Discover why Sandals Resort Grenada consistently ranks among the “Best All-Inclusive Resorts in the Caribbean” and “Best Adults-Only Resorts in the Caribbean.”
After scouring reviews we were excited to experience Sandals Grenada for ourselves. Seeking an adults-only, all-inclusive paradise with perfect weather and great rates for late fall, early winter, Grenada was our Caribbean destination of choice.
✅ We booked Sandals Grenada for its perfect blend of luxury and romance. If you’re ready to experience it for yourself, see the latest Sandals Grenada prices and secure your stay!
Here are my honest thoughts on the 10 pros and cons in this Sandals Grenada Review from our first trip. Need more tips?
✅ Click Here for 12 Hidden Tips to Make Your Sandals Grenada Trip Perfect →.
(Disclosure: Some of the product links in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive a small affiliate commission. This helps keep my blog running!)
Update Notice: This post has been updated with the latest information as of July 2024. Read our detailed Sandals Grenada Review to discover why this resort ranks among the best all-inclusive and adults-only Caribbean destinations. Learn about the pros, cons, tips, and insider secrets from our multiple visits, ensuring you make the most of your romantic getaway or honeymoon. Explore room options, dining, activities, and more!
Sandals Grenada review
Location: Sandals Resort Grenada, St. George’s Pink Gin Beach
There are 257 rooms and suites with most including romantic tranquility soaking tubs on the patios and balconies. 10 restaurants and 6 bars serve food and drinks all hours of the day. 5 pools and 2 whirlpools are located throughout the property and are beautifully designed.
Pros of Sandals Grenada
1. Proximity to Maurice Bishop International Airport (M.B.I.A)
If you are looking for an all-inclusive resort close to the airport, this location is for you. The shuttle trip was 5 minutes or less. The Maurice Bishop International Airport is located directly behind the Sandals Grenada property and while I wouldn’t recommend it, you could literally walk to the airport!
Another plus, upon arrival, customs was quick and painless, a definite highlight of our Sandals Grenada Review.
**Sandals Grenada Tip: While the airport is close to the resort, the noise is minimal. There are only a few flights arriving and departing throughout the day.
2. Friendly Staff
Having visited four Sandals Resorts, we found the staff at Sandals Grenada to be the most friendly and helpful. Their warm hospitality has us returning year after year.
**Sandals Grenada Tip: Be sure to pack an all white romper or jumpsuit for the Chocolate Party.
3. Gluten Free Menu Options at all 10 Restaurants
Dining is a major highlight at Sandals Grenada, with 10 restaurants offering gluten-free and gourmet options. See available dining packages & room rates here.
As gluten free travel is such a detailed subject, I have written a food allergy review of Sandals Grenada in a separate blog post.
4. Plenty of Entertainment
With 6 Sandals Resort vacations under our belt, we have a standing rule that we do absolutely nothing on our first full day. There are so many activities to take part in that it is tempting to jump in immediately. Our first priority is relaxation. On day two, the game changes. We are up for anything!
Every day we took part in several activities without feeling like we were too busy. With so much to do at Sandals Grenada, from water sports to sunset cruises, it’s the perfect mix of relaxation and adventure. Check availability & book your stay now!
We recommend the following:
- The Boat Tour aboard the Astonia at 3:00 PM daily – a free 60 minute tour taking you along the coast of the island. Make sure to wear water shoes as boarding the boat in the water is difficult. They do not allow any other type of shoe on the boat.
- 2023 Update to Sandals Grenada Review: The ocean was rough almost every day during our 3rd visit to Grenada. The Astonia trip was cancelled each day and we were unable to make it. Reserve your spot at the beginning of your vacation.
- Water Sports – kayaks, snorkeling, hobie cats, windsurfing, paddle boarding and scuba diving.
- Pool Volleyball – every afternoon at the “party pool” (South Seas Village Pool) enjoy a friendly game of volleyball. **Sandals Grenada Tip: Invest in silicone rings for playing water sports. A player lost his wedding ring in the pool while we were playing.
- Corn Hole Tournaments by the “quiet pool” (Main Pool)
Sandals Grenada Main Pool (Quiet Pool) - Pool Bingo games at the “party pool”
- Nightly music (click to see my YouTube video), talent shows, fashion shows and local bands at the Living Room Piano Bar
5. Quiet Property Over Thanksgiving Holiday
For an unforgettable all-inclusive, couples-only Caribbean vacation, I highly recommend booking Sandals Resort Grenada over Thanksgiving, as highlighted in our Sandals Grenada Review. We’ve spent three Thanksgiving holidays here, consistently saving on flights and room rates. Plus, with the resort not at full occupancy, you can enjoy plenty of empty cabanas and lounge chairs by the pool every day.
6. Romantic, Private Spots for Relaxation
We stayed in a first floor South Seas Honeymoon Poolside Hideaway Walkout Junior Suite with Patio Tranquility Soaking Tub room. Right outside our room was the South Seas Lagoon Pool, a quiet, infinity pool overlooking the property.
This pool was never busy and was the perfect afternoon getaway spot to nap in the shade or read a book. We often found ourselves spending the last moments of the day, before dinner, enjoying this romantic spot.
7. Fitness While On Vacation
We planned to stick to our three-day-a-week workout routine during our stay, but with all the sun, delicious food, and late nights socializing, we only made it to the gym once to check out the facilities. Despite our best intentions, we just couldn’t muster the energy to hit the treadmill. However, if staying fit is a priority for you, Sandals Resort Grenada offers excellent gym facilities and everything you need to maintain your exercise routine while enjoying your vacation.
8. Free 20 Minutes Portrait Session
We highly recommend taking advantage of the complimentary 20-minute portrait session at Sandals Resort Grenada.
Want to capture your dream Sandals vacation? Book your all-inclusive stay and take advantage of this free portrait session. Click here to reserve your trip.
Although we initially hesitated due to past experiences, our recent session left us thrilled with the beautiful sunset photographs. The talented photographers ensure you capture stunning memories to cherish forever. Whether you’re celebrating a honeymoon, anniversary, babymoon or simply want to capture your vacation bliss, this portrait session is a must-do for couples looking to make their trip even more memorable.
Tip: To find out how I styled my curls while traveling in the tropics, check out my Simple Curly Girl Styling Routine. I also shared my favorite compact hair dryer and diffuser for traveling with curly hair.
9. Beautiful Weather
We found that December offers the best rates for Sandals Grenada—see if your dates qualify for a discount! Our three trips to Grenada in late November have been delightful, with only a couple of brief passing showers that didn’t dampen our plans. Daily temperatures ranged from the high 80s to low 90s, and the sun was wonderfully strong as early as 7:30 AM. This makes late November a great time to enjoy warm, sunny days with minimal rainfall, perfect for exploring and relaxing.
10. Private Beach
Sandals Grenada is located on the Pink Gin Beach. If you prefer sunning yourself by the ocean, there are plenty of lounge chairs in the sand. It is also a private beach, so no worries about vendors tapping you on the shoulder trying to sell you their wares. However, if you leave the resort, there are a few vendors that sit on the beach selling shells or photos with their pet monkey.
**Sandals Grenada Tip: Pack water shoes. The sand isn’t soft to your feet and includes small to medium sized stones. While not necessary, these ALEADER Women’s Aqua Water Shoes, were a big help for me.
Cons of Sandals Grenada
1. Check-In Process
We’ve vacationed at four Sandals Resorts, and this was our fifth stay. To speed up the process, we filled out the online check-in forms before arrival, but encountered errors and had to check in by phone. Despite this, we had to fill out the forms again upon arrival, leading to further frustration. To avoid this, double-check your online check-in status before traveling and be prepared to complete forms at the resort. The friendly staff at Sandals Grenada will assist you, ensuring a smooth start to your vacation.
2. Gluten Free Breakfast
Gluten free travel is a delicate subject. With Celiac Disease, one must be careful about cross contamination and recipe ingredients. Overall, Sandals Resorts do a fabulous job working with gluten allergies. However, Sandals Grenada lacks gluten free breakfast options at their breakfast buffets.
During the first few days of our all inclusive vacation, we visited the buffets for breakfast. The menu options were few and included scrambled eggs, bacon, fresh fruit, juices and meats.
**Sandals Grenada Tip: The staff recommended we try the sit down breakfast at Le Jardinier. While it opens 30 minutes later than the buffets (8:00 AM), the breakfast here is worth it! We enjoyed gluten free pancakes, omelets, gluten free hash browns and more.
3. In-Room Smart TV: SnapShots
The in-room smart TV at Sandals Grenada provides event schedules, restaurant summaries, activity details, and your SnapShots photos. Having all this information readily available is incredibly convenient. We enjoyed seeing our daily photos taken around the resort. However, the technology had some glitches. While the app lets you select and notify the SnapShots office of the images you want to purchase, we encountered persistent error messages. Additionally, some guests reported issues with their photos not appearing or viewing other couples’ photos.
4. No Late Check-Out
Our 4:30 PM flight from St. George’s to Miami prompted us to inquire about a late check-out. Unfortunately, the night before we were informed that a late check-out would incur a reduced room rate, which wasn’t worth it at nearly $500 per night.
**Sandals Grenada Tip: When booking your return flight from Grenada, don’t rely on a late check-out unless you’re willing to pay the extra fee. Plan accordingly to make the most of your final day.
5. Tranquility Soaking Tubs: No Privacy
The tranquility soaking tubs at Sandals Grenada sound romantic, but the experience can be lacking. Being on the first floor, we had little privacy due to passersby and inadequate curtains that blew open. At night, frogs joined us in the tub.
Sandals Grenada Tip: Don’t choose your room based solely on the tranquility tub. If you do, bring clothespins to keep the curtains closed—they double as beach towel clips!
Lovers Hideaway Village Sandals Grenada
6. Gluten Free Thanksgiving
Sandals Resorts did an amazing job of offering their guests a full Thanksgiving menu to choose from. Unfortunately, the turkey was not gluten free as the stuffing was cooked inside the bird. This is a small negative as there were other options to choose from, such as ham.
**2023 Sandals Resort Grenada Update: I need to upgrade this to “PRO” status! During our third visit to Sandals Grenada, the talented chefs prepared a delicious gluten-free Thanksgiving dinner. The meal included mashed potatoes, vegetables, turkey, and apple pie!
7. Room Design
We stayed in the South Seas Honeymoon Poolside Hideaway Walkout Junior Suite with Patio Tranquility Soaking Tub. The location is great, close to restaurants and the party pool, but the room design has some quirks. The open floor plan includes a shower at the end of the room (see my YouTube hotel room tour), which can dampen everything nearby, including the closet next to it.
**Sandals Grenada Tip: If you stay in this room type, be sure to close your closet door while showering to keep your clothes dry.
8. Property Landscape: Hilly
This note is more for individuals who are handicapped or have a hard time walking up steep hills. Our room was at the top of a hill and even we were a little winded each time we made the trek. I declined to wear my high heels to dinner as I didn’t think I would make it down the hill without breaking my ankle!
9. SnapShots Retail Experience
**Sandals Grenada Tip: Don’t wait until the last minute to purchase your photographs.
10. Island Routes: Half Day Grenada Sampler
If you’re booking an island tour through Island Routes, consider skipping the Half Day Grenada Sampler. (Especially, if you have Celiacs.) This tour includes a brief visit to Fort Frederick with panoramic views of St. George’s, a stop at De La Grenade Industries for spiced jams (mostly gluten-free but served with gluten items), an hour in downtown St. George’s, and a distillery visit for rum and nutmeg liqueur tastings (not gluten-free).
The hour in downtown felt chaotic; we were dropped off without a map or guidance and left to explore narrow, busy streets on our own. We spent time at the small House of Chocolate Grenada museum and shop but felt lost otherwise.
The rest of the tour involved a van ride with occasional stops to point out plants and spices. We were back at the resort by 1:30 PM.
Sandals Grenada Review Conclusion
Nick, my husband, and I are seasoned Sandals Resort guests. I’ve listed the all-inclusive Sandals Resort locations we’ve visited in order of preference:
- Sandals LaSource Grenada – 2017, 2019, 2023, NEXT TRIP Dec 2024
- Sandals Grande Antigua – 2011 & 2016
- Sandals South Coast, formerly Sandals Whitehouse – 2012 (Sandals website. Photo tour coming soon!)
- Sandals Royal Bahamian – November 2014
Sandals Resort Grenada makes the top of our resort vacation list and we would most certainly visit again. The weather, staff, gluten free food options, activities and proximity to the airport make this location a must visit.
Rooms at Sandals Grenada fill up fast—secure yours today before prices rise!
This review of the Sandals Grenada resort is not a sponsored article. I have personally paid to stay at this resort and all opinions are my own.
11 Comments
Thanks for posting this! My fiancé and I are trying to decide which Sandals resort to visit for our honeymoon. I wish you had a post like this for Grande Antigua if it’s your favorite! We’re between those two. Any quick pro/cons you can share about Antigua?
Hi Julia! I do need to write a blog about Antigua. Thanks for mentioning that. I’ll get right on it and post the link when it’s finished. In the meantime, since you have a decision to make, here is a quick list.
Pros: Beautiful long, shared beach for walking. Expansive property. 20 minute ride from the airport. Several pools to choose from with varying levels of activity and privacy.
Cons: Vendors on the beach. Restaurant choices are better at other Sandals resorts. Half the property is older and needs to be upgraded.
We have booked travel back to Sandals Grenada because we loved it so much. Maybe that will help your decision. 🙂
Julia,
Thank you for encouraging me to share my thoughts on Sandals Grande Antigua. I put together a similar list of resort pros and cons. Let me know which property you decide to visit. Here’s the link to the new blog post: https://shinewithjl.com/sandals-grande-antigua-review-pros-and-cons/
Hi Jennifer
I couldn’t agree more with your summary of Sandals Grenada, spent 10 nights there May June of this year (2019). Everyone on site is so pleasant, had an issue with a killer climb to our room in the Pink Gin village and after 3 days staff agreed to relocate us to South Seas, (1 floor above yours) no issues with the showers as they are fully enclosed, used the gym facilities daily and excellent equipment, plenty to do and vast choice of food options, Ridell replaces your drinks (Rum) before you have even finished . Advice, must book some (Butch’s Steak House and Japanese) of the restaurants quickly as group bookings (6 people in our party) may need 2-3 days notice. Enjoyed it so much we already booked to go again in 12 mths time.
Hi Mark,
I’m so glad you enjoyed Sandals Grenada! We loved it there so much we are headed back for ten nights this fall (2019). Some of the hills can be rough at the resort. That was so nice of the staff to move you. I’ll have to keep in mind that the showers are enclosed at the South Seas second floor rooms. Thanks for the tip! We will be staying in a South Seas room again as that area of the resort was quiet and yet close to everything. Thank you for the update on your all inclusive trip! I’m excited that you are heading back next year.
Thanks for all the advice. Regarding high heels in the restaurants…..do they expect women to wear them? I’m packing mostly cute summer dresses but, at 5’11” I am usually wearing just low-heeled, open toe, slip on shoes, slides or flip flops in the summer. Is this going to be an issue at night? I’ve read other reviews where people said they were asked to go change their shoes. I would just die of embarrassment! TIA
Hello Irene! Thanks for reaching out. I’m actually heading back to Grenada over Thanksgiving. Maybe we will be there at the same time?
You are okay to wear flip flops to breakfast or lunch. However, no flip flops at dinner. Flats and open toed shoes are acceptable though (as long as they look nice). They don’t want you showing up for dinner looking like you walked off the beach. ha ha! This particular location is fairly laid back. At the Sandals Grande Antigua property, certain restaurants were quite picky about your beach cover-ups and shoes. Even I was sent out to change. Talk about embarrassing!
I’m heading to Sandals Grenada, arriving the day after Thanksgiving. Are nice polos acceptable for men in the evening? And do they have to wear pants or would nice khaki or colored shorts work too? For women, are dresses expected? I’m more nervous about bringing the right clothes than anything else! It’s our honeymoon too, so I’m hoping that there are places where it isn’t super crowded or rowdy. The last thing we want is a ‘spring break’ atmosphere! Thank you for any advice you can give me!
Hi Allison,
Don’t be nervous about your dinner attire!! Be excited about the amazing time you are going to have. Here’s what you really need to know… Resort Evening Attire = Dress pants or jeans for men, long or short sleeve dress shirts (with or without collar). Dress shoes or sandals. No shorts, t-shirts, sleeveless shirts, sneakers, flip flops or slippers. No hats.
There is only one restaurant at Sandals La Source Grenada that requires Resort Evening Attire and that is Le Jardinier. As long as you pack one pair of pants with a couple dress shirts for your new husband, he’ll be good! (Unless, he prefers to wear pants to dinner each night. ha ha)
I just packed my evening outfits today for our 10 day trip. Here’s what I chose: 5 maxi dresses and a couple cute tops to wear with white jeans. Shoes, I packed 1 pair of dressy wedges and 1 pair of flats. For my husband, I packed him 3 pairs of dress shorts from Banana Republic and a single pair of white, dress pants. 1 dress shirt, 4 polo shirts and 2 solid color t-shirts. He likes to wear boat shoes to dinner as they work with dress pants and shorts. (To be completely honest, this is just our dinner outfits. lol. If you need help for daily casual wear, let me know.)
Don’t worry about finding quiet places on the Sandals Grenada property. They are everywhere. I suggest taking some time when you first arrive to walk the resort and explore. If you’d like, I’ll be there at that time and can help you out! This will be my second visit to Grenada.
Let me know if you have any other questions before your trip. I’m happy to help.
Jennifer
We have strayed at 4 different sandals resorts and our favorite one is Grenada. We’ve stayed there 5 different times for about 7-8 notes each trip. We love the people, restaurants and general feel of the resort and always go over Xmas. After the first year in the Pink Gin area – beach side, 1st floor and tub – we learned a trick.
About 4 nights I’d check with travel department to book our next trip while on site to save some $$. Then I’d ask if one of the penthouse suites with infinity pool was available for remaining nights of trip. Each trip the answer was yes! So for half price, we moved up to the penthouse for the last 3-4 nights, with butler included.
Worth every penny!
Tim,
Thanks so much for the all-inclusive, Sandals Resort tip! Grenada, the spice island, is also my favorite.
To clarify, are you saying you stay in the Italian Oceanview with Skypool at the same room rate as the Pink Gin beachfront Walkout room? If so, THAT IS AWESOME! I’ve never stayed in a Love Nest Butler Suite room with a private, infinity pool! It’s on my bucket list though.
Counting the days until my next Caribbean all-inclusive vacation! January 2023 can’t arrive soon enough.
Happy Travels.
Jennifer
Shine with JL