Sandals resorts are all-inclusive adults-only retreats throughout the Caribbean. If you’ve looked at a Sandals resort for your Caribbean honeymoon or vacation, you may have noticed all the different room categories they offer, with some suites called Love Nest Suites, some referring to Butler level, some described as Club level, etc.
It can be confusing when you’re evaluating which room category to choose for your Sandals honeymoon or romantic vacation, so we’re here to help. In this article, we will compare the different categories, from Sandals luxury vs. Sandals club vs. butler level rooms, as well as explain the difference between concierge and butler service at a Sandals resort.
Sandals Luxury vs. Club vs. Butler Level Overview
The three Sandals Resorts room categories are Sandals Luxury, Club level, and Butler Elite level. As you go up a level, you get more amenities included, and you also can find more unique and opulent suite choices.
Basically, Sandals Luxury are the “entry” level rooms, but they still come with all of the amazing inclusions that Sandals resorts are known for, such as unlimited meals and snacks at multiple gourmet restaurants, unlimited nonalcoholic and premium alcoholic beverages, an in-room minibar that’s refreshed daily, Robert Mondavi wines, a wide range of water and land activities (including scuba diving, fitness centers, and greens fees at resorts that have golf courses), entertainment, WiFi, airport transfers, and all tips and taxes.
Sandals Club Level Rooms
Sandals Club level rooms also include room service (during set hours), and the Butler Elite level rooms include 24-hour room service plus add the amenity of a personal butler. Some of the swankiest Butler Elite suites are called Love Nest Suites.
Sandals Luxury Level Benefits
The Luxury level rooms at Sandals Resorts may be considered the “entry-level” rooms, but they still deliver plenty of luxury, from plush beds and amenities from the spa to private terraces or balconies and oversized Tranquility Soaking Tubs™ for two (although not all Luxury level rooms have these last two features). Most of the rooms at this level will have garden views, but luxury rooms at Sandals South Coast in Jamaica have ocean views.
Sandals Club Level Benefits
If you’ve researched Sandals resorts, you may have heard the term “Club Sandals.” What is Club Sandals? This is just the term for the extra amenities you get if you book a Club level room at a Sandals resort.
The extra amenities that come with Sandals Club level rooms include free room service from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. so you can easily enjoy a romantic sunset dinner on your private balcony or indulge in breakfast in bed, as well as an upgrade of the minibar to a full-size fully stocked bar. The rooms available at the Club level are also a bit nicer, with better views and more luxurious touches.
You also get an upgraded experience of being greeted when you arrive by someone from the Club Sandals Concierge team (with warm or cool towels to refresh you) and taken through a private check-in at the Club Sandals Lounge, which can be a wonderful way to start your tropical escape. You are then given a private orientation to the resort, which can be especially beneficial if you’ve never been there before and help you take full advantage of everything that’s offered.
Is Sandals Club level worth it? Many couples think so, citing the complimentary room service and the private check-in as making their honeymoon or vacation even more special. They also enjoy access to the Club Sandals Lounge, which is open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. and offers a private place to hang out, play a game, read a book, or enjoy complimentary drinks, snacks, and sweets.
In addition, Club Sandals level rooms come with the services of the Club Sandals Concierge staff from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. each day, who can assist with any extra activities you want to do during your stay like area excursions, private dinners on the beach, spa appointments, etc. They can also book dinner reservations and reserve private beach cabanas for you. And, there are special activities and events planned that are just for Club Sandals guests.
Sandals Club level rooms give you a lot of extras and don’t usually cost too much more than a luxury level room, so they are worth checking out, especially if you’re interested in an ocean view.
Sandals Butler Level Benefits
When you book a Sandals Butler Elite level suite, you get the amazing extra of the services of a personal butler (trained by the Guild of Professional English Butlers!). This can really enhance your experience, as your butler will be there when you arrive to greet you with extras like a lemongrass-scented towel, a glass of champagne, and snacks, then take you to your suite (where you can check in without even leaving the room). They will even unpack and iron your clothes for you if you wish!
During your stay in a Butler level room, you get a private cell phone you can use to call your butler for anything you might need, from dinner or spa reservations to a poolside lunch to a frosty beverage while you’re lying on the beach to a private dinner in your room or on the beach. When you dine in restaurants, your butler can take you there on a golf cart, and you’ll get preferential seating.
When it’s time to leave, your butler can help you pack. They will also arrange your airport transportation, assist with checkout, bring your bags to the departure area, and escort you to your transportation.
Another plus of the Butler-level room at Sandals is that you get a full bar that is stocked with sparkling wine plus your choice of premium liquors in addition to the juice, soda, wine, water, and Robert Mondavi wines that are usually included. And depending on which Sandals resort you choose, you can even get ultra-luxe private airport transfers in a BMW, Mercedes, or Rolls Royce!
Some Butler-level rooms are called Love Nest Suites, and these are the ultimate luxurious Sandals suites. These rooms offer extra privacy and unique amenities like private infinity-edge plunge pools, freestanding soaking tubs and rain showers in huge spa-like bathrooms, and separate living rooms and dining areas. Love Nest Suites include overwater bungalows, SkyPool Suites, Rondoval Suites, and Millionaire Bluff Top Suites.
As you can see, there’s quite a difference in the amenities you’ll receive in a Club vs. Butler-level room at Sandals. If you’re going to Sandals for a really special trip like your honeymoon, it may well be worth the splurge for a butler-level or Love Nest Suite to get that amazing, once-in-a-lifetime experience. And depending on the resort, particular suite, and time of year you choose, you can find good deals on butler suites. Some resorts (like Sandals Ochi and Sandals Royal Plantation in Jamaica) offer more affordable butler suites than others, and you can always check the Sandals website for amazing discounts and last-minute deals.
Sandals Concierge Service vs. Butler Service
What is the difference between concierge and butler service? The main difference is that with butler service at Sandals, you get your own private, personal butler, while the Club Sandals Concierge is a team that serves everyone staying in a Club level room at the resort.
Now that you’ve read our comparison of Sandals luxury vs. club vs. butler level rooms, what do you think? Which room category will you choose for your Sandals honeymoon or romantic getaway? Let us know in the comments!
Dan Bagby
He is an expert travel advisor and enthusiast. He has traveled extensively in the USA, Central America, South America, and Europe. He has visited every Sandals Resort and is one of a select few Diamond Elite members of the Sandals Chairman’s Royal Club.
Dan graduated from Johnson & Wales University with an associate degree in Culinary Arts. Later he graduated from the University of Utah with a bachelor’s degree in International Studies with a focus on people and culture.
