- Beaches Resorts are family-friendly, all-inclusive resorts that are part of the Caribbean-owned Sandals brand. There are three Beaches properties, two in Jamaica and one in Turks and Caicos. I’ve stayed at all three properties and can personally vouch that at Beaches, all-inclusive means all-inclusive, with no skimping.
- There are no hidden extra costs. Everything from meals to entertainment to supervised kid’s programming are part of the package and won’t cost you an extra penny. While a Beaches vacation is not inexpensive, there’s no cutting corners on any aspect of the experience.
- In my experience, Beaches vacation really is the epitome of ease, offering busy families a chance to relax, an intangible benefit.
The basics: What to know about Beaches Resorts
Each of the three Beaches Resorts offers a big bang for your buck. While there are many amenities that are consistent across the brand, there are also features that make each resort unique.
Located on Jamaica’s Seven Mile Beach, Beaches Negril suits vacationers seeking a laid-back environment. With 10 restaurants and 197 guest rooms, there’s a room configuration and epicurean experience to fit your family. The resort courts multigenerational families with its expansive Firesky Reserve Villas and Eventide Penthouse Collection that fit up to 18 guests, with living areas, fully- equipped kitchens, and rooftop terraces. I recently stayed in a villa and can confirm it’s super-luxe and very spacious, plus there’s butler service.
BEST FOR YOU: How to choose the best Beaches Resort
Also in Jamaica is Beaches Ocho Rios. It fits golfing families to a tee, with green fees and roundtrip transfers to Upton Estate Golf & Country Club, an 18-hole course awarded four stars by Golf Digest, included. The resort has 7 eateries and 222 rooms spread across lush tropical gardens.
Situated on the powdery sand of Grace Bay Beach, Beaches Turks and Caicos on the island of Providenciales is the largest of the three Beaches resorts, with 758 rooms scattered across five distinctive villages. This size difference is reflected in the impressive amenities, with 21 dining spots, 10 pools, and the brand’s biggest Pirates Island Waterpark, featuring 45,000 square feet of slides, a lazy river, and a Surf Simulator.
A Beaches vacation is 100% all-inclusive
There are hundreds of Caribbean all-inclusive resorts vying for your family’s vacation dollars. While a Beaches getaway is not cheap, it offers excellent value when you factor in all that you get, which is pretty much everything. Meals, beverages, kids’ club, entertainment, water sports, a waterpark, land sports, Wi-Fi, and transportation from the airport to the resort are part of the deal. I’ve never had a costly surprise when I’m presented with the bill, just the sad reality that I’m waving goodbye to paradise.
Of course, if you want a pampering massage at the Red Lane Spa or a professional family photo session you’ll pay extra, but I’ve never opened my purse even once during my stays.
The no-tipping policy can save you big bucks
Tipping can quickly add to your vacation budget. At Beaches, tips are built into your rate. The brand’s no-tipping policy means there’s no need to keep your wallet handy and pass out bills every time you order a drink or snack.
TRY IT OUT: Why every family should try an all-inclusive at least once
The exception to the no-tipping policy is for guests staying in villas with butler service. At these ultra-luxurious accommodations, tipping your butler, who does everything from shining your shoes to keeping your fridge stocked with your favorite beverages and snacks, is at your discretion.
Specialty restaurants don’t cost extra
I live to eat and am often disappointed at the bland menu offerings and starchy buffets at many all-inclusive resorts. At Beaches, creative culinary concepts let you to kiss boring goodbye and indulge in tasty Caribbean and authentic international treats, from Italian to Peruvian cuisine, at sit-down restaurants. At some all-inclusive resorts, you’ll pay extra for specialty dining, but at Beaches, there’s no additional fee to indulge.
Casual options with lots of kid-appeal, such as pizza, frozen yogurt, soft-serve ice-cream, and even an assortment of fun food trucks at Beaches Turks and Caicos, should please little eaters.
If a member of your family has allergies or dietary restrictions, the staff will work with you to create a safe (and delicious) meal plan. You can actually sit down with one of the senior chefs and work out a plan that’s both delicious and safe.
Top-shelf drinks sweeten the deal for grownups
Alcohol flows freely at swim-up bars, traditional bars, and restaurants, plus each guest room has its own well-stocked bar. Top-shelf brands such as Appleton Estate Jamaican rum will take your Dark and Stormy up several notches.
Oenophiles won’t be sipping Two-Buck Chuck. Beaches partners with California’s Robert Mondavi Winery to offer a selection of six quality house wines from Mondavi’s Twin Oaks varietals. Savor free-flowing Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Shiraz whenever you please.
If coffee is your beverage of choice, Beaches serves freshly-ground Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee, a costly brew that’s revered for its silky mouthfeel, lack of bitterness, and notes of flowers and chocolate.
The kids club is complimentary
From 9 a.m. until 9 p.m., infants thru teens can be dropped-off at age-specific clubs.
Beaches goes above and beyond to assure parent’s that their children will be in extremely competent hands while at supervised clubs. All nannies and kid’s camp team are members of the International Nanny Association, America’s oldest and largest in-home child care association. Nannies have been trained in safety, nutrition, and child development.
Additionally, nannies who specialize in infant care for ages 0-24 months and all childcare specialists have an Associate Degree in Early Childhood Education.
TEENS ARE KIDS TOO: 10 best family resorts with teens clubs
Beaches is proud to be the first resort company in the world to complete the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES) training and Autism Certification. This means that all nannies and staff members must complete at least 40 hours of autism sensitivity training. Beaches offers families with children with autism and other special needs personalized service and custom dining options.
Land sports are part of the package
Greens fees at Sandals golf clubs, day and night tennis, beach volleyball, shuffleboard, basketball and many more land-based sports are available free of charge. If you’d like to keep up with your regular exercise routine, the state-of-the-art fitness center makes it easy.
Guests get unlimited water sports, too
Each of the three Beaches properties benefit from their pristine seaside locations on stunning swaths of sand. Choose from an aquatic smorgasbord of no-cost options, such as aqua bikes, kayaking, snorkeling, windsurfing, stand-up paddleboards, and sailing. For certified scuba divers, up to two dives a day every day are included.
If your family prefers swimming in a pool, there are big and small ones. Pirates Island Waterpark has a lazy river, splash pads, slides, and more, for hours of fun.
Round-trip transfers make getting there easy
Not only can it be costly to transport your family from the airport to a resort, it’s not exactly relaxing to have to figure out transportation in a foreign country. Even if you’ve done your planning and have pre-booked, a reliable ride to your hotel is worth its weight in gold. Beaches includes round trip transportation from the airport to the resort, for an easy departure and arrival.
Quality entertainment keeps everyone smiling
Beaches partnership with Sesame Street means kids can play with their favorite furry friends from Public Television as they bake with Cookie Monster and have a tea party with Elmo. The weekly character parade is a big hit with little kids and kids at heart like myself, who have fond memories of watching the show as a child.
The enthusiastic entertainment team creates family-friendly entertainment each evening, from steel drum concerts to a spectacular water show in the swimming pool, complete with acrobats and fire-breathers.
Beaches makes it easier to give back
The Sandals Foundation, the resort’s philanthropic arm, is committed to increasing literacy in the Caribbean. Guests have the chance to join a Reading Road Trip, voluntourism at its finest. I recently spent the morning reading to a group of preschoolers at West End Infant School, a short drive from Beaches Negril. It was a rare opportunity to meet local educators and children, and a highlight of my time in Jamaica.
