Sandals Grande Antigua Tips

Photo Credit: Erika Gregory iPhone 7s

So, I was going to create a post about do's and don'ts for Sandals Grande Antigua. I decided just to create a tips post.  A lot of these tips are good in general.

Photo Credit: Sandals Grande Antiguan Photographer Delmore James

• Do go with great friends. This one is from my good friend and photographer, Tyjuana. I definitely echo this tip. We had so much fun with them and the J's.  So much fun in fact, we are planning future trips. 

Photo Credit: Erika Gregory iPhone 7s

• Take advantage of the check-in process at club-level resorts. Take the wet towel, drink the welcome drink, sit in a big comfy chair while they take care of your bags and the check in. We've heard people complain that the process (not just here, but other resorts)  is too slow. They just want to get into their room and start vacation. I say, slow down. The process is meant to ease you into relaxation mode. Arriving at the airport, going thru customs, getting your bags and sometimes the scary ride to the resort are enough to have even the calmest person on edge. This process takes that edge off.

• Do make your "reservation required" restaurants plans early. I would say during check in. This is probably more true for parties of 6 or more. We were unable to get a group reservation at Eleanor's because we waited too long. Of course, it didn't spoil our fun, but it would have been nice to dine there for dinner. 

• Do take a tour of the property during the day and in the evening. The fire pit area above looks completely different in the evening.  We like to get a lay of the land before we even arrive. This helps us get our bearings when we are on the resort. 

• If you see something you might like, buy it. Specifically handcrafted items. Fortunately, we ran into David our basket crafter a couple of times on our trip. I regretted not purchasing one of these baskets while we were in port on a cruise. Fortunately, David was one of the vendors on the beach and came by regularly. He wasn't pushy at all and his handcrafted items were beautiful!He actually made our baskets while we waited. It was a pleasure getting to know him and finding out about his life and his family. 

• Don't fret about the "all of the  beach chairs are taken" reviews. We were able to find six - yes, 6 chairs - together every day. Well, a few times we had to move the chairs a few feet, but that's ok. No one got up extra early - though we had planned on taking shifts - lol.  It was fine. 

• Do try out the specialty drinks - even the virgin versions.  We always asked for an extra rum because they are a little weak.  Also, we asked for coconut rum in our pina coladas. DELISH!!! My favorites were the Hummingbird (shown above on the left). It;s a delicious concoction made with rum, cream, coffee liquor, strawberries, bananas and crushed ice.  It is by far my favorite adult beverage. 

I hope this little post helped you out if you are planning to visit any sort of resort in the near future. 

What tips do you have?