Sandals is Heading to Curacao with New Resort

Sandals Resorts International on Thursday announced that it had signed an agreement to launch a new property in Curacao, taking over the island’s Santa Barbara Resort near the southern tip of the island. 

The property will be Sandal’s ninth island destination in the Caribbean and will continue its growth in the region, which includes a new Beaches Resort in Saint Vincent & The Grenadines. It will be Sandal’s 16th overall property when it opens. 

The plan is for the property, which is part of a 3,000-acre development, to initially include 350 rooms and suites stretched along the Spanish Water Bay and the Caribbean Sea and then for the resort to be expanded in coming years. Sandals will start construction on the renovations to turn it into a Sandals property in 2021.

According to a release announcing the news, Sandals has big plans for the Curacao property, including a lot of the brand’s signature features—expansive pools, a variety of five-star dining options, access to the neighboring 18-hole Pete Dye golf course, two onsite marinas, and 38,000-sqare-feet of meeting space.

Those plans are also expected to boost Curacao’s local economy—Sandals said the project, in year one alone, could have an over $40 million economic footprint that includes 1,200 new local jobs.

“Each time we expand, we bring with us the full potential of our 40-years in hospitality. The new Sandals Curacao embodies our philosophy of forward-thinking and looking through a new lens. It is a promise not only to our guests but to our team members for continued innovation. Curacao is a place to be discovered and we are so proud today to become part of this community,” Sandals’ Adam Stewart said in a statement announcing the news.

Sandals has been in the process of reopening its Caribbean resorts forced closed earlier this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Some of the latest to reopen include Sandals Montego Bay and Sandals Royal Barbados. Most recently it also introduced free medical insurance for its guests with a maximum benefit of $100,000 per person.