Sandals celebrated the official opening of Sandals Dunn’s River, marking the 17th resort in the operator's portfolio.
Located on a stretch of white sand beach in Ocho Rios, handpicked by the late Gordon “Butch” Stewart over 30 years ago, the 260-room all-inclusive resort offers a personal connection to its setting on Jamaica’s north coast.
“Ocho Rios has been the backdrop of some of my family’s most pivotal moments, including along this very beach where my father grew up and turned a perhaps once unimaginable dream into one of the world’s most well-known hotel brands,” said Adam Stewart, Executive Chairman of Sandals Resorts International. “Today, we celebrate innovation and a commitment to excellence as we unveil the next generation of Sandals Resorts in our home country of Jamaica. I cannot think of a better way to honour his legacy and acknowledge the incredible future of our brand than to welcome our very first guests to Sandals Dunn’s River. It’s great to have you home.”
Sandals Dunn’s River is designed to embrace the essence of Jamaica's rivers, lush forests, and banyan trees. The source of the water that flows through Sandals Dunn's River is from the natural reserves of the Dunn's River Falls, from the lobby waterfalls to the cascading pools of the on-site spa. Guests at Sandals Dunn’s River will also experience the debut of the brand’s signature fragrance that will waft through the resort's open-air lobby.
The resort will also feature number of firsts for Sandals, including:
- The first-ever Tufa Terrace SkyPool Butler Suites in Jamaica include glass-panel edge infinity pools spanning the length of suites’ balconies.
- Coyaba Sky Swim-up Rondoval Butler Suites with Private Pools are circular, standalone villas with open-air rooftops allowing guests to sleep under the Ocho Rios night sky.
- Mammee Bay Beachfront Butler Suites with expansive balconies that overlook the sea that has guaranteed sunset views.
- Travertine Beachfront Club Level Rooms, named after the natural limestone steps in Dunn’s River Falls.
For dining, Sandals Dunn’s River will feature 12 new culinary concepts including BLUM, a coffee outpost with 25-cup cold drip towers, Modbar pour-over units and nitro cold brew on tap; Dunn’s Rum Club, which features the largest selection of rum in Jamaica; Lapidus Lounge, a homage to the architect who designed the site’s first resort; and the Laughing Waters Beach Bar, a seaside bar named after the fresh waterfalls nearby. There’s also Jerk Shack, an authentic Jamaican eatery which offers a menu of spicy “jerked” meats and seafood infused with local allspice and scotch bonnet pepper.
Guests can also enjoy various activities such as golfing at the nearby Sandals Upton Estate Golf & Country Club, diving in marine sanctuaries with PADI partners, and rafting on the Martha Brae River using a handcrafted bamboo raft. The resort provides easy access to Ocho Rios' natural attractions without any additional charges.
“Building extraordinary resorts that make it easy for our guests to authentically experience our home countries and the people that bring these incredible places to life, is the work of Sandals Resorts. The Caribbean is wide and diverse and brimming with flavour, and fun. There is so much to discover here and we want to bring our guests closer to it all,” said Stewart.
