There are 17 different Sandals resorts in the Caribbean, and each one could be called the safest Sandals resort. This is because Sandals is dedicated to the safety of its guests and takes a ton of measures to protect that.
The resorts are walled and gated, with security guards at the entrances and exits, as well as patrolling the grounds around the clock. There is also 24-hour video surveillance in public areas, and rooms are accessed via electronic key cards.
All Sandals employees go through background checks (including criminal checks), receive training in security measures, and must follow strict rules about behavior. Sandals also partners with the local authorities and police to make sure their security is as good as possible.
When guests go off the resort, they can use the licensed tour operators for excursions. Sandals also handles the roundtrip airport transfers, which are included.
We have visited every Sandals resort multiple times and have always felt safe.
Safest Sandals Resort Islands
While all the Sandals resorts are equally safe, crime rates across the Caribbean do range somewhat. You can find Sandals resorts on 8 islands: Antigua, Bahamas, Barbados, Curacao, Grenada, Jamaica, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent & the Grenadines.
Currently the islands with the lowest crime rates are:
- Antigua
- Barbados
- Curacao
- Grenada
- St. Lucia
However, St. Vincent has a Level 1 “exercise normal precautions” rating from the US State Department, and The Bahamas and Jamaica have a Level 2 “exercise increased caution” rating. For Jamaica, this is a recent improvement from the Level 3 warning, so the trend is positive. We have never felt unsafe there or on any of the islands where Sandals are located. As with any type of travel, use common sense and general safety procedures to stay safe.
This includes being aware of your surroundings, not walking alone, staying in well-populated and well-lit areas, not using unlicensed taxis or excursion vendors (book everything through Sandals), not carrying valuables or a lot of cash, keeping important documents and items in the safe, keeping your eyes on your drink at all times and not getting inebriated if you go out, and not leaving items in your car if you rent one.