A Peaceful, Intimate Oasis with Outstanding Service
This review is from June 2026.
I would like to start by saying no one will regret coming to this resort! Omar Robinson, the General Manager, and his team work magic to make your stay relaxing and enjoyable.
If you are looking for a peaceful and intimate resort, look no further than Sandals Royal Plantation. A massive advantage of staying here is the exchange privileges: you can use all the restaurants and facilities at Sandals Ochi (right next door) and Sandals Dunn's River (a 14-minute drive away). Because guests from other Sandals resorts cannot come to the Plantation, it stays wonderfully quiet. Shuttles run regularly between the properties, and your butlers will happily help time your itinerary. Going to the other resorts for dinner a few times is definitely worth it.
Pools & Beaches
The grounds feature two beaches, a small main pool, and a hot tub pool. Thanks to jet lag, I was up early and never had issues getting a sunbed. While beds on the beach were always available throughout the day, the pool beds were usually gone by 11:00 AM (as the pools are small, there aren't that many).
Dining & Dietary Accommodations
The food was really good with a number of options, including 24-hour included room service. We traveled with strict dietary requirements—vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, and dairy-free. Nothing was too much hassle; you can coordinate with the Culinary Concierge Desk to map out your meals, and the chefs will ensure restricted dishes are prepared safely. Every menu across all the resorts features a specific vegan dish. You just need to let your butlers, servers, and chefs know, and they will accommodate you as best they can.
A Quick Tip: If you are vegan or dairy intolerant, there is an ice cream truck at the Ochi resort next door serving delicious coconut milk-based ice cream. Royal Plantation should definitely include one at their resort too!
The Room
We stayed in the Viceroy Honeymoon Suite (the base room), and all rooms boast a sea view. The room was spacious and featured something you rarely get in modern hotel rooms: a large walk-in wardrobe with loads of storage and hanging space to keep your suitcases completely out of sight. The bed was exceptionally comfortable, and we slept extremely well every night. The mini-bar is restocked daily, and you also get to choose three full bottles of spirits via the Sandals app before you arrive.
The Minor Downside
The only slight negative was the spa staff. I understand they have to drum up business, but being asked two or three times a day as they walk around gets annoying. That said, they are polite, and once you say you’re not interested, they wish you well and move on.
Exceptional Staff Shoutouts
We met a number of other couples who are "Sandals Veterans" having stayed at multiple properties, and they all said Royal Plantation was their favorite. A huge thank you to the trainees—you all did a great job and should be proud of how you conducted yourselves.
A special thank you to everyone, with some specific shoutouts (sorry we didn’t get everyone’s name!):
General Manager: Omar Robinson
Customer Services: Marvin
Butlers: Neil & Carlos
Executive Chef: Chef Martin
Beach Butlers: Trevado, Daniello, & Romane
Front Desk: Luckie Ann
We love to try different resorts each year, but we would definitely come back in the future!
