Update On The Sandals St. Lucian Over-The-Water Bungalows




Dream vacation have always been the mantra of Sandals Resorts and the group's largest project may be it's most defining statement yet of opulence, luxury, and creativity in the Caribbean.  The theme is East meets West for the soon-to-be-constructed over-the-water bungalows at the Sandals Grande St. Lucian Spa & Beach Resort, which are inspired by the original style of the over-the-water hotel rooms first seen in French Polynesia in the 1960's and later, those in the Maldives, which represent some of the most iconic travel imagery in the world.

The concept behind this project was to create an idyllic retreat at Sandals Grande St. Lucian, a Five Star Diamond Resort, in a setting that is exclusive, therapeutic and utterly romantic.  With more than 30 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Sandals' executives set out to make a statement in the Caribbean with a collection of over-the-water bungalows firmly rooted in the azure waters of the Caribbean Sea.  According to Adam Stewart, CEO of Sandals Resorts International, "We traveled to all four corners of the globe to see what others had done; then we went away and made ours stand above."

When Senior Interior Designer Sarah Hartman set out to produce the look of the 16, 1300-square food over-the-water suites on the island of Saint Lucia, her main intention was to bring the feeling of outdoors in.  "I want our guests to be able to feel like they are staying under the stars and hear the sounds of the lapping waves beneath them when they are laying in their bed," she said.

In keeping with Sandals' uniquely Caribbean style, the design team has opted for custom-fitted mahogany furnishings and stainless steel fixtures.  Hartman achieved her goal of brining the environment to the interior of the suites by conceptualizing the use of natural materials such as glass, stone, and thatch, accented with warm shades of aqua, grey, silver, and blue.  Each bathroom will offer and indoor/outdoor shower, pebble floors and a large soaking tub clad with teak and marble.  Plush hammocks will line the patios, which will be decked with Guyanese greenheart timber.  Additionally, the deck with have an exterior living room atop 50 square feet of glass floors, which will create the spectacular illusion of an indoor aquarium.  All suites will come equipped with a private whirlpool with an infinity edge overlooking the ocean and 10 deluxe suites will have plunge pools, as well as other first class amenities such as butler service.

The luxurious bungalows will rest seven feet above the Caribbean sea in one of Saint Lucia's calmest bays, and will be accessible by a pier.  Guests can rest assured that these suites will be constructed from environmentally-friendly materials such as Envior Thatch and recycled glass.  Senior Project Manager Mark Hardings adds, "These suites are being built in an area where there are no coral colonies, so the buildings will not have an impact on local fish populations or coral heads."

Sandals Resorts International has plans to break ground with this landmark project in 2012, with the estimated construction time from 12 to 18 months.  "These bungalows are going to add an unbelievable room category for Sandals, allowing Saint Lucia to stand out even more as an exclusive Caribbean destination, Hartman says.


This Article and Photo Were Taken From Sandals Style Magazine, the December 2011 Issue



UPDATE 10/09/2013:



As many have seen from our previous posts, our company has been on top of the status of the proposed Overwater Bungalow at Sandals Grande St Lucian since the idea of these suites were first announced. We've been working with our contacts at Sandals Resorts International for the past two years now to get updates to you on what has been happening since the ideas inception.   

During 2012, we had hoped to see the bungalows ready for Sandals' originally intended 2013 release, however some issues with the St. Lucian government cause a bit of a hold up. The St. Lucian government finally signed off on the bungalows and we were told about it first thing by CEO Adam Stewart, at the 2012 STAR (Sandals Travel Agency Recognition) Awards down in Nassau this past December. 

As many know, Sandals shifted it's focus to opening their brand new resort in Grenada, Sandals La Source.  They also made multi-million dollar renovations to several of their properties and have added the Key West Village to Beaches Turks and Caicos this past May 2013.  With all of this and the issues with the government, it's easy to understand how the bungalows had taken a back seat for a little while.

However, we are excited to have learned that Sandals is moving forward in early 2014 with the 80 million dollar renovation on the Grande St Lucian that will include a new village with 185 rooms, four new restaurants, and the addition of these 15 overwater bungalows!

It looks like Sandals will be back on track with the bungalows and while there is no official word on when they will open or if it will hit any snags again, but we're hoping to see them finished by 2015!  Either way, Sandals still offers some of the most gorgeous suites in the Caribbean, and anyone honeymooning at or planning a visit to Sandals before the bungalows are ready will find a plethora of alternative options.      






As always, we're happy to offer our free help with anything you may need regarding your Sandals vacation.  Feel free to email us at SandalsSpecialist@myparadiseplanner.com or call us at 1-888-373-3677 x 1 for Sandals Resorts inquiries.



                               Click Here To See Our Last Bungalows Update





UPDATE September 2015:  Sandals CEO, Adam Stewart, announced that they would be breaking ground in early October and the bungalows would be ready by June 2016!!  For more information see our newest post update: http://www.myparadiseplannerblog.com/2015/09/sandals-overwater-bungalows-to-open.html



If these suites won't be ready in time for your planned trip, consider on the these other amazing suites available at Sandals Resorts

Click the photo above to view the list of suite options

 Was this information helpful?  If so, please consider booking your next Sandals or Beaches vacation with me.  My services are all-inclusive too, as they are 100% free for you to use.  The price will be the same you'd get by booking anywhere else-- the difference is you'll be getting my valuable expertise before, during and after your trip!  Click here to email me for help.

Still prefer to do it on your own, then consider booking directly online through our co-branded Sandals or co-branded Beaches websites.  By booking through there Sandals will know we referred you and will give our agency credit for the help we provided through this blog.  If you see the "My Paradise Planner" Referral name at the top then you're booking through us.


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