I have been Sandal-ized!

Our Sandals Chartered plane!
As I sit here in chilly Minnesota post Sandals/ Beaches MEGA FAM trip down to Exuma, Nassau and Turks Caicos, I find myself exhausted but yet with a completely fired up and newly inspired vision for myself as well as future travelers. First of all, you're probably wondering what  a MEGA FAM is. . . let me explain. 150 travel agents from all over the midwest boarded a chartered Sandals airplane and flew down to the Caribbean to get a crash course in Sandals Emerald Bay, Royal Bahamian and Beaches Turks/ Caicos resorts. We disembarked planes, hopped on buses, toured resorts, ate delicious food, gulped down Beringer wine like it was going out of style, listened to live bands, then hopped aboard the plane to do it all over again but in a different resort and on a different island. Sandals footed the bill for all of us to come and experience their properties because they know that as travel agents, we cannot give accurate and personalized attention to our clients if we have not personally experienced the property and destinations.

There is so much to say about Sandals and Beaches resorts that I would need to write a small novel to capture all of the details and perks of these resorts. The most stand out feature of all of these resorts was 100% the wonderful  and can-do attitude of the  staff of the resorts. I couldn't tell you how many times I was turned around on the Beaches resort and how  many times I needed to ask a resort staff to direct me back to my room. They didn't just direct me to my room, they stopped whatever they were doing and walked me all the way back to my room and with a big smile.

We had a waitress by the name of Anastacia at Beaches, Turks and Caicos that blew our mind!! She worked at Mario's restaurant and was by far the most entertaining and engaging waitress I have ever had. She introduced us to the house special drink and after we fell in love with that drink, we asked for another "really good one!" Anastacia went to the bartender, " Darlee" and came back with a concoction for which she refused to share the intricate details of the ingredients. She sat as we sipped and watched us with eyes wide open and a smile that covered her face from ear to ear and marveled at our delight in what she just brought us. We begged her to tell us what was in it but she played us like fine violins and left us hanging with knowing a few key ingredients. It was a dance between waitress and guests that was so entertaining and fun that I wanted to go back to Mario's every day simply to see what Anastacia would bring to our table!

Where to?
Sandals focuses on creating relationships with it's guests and I guess that is a really large part of what I love about the properties. They make you feel like you are part of the Sandals family. Here's an example of that. I took advantage of the complimentary/ included snorkeling trip and boarded a boat to go snorkeling. I noticed this little white kid with a Dive Team tee-shirt on with a Beaches name tag that said, "George" on it. Turns out this little guy, George, was on holiday from England and has been coming to the resort for years and he was only 9 years old! He loves hanging around the dive shop, helping out the guys on the beach to sell their tours, helping out on the snorkeling/dive trips that he had been given a name tag was incorporated into the Beaches family. He knew exactly what he was doing and when it came time to jump in the water, our Beaches adult staff guide hollered out, " George, come on man! " and George jumped in and snorkeled along side the staff member as though they were father and son. I looked over at George and his Caribbean-dad and I noticed the relationship that had developed over years between George and the staff. They sat with him on the boat, gave him a hug and rubbed his hair like he was part of their crew and it was clear that George felt as though he was. It was a testament to the Sandals vision for creating relationships with their guests and going above and beyond what other resorts would do. George will always stick in my head and I'm fairly certain that we'll see him in the future as either a Sandals/Beaches staff member or a CEO of his own sailing fleet!

The properties...the rooms, the swimming pools, the beaches, the amenities are all fantastic and do not disappoint. I won't go on and on about that because those are simply the external wonders of Sandals/ Beaches resorts. They make the stay more comfortable and delicious but it really is the people of the resorts that make your stay amazing.  Butch Stewart, the mastermind behind Sandals resorts flew from Jamaica to Exuma to greet all of us travel agents because he realizes that relationships matter and he displayed that belief with his actions as do all of his 10,000 Sandals and Beaches staff members.
Butch Stewart ~ mingling with the agents.

If you want to expand your family into the Caribbean, check out Sandals and Beaches. Expand your horizons to Sandals and Beaches resorts and come away from it a better person. Viva la Vida!

Swim up bar, pool, ocean view... perfection!

The only thing wrong with this picture is that YOU are not it in. 

                                   
                              Sandals Emerald Bay in Exuma. 

    
        This is me loving every single minute of this.
The dive center at Beaches Turks/ Caicos 
                                   
The docks. . . ready, set, sail...
                           
                       Sandals staff from Jamaica that came along to join us agents.I've got three new sisters! 
   
Grover came to tuck me into bed and his buddy read me a bed time story! What 3 year old wouldn't want this?

        
       The Royal Bahamian crew getting ready to say their farewell to us!

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