I have so many great things to say about the all-inclusive Sandals Royal Curaçao! This resort is so unique that you’re guaranteed to have some special moments here. The property is absolutely gorgeous and is one of the newer additions to the Sandals line of hotels. The tall palm trees, beautiful landscape, and European-style architecture make this resort simply breathtaking. It’s only 15 miles from the Curaçao International Airport, has 351 rooms and in my opinion, is probably one of the most stunning Sandals properties, especially when you consider its design.
As I entered the lobby, I couldn’t help but notice that it’s so airy and fresh. There were no closed doors, everything was open. You can see out to the water, head to the front of the building and walk freely from place to place which I love. To the side, you’ll be able to find the traditional Sandals gift and photo shops if you want to purchase memorabilia or collect professional photographs taken of you while on property.
ACCOMODATION
The entry level rooms at Sandals Royal Curaçao are basic but there are more luxurious options that you can book at a higher cost. We booked an ocean view room which tends to be the preference for a lot of guests. It’s also important to note that based on the side of the island you’re on, you may see either beautiful blue water or a darker blue color. I found that the latter is more so the norm for Curaçao.
FOOD
Now, for the food! There are eleven dining options at Sandals Curaçao, three food trucks and eight restaurants. The restaurants are incredible! They’re so great that I would say the food is a close tie with Sandals Grenada, another one of my favorite resorts.
THE FOOD TRUCKS
The food trucks at the resort weren't basic at all. Instead, they were fully stocked with such a wide variety of dishes that you could indulge in. One of their best places to grab something quick to eat is a Spanish-style food truck called La Palma. It was amazing!
This food truck made the biggest impression on me! Oh my gosh! The shrimp aioli and meatballs were so incredible that we had to stop by for more each day! The other food trucks, Toteki which serves traditional local dishes and the Asian fusion spot Kishi, weren't my favorite but they had some decent options for you to choose from.
AOLOS
The Mediterranean restaurant, Aolos, won me over as well, with the most spectacular breakfast I think I’ve ever had in my life! I’m not usually a breakfast person but everything at Aolos was done so well, from the steak and eggs to the poached eggs over hollandaise. Breakfast is also offered at Butch’s but nothing touches Aolos! This restaurant also looks over the sea, so the view is just captivating! The only downfall is that because it’s outdoors there are flies that take away a bit from the ambiance but it still turned out to be a top tier selection.
GATSU GATSU
At the sushi restaurant, Gatsu Gatsu, you’re able to cook your food at your own table. While it’s a good idea, I did think it was a little overrated since you don’t have all the seasonings that you would need to make the dish the way you’d want it. The food took a while to be served as well which did affect our overall experience at this restaurant.
PIETRA
Pietra, the Italian restaurant, I believe could have been better. This spot offers breakfast, lunch and dinner options including pasta, pizza and artisan breads.
ZUKA
One of their newest additions, the Latin restaurant, Zuka, blends culinary flavors of Central and South America and they do it so well! It was so wonderful that we were trying food that we wouldn’t normally have like caviar and duck. The drinks offered here are just as great and the ambiance is so vibrant you’d never want to leave. We even met and hung out with another couple at ZUKA, so you know the atmosphere is really chill!
POOL AND BEACH
The pool is definitely the centerpiece of the resort! I was quite impressed because it’s an infinity pool within an infinity pool, so you can hang out and lean over into the other pool while seeing the mirage of your body as you’re doing that! The energy at the pool area is awesome too! There’s a DJ playing music with other entertaining activities going on.
The only drawback I noticed with the pool area is that there aren’t enough seats. Because of this, you’ll have to head out early in the morning and basically reserve your seat with your towel. If you don’t do this by the latest 6am, it’s unlikely that you’ll get a seat around the pool. To remedy this, I really think Sandals should add seats by the beach so people can at least enjoy the pool environment.
The beach at Sandals Curaçao isn’t the traditional Caribbean beach that you may expect. The water is darker, shallow and there are little to no waves. It really does remind me more of a lake, just with people swimming in it. So, if enjoying a traditional Caribbean beach is a must for you, you wouldn’t have that experience at this resort.
SPA & CLUB SANDALS
The Red Lane Spa is the perfect place for you to relax and lose track of time while on property. You could enjoy a massage, facial treatment or a mani pedi at the glamor bar. If you have a club level room, the special treatment continues where you receive a cocktail party at Club Sandals if you’re a returning guest. Other perks include a private resort orientation by the Club Sandals Concierge and you’re given a Club Sandals welcome packet when you arrive.
ENTERTAINMENT
Several entertainment activities take place throughout the day at the resort. For the shower-only singers and the true vocalists too, there’s karaoke night, nighttime beach parties, and a silent party where you use headphones and sing to the music but no one can hear you. Overall, Sandals Curaçao is not as tranquil as a lot of the Sandals resorts which can be a plus for many people since it does a great job at catering to the young at heart and those who just love to live their best life while on vacation.
There’s also a fitness center and land sports which Anthony really enjoyed. There’s volleyball, cricket, tennis—something for everyone! Water sports are also offered at the resort. You can go kayaking, scuba diving, snorkeling, paddle boarding and even play water volleyball which is really popular with the guests at Sandals Curaçao. People would gather each day to play for hours! Literally, there were days when I didn’t see Anthony for quite some time and he was deeply engaged in a game of water volleyball, haha!!
Something else I appreciated at this resort is that there are Dutch bikes everywhere! If you want to go to another side of the hotel, you can just hop on one of these bikes and head over there. We saw people riding through the resort as a way to exercise or just for leisure which is one of the stand out features of Sandals Curaçao.
The resort also offers a convertible mini cooper that’s included for free if you book the seaside bungalow suite which is absolutely stunning! This suite is similar to an over the water bungalow and is worth every penny! With the mini cooper included you can drive around town and really take in the culture to make your experience even more awesome. Once you head into town, you’ll notice that this tiny island is really like a melting pot with Dutch, African and Spanish customs. This mix of cultures keeps the island and resort very entertaining!
With the great service you’re receiving, it’s only natural to want to express appreciation but what many people aren’t aware of is that there’s no tipping at Sandals since it’s already included in the cost. You can, however, tip the butlers and the spa attendants.
Before checking out of the resort, be sure to stop by the photography center to see what photos they may have taken of you. Photographers are always capturing memories of the guests, so there might be some stunning pictures you want to take back home!
Overall, I love my Sandals Royal Curaçao experience and I will definitely be back! Whenever you offer me great service, great food, great drinks and just give me that friendly atmosphere where everyone is having a wonderful time and wanting to get to know each other, you will see me again, for sure!
Email info@icantwaittotravel.com to book your trip!