I am very proud to share the following "Sandals Says" article with you all! Enjoy!

Sandals Resorts International is proud to announce several of the company’s resorts received accolades in the annual Caribbean Travel + Life “Best of the Caribbean” Readers' Choice awards.  For the second consecutive year, Beaches Turks & Caicos Resort Villages & Spa received the award for “Best All-Inclusive Resort.”  In addition to this prestigious award, Beaches Turks & Caicos Resort Villages & Spa also received an honorable mention for “Best Family Resort,” and Sandals Emerald Bay Great Exuma, Bahamas received an honorable mention for “Best All-Inclusive Resort.”  These honors were presented at the Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association’s Caribbean Marketplace held on January 22 - 24, 2012 in Nassau Paradise Island, Bahamas.

 “We are thrilled to have been awarded and recognized by Caribbean Travel + Life’s Readers’ Choice awards,” says Adam Stewart, CEO of Sandals Resorts International. “It is truly gratifying to see positive results from our continued dedication to providing guests the best possible experience, as well as maintaining top standards in the travel industry.”

 Always a fan favorite, Beaches Turks & Caicos Resort Villages & Spa features a seamless blend of European charm and Caribbean flair, all the while providing guests with every luxury imaginable. This enchanting resort is designed to satisfy all the needs and desires of the modern day family with luxurious accommodations, sixteen specialty restaurants; premium brand beverages, including wines from Beringer Vineyards; a wide array of land and watersports, including snorkeling and SCUBA for certified divers, Pirate’s Island waterpark, airport transfers and even gratuities.  Additionally, as with all Beaches Resorts, the resort offers an XBOX® 360 Game Garage, exclusive Kids Camp with a full schedule of age-appropriate activities, as well as childcare provided by Certified Nannies. There is truly something for everyone at Beaches Turks & Caicos Resort Villages & Spa.

 Each year, Caribbean Travel + Life invites its readers to vote for their favorite beaches, hotels, restaurants and resorts in the annual Best of the Caribbean Readers' Choice awards. This year, more than 150,000 votes were cast to determine the 2012 award winners.  Award recipients will be featured in the annual “Best of the Caribbean” special issue of Caribbean Travel + Life which hits newsstands on February 14, 2012.

~ Sandals’ newest Luxury Included® Resort Honored as One of the Best Hotels in the World in 2011 ~

Sandals Emerald Bay in Great Exuma, Bahamas has been recognized as a 2011 Fodor’s 100 Hotel award winner by Fodor’s, the leading name in travel guides. This honorable award distinguishes the Sandals Emerald Bay property as an outstanding resort in the opinion of Fodor’s editors and travel experts.

The resort has been specially recognized in the new “Most Trusted Brand” category, an honor reserved for the most stand-out resorts among familiar and trusted brands. This novel category highlights world-class international hotel chains, noted for their superior amenities including exceptional cuisine, lavish spas and remarkable design.  

Each year, editors at Fodor’s travel the globe in search of fabulous new locations and lodgings. The prestigious award given to Sandals Emerald Bay is a true testament to the consistent standards of excellence displayed by the Luxury Included® resort chain for two people in love. As a 2011 Fodor’s 100 Hotel Award-winning property, Sandals Emerald Bay will be featured on www.Fodors.com and celebrated at the announcement event in New York City.  A complete list of all 100 selected hotels is available at http://www.fodors.com/world/hotel-awards/2011/.

I am so proud to share this with you:

Sandals Resorts International is proud to announce being awarded top honors at the World Travel Awards 2011 Caribbean & The America’s Awards Ceremony.  Sandals Resorts International received an impressive 11 total awards, the highest amount of awards ever won by the Luxury Included® resort company. These awards are a true testament to the continued evolution of the brand and its resorts.

In addition to winning a record-breaking number of awards, Sandals Resorts International also received the distinguished title of Caribbean’s Leading Hotel Brand for the 18^th year in a row. Sandals Resorts and Beaches Resorts top honors included:

Caribbean's Leading Hotel Brand: Sandals Resorts International (18^th consecutive year)

Caribbean’s Leading Luxury All-Inclusive: Sandals Emerald Bay, Great Exuma, Bahamas

Caribbean's Leading Family All-Inclusive: Beaches Turks & Caicos Resort Villages & Spa, Turks & Caicos

Caribbean's Leading Honeymoon Resort: Sandals Grande Antigua Resort & Spa (2^nd consecutive year)

Antigua & Barbuda's Leading Resort: Sandals Grande Antigua Resort & Spa

Bahamas' Leading Spa Resort: Sandals Royal Bahamian Spa Resort & Offshore Island

Jamaica's Leading Hotel: Sandals Negril Beach Resort & Spa (2^nd consecutive year)

Jamaica's Leading Resort: Sandals Grande Riviera Beach & Villa Golf Resort

Jamaica's Leading Spa Resort: Sandals Whitehouse European Village & Spa

Saint Lucia's Leading Resort: Sandals Grande St. Lucian Spa & Beach Resort (2^nd year)

Saint Lucia's Leading Spa Resort: Sandals La Toc Golf Resort & Spa

The World Travel Awards further honored Sandals Resorts when it presented Chairman Gordon “Butch” Stewart with the first-ever Tourism Pioneer Award, which recognizes individuals whose passion, commitment and trailblazing vision significantly improve the tourism industry.

This year’s ceremony was held on Wednesday, October 19 in Montego Bay, Jamaica at Sandals Royal Caribbean Resort and Private Island. The World Travel Awards were established in 1993 for the purpose of recognizing and celebrating achievements in all areas of the world’s travel and tourism industry. This year’s voting campaign reached a total of 183,000 travel professionals in more than 160 countries.

Here is an update on Beaches Turks and Caicos:

 Beaches Resorts Turks & Caicos Resort Villages & Spas reports that all guests remained safely on property during Hurricane Irene.  There is, however, landscaping debris throughout the resort and in order to assess the damage and ensure the safety of our guests, Beaches Turks & Caicos will not accept any arrivals for the next 15 days.  Following this time and a full review of the property, we will reassess the situation and provide additional details and confirm the reopening date. Guests scheduled to travel to Beaches Turks & Caicos while the resort remains closed will receive a full credit valid for up to one year towards a future stay at any Sandals Resorts or Beaches Resorts in the Caribbean.  Certain restrictions and black-out dates may apply. The safety and security of our guests remains the top priority and we look forward to welcoming guests back to Beaches Turks & Caicos.

Were thrilled to share that, once again, Sandals Resorts was victorious in three of the top Baxter Travel Media Agents’ Choice Awards this year, as voted on by Canadian travel agents.  The winning categories included:

• Favourite All-Inclusive - 12 years in row
• Favourite Hotel Chain - 5 years in a row
• Favourite Environmentally-Friendly Company - 4 years in a row

Please see a press release below with full details on these awards:

 SANDALS RESORTS VICTORIOUS IN CANADIAN  2011 AGENTS’ CHOICE AWARDS    

Voted “Favourite All-Inclusive”, “Favourite Hotel Chain” and “Favourite Environmentally-Friendly Company” by Canadian Travel Agents   

Toronto, Canada – There is no other resort company that has received the recognition from the Canadian travel agent community than Sandals Resorts International.  Once again, Canadian agents have overwhelmingly voted Sandals as their favourites in the 2011 Agents Choice Awards, the largest sampling of Canadian travel agent opinions. The resort company (including its sister brand, Beaches Resorts) was named by Canadian agents as their “Favourites” in three leading categories in the 12^th annual Agents’ Choice Awards, including: “Favourite All Inclusive” for the twelfth year in a row, “Favourite Hotel Chain” for the fifth year running; and “Favourite Environmentally Friendly Company” for the fourth straight year. 

 “To win three prominent Agents Choice Awards is indeed an honour and something that we do not take lightly.  We strive every day to ensure that Canadian agents are equipped with the best and most sales and marketing tools available in the travel industry,” says Maureen Barnes-Smith, Director of Sales & Marketing, Canada, Unique Vacations Inc., worldwide representative of Sandals Resorts, Beaches Resorts and Grand Pineapple Beach Resorts. “These awards are further testament to the support and trust that Canadian agents place in the Sandals brand.” 

This year, over 4,700 Canadian travel agents voted in 24 industry categories – marking an impressive 22% increase in voters from the previous year. The awards were launched in 2000 by Toronto-based Baxter Travel Media and its flagship publications, Canadian Travel Press and Travel Courier.  The annual Agents’ Choice Awards have become a landmark in the Canadian travel industry giving voice to agents who select their top three favourite travel suppliers in various categories with their votes weighted accordingly – three points for a first place vote, two for second and one for third.

 Sandals Resorts came out on top as “Favourite All-Inclusive”, just as they have done every year in this category since the Awards’ inception.  A convincing winner, Sandals received 5,713 points – more than double the number of second-place RIU which garnered 2,171 points and more than triple the number of third-place Bahia Principe which claimed 1,594 points. 

Canadian agents also reaffirmed that Sandals is viewed not only as an all-inclusive company but as one of the world’s leading hotel brands by selecting Sandals as their  “Favourite Hotel Chain”, with a total of 3,576 points – well ahead of the nearest competitor, Fairmont Hotels who scored 2,047 points. 

 Canadian agents have recognized Sandals for its environmental, educational and community outreach throughout the Caribbean region by choosing Sandals as their “Favourite Environmentally Friendly Company” for the fourth consecutive year, with a total of 2,948 points to claim top spot in this category.

Guests booking last-minute travel to the Caribbean this summer are in luck as Sandals Resorts and Beaches Resorts announce the Summer Instant Savings Promotion. Guests staying at 12 Sandals Resorts and 3 Beaches Resorts for a 6-night minimum stay in ANY room category will receive $300 in instant savings. The Summer Instant Savings Promotion is combinable with all other consumer saving promotions, including up to 65% off sale, and is available for bookings made from July 8 – July 31, 2011 for travel from July 14 – August 31, 2011. The Summer Instant Savings Promotion is also bookable at Sandals Royal Bahamian in Nassau from July 12 – July 24 for travel July 14 – August 31. 

As with all Luxury Included® vacations, a stay at Sandals Resorts or Beaches Resorts offers more quality inclusions than any other resort company on the planet with superior accommodations, endless gourmet dining options, unlimited premium brand wine and spirits, nightly entertainment, watersports including snorkeling and scuba diving for certified divers and a myriad of other exclusive amenities.

 For complete terms and conditions or for more information please call 1-800-545-8283.

It gives me great pleasure to share this article with you!

On May 9, 2011, Sandals Resorts’ Chairman Gordon ‘Butch’ Stewart was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award for hospitality excellence by the American Academy Hospitality Sciences (AAHS) during an exclusive ceremony held at The Plaza Hotel in New York City. As a leader in the resort industry, it comes as no surprise that his Luxury Included® Sandals Resorts and Beaches Resorts also took home several prestigious Six and Five Star Diamond Awards for 2011 during the ceremony.

Joseph D. Cinque, President and CEO of the AAHS was on hand to present Mr. Stewart with the highly-coveted awards in New York City, stating that his “entrepreneurial spirit has transformed the all-inclusive resort experience and created one of the world’s most recognized luxury brands.” The American Academy of Hospitality Sciences is the world's premiere organization for awarding excellence in travel, cuisine, luxury products and services. Each year, the Academy bestows its coveted International Star Diamond Award — a recognition that many strive for but few achieve — on superlative establishments that are deemed to be of pinnacle quality.

Following the ceremony, Mr. Stewart stated, “We are extremely honored to receive these coveted awards for properties throughout the portfolio, and believe it is a true testament to our continued dedication to guest satisfaction. We are proud to continue expanding our product, while maintaining the highest quality of services and amenities.”

Sandals Resorts International brought home a total of twenty-two Star Diamond Awards for 2011, including:

Six Star Diamond Award:

• The Mediterranean Village at Sandals Grande Antigua Resort & Spa
• Sandals Emerald Bay, Great Exuma, Bahamas
• The Italian Village at Beaches Turks & Caicos Resort Villages & Spa

Green Six Star Diamond Award:

• Red Lane® Spa at Sandals Emerald Bay, Great Exuma, Bahamas
• Sandals Emerald Bay, Great Exuma, Bahamas for overall property procedures
• Beaches Resorts for ‘Keeping it Green’

Five Star Diamond Award:

• Sandals Grande Antigua Resort & Spa
• Sandals La Toc Golf Resort & Spa in St. Lucia
• La Toc Restaurant at Sandals La Toc Golf Resort & Spa in St. Lucia
• Sandals Grande St. Lucian Spa & Beach Resort
• Sandals Royal Bahamian Spa Resort & Offshore Island
• Sandals Negril Beach Resort & Spa
• Sandals Royal Plantation, Ocho Rios, Jamaica
• Red Lane® Spa at Sandals Royal Plantation, Ocho Rios, Jamaica
• Sandals Whitehouse European Village & Spa
• Beaches Negril Resort & Spa
• Beaches Turks & Caicos Resort Villages & Spa
• Mario’s Restaurant at Beaches Turks & Caicos
• Le Petit Chateau Restaurant at Beaches Turks & Caicos
• Sandals Resorts Arrival Lounge at Montego Bay’s Sangster International Airport
• Fowl Cay Resort, Exuma, Bahamas
• Rio Chico Private Estate Ocho Rios, Jamaica - a member of the Private Villas of Sandals & Beaches Resorts.

SANDALS RESORTS LAUNCHES INTERACTIVE IPAD APPLICATION

In the latest line of marketing tools for travel agents, Sandals Resorts International, the Luxury Included® resort company, has created a new iPad application that quickly and elegantly reveals all the secrets of the most unique and creatively appointed suites in the Caribbean. The free interactive app allows agents and their clients the opportunity to virtually tour Sandals Resorts’ renowned suites and luxury included amenities firsthand as they would on location. Sneak peeks include in-the-round views of the exotic beachfront Rondoval suites; the floating entry to the exclusive Swim-Up suites with private pool-side patios and million-dollar views from a 180-degree perspective, revealing Saint Lucia’s bluff-top Millionaire’s suite, equipped with a three-story sundeck and private pool.

The interactive application allows users to transport themselves to the Caribbean with the technology of the iPad and innovation of Sandals Resorts, regardless of their location. App users can view select suites from the Sandals Resorts’ portfolio, and click on one of the many magnifying icons which allow agents and guests to view the product in greater detail. The Sandals Resorts app also offers individual resort maps, destination information, a detailed account of the Luxury Included® vacation experience, which offers more quality inclusions than any resort on the planet, as well as links to the Sandals Resorts website for more information. Take a closer look inside Sandals Resorts’ luxury suites and amenities by visiting http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/sandals-suites/id433627859?mt=8#  today and downloading the new Sandals Suites app for the iPad.