The day has finally come – Sandals Royal Curaçao has officially opened its doors as Sandals Resorts’ 16^th property and its first on the island of Curaçao.

First announced back in December 2020, the 351-room-and-suite property – formerly the Santa Barbara Beach & Golf Resort – welcomed its first guests on June 1, marking the company’s debut in the Dutch Caribbean.

“Our vision for the Sandals Royal Curaçao experience was inspired just as much by the island’s natural beauty and colourful culture, as it was by our guests and the many ways they can engage with this amazing destination,” said Adam Stewart, Sandals Resorts Executive Chairman. “This resort – a true labour of love years in the making with my father and late founder, Gordon ‘Butch’ Stewart, as the helm – is a testament to the transformative power of tourism via next-generation experiences that not only up the ante on all-inclusive vacations, but celebrate the local people, flavours and terrains every step of the way.”

Sandals Royal Curaçao is located within the exclusive 3,000-acre Santa Barbara estate, just 15 miles from the Curaçao International Airport. It enjoys a west-facing position on the southernmost part of the island, giving guests front row seats to spectacular sunsets. The resort also boasts the brand’s first ever, bi-level Dos Awa Infinity Pool, featuring views overlooking the water and rugged mountain landscape beyond.

Locally-inspired accommodations range from the Melemele Walkout Suites (Papiamento for ‘affectionate), to the Sunchi Beachfront Suites (meaning ‘kiss’), and include entirely new room categories such as the Kurason Island Poolside Butler Bungalows and Awa Seaside Butler Bungalows. Luxury amenities and furnishings include hardwood floors, vaulted ceilings, custom crafted king-size beds, fully stocked wet bars and smart TVs, not to mention Sandals’ Signature Butler Elite service, airport transfers and 24/7 room service for select suites.

And for added luxury, top-level suites include a complimentary convertible MINI Cooper to drive around the island.

All-New Dining Concepts

On property, the resort also boasts 11 culinary concepts, including eight restaurants, seven of which are new to the brand and only available at this resort. There are also three beachside gourmet food trucks and 13 bars. All-new concepts include Aolos, home to an open-air Mediterranean dining experience, Vincent, an homage to the famous Dutch painter, and Toteki food truck, which serves traditional Curaçao fare.

For an added treat for foodies, Sandals Royal Curaçao offers the brand’s first-ever off-site dining program, ‘Island Inclusive,’ which expands its all-inclusive dining options to eight partner restaurants around the destination. Valid on seven-night minimum stays, the program is available exclusively to guests who are booked in Butler suites, as well as Sandals Select Reward Members (Diamond, Pearl, Ambassadors Club levels), offering one US$250 voucher to dine out at one of the eight partner restaurants, with off-site roundtrip transportation included. The curated restaurant selection varies from chic gastro bars to international fusion restaurants, to more classic establishments serving elegant cuisine paired with ocean views.

Giving Back

Sandals Resorts International’s philanthropic arm, the Sandals Foundation, joined forces with the Netherlands’ AFC Ajax team to launch Future Goals, a program that turns fishing nets sourced from the ocean and recycled plastic waste into soccer goals for children. Expanding opportunities for locals through sports, particularly ‘football,’ the landmark partnership kicks off at primary schools across Curaçao. The program’s official launch was celebrated last month at MGR Niewindt College, with students receiving the first set of Future Goals.

The program is one of the many projects underway on the island of Curaçao for the Sandals Foundation, including beach cleanups that have helped rid the planet of over 400,000 kilograms of trash to date, and the development of a digital hiking app in partnership with IVN Tiny Forest the Netherlands, to make the island’s natural resources more accessible to visitors and locals.

To learn more about Sandals Royal Curaçao, contact your local Sandals BDM or Inside Sales at 1-800-545-8283 or visit sandals.com.

Source: Travelweek