Return to Jamaica

I love the Sandals and Beaches resorts and I love working with destination wedding groups so when the opportunity came to participate in a groups/destination wedding training at Sandals in Jamaica I jumped at the chance! I hopped on a plane early Sunday morning (sorry Roy, Happy Fathers Day!) and landed in Jamaica around lunch time. Now it's kind of awkward to be going to a couples report...alone. I was grateful that Wendy, one of the Sandals trainers was at the airport waiting for me. We arrived in Ocho Rios about 2pm and we were both shocked when we were told to go to the Butler Lounge. Excuse me...I have a butler?! Sandals Grande Riviera has a lot of butler rooms and they are all reasonably priced so they wanted us to experience butler service so we can sell it easier. I really was surprised and even asked Nardia, my butler, what I was supposed to do! 

Nardia took me to my room by golf cart.   The suite is beautiful! It is in a quadplex with a private pool! The butler village area is set on a hill with gardens so it is very peaceful and quiet.

 

I had the afternoon free and it was overcast weather so I asked Nardia about the spa. Wendy told me on the bus to the resort that travel agents get a discount so I thought I night check it out. Nardia made me an appointment for 4pm for a massage. I grabbed some lunch at Dino's Pizzeria by the pool then went to the Red Lane Spa. 

I love the spa and Sandals Red Lane Spa is top notch! I was taken to the steam room and a cold water plunge pool before beginning the massage. Claudette has to be one of the best masseuses I've ever had. I asked if she could move to Wilmington! I was so relaxed when I finished! I called Nardia and went back to my room to get ready for dinner with the group. 

I expected atleast 20-30 people on this trip so I was surprised and excited to learn there were only 10! There are 3 travel agents, 3 people who work for Sandals, and 4 people from Travel Impressions (the company I book Sandals and Beaches through). I love the size of this group! We will be able to interact a lot and learn so much with a small group. Mike and Wendy who each work for Sandals made us a deal that if we could work hard Monday and Tuesday in our training session and resort tours then we would play hard Wednesday. Deal!