Are you thinking about where to go for Valentine’s Day this year? I’d suggest you consider Sandals – or specifically, Sandals Emerald Bay in Exuma, Bahamas. I spent a few days there this past November, after not having been at Sandals in more than one year, and all I really brought were a couple of bikinis, and my favorite person in the whole world: My wonderful husband Bill. That’s kinda all you need. Their messaging is right on point.
I know I’m exaggerating — I never go anywhere without my makeup and sunscreen – but the truth is, with everything that Sandals offers as an all-inclusive resort (including a no-tipping policy) you can travel light. Their all-inclusive model means that all of your meals, snacks, alcohol and spirits, as well as watersports, are included in the cost of your room. You basically can check into your room, put your wallet and credit cards in the safe, and forget about it. All of your needs will be taken care of. It’s that easy and effortless. Wouldn’t this make a very wonderful Valentine’s Day escape this year?
We were in an Oceanfront room – 9401 – and I recommend it highly, as you can step right out onto the beach – a beautiful, talcum-powder beach – where palapas are set up with lounge chairs. I lounged in the water on their floatable mats and rings. I spent my days floating, floating, and floating some more, feeling very grateful to the universe for such ritzy relaxation. Together, Bill & I couldn’t stop thinking about how grateful we were to be “happy, healthy, and in this beautiful place together.”
Of course, an upscale resort such as Sandals has oceans of opportunities to inspire Valentine’s Day romance – basking together in the water is just one of them. How about a couples massage in your suite? That could be really sweet. I recommend the 90-minute Raindrop Dreams in which you are lovingly rubbed with essential oils. Lying down together in your hammock is also great, romantic fun, as is just taking a walk at night on the grounds and taking in the sweet smell of jasmine that wafts through the property.
After dinners – more on that in a minute — we loved to visit the adorable Café de Paris, where goodies galore are there to entice you – all manner of macarons, shortbread, cupcakes, apple and pumpkin pie, red velvet cake — and so much more. On my birthday I treated myself to a Nutella crepe – the staff decorated my plate beautifully – and it was just as wonderful as any I’ve tasted on the streets of Paris. Except for the spa treatment (which costs extra), all of these things are included in your stay. That’s what people love about Sandals, and we have met many couples who have planned their vacations, only at Sandals, for years on end, as they find it to be such an incredible value for their money.
If you decide to explore off-property, you may want to try something like the Castaway Getaway, in which you are taken to a remote private island with only a picnic basket and cell phone, to spend quality time together.
Golf, anyone? Sandals Emerald Bay Golf Course is located directly on property at Sandals Emerald Bay Golf, Tennis & Spa Resort. This 18-hole, par-72, championship caliber course spans more than 7,001 yards. Designed by Greg Norman, it is recognized as one of the most scenic oceanside golf courses in the Caribbean with unparalleled views from its six-signature oceanside holes featured on the back nine. The course design is a unique illustration of two picturesque eco-systems where the back nine showcases the breathtaking waters along the Exuma Sound and the front nine highlights the beautiful mangroves and seaside dunes. Renowned for its challenging fairways, its prevailing trade winds promise new experiences with each game.
With more and more couples golfing together while on vacation, Sandals currently offers complimentary green fees and expert instruction at weekly golf clinics, in addition to top-notch practice facilities.
Added to that, we enjoyed dinner every night in Sandals Exuma’s differently-themed restaurants – there are venues for seafood, Italian, French, Indian, and an English pub, among them (where the chocolate bread pudding is delicious). We especially enjoyed the Bombay restaurant, where we had excellent fare prepared by an authentic Indian chef. Just a couple of things to note: Entrees at Sandals tend to be on the small side – on nights that we were really hungry we ordered double portions of the entrée, to make sure we would have enough. And the service was inconsistent – some nights (when we asked) we were out in 45 minutes, but at other times, the staff was operating on “island time,” and the wait times could sometimes be long.
But we found that if we asked for faster service, that was produced without problems. One day in particular, I walked into the Club Lounge at 3PM, where sandwiches and snacks are served for a few hours each afternoon. Well, for some reason, on that day, someone decided not to make anything to serve. I expressed my disappointment – and my hunger – to the staff member in charge, and she promptly got me a club sandwich as soon as she could, from Room Service. I appreciated that kind of promptness, and rectifying a possible problem.
The only other complaint that we had was about the private beachfront dinner (which also costs extra). Because of the wind we opted to be served in our room – and the service was notably slow. Our waiter kept going back and forth from our room to the kitchen after each course – until we convinced her to just go get everything and bring it all at once.
But the chef really outdid himself with the lowfat carrot cake we requested – I asked for it to be made with pumpkin puree, not oil, with lots of walnuts and raisins, and a yogurt frosting instead of cream cheese. It was dense, sweet, moist, dreamy and creamy, and we loved it so much we brought some home with us. Hail to the chef!
Perfection is a difficult bar to meet, but Sandals Emerald Bay is still a gem of a getaway, whose many facets I heartily recommend.
For more about my Wanderlust and Wellness travels, please Follow me on Instagram at @DebbiKickham.
