TORONTO — While Sandals Resorts International’s eight Jamaican properties were very much the focus during the Back to Jamaica FAM earlier this month, there was also news about SRI’s other projects on Jamaica – and on other Caribbean islands.

At Sandals Dunn’s River, the FAM’s host resort, the brand new Louis Grant Conference Centre opened on Dec. 15. The stand-alone building offers more than 8,000 square feet of space. Grant was the founding GM of Sandals Dunn’s River when it first opened in 1991.

Also on Jamaica, Beaches Runaway Bay is coming “at the back end of 2026,” said Adam Stewart, Executive Chairman, Sandals Resorts International, at the Back to Jamaica FAMʻs Town Hall.

With some 450 rooms, the resort is on the site of the former Jewel Runaway Bay Beach Resort & Waterpark. “I know many of you loved Beaches Ocho Rios,” he said. “But we didn’t own it. We want to bring our level of elegance and quality, and you’ll see that with Beaches Runaway Bay.”

Beaches Runaway Bay (rendering)

SANDALS MONTEGO BAY, SANDALS ROYAL CARIBBEAN & SANDALS SOUTH COAST

Of course Sandals will also be working hard bringing its three ʻpausedʻ resorts on Jamaica – Sandals Montego Bay, Sandals Royal Caribbean and Sandals South Coast – to new heights before the resorts reopen on May 30, 2026.

As Stewart noted during the Town Hall, Sandals Montego Bay and Sandals Royal Caribbean “will get deep makeovers.” The company will invest US$150 million to transform these two resorts to Sandals 2.0.

Meanwhile at Sandals South Coast, “every piece of the hotel will be new,” said Stewart. New swimming pools – “magical”, in Stewart’s words – will be similar to the pools at Sandals St. Vincent. Sandals South Coast will also get four new restaurant concepts. “We’re going to give you the best product you’ve ever seen,” he said.

THE BAHAMAS

In the Bahamas, SRI is working hard on Beaches Exuma.

As the first Beaches in The Bahamas, Beaches Exuma is taking over from Sandals Emerald Bay, which closed in 2024 to undergo its transformation. Originally developed as a family-oriented resort when it opened over two decades ago, the existing property maintains an ideal layout of beaches, pools and areas for families.

Beaches Exuma will include an evolved configuration of rooms with multi-bedroom villas, suites and connecting rooms, as well as restaurants and culinary offerings. New developments will include a Kids Camp and splash deck, complementing popular amenities like the Greg Norman-designed 18-hole Emerald Bay golf course.

Beaches Exuma will be a “boutique Beaches,” said Stewart. Small and intimate – and perfectly suited to this small island with a population of just 7,000 – Beaches Exuma will have fewer than 200 keys.

Beaches Exuma (rendering)

BARBADOS & ST. VINCENT

Another new Beaches resort, Beaches Barbados, is a US$600 million investment. With 1.2 million square feet, 18 restaurants, more than 2,000 staff and some of the “best of the best Barbados real estate,” the new property will set the tone for the Beaches brand, said Stewart. “It will look like nothing you’ve ever seen.”

Meanwhile Beaches St. Vincent is on the way too. With 53 acres, the resort will be less than five kilometres away from Sandals St. Vincent.

TREASURE BEACH VILLAGE AT BEACHES TURKS & CAICOS

Not to be outdone, the new Treasure Beach Village at Beaches Turks & Caicos sounds like another ground-breaker for the company.

Set to open March 1, 2026, the expansion “will bring a level of luxury that will redefine our brand,” said Stewart. “We’re spending $1.5 million per key at Treasure Beach. The average spend for a family hotel in the Caribbean is $280,000 per key.”

With 11 categories of rooms and suites at Treasure Beach Village, the list of accommodation options leads in with Treasure Beach Concierge Suites, offering two bedrooms and two bathrooms.

Treasure Beach Oceanview 2-Bedroom Grand Butler Suite at Beaches Turks & Caicos (rendering)

And at the very top of the list, the 2,612-square foot, three-storey CrystalSky Reserve Villas offer four bedrooms, three bathrooms, direct access to the beach, private pool and a rooftop deck.

With a US$150 million investment, the development increases the resort’s total key count to 858 and marks the sixth village at Beaches Turks and Caicos.

The 100-acre beachfront Treasure Beach Village will also feature a 15,000-square-foot infinity-edge pool, new dining options including the Pinta Food Hall concept, and new amenities like the 32-seat Starfish Cinema, offering popcorn and refreshments, along with sunken social pods designed for family relaxation.

The 32-seat Starfish Cinema at Treasure Beach Village at Beaches Turks & Caicos (rendering)

Lead image caption: Primary bedroom in a Treasure Beach CrystalSky 4-Bedroom Reserve Villa at Beaches Turks & Caicos (rendering)