A few weeks ago, Paul and I adventured to St. Lucia and stayed at the Sandals La Grande resort for a week of rest and relaxation. In today’s post, I am sharing my thoughts on the Sandals La Grande resort. If you missed my St. Lucia vlogs, you can catch up here, here, here and here.
Before I share my review, I want to give a huge shout out to Lisa’s Dream Destinations for organizing our entire vacation! Lisa is a professional travel agent who is free of charge (yes, you read that right). She makes commission from the resort directly so her clients don’t pay her a cent. From accommodations, excursions, COVID protocols, and more, Lisa seriously helped minimize the stress of planning. She will also handle flights, but since we had United miles, we opted to book on our own. If you are interested in using a travel agent for your next vacation, reach out to Lisa and say you were referred by Miss Olivia Says!
Accommodations
I’ll start my review by sharing by thoughts on the accommodations. If you watched my vlogs, you know that we stayed in a deluxe walk-out room the first 4 nights followed by an overwater bungalow the final 3 nights. Sandals makes it very easy to do a split stay if you prefer to not pay the premium prices of an upgraded room your entire stay. Our travel agent handled all of the confirmations with the resort and ensured we had a seamless transition. Although our deluxe walkout room was probably the lowest tier of rooms, it was very nice and would have been a great place to stay the entire week. Each day while we were at the pool or beach, housekeeping cleaned our room and even left a bottle of champagne and slice of cake to celebrate our anniversary on day two. Our fridge was stocked daily with water, beer, sodas, and juices. We were also provided two bottles of wine and although we did not drink them, if we had, housekeeping would replenish the next day. In the evenings, housekeeping also did a turn down service, which is a nice touch. The room was very clean and the bed was huge and quite comfy. The only downside was our upstairs neighbors seemed to be rearranging their furniture each evening, so the sound of moving tables, chairs and couches was a bit annoying
Our overwater bungalow was an amazing experience. I can’t believe I didn’t take many pictures of it when we arrived, but I do have this vlog where I give a tour! The OWB at Sandals comes with a butler, as do many of the other upgraded room options. We barely left the bungalow during our stay mainly because we loved the peace and quiet, but also it was quite pricey and we wanted to get our money’s worth. Housekeeping did a fabulous job and came by each day while we were hanging out on the deck and again in the evening for turn down service. In the OWB, you can get meals from any of the restaurant prepared and delivered to your room for a private dining experience. We only ventured out for lunch once while in the bungalow, so you can say we enjoyed dining in-room. Another benefit of having a butler is you can get reservations to any restaurant on the property. I’ll touch on the reservation process later in this post, but it is definitely a perk.
Activities
Paul and I decided to opt out of excursions this trip, except for golf mid-week. We don’t have specific feedback on which excursions are a must, but there are plenty of options. You can book excursions prior to arriving (which a travel agent can handle), or once you get to the resort. There is a excursion desk in the lobby with plenty of options based on your interests. The golf experience was interesting and not something we would do again if we returned. Being the golf obsessed couple we are, it is cool to say we’ve golfed in St. Lucia, but the experience was unorganized. The shuttle to the golf course was 40 minutes late and check-in once there was a cluster. It is basically a free for all and groups tee off in the order that you check-in. Paul and I were off the shuttle first so we were able to tee off ahead of the 5 other groups from our resort, but there were already guests from the other two Sandals ahead of us pace of play was slow. The course itself while in a pretty location, wasn’t in the best condition. We originally paid for 18-holes but ended up getting refunded the last 9 holes at the turn and hopped on the shuttle back to the resort.
At the resort, there are plenty of free activities throughout the day. The main pool has interactive games with the guests each afternoon. Paul and I loved the beach volleyball, but we only played twice because water volleyball (which was at the same time) seemed to attract the most people. In the evenings, Sandals puts on entertainment around 8:00 or 9:00pm. We went to bed early most of the trip so we only managed to catch the fire and water show, but from what other guests told us, the entertainment is pretty good.
We also opted to reserve a cabana for the day, which was one of our favorite parts of the trip. I believe it was around $100, but we got a private cabana on the beach from 8:00-5:00pm. It also came with a cabana attendant, so we were able to order food and drinks throughout the day. Luckily, we reserved the cabana on the one day that there were some scattered showers. It was convenient being able to hide out in our cabana any time it started to down pour for 5 minutes at a time.
Dining
I’ll start by saying I really enjoyed the food at Sandals La Grande. All-inclusive resorts tend to be hit or miss with food quality, but I enjoyed a majority of the food. At home I don’t eat 3 large meals each day, so by the end of the trip I was a little tired of eating. Also, Sandals does not skimp on the portions, so expect a full plate of bacon when you ask for a side at breakfast 🙂 The one frustration we had with the dining experience was the reservation process. There are 3 restaurants on site that do not require reservations, but every other option you have to book in advance. When we arrived on Saturday, Paul waited in line at the ‘Culinary Experience’ desk for 45 minutes and was unable to get reservations for the first two nights. As I mentioned previously, if you have a butler, they magically can get you a table anywhere without hassle. We ended up eating at what would be our favorite restaurant, Soy, the first night and the Pub the second night. Prior to our overwater bungalow, we managed to get reservations for the Italian restaurant, Toscaninis, and Kimono’s (hibachi). Of all the restaurants we tried, Paul’s least favorite was Toscaninis and mine was the Pub.
While in the OWB, the breakfast each morning was fabulous. We had an in-room menu that included breakfast, lunch and dinner. You can also order from specific restaurants at the resort, which we did on Thursday and Friday. Our travel agent also booked us a candlelight dinner on the first night in the bungalow. Typically, the candlelight dinner is set up on the beach, but Sandals was happy to accommodate it in our bungalow. If you opt for a candlelight dinner experience, it is an up-charge, but it was worth it. Overall, the food at Sandals La Grande was 9/10. On a random note, I loved the bananas in St. Lucia. They are smaller and sweeter than what we have in the United States. If I could have smuggled some home, I totally would have.
Service
The staff at Sandals La Grande were amazing. Every one we interacted with was so kind and genuinely wanted to help. When we arrived our room was not ready, but the staff was accommodating and provided us with champagne and gave us a thorough overview of the resort while we waited. The lobby and front desk can get busy, so expect a wait. One important thing to note is you can only get extra water bottles from the front desk. The rooms are stocked with 4-5 by housekeeping each day, but you will need to pay a visit to the front desk if you want more. It was hot and humid during our stay and I wanted to make sure we stayed hydrated. Paul and I probably went through a few cases of water during our week stay, but we definitely were hydrated.
Transportation
Sandals includes ‘free’ transportation for all guests. If you stay in a butler room, a round-trip luxury private transfer is included both to and from the airport. Originally, Paul and I were automatically confirmed for a shared shuttle to the resort and a private transfer to the airport due to our split stay. Our travel agent was able to work with the resort and get us a private transfer both ways because technically we would have had that if we did not stay in a walkout room the first 4 nights. Having a private shuttle was a great perk, but if you go in a shared shuttle, a benefit is you have the ability to meet friends prior to getting to the resort. Once we arrived in St. Lucia and got through the COVID-check, customs, and got our bags, we ventured over to the Sandals lounge (located in the airport) where we were introduced to our driver right away. If you have done any research about the Sandals La Grande resort, you probably know that the drive from the airport to the resort is long. It was about an 1 hour and 45 minutes of curves and hills so if you get carsick, take some Dramamine. Guests can also opt for a helicopter ride or ferry transport to the resort. While you skip the winding roads, you actually don’t save much time. Many people we talked to that booked a helicopter for the sole purpose of saving time, said it wasn’t worth it. You have to wait at the airport for guests who may be on other flights and you still have about a 20 minute drive once you land at the airport closer to the resort.
COVID Protocols
At the time of our vacation, St. Lucia required a negative PCR test that is reviewed upon landing in the country. Guests also have to fill out a thorough travel authorization form, provide proof of insurance if you were to get COVID (Sandals provides insurance), proof you are authorized to travel into the country (received upon submitting the aurthoization form and a negative COVID test) a health screening form, and proof of vaccination. Needless to say, I had a ton of paperwork in a folder ready to be inspected upon arrival. Additionally, non-vaccinated travelers can still travel to St. Lucia, but are not allowed to venture out of a COVID-authorized resort. Basically, you can leave your resort and adventure around the island if you have a vaccinated wrist band. COVID-protocols change often, but prior to our trip, our travel agent shared this post from The Points Guy, which helped navigate what we needed to do before arriving in St. Lucia.
At Sandals La Grande, the staff takes COVID protocols seriously. In addition to all staff members wearing masks, guests are urged to wear one while indoors. Additionally, guests must sanitize their hands upon entering restaurants and staff members often handle serving from buffets. Each room is cleaned per COVID-guidelines and sealed with a sticker upon arrival. During our stay, the Omicron variant began taking over the news and revised COVID testing required for returning US visitors were announced starting the following week. At the time, we could have been tested up to 3 days before our departure, but our butler scheduled our test for the day before anyways. As of writing this review, US travelers must now get a negative test one day before returning to the US. I will say the COVID testing at the end of our trip was a bit nerve-wracking. We weren’t feeling sick at all, but the ‘what-if’ definitely caused some anxiety. Our test results also took 14 hours to be returned, but our butler “reassured” us that if we were positive we would have received a call already.
Tipping
Sandals is known for their no-tipping policy, but there are a few scenarios where tipping is allowed. Butlers are approved to receive tips, so we brought cash with us based on a few recommendations I read. The amount to tip butlers is all over the place based on the research I did, so we tipped what we felt was appropriate. We also brought cash to tip our private transfers and masseuses from our in-room massages while in the OWB. Other than that, tipping is not accepted. I did witness a guest tipping one of the bartenders at the pool, but I believe that is usually frowned upon by Sandals.
Conclusion
We highly recommend the Sandals La Grande resort in St. Lucia. We’ve been asked if we would return, and while the answer is an obvious yes, we definitely want to explore other countries if we are spending the money. There are some serious Sandals-addicts out there and we met a few people who had been to this resort 7-8 times. Clearly that says something about the service, accommodations and how beautiful St. Lucia is. I know this post is quite long, but if I think of anything else I missed, I will be sure to update it.
Our travel agent Lisa (also my mom) organized our St Lucia vacation and ensured our trip was 10/10. She also helped us navigate St. Lucia’s COVID requirements. If you’re thinking about booking a vacation in 2022, reach out to Lisa with Lisa’s Dream Destinations. Working with a Professional Travel Agent can save you both time and money and in turn, reduce stress that comes along with travel planning. Contact Lisa today: Destinationsbylisa@gmail.com
Want more Miss Olivia Says? Check out my latest posts HERE and HERE and HERE
xoxo Olivia
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