Royal Bahamian

• Giving Back Initiative – Future Goals

• Hospitality Marketing Social Media – Curaçao Calling

• Luxury (Five-Star) Restaurant Design – Lapidus Lounge at Sandals Dunn’s River

• New Resort/Hotel – Sandals Dunn’s River