Sandals Sets Jamaica Reopenings For December 6

Published on Nov 4, 2025, 3:52 pm CST

3 min read

Key points

Five Jamaica properties reopen on December 6, 2025: Sandals Dunn's River, Sandals Ochi, Sandals Royal Plantation, Sandals Negril, and Beaches Negril
Sandals Montego Bay, Sandals Royal Caribbean, and Sandals South Coast target May 30, 2026 for guest returns
Company cites uniform date to allow staff recovery time and completion of assessments and repairs
Guests can contact Sandals for rebooking and refunds; third-party policies vary by channel

Impact

Who Is Affected: Travelers with stays at Jamaica properties between now and early December, plus guests booked at Montego Bay, Royal Caribbean, or South Coast through late May 2026
Key Dates: December 6, 2025 reopening for five properties; May 30, 2026 for the remaining three
What To Do: If booked before your resort's reopening date, move to an opening property, rebook later, or request a refund through your original channel
Flight Planning: Match any new resort dates with airline waivers and fare rules to avoid change fees
Advisor Actions: Re-protect clients proactively, align resort changes with air and transfer timings, and document policy terms in writing

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Sandals Resorts International confirmed staged reopenings across Jamaica following Hurricane Melissa's October 28 landfall. Five properties will welcome guests from December 6, 2025, while three others remain closed for repairs until May 30, 2026. The company says one uniform December date gives local teams time to recover personally and complete post-storm work, and it outlined options for guests to rebook or refund through their original purchase channels.

Sandals and Beaches in Jamaica

The December 6 reopenings cover Sandals Dunn's River in Ocho Rios, Sandals Ochi, Sandals Royal Plantation, Sandals Negril, and Beaches Negril. Properties that will take longer to return are Sandals Montego Bay, Sandals Royal Caribbean, and Sandals South Coast, all targeted for May 30, 2026. Sandals says those three were in the areas hardest hit and require additional time to restore standards.

Latest developments

Trade updates mirror the company's statement, with industry outlets reporting the same two-phase schedule, including the December 6 openings and the late-May timeline for Montego Bay, Royal Caribbean, and South Coast. These reports reinforce the date-certain approach travelers can plan around now.

Analysis

For travelers, the single December 6 date reduces uncertainty, especially for winter trips to Ocho Rios and Negril. If you are holding a reservation at one of the three properties slated for May 30, 2026, the practical choices are to shift to one of the opening resorts, push dates to summer, or refund if your channel allows. Airline planning should happen at the same time as resort changes. Align new check-in dates to available fare buckets and, where applicable, active change-fee waivers tied to Jamaica operations after Melissa. If you booked with a travel advisor, have them re-protect flights and ground transfers together to minimize involuntary overnights.

Background Hurricane Melissa was one of the strongest storms in Jamaica's modern record, disrupting flights, utilities, and resort operations island-wide. Sandals reported all guests and team members safe, then began comprehensive assessments before setting the reopening timeline. A central contact line and the Sandals Foundation channel were highlighted for assistance and community relief support.

Final thoughts

Sandals' phased plan puts five resorts back online by December 6, 2025, with three more following on May 30, 2026. If your stay precedes these dates, act now to move resorts or dates, and synchronize air changes to avoid penalties. The primary keyword "Sandals Jamaica reopening dates" remains the core planning anchor for winter and spring trips.