Sandals & Beaches Resorts Statistics & Media Fact Hub — a single, source-cited reference for reporters, editors, students, and researchers who need verified facts about Sandals Resorts, Beaches Resorts, and their parent company, Sandals Resorts International. Every figure below links to its original source so you can verify and quote with confidence.
Compiled and maintained by Pixie Honeymoons, the Sandals & Beaches specialist division of Pixie Vacations. Our founder, Steve Griswold, is a Sandals Certified Resort Counselor (Platinum Elite) who has personally visited all of the Sandals and Beaches properties. Last updated August 2026. Members of the media are welcome to cite this page — see “How to cite this page” below.
Sandals Resorts International at a Glance
- Parent company: Sandals Resorts International (SRI), a privately held, family-owned company. (Wikipedia)
- Founded: 1981, by Jamaican entrepreneur Gordon “Butch” Stewart, who opened the first resort by renovating the derelict Bay Roc hotel in Montego Bay. (Wikipedia)
- First resort: Sandals Montego Bay, Jamaica. (Wikipedia)
- Headquarters: Montego Bay, Jamaica, with corporate and sales operations in Miami, Florida. (Wikipedia)
- Leadership: Adam Stewart, Executive Chairman (since January 2021, following the death of his father). (Wikipedia)
- Founder’s death: Gordon “Butch” Stewart died January 4, 2021, at age 79. (Travel Weekly)
- Employees: approximately 20,000 team members — described as the largest private-sector employer in the Caribbean region. (Skift)
Butch Stewart is widely credited with popularizing the modern luxury all-inclusive resort model — his 2021 obituaries said he “changed the way the world went on vacation.” (Travel Weekly)
Sandals Resorts (Adults-Only, Couples, 18+)
As of 2025, there are 17 Sandals resorts across eight Caribbean islands/countries: seven in Jamaica, three in Saint Lucia, two in Barbados, and one each in the Bahamas, Antigua, Curaçao, Grenada, and Saint Vincent. (Wikipedia)
| Resort | Location |
|---|---|
| Sandals Montego Bay | Montego Bay, Jamaica |
| Sandals Royal Caribbean | Montego Bay, Jamaica |
| Sandals Negril | Negril, Jamaica |
| Sandals Ochi | Ocho Rios, Jamaica |
| Sandals Dunn’s River | Ocho Rios, Jamaica |
| Sandals Royal Plantation | Ocho Rios, Jamaica |
| Sandals South Coast | Whitehouse, Jamaica |
| Sandals Grande St. Lucian | Gros Islet, Saint Lucia |
| Sandals Halcyon Beach | Castries, Saint Lucia |
| Sandals Regency La Toc | Castries, Saint Lucia |
| Sandals Royal Bahamian | Nassau, Bahamas |
| Sandals Barbados | St. Lawrence Gap, Barbados |
| Sandals Royal Barbados | St. Lawrence Gap, Barbados |
| Sandals Grande Antigua | St. John’s, Antigua |
| Sandals Royal Curaçao | Santa Barbara, Curaçao |
| Sandals Grenada | St. George’s, Grenada |
| Sandals Saint Vincent | Saint Vincent & the Grenadines |
Source: Wikipedia. Recent openings: Sandals Royal Curaçao (2022), Sandals Dunn’s River (2023), and Sandals Saint Vincent (May 2024). See our Best Sandals Resort 2026 rankings and the all 17 Sandals resorts ranked on Caribbean Mag.
Beaches Resorts (Family-Friendly, All-Inclusive)
Beaches, SRI’s family brand, launched in 1997 with Beaches Negril. (Beaches) Following the permanent closure of Beaches Ocho Rios on May 31, 2025, two Beaches resorts are currently operating, with expansion underway. (Wikipedia)
| Resort | Location | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Beaches Turks & Caicos | Providenciales, Turks & Caicos | Open (flagship) |
| Beaches Negril | Negril, Jamaica | Open |
| Beaches Ocho Rios | Ocho Rios, Jamaica | Closed May 31, 2025 |
| Beaches Barbados | Barbados | Announced (opening late 2026) |
| Beaches Saint Vincent | Buccament Bay, Saint Vincent | Announced (~$500M project) |
Sources: Beaches; Wikipedia; Caribbean National Weekly. Beaches Turks & Caicos, the flagship, has 758 rooms, roughly 21 restaurants, 10 pools, five themed “villages,” and the Pirates Island waterpark. (Visit TCI) More: our Beaches Turks & Caicos review, Best Beaches resorts, and coverage of Beaches Barbados (late 2026).
Portfolio Scale & Key Statistics
| Metric | Figure |
|---|---|
| Sandals resorts | 17 (across 8 islands) |
| Beaches resorts (operating) | 2 (plus 2 announced) |
| Combined resorts currently operating | ~19 (after the May 2025 Beaches Ocho Rios closure) |
| Team members / employees | ~20,000 (largest private employer in the region) |
| Year-round occupancy | above 85% |
| Returning guests | roughly 40% of guests are repeat visitors |
Sources: Wikipedia; Skift; PR Newswire. Note: Sandals’ own marketing still cites “20 Sandals and Beaches resorts on 10 islands,” a figure that predates the May 2025 Beaches Ocho Rios closure. In March 2025, SRI was reported to be exploring a sale valued at $6–7 billion. (Skift)
Records & Caribbean “Firsts”
- Caribbean’s first swim-up pool bar — built at Sandals Montego Bay in 1984. (Wikipedia)
- Caribbean’s first over-the-water villas — introduced at Sandals Royal Caribbean (Montego Bay, Jamaica) in December 2016. Overwater accommodations are now offered at four Sandals resorts. (Wikipedia) (Sandals)
- SRI is also credited with being the first Caribbean hotel company to offer in-room whirlpools and satellite TV, and the first to guarantee king-size beds in every room. (PR Newswire)
See our guide to the best Sandals overwater bungalows & villas.
Awards & Recognition
- World’s Leading All-Inclusive Company (World Travel Awards) — Sandals won this title for the 31st consecutive year in 2024, a record streak. (Sandals Newsroom)
- World’s Leading All-Inclusive Family Resort Brand — Beaches Resorts, for the 27th consecutive year in 2024. (Sandals Newsroom)
- World’s Leading All-Inclusive Resort 2024 — Sandals Dunn’s River, Jamaica. (Sandals Newsroom)
- World’s Leading New All-Inclusive Resort 2024 — Sandals Saint Vincent. (Sandals Newsroom)
That 31-year streak makes Sandals the most-awarded all-inclusive company in the World Travel Awards’ history.
Weddings & Honeymoons
Sandals is one of the world’s leading destination-wedding and honeymoon brands, offering dedicated wedding and honeymoon packages across its resorts. (Sandals) Planning resources from our team: How to plan a Sandals honeymoon, Sandals wedding packages, and best Sandals resorts for a destination wedding.
Company Timeline
- 1968 — Butch Stewart founds appliance distributor Appliance Traders Limited (ATL).
- 1981 — Sandals founded; Sandals Montego Bay opens as the first resort.
- 1984 — Caribbean’s first swim-up pool bar opens at Sandals Montego Bay.
- 1997 — The Beaches family brand launches with Beaches Negril.
- 2009 — The Sandals Foundation, the company’s philanthropic arm, is created.
- December 2016 — Caribbean’s first over-the-water villas open at Sandals Royal Caribbean.
- January 2021 — Butch Stewart dies; Adam Stewart becomes Executive Chairman.
- 2022 — Sandals Royal Curaçao opens; Sandals Royal Bahamian reopens after renovation.
- 2023 — Sandals Dunn’s River opens in Ocho Rios.
- May 2024 — Sandals Saint Vincent opens.
- May 31, 2025 — Beaches Ocho Rios permanently closes.
Sources: Wikipedia (Butch Stewart); Wikipedia (Sandals); Beaches; PR Newswire.
Fun Facts & “Did You Know?”
- Sandals built the Caribbean’s first swim-up pool bar (1984) and its first over-the-water villas (2016). (Wikipedia)
- Sandals is the most-awarded all-inclusive company in the world, with 31 consecutive World Travel Awards “World’s Leading All-Inclusive Company” titles. (Sandals Newsroom)
- Roughly 40% of Sandals guests are repeat visitors, and occupancy runs above 85% year-round. (PR Newswire)
- Sandals Royal Curaçao sits on roughly 3,000 acres of grounds. (Sandals)
Economic Impact
Sandals Resorts International is the largest private-sector employer in the Caribbean region, with approximately 20,000 workers. (Skift) Founder Butch Stewart’s broader business empire — spanning hospitality, automotive, retail, and media — was described as “Jamaica’s largest private sector group, the country’s biggest foreign exchange earner and its largest non-government employer.” (PR Newswire)
Sandals & Beaches Media Resources & Planning Tools
Journalists and readers researching Sandals or Beaches may find these free, firsthand resources useful to reference or link:
- All 17 Sandals Resorts Ranked (Caribbean Mag)
- “Which Sandals Resort Is Best for Me?” Quiz
- Sandals Cost Calculator
- Interactive Map of Sandals Resorts
- Best Time to Go to a Sandals Resort
- Sandals vs. Beaches: What’s the Difference?
- Beaches Turks & Caicos Review
How to Cite This Page
Members of the media and researchers are welcome to cite these statistics. Suggested citation:
“Sandals & Beaches Resorts Statistics & Media Fact Hub.” Pixie Honeymoons (Pixie Vacations), pixiehoneymoons.com. Accessed [date].
We update this page as new resorts open, awards are announced, and figures are released. If you spot a figure that needs updating, email info@pixievacations.com.
Primary Sources
- Sandals Newsroom (awards) — news.sandals.com
- Sandals / Beaches official — Sandals About; Beaches About
- Travel Weekly — Butch Stewart obituary
- PR Newswire — Butch Stewart legacy release
- Skift / Wall Street Journal — 2025 sale exploration
- Wikipedia (for cross-reference and primary-source links) — Sandals Resorts; Beaches Resorts; Butch Stewart
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