A mere seven months after Hurricane Melissa struck Jamaica, Sandals Resorts International has provided a glimpse into the massive reimagining of three of the storied brand’s island properties.
The US$200 million investment includes fresh dining and accommodation concepts and revitalized design at Sandals Montego Bay, Sandals Caribbean Cay (formerly Sandals Royal Caribbean) and Sandals South Coast.
As previously reported by Open Jaw, the resorts were among several properties that sustained hurricane damage last fall. While five Sandals properties reopened in December 2025, three remained closed for assessment before the overhaul was announced.
“Jamaica is at the heart of the Sandals story, and these investments reflect our commitment to its future,” said the company’s executive chairman, Adam Stewart.
“For us, dreaming bigger wasn’t about adding more. It was about creating a Sandals 2.0 experience that also feels connected to our home,” he said. “Every decision and detail was shaped by that idea.”
From new cuisines rooted in Jamaican traditions to spaces reflecting the island’s natural beauty, Stewart said the company’s next chapter is about building on its legacy and moving the guest experience forward in a way that is “not only elevated but evolved.”
Sandals Montego Bay, the brand’s original resort and flagship property, will reopen 18DEC26 with 255 rooms.
“A transformed welcome experience will set the tone for what’s in store, with a lobby design framed by sweeping views of the Caribbean Sea,” Sandals said in a press release, noting the property’s main pool has been redesigned to serve as the resort’s “social heart.”
The pool will also be complemented by new swim-up accommodations and spacious ocean-view suites designed to bring guests closer to the shoreline.
Culinary additions include a waterfront Buccan—an open-hearth dining experience unique to select Sandals Resorts—serving island favourites cooked over an open flame, as well as Jamaica's first Scrimshaw seafood restaurant, offering wraparound sea views and a coastal dining experience.
The Caribbean's first-ever swim-up bar remains a centrepiece of the resort as part of Parisol Beach Club, where the original bricks, carved with decades of guest names, have been preserved as a tribute to the resort's history.
Guests can also discover Bay Roc Rum Club, a signature rum experience inspired by the property's origins as Bay Roc Hotel & Villas.
Jamaica’s Private Island Escape, Sandals Caribbean Cay, also reopens 18DEC26.
Formerly known as Sandals Royal Caribbean, the resort will debut as Sandals Caribbean Cay, with a fresh identity inspired by the offshore island experience, including an open-air lobby with uninterrupted views of the main pool and Caribbean Sea beyond.
Suppa, a supper-style restaurant, will feature Jamaican comfort food designed for sharing. Guests are invited into a modern Jamaican home where a Keynote Rum Bar serves as an intimate parlour, serving premium Caribbean rums. Guests can also visit Heart & Sol, which serves grab-and-go juices, sandwiches and bowls.
The resort is also expanding with 84 new rooms, bringing the total room count to 29. New room categories include Sandals’ signature SkyPool Suites overlooking the ocean, new Swim-up Suites and, coming next June, new Oceanview Butler Suites.
Updates also extend to the resort's private island, Sandals Cay, where Parisol Beach Club offers a retreat accessible only by boat. Guests can visit the new dining venue Parisol or grab a quick bite at the Jerk Shack before spending the day at a swim-up bar, pool, and palapas perched along the sand.
The resort includes a newly built fitness centre with panoramic ocean views as well.
Sandals South Coast will return one month ahead of the previous two resorts, reopening on 18NOV26.
Surrounded by a 500-acre nature preserve, the 380-room Sandals South Coast is notable for its secluded setting, which Sandals describes as “thoughtfully enhanced with lush tropical greenery and inviting lounge areas.”
The resort’s main pool is integrated into the landscape, building on design elements found in the property’s lobby and inspired by the resort’s roaming peacocks.
The resort's Overwater Butler Villas return with refreshed interiors inspired by the Caribbean, joined by the brand's first-ever Beachfront Club Two Queen Junior Suites, aimed at groups travelling together.
New dining offerings begin at BLŪM, serving Jamaica's Blue Mountain coffee alongside artisanal pastries and light snacks. Guests can also gather at Butch's Island Chop House, which debuts on Jamaica's south coast with a dedicated martini bar. Plans for a new rum bar are also underway.
