Curacao is in the Leeward Antilles and is part of the ABC islands, i.e., Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao.  It is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of The Netherlands and […] …

Antigua was the second island to have a Sandals resort, named Sandals Grande Antigua, and it opened in 1991.  The resort is only about 20 minutes or about 7 miles […] …

Well, this is our first island spotlight post and I thought it only fitting to do Jamaica since it’s where Sandals and Beaches were conceived by Gordon “Butch” Stewart. Jamaica […] …

Do you keep up with your flight status, or do you just assume everything is OK because you haven’t heard differently?  The airlines don’t always notify you of changes. …

So, you’re going on vacation to the Caribbean and you want / expect to have lobster while you’re there.  Not unusual.  A lot of people like the Caribbean lobster and […] …

It’s nice to go away on vacation, but you don’t want it ruined if something unexpected comes up.  Try to plan ahead. What if you can’t return when you expected […] …

Sandals and Beaches have 19 resorts on 9 different islands in the Caribbean, but sometimes it’s hard to picture where those islands are. So I added a map to our […] …

Make it Easy to Get a Lost Bag BackSo, we’ve watched a few episodes of a show called Lost & Found at the Airport (or something like that). If you […] …

Jamaica: Moving Forward After Hurricane MelissaHurricane Melissa recently impacted parts of Jamaica, causing damage in some areas and leading to temporary disruptions. As with past storms, recovery efforts began quickly, […] …

On October 28, 2025, Jamaica was impacted by Category 5 Hurricane Melissa, causing widespread damage to parts of the island. Our team at Darlene’s Travel Services has been closely monitoring […] …

It’s not the first time that Sandals St. Vincent (SSV) has had a room on the 777 sale.  But this is a gorgeous room!  It’s the Butler Villa Suite with […] …

As everyone has probably heard, Jamaica got hit really bad by Hurricane Melissa on 28 October 2025. It was a category 5 hurricane, the strongest to ever hit Jamaica and […] …

The U.S. Government has a service called The Smart Traveler Enrollment Program. It is a free service that allows U.S. citizens traveling or living abroad to receive the latest security updates […] …

Hopefully you’ll never have to “ride out” a storm while you’re on vacation, but it happens.  Just look at all the people that ended up being stranded in Jamaica when […] …

On your next tropical vacation, consider taking some or all of the list below. Even if you’re going to a resort with its own water filtration system and a stellar […] …

Conch shells are beautiful souvenirs, but you need to be sure about what you’re getting. If you are planning on bringing a conch shell home from a tropical island, we […] …

I know I’ve posted about insurance before and that nobody (except maybe insurance agents) likes insurance. It costa a lot, you hardly ever make a claim, and when you do […] …

This week’s 777 sale included the private villa at Sandals Royal Plantation (SRP), Beachfront Villa Plantana. This villa is located at the east end of the property and is fairly […] …

Guests often ask what’s included in the Sandals complimentary amenity kit, so here’s what you can expect. Every room is thoughtfully stocked with Red Lane Spa toiletries, including shampoo, conditioner, […] …

Even if you’re staying at an all-inclusive resort that discourages or even bans tipping, there will be others along the way that deserve to be tipped. The Red Hat luggage […] …