One of Jamaica’s most unique resorts has small boats that leave the shore several times a day. In just a few minutes, you will enter a private island with a white sand beach, overwater villas, a swim-up bar and some of the most memorable views of Montego Bay.
Those private islands have always been a defining feature of what travelers have known. sandals royal caribbean.
Now it is becoming the center of something bigger.
The long-running Montego Bay resort is officially entering a new chapter with a new name, major expansion and a completely reimagined guest experience. start December 18, 2026The property will reopen as follows: sandals caribbean cayThe transformation puts the coastal island experience first, while adding new accommodations, restaurants and amenities designed around the surrounding ocean.
For travelers who have long considered the resort one of Jamaica’s classic all-inclusive resorts, this change marks one of the most significant updates in the hotel’s history.
And if you’ve never stayed here before, the timing may be ideal.
A new name inspired by what made the resort famous
Long before private island experiences became a marketing buzzword, this Montego Bay resort had them.
Guests have spent years taking short boats to the islands off the resort. This has helped set this secluded retreat apart from all the other all-inclusive hotels in Jamaica.
The new name acknowledges this reality, part of a major $200 million overhaul of Jamaican products.
Sandals Royal Caribbean Resort sandals caribbean cayIt is directly inspired by the private island experience that has long been a signature attraction.
Rebranding is more than just new signage at the entrance.
According to Sandals Resorts International, the entire arrival experience is being redesigned to enhance the connection to the ocean. The resort’s new outdoor lobby offers immediate views of the main pool and the Caribbean Sea beyond, putting water at the center of the guest experience from the moment they arrive.
After decades of balancing its British-inspired heritage with a distinctly Jamaican location, the hotel’s new identity represents a stronger emphasis on the Caribbean itself.
Largest accommodation expansion in years
One of the most notable aspects of the changes is the significant expansion of space.
Once the project is completed, the resort will 291 accommodationsinclude 84 new rooms and suites.
The increase is expected to give travelers more choices at a variety of price points while also introducing Sandals’ most popular accommodation categories.
Among the additions are some new ones. Skypool SuiteA category that has become one of the company’s most in-demand products. This suite features an elevated private pool with ocean views, giving you the feeling of a secluded retreat on the coastline.
new Swim Up Suite Additions are also being made to give guests direct access to the water from the patio.
Another highly anticipated addition arrives in June 2027 when the resort debuts something new. Ocean View Butler SuiteExpanding the range of premium accommodation available on the property.
If you’ve been following Sandals over the past few years, you’ve seen a growing emphasis on accommodations that offer larger suites, enhanced butler experiences, and greater privacy.
Sandals Caribbean Cay’s new room inventory follows this strategy while taking advantage of one of Montego Bay’s most desirable locations.
A new cuisine with Jamaican roots
Food is also becoming a major part of the resort’s new identity.
Restaurants added to the headlines soupThe concept is inspired by one of Jamaica’s oldest traditions: sitting around a table for Sunday dinner.
Rather than focusing on formal dining, the restaurant was built around sharing.
Guests can expect Jamaican comfort food served family style, creating an experience that feels more like dining in a Jamaican home than a traditional resort restaurant.
Authenticity and familiarity rather than reinvention seem to be the goal.
That philosophy extends to: Keynote Rum BarIt is designed as an intimate “parlor” connected to the Suppa experience.
Rum has always held a central place in Caribbean culture, and this venue is expected to showcase luxurious expressions from across the region in a more personal setting than your typical resort bar.
For travelers looking for lighter fare throughout the day, the resort offers Heart & SoulIt’s a casual concept offering juices, sandwiches, and wellness-focused bowls.
The additions represent a notable advancement in the way Sandals approaches dining.
While the company continues to maintain an extensive portfolio of international restaurant concepts, there is a growing emphasis on its Caribbean culinary identity through new projects and renovations.
At Sandals Caribbean Cay, that emphasis is stronger than ever.
Private islands are becoming a growing attraction.
The resort’s private island has always been the reason many guests choose it over other all-inclusive resorts in Jamaica.
The project is now receiving some of the most important updates.
known as Sandals KThe offshore island is set to debut a new location. Parissol Beach ClubA relaxing coastal retreat available exclusively to resort guests.
You can reach your destination by boat the same way generations of guests have come.
Once there, it is designed around the experience of spending a full day on the island rather than simply a short visit between activities.
The Beach Club has a new restaurant. ParisolIt gives guests another reason to stay on the island all afternoon.
Those looking for something quick can head to: Jerk ShackThe Jamaican favorite offers a more casual option between beach sessions and pool time.
The island also features a refreshing swim-up bar experience, additional pool amenities, and new palapas located along the shoreline.
For many travelers, the appeal of a private island is simple.
You are already staying at an all-inclusive resort. Then you board a boat and discover another destination waiting offshore.
This dual resort feel has long defined the property, and the new investment suggests Sandals sees the island as central to its future.
Overwater villas continue to define the luxury experience.
Over the past decade, few accommodations in the Caribbean have garnered as much attention as Sandals’ overwater villas.
They transformed expectations of luxury travel in the region and helped usher in a style of accommodation that many travelers had previously associated primarily with the South Pacific.
At Sandals Caribbean Cay, these villas remain an integral part of the experience.
The company said it was a resort. Overwater Butler Villa As part of the transformation, it has risen and continues to maintain its position above the waters surrounding Sandals Cay.
For honeymooners, anniversary travelers, and guests celebrating important events, the villa remains one of the most coveted accommodations in Jamaica.
Private decks, direct access to the ocean and panoramic views of the Caribbean make it one of the most striking luxury hotels in the region.
Combined with new suite inventory in the mainland portion of the resort, the result is a much wider range of accommodations than has been seen here in the past.
A new era of wellness
The changes extend beyond lodging and dining.
new State-of-the-art fitness center It is also part of the redevelopment plan.
The facility will offer panoramic ocean views, creating a dramatically different experience than the enclosed fitness centers common at many resorts.
Well-being has become an increasingly important consideration for Caribbean travelers.
Today’s guests are often looking for ways to maintain their daily routine while on vacation, whether it’s strength training, yoga, cardio, or simply access to high-quality amenities during longer stays.
The new fitness center reflects this trend while also taking advantage of the property’s waterfront location.
Why this matters for tourism in Jamaica
The reopening comes at a time of continued momentum for Jamaica’s tourism industry.
Montego Bay remains one of the Caribbean’s most important tourist gateways, attracting visitors from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and beyond.
All-inclusive resorts continue to play a key role in this success, and Sandals remains one of Jamaica’s best-known hotel brands.
The extensive renovations are exciting for frequent visitors, but they also serve another purpose.
They keep mature resorts competitive in an increasingly crowded market.
Today, travelers have more choices than ever before, from luxury resorts in St. Lucia and Antigua to new all-inclusive concepts in destinations like Curaçao and the Dominican Republic.
Investments like the one at Sandals Caribbean Cay help keep Jamaica at the forefront of these conversations.
What will we find when we open it again?
You can check in below the outdoor lobby, which offers views of the pool and across the Caribbean Sea. In just a few steps, you can choose from the new Swim-up Suite, the ocean-facing SkyPool Suite or a boat ride to Sandals Cay.
Lunch might mean jerk chicken on a private island. Later, you can spend the afternoon at Parisol Beach Club, enjoying a palapa by the water or ordering a cocktail at the swim-up bar before returning to your mainland resort.
Dinner offers one of the resort’s biggest additions. At Suppa, Jamaican comfort food arrives at a table designed for sharing, followed by a stop at Keynote Rum Bar, where Caribbean rum takes center stage.
The expansion adds 84 new accommodations, including Sandals’ most popular suites category. Whether you’re planning a honeymoon, anniversary getaway, or extended Caribbean getaway, the new SkyPool Suites and soon-to-be-released Oceanview Butler Suites add more options than the resort has previously offered.
The private island experience remains key. The difference is that you’ll find more places to eat, more places to spend the day, and more room categories designed around the water that has always defined this corner of Montego Bay.
Return date you need to know
The newly renovated resort is scheduled to welcome guests from January 2019. December 18th.
For Sandals loyalists, this marks the return of one of the company’s best-known Jamaican resorts under an entirely new identity.
For travelers planning a Caribbean vacation in 2027, this means something increasingly rare in the all-inclusive world: a familiar resort that feels almost entirely new.
Take a boat to a private island. New Skypool Suite overlooking the sea. Suppa’s Jamaican Comfort Food. Rum tasting at Keynote. A day spent at Parisol Beach Club on Sandals Cay.
What made this corner of Montego Bay so memorable still remains.
There are many more now.
Cost of staying here
We found prices starting at around $648.88 per night for opening hours the third week of December. This results in the very attractive Crystal Lagoon Hideaway Club Junior Suite with a bathtub on the balcony.
Prices for a poolside luxury room go up to $4,769 for seven nights. If you want to splurge, a swim-up butler suite right on the beach costs about $13,529 per week (all based on double occupancy).
