Grand Pineapple Beach Resorts

- a lower-priced brand of all-inclusives joins Sandals and Beaches Resorts

Grand Pineapple Beach Resorts: Background

In the world of Caribbean all-inclusive resorts, Sandals Resorts International (SRI) is a dominant player. Founded by Jamaican entrepreneur extraordinaire Gordon "Butch" Stewart, SRI has had three distinct brands:

• Sandals Resorts - all inclusives designed for couples
• Beaches Resorts - all inclusive resorts designed for families, with kids' programs and special features such as Sesame Street characters
• Royal Plantation Collection: boutique resort Royal Plantation Ocho Rios, Jamaica; Royal Plantation Island, private island, Exumas, Bahamas (six luxury villas, kids welcome); Royal Plantation Private Villas.

In March 2008, SRI launched a new lower-priced brand: Grand Pineapple Beach Resorts.

Grand Pineapple Beach Resorts - What to Expect

As at the other SRI resort brands, all inclusive vacations include all meals and snacks, unlimited premium-brand beverages, nightly entertainment, and non-motorized watersports. Meanwhile, rates may be 35% or more lower than at the Beaches/Sandals resorts.

Note, however, that while Grand Pineapple is lower-priced compared to Beaches and Sandals resorts, this does not necessarily mean that rates are in a low price range: "value priced" in this case is relative. Look for bargains and packages to bring down the rates.

Meanwhile, the Grand Pineapple Beach experience "above all is about quality". So says Adam Stewart, CEO of Sandals Resorts International (and son of Gordon "Butch" Stewart.) Guests can expect good food, a warm welcome, and a great beach.

Grand Pineapple Beach Resorts will welcome singles, couples, families and groups.

Two existing resorts get the new branding right away:

• the Grand Pineapple Beach Resort gets a new name: Grand Pineapple Beach Antigua

• Negril Gardens in Jamaica becomes the Grand Pineapple Beach Negril.

A glance at TripAdvisor.com shows that guests seem very happy already with these two resorts*. It will be interesting to see what SRI brings to the properties. At time of writing, no formal kids clubs are planned for the Grand Pineapple brand, but individual resorts will have some activities.

Find out more:

• Check the Beaches site
• Always check recent visitors' comments at a site like TripAdvisor.com

^{* At time of writing. Always check for updates!}

This brief profile is meant to introduce this resort to family vacationers; please note that the writer has not visited in person.