Are you planning a trip and thinking of staying in a Sandals Overwater Bungalow? First off, smart decision. We have personally stayed in all of the Sandals Overwater Bungalow properties, so we can speak from our first-hand experience.
You no longer have to board a 20+ hour flight to the Maldives or French Polynesia to stay in an overwater bungalow! Now you can take a quick flight to either Saint Lucia or Jamaica. Both now have luxurious overwater villas.
We’ve put together what you can expect when staying in one of Sandals overwater bungalow rooms, including all the amenities in the room and services they come with on an all inclusive vacation.
Are Sandals Overwater Bungalows worth it?
Yes! Make sure to watch for specials to make sure you are getting the best price, click here for current specials and rates.
Are Sandals Resorts adults only?
Yes, Sandals Resorts is an adult-only resort. All guests must be 18+. If you are looking for a child-free getaway, head to Sandals.
If you are looking for a family vacation, consider checking out one of the best Beaches Resorts, which is geared for family travel.
Do you Tip at Sandals Resort?
Sandals Resorts tipping policy is very strict. You can only tip the Spa staff and the butlers. If you are staying in an overwater bungalow, it is customary to tip your butlers at the end of the trip.
You cannot tip any of the bartenders, waiters, cleaning staff, etc. Employees caught taking tips could be fired, so it’s best not to try and tip the staff.
How Much Do Sandals Overwater Bungalows Cost?
As you would expect, it is not cheap. But there are several ways you can save money and get the best price. Make sure to book directly on the Sandals website and watch the sales, click here to check current sales.
Check rates with and without airfare. Sometimes, it is cheaper to book your airfare with them since they get a different rate than you and I can get. Definitely price flights out on your preferred booking engine. We usually use Skyscanner.
Another money-saving option is to split your stay into two different room categories. You can spend a few nights in one of the cheapest Sandals rooms and then splurge a few nights in an overwater bungalow. We would suggest staying at least two nights in an overwater bungalow. The ideal time would be 3-4 nights.
What is the Best Sandals Resort?
There are so many factors that go into answering this question. My favorite won’t necessarily be your favorite. Make sure to read our detailed list of the best Sandals Resorts, where we rank all the resorts and find the best resort for you.
Sandals Overwater Bungalows Locations
There are three Sandals with overwater bungalows in two different countries.
- Sandals Royal Caribbean Resort – Jamaica
- Sandals South Coast Resort – Jamaica
- Sandals Grande St. Lucian – St Lucia
If you are looking for an all inclusive luxury vacation, there is no better place to stay than at a Sandals Resort. If you are looking for an all-inclusive overwater bungalow, Sandals is the world’s only 5-star luxury included resort.
For most people, staying in an overwater bungalow is a trip of a lifetime and a bucket list item. So when deciding which overwater bungalow at Sandals is best suited for you, you’ll want only want to make sure you pick the right room but the right island for you.
Sandals Resorts Overwater Bungalows
1. Sandals South Coast Overwater Bungalows
We think the best Sandals overwater bungalow is Sandals South Coast. We love this resort the most for several reasons. We love the privacy these bungalows have compared to the other properties.
There are no nearby resorts, so there isn’t any boat traffic coming by and checking out your rooms. It is one of the largest properties, set in a lush 500-acre nature preserve on a 2-mile stretch of white sandy beach.
If you are looking for a Caribbean resort for your honeymoon that has over water bungalows, this would be my first pick.
The bungalows are located at the end of the property, accessible by a dock. It is only a few minutes walk from your room down the dock and on the white sandy beach before you are by the main resort restaurants and bars.
Only overwater bungalow guests are allowed on the dock, so you won’t have noisy hotel guests coming out to check out the rooms or take a picture on the dock.
If you have ever seen a picture of Sandals South Coast overwater bungalows, it probably was a drone photo from above, which shows off how the bungalows shape a heart over the water. Yes, it really does form a heart. It is great for pictures and the perfect place for a Jamaica honeymoon.
If you love a good swim-up bar, make sure to check out the 1,000 ft pool at South Seas Village. It is the longest swim-up pool in the Western Hemisphere. It is the perfect spot for day drinking and making some new friends.
If you are up for a day trip, consider checking out the nearby Pelican Bar. There is a catamaran day trip that you can book with Island Routes in the lobby.
There is also an overwater wedding Chapel, great both for pictures or for those wanting to plan a destination wedding in Jamaica. We got married in Jamaica and can see ourselves renewing our vows in Jamaica at some point.
- Located in White House, Jamaica
- 1 hour 30 minutes from Montego Bay airport
- Check prices now and take advantage of some of the best sales of the year
Quick Facts about Sandals South Coast
- 9 restaurants – our favorite is Sushi in the Sand
- 7 bars – our favorite is Latitudes overwater bar
- 392 rooms
- 3 pools – one is 1,000 feet long
- Free Diving for certified divers
- Select watersports included
2022 Brand New Sandals Curacao – Everything You Need to Know
2. Sandals Royal Caribbean Overwater Bungalows
This is the most unique overwater bungalows Sandals Resorts offers. They are on Sandals Cay, a private island. The private boat “Royal Duffy” is exclusively for overwater bungalow guests to transfer you to and from the mainland from the private island. There are even five overwater bungalows with private infinity pools.
Guests have exchange privileges with Sandals Montego Bay, which has 12 restaurants to try out. This is a great way to check out another property you’d like to stay at on your next vacation. Click here to see which is the best Sandals Resort in Jamaica for you.
One of the best restaurants at Sandals Royal Caribbean is located on the private island, and all guests of the resort can dine at the Royal Thai Restaurant. There is a special boat that is Thai themed that brings guests to and from the restaurant.
These Jamaica overwater bungalows do get some boat traffic from the nearby Rodney Bay Marina, plus some hotel guests will try and swim or kayak right up to the rooms. There is security on boats/jetskis that tell people to move further away.
Depending on which room you stay in at Royal Caribbean, some rooms face the nearby Riu Montego Bay resort, so it is not super private. If you are on a honeymoon and want privacy in your over water villa, I would suggest the over water bungalows at Sandals South Coast instead.
Just like at Sandals South Coast, the overwater bungalows at Royal Caribbean form a heart and look amazing from a drone. But don’t bother traveling with a drone. Most drones will lock you out from flying due to the proximity to the airport, and if you are able to fly, it won’t be for long as the Sandals security will ask you to stop.
- Located in Montego Bay, Jamaica
- 7 minutes from Montego Bay airport
- Check prices now and take advantage of some of the best sales of the year
Quick Facts about Sandals Royal Caribbean
- 9 restaurants – our favorite is Spices
- 5 bars – our favorite is The Cricketers Pub
- 232 rooms
- 6 pools
- Free Diving for certified divers
- Select watersports included
3. Sandals Grande St. Lucian Overwater Bungalows
When staying at Sandals Grande St. Lucian, you can stay take advantage of Sandals’ “Stay at one, Play three,” which means you can visit all three Sandals in St Lucia properties. Guests have exchange privileges with Sandals Regency La Toc Golf Resort 7 Spa and Sandals Halcyon Resort.
We love this amenity. It lets you visit the other resorts and try out their restaurants (another 15 restaurants) and see if it’s a property you’d like to stay at on your next vacation.
Sandals Grande has a really fun vibe. If you like hanging out at the pool and swim-up bar, meeting new friends, and day drinking, you will really like this resort.
There is always something going on at the main pool, and that is why we love this property. It’s not huge, so things are closer together and not nearly as spread out as Sandals South Coast.
The overwater bungalows in St Lucia do get some boat traffic from the nearby Rodney Bay Marina and other resort. We also had some hotel guests kayaking right outside the over water villas. The resort has security on jetskis that help deter water traffic from being too close to the water villas.
If you get car sick easily, we suggest taking the ferry or helicopter to the resort. There is a water ferry from the St. Lucia airport to Sandals Grande for $125, or for the ultimate arrival, you can take a helicopter to Sandals Grande!
Of all three of the Caribbean bungalows overwater at Sandals, this is my least favorite due to little to no privacy and how the bungalows near the other resort and marina.
I love this property, don’t get me wrong. It is probably one of my favorites. I, however, would prefer to stay at one of the other resorts if I were doing a comparison of overwater bungalows.
- Located in Gros Islet, St. Lucia
- 1 hour 35 minutes from Hewanorra International Airport
- Check prices now and take advantage of some of the best sales of the year
Quick Facts about Sandals Grande St. Lucian
- 12 restaurants – our favorite is Bombay
- 7 bars – our favorite is Latitudes overwater bar
- 5 pools
- 311 rooms
- Resort size: 50 acres
- Free shuttles & exchange privileges at the 2 other Saint Lucia Sandals
- Free golfing & shuttles to 2 nearby golf courses
- Free Diving for certified divers
- Select watersports included
What is Included when Staying in an Overwater Bungalows at Sandals Resorts
No matter which of the above properties you stay in, you’ll have the following included:
- Private luxury airport transfer
- Personal Butlers 24 hours a day – They will even pack and unpack for you
- 24-hours room service off the Butler Elite menu (more options, but you can ask for anything from any of the restaurants and they will try and make it happen)
- Smartphone so you can call or text your butler whenever you need something
All Sandals Resorts are all-inclusive properties that include unlimited premium liquors, 5-star Global Gourmet dining, stocked bars in rooms, unlimited wine, all meals & snacks included, unlimited diving, green fees at select resorts with golf courses, watersports including use of Hobie Cats/paddleboards/kayaks/etc., exchange privileges between other Sandals & Beaches resorts, and more. Read the complete list of what is included for all guests.
Features all Sandals Overwater Bungalows have in the room
We have stayed in all three properties, and they are almost identical inside as far as furnishing, from the art on the wall to the chairs. You can expect the following features in all overwater bungalows at Sandals.
- Glass floor at the foot of the bed – make sure to find the light switch in your room so you can watch the fish swim by at night
- Outdoor Tranquility soaking tub
- Overwater hammock
- Outdoor shower
- Outdoor patio with loungers
- Outdoor table & chairs – we suggest asking your butler to set up breakfast or lunch here.
- King size bed
- Walk-in shower
- Stocked mini-bar with high-end liquor – Full bottles of Hendriks, Wine, etc. If you like specific alcohol, make sure to ask your butler. They will have it in your room.
- Sandals tote (perfect for a beach bag) and towel set for you to keep and bring home. I love these towels. They are huge, so make sure to save room in your luggage.
Sandals Overwater Bungalow Pictures
Here are a few more photos from our time staying in all the different overwater bungalows at Sandals Resorts.
