Sandals And Beaches Resorts - Calgary, Alberta

Katherine D.

Prior to departing to Jamaica, my boyfriend and I were aware of how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the Jamaican people and the tourism industry. We tried our best to tolerate minor inconveniences, and we made sure to express our appreciation to the staff whp did try to mske our experience a positive one; the inconveniences, unfortunately, became too frequent and severe to ignore. Our chaotic experience began at the airport. We arrived at the Sandals lounge, which is located in the Montego Bay airport. After two harrowing flights, we were ready to kick back and relax before getting onto the shuttle to Sandals Ochi. Instead, we came upon a massive crowd outside of the lounge; with no discernable line or check-in process. The staff were also not responsive to questions (and were blatantly ignoring questions from guests), and it was unclear whether we were even in the correct pick-up location.
Upon arriving to the resort, we were disappointed to find that our villa accommodations were pleasant but dated. It was a challenge to shower, because the bathtub lining was warped, and it felt like we were going to fall through it. Our villa pool was also broken and dirty. After we complained about the condition of the pool, the staff put in so much chlorine that it burned our eyes and the pool was essentially unusable.
Over the course of our stay, it became apparent that the resort is either poorly staffed, or staff are not appropriately trained. Staff were rude to the point of hostility, and I observed a lot of eye rolling and staff making comments about guests behind their backs. Staff also laughed and make jokes about overweight guests who were participating in the water aerobics class. Service was generally poor. In the restaurants, you observed many dirty tables that were in need of bussing that attracted the local feral cats. And if you ordered coffee or a cocktail, you'd be lucky to receive it by the end of your meal. Cocktail service was a challenge. I've never stayed at an All-Inclusive where you essentially had to "fight" for a cocktail. The only guests receiving poolside cocktail services were those that paid to reserve a cabana. It was really frustrating to have to leave the comfort of your lounge chair to walk/swim to the pool bar or trek up to the clubhouse bar every time we wanted a drink. Then, the typical wait for a drink was more than 25 minutes. I observed staff not putting alcohol in many guest drinks, and I often had to specify that I wanted rum in my drink. On one occasion, I asked for an iced tea while at dinner, and I was given pool water. In that latter situation, the manager did speak with the staff who were involved in the "joke," which I appreciated.
The quality of the food was underwhelming, and not to the standard of the hefty Sandals' price tag. We certainly did not eat at all the restaurants on the property, but we had two decent meals--both of which were at a completely different Sandals resort (Royal Plantation). Many restaurants were unavailable to reserve.
The pool seating was overcrowded, as all the poolside seating was reserved in advance by guests with butlers--whether the guests were physically present or not. Pools were closed every night before dinner, so there was no chance of watching the sunset while relaxing in the hot tub, or having an evening swim to relax. Two of the pools had damage to the lining, with pieces of tile and concrete peeling off; leaving very sharp edges.
The hotel offered COVID testing for re-enry to the US, which was convenient, but we did not receive our results until the very last minute prior to our departure--and after several call to management.