Sandals Responds

After I completed this web site, I forwarded the link to my travel agent so she can see for herself how Sandals refuses to deliver on their promises of luxury. She was shocked and sent this email to Butch Stewart as well as some higher-ups at Sandals and Air Jamaica. I have removed individual's names to protect their privacy (although they don't deserve privacy, as they are corporate hacks defending a company that willfully misleads the public on a daily basis).

Hi Ladies>>>>>>>.I am sure you will share with me my utter and complete astonishment over the review of (client's names) hard fought and extremely miserable vacation (if you can call it that!).

(name removed), as the managing director of the Agency worked hard and long to try to induce Air Jamaica to make some kind of financial amends over the money they had lost over their booking in 2007.. I have no problem with her efforts.

(name removed) and her staff made every effort to insure a "Sandals Luxury Vacation",,I have known (name removed) for some years and her credentials and sincerity are impeccable...Again I have no problem with her efforts.

HERE IS MY PROBLEM........I need someone in authority from both companies to explain to me as a seasoned travel agent who books Air Jamaica and Sandals repeatedly and has for over 20 years....in fact in 1996 I won complementary vacations to All Sandals in Jamaica for my entire office staff because of the extraordinary presentation we did for a full month of Sandals being the best vacation and most value for your money in the Caribbean!!!!!!!!!! why I should continue to book this destination if radical changes cannot be made.

No one loves Jamaica (with the exception of the Olympic Bobsled Team!) better than me...It is my favorite vacation...Jamaicans are my favorite people ...from the ones I know here in Florida, in Indiana, in California, in Washington D.C...and in Bloomfield, Ct. No one loves to turn "new, inexperienced people on to this beloved, beautiful Island more than me...yet I cannot in all good conscience do this when I read a horrifying review like this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I urge replies not only to myself but to my two totally devastated clients....we have all been in this business for many years...there is always a solution to problems...we simply need to take the time to find it...most sincerely...(name removed)

Via email: (email address removed)

Dear (name removed):

RE: BOOKING # 4585686, 12/19-27/08

Thank you for taking the time to share your clients comments regarding their recent stay at Sandals Grande Ocho Rios Beach & Villa Golf Resort. Comments, both positive and negative are important tools that we use to constantly strive to improve ourselves and we appreciate the time and effort taken to provide them. It is always our goal to provide an exceptional product and high level of service, and we take very seriously any comments that indicate that we were not successful in that endeavor.

Maintenance related issues will manifest from time to time in various forms and our maintenance personnel are very prompt and efficient in this regard. Nevertheless, we regret that your clients were temporarily inconvenienced by the maintenance concerns relating to their room and do apologize that our maintenance personnel were not more efficient in attending to their needs.

It is most regrettable that both (names removed) were not impressed with the cuisine as this part of our service always receives rave reviews.

Additionally, our food and beverage staff takes much pride in the presentation and quality of food that is served in our restaurants. Our food is always freshly cooked and is maintained at the right temperatures to ensure that contamination does not occur. Our staff is always undergoing training to enhance their knowledge of food and the storage and preparation of it. We truly regret that your clients were not similarly impressed.

In an effort to avoid the conventional hotel check-in, our guests Check-In entails a warm welcome and the completion of paperwork while being seated in our Front Lobby area. A short briefing is also given while champagne and chilled towels are served.

This we have found to be the preferred method rather than standing in line at the Front Desk, which can be tiresome for the guests. The standard of check in described should not be compromised and we regret the clients’ disappointment in this regard.

As to the airport red caps soliciting for tips, please note that they are not part of Sandals and to our knowledge all airports have these porters who will solicit tips for baggage handling. We have brought their concerns regarding the transfer to the company’s attention for immediate action.

Notwithstanding the issues, however, we wish to thank them for providing us with such a detailed letter. We have also noted their kind sentiments and wish to thank them as well.

While we cannot change (names removed) perception of our resort, we do wish to assure him that the experiences they encountered were definitely not the norm. It is in this respect that we welcome the opportunity to restore their faith in our organization. I have attached a voucher for their consideration and trust that it will be taken with the good intent in which it is given.

On behalf of Sandals Grande Ocho Rios Beach & Villa Golf Resort and Sandals Resorts International, we would like to take this opportunity to extend our apologies once again for the inconveniences the clients encountered.

We hope that this will indicate our commitment to the clients as a valued Guest and we look forward to welcoming them back to any Sandals Resort for their next Caribbean vacation.

Yours sincerely,

SANDALS GRANDE OCHO RIOS BEACH & VILLA GOLF RESORT

(name removed)

GENERAL MANAGER

I assume by "maintenance related issues", he is referring to our noisy A/C and ceiling fan. Taken in context of my entire review, this was a minor issue. I said our room was comfortable, so addressing this issue was pointless.

Another odd thing to respond to. I didn't complain about our concierge check in process. I noted that OTHER reviewers who DIDN'T have concierge level check complained about the group check in area being very warm due to the fact it is not air conditioned (which is true). However, I did caution travelers to not waste their money on upgrading to concierge service. For the additional $800, you get air conditioned check in with a towel and champagne, you can call the concierge to order a jitney and you get no-name brand bargain booze in your room, even though Sandals promises premium spirits. Not worth $800, in my opinion.

Yet again, why waste the energy responding to something that I didn't make a big stink about? I merely said that it could have been handled in a more professional manner. After all, clipboard girl was the first Sandals representative we encountered after clearing customs.

But the best part of the GM's response was his defense of the food and restaurant staff. I wonder if he was able to keep a straight face while copying and pasting this little gem from the Microsoft Word document containing Sandals Marketing Team's pre-formatted responses to all-too-common customer complaints:

It is most regrettable that both (names removed) were not impressed with the cuisine as this part of our service always receives rave reviews.

ALWAYS receives rave reviews? Are you kidding me? Even if you count the plethora of Sandals-generated fake reviews posted on Tripadvisor, that is an absurd statement.

I'd like to challenge the Sandals GM to a little test. I will, at my own expense, book a weekend at SGOR to observe their kitchens. If I find walk in refrigerators full of frozen seafood, chicken, steaks and other food items that SHOULD be fresh considering Sandals entire corporate image is based on "luxury", then the GM will have to write "Sandals food sucks" on a black board 100 times. And refund the cost of both my vacations too.

If, on the other hand, all Sandals food is fresh rather than frozen and proper food preparation procedures are being followed, I'll take this web site down, replace it with a site extolling the greatness of all that is Sandals and create a creepy, religious shrine to Butch Stewart in my bedroom.

After all, let us not forget how much "pride" Sandal's food and beverage staff take in the presentation and quality of their food:

Mysteriously (yet not surprisingly) absent from the GM's response was any attempt to address:

1. Why they close two or three restaurants per night and fail to disclose this

2. Why they offer so few menu choices, in direct contrast to their sample menus posted online

3. Why they play silly games like promising "baked potatoes with all the trimmings" and "corn on the cob" on the menu, yet cut corners by serving this:

4. Why many of the restaurants close so early considering Sandals, on page 41 of their catalog, promises "At Sandals, you dine according to your own tastes and preferences - not some pre-set agenda, because after all, you're on vacation".

5. Why they advertise that no reservations are required, yet hostesses constantly ask if guests have reservations

6. Why their "internationally trained chefs" bill a spaghetti and meatball dish as bolognese sauce, a dish with nothing in common

8. Why Arizona's staff fails to replace lettuce, bowls, rolls or spoons at the Chili and Salad Bar

12. How inexpensive, puny shrimp and scallops and fake crab meat are justified when Sandals' entire corporate image is based on luxury

13. Why the same mass-produced, cold, rubbery rolls are served at every restaurant

16. Why every desert tastes like it sat in a cardboard box in the freezer too long

17. Why the nurse on duty can't even look in a guest's ear, causing guests to incur expensive and unnecessary doctor's fees

20. Why their night club is either closed or only has a few guests in it (see #19)

21. Why Sandals promises premium alcohol in the concierge level rooms yet provides no-name brands instead

He didn't address any of these issues because he can't, without admitting what he already knows is true:

Sandals spends millions on slick advertising campaigns to convince travelers that they will experience nothing but luxury, then knowingly cuts corners to increase it's profits. When customers complain about the misleading and false promises they based their vacation decision on, Sandals plays dumb, as if your bad vacation was a single, isolated incident.