Sneak Peek At Sandals' Newest Jamaican Resort

Sandals Dunn’s River is located on the same site the original hotel occupied decades ago.

The new resort sits on the same property Sandals' original hotel sat on decades ago. Sandals' latest resort in Jamaica is in Ocho Rios. | Sandals Resorts photo
By  Islands Editors May 24, 2023

The all-new Sandals Dunn's River opens this week in Ocho Rios, Jamaica, as the 17th resort in the all-inclusive resort company's portfolio. The new property is located on the same site handpicked by the company's founder 30 years ago for the first Sandals Dunn's River hotel.

Today's resort is completely new and features 260 rooms and newly launched culinary concepts.

"Ocho Rios has been the backdrop of some of my family's most pivotal moments, including along this very beach where my father grew up and turned a perhaps once unimaginable dream into one of the world's most well-known hotel brands," said Adam Stewart, executive chairman of Sandals Resorts International.

Here are some of the coolest features of the new Sandals Dunn's River resort:

  • The same water that flows through Dunn's River Falls also flows through the lobby's waterfalls and the cascading pools at the spa.
  • The resort has the brand's first-ever signature fragrance, a scent of white florals and fruits with a note of sandalwood and musk.
  • The Tufa Terrace SkyPool Butler Suites, with glass panel edge infinity pools spanning the length of balconies, is a first for Sandals in Jamaica.
  • Coyaba Sky Swim-up Rondoval Butler Suites have reimagined open-air rooftops.
  • Mammee Bay Beachfront Butler Suites feature expansive balconies that overlook the sea with sunset views.
The Coyaba villas have open-air rooftops.
Coyaba villas have open-air rooftops and swim-up pools. | Sandals Resorts photo

The food and drink options at Sandals Dunn's River are new too.

  • BLŪM, one of 12 new culinary concepts, is a nod to the island's Blue Mountains. The quaint coffee outpost offers 25-cup cold drip towers, nitro cold brew on tap and Modbar pour-over units.
  • Dunn's Rum Club offers the largest selection of rum on the island of Jamaica and any other Sandals resort along with curated rum flights.
  • Laughing Waters Beach Bar offers guests the chance to sink their toes into the sand while enjoying drinks near the nearby fresh water falls.
  • The Jerk Shack offers the authentic taste of Jamaica's traditional fare from fried sweet corn cakes to spicy "jerked" meats and seafood infused with local allspice and scotch bonnet pepper.
BLŪM is a coffee-lovers paradise at Dunn's River.
BLŪM is a first-of-its-kind coffee-drinking experience for Sandals. | Sandals Resorts photo

Other culinary creations include: Hamani, an izakaya-inspired sushi restaurant, Edessa, where the Caribbean and Aegean seas meet, Banyu, offering a blend of cultures in a single dining experience, along with eateries specializing in Italian, French and South American flavors.

Sandals Dunn's River guests also get complimentary green fees at the nearby Sandals Upton Estate Golf & Country Club.

Rooms come with stocked bars and free WiFi, among other perks.
Privacy is a big plus at Sandals, including your own plunge pool for selected villas and suites. | Sandals Resorts photo

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