Sandals vs Excellence
The most common head-to-head in adults-only all-inclusive, and a genuinely close one. Sandals is the Caribbean icon with the deepest inclusion list in the category; Excellence is the Spanish-owned challenger that answers with bigger suites, deeper restaurant lineups, and consistently loved service in Mexico, the Dominican Republic, and Jamaica.
Sandals ranking · Excellence ranking · Sandals history · Excellence history · How we score · Share as a post ↗ · Last reviewed July 2026
By the numbers
| Sandals | Measure | Excellence |
|---|---|---|
| 13 | Resorts in our catalog | 6 |
| ★ 4.5 | Average guest rating | ★ 4.9 (better) |
| 34,565 | Guest reviews analyzed | 108,148 |
| $258–$459/night pp | Nightly rates | $152–$342/night pp |
| All adults-only | Adults-only resorts | 5 of 6 |
| 13 of 13 | Five-star resorts | 6 of 6 |
| Antigua, Barbados, Curaçao, Grenada, Jamaica, St. Lucia | Where | Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Mexico |
| 8.5/10 | Overall score | 8.8/10 (better) |
| 8.5/10 | Beach score | 8.5/10 (better) |
| 8.4/10 (better) | Food score | 8.3/10 |
| 8.3/10 | Service score | 8.8/10 (better) |
| 8.3/10 | Rooms score | 8.7/10 (better) |
| 8.7/10 | Pools score | 8.9/10 (better) |
| 7.9/10 | Value score | 8.3/10 (better) |
| 9.1/10 (better) | Romance score | 9.1/10 |
| 8.0/10 (better) | Nightlife score | 7.3/10 |
| 8.3/10 | Wellness score | 8.5/10 (better) |
Chain averages across the resorts in our catalog. Individual properties vary, so tap into each ranking before you book.
Round by round
Sandals, on paper: scuba for certified divers, airport transfers, and tips are all in the rate, which Excellence doesn't fully match. Read each resort's inclusion breakdown before assuming, but the Sandals list runs deeper.
Excellence: suite-only properties where swim-out rooms are the standard category, not the splurge. At Sandals the showstopper suites exist but sit at the very top of the price ladder.
Excellence by a nose for breadth and consistency at its price point; Sandals' top properties match it, but the fleet is less even.
Different maps: Sandals owns the eastern and southern Caribbean (Saint Lucia, Antigua, Grenada, Curaçao...); Excellence concentrates on Cancun/Riviera Maya, Punta Cana, and Jamaica. If you want a specific island, the choice may make itself.
Sandals is romance-as-production: themed, ritualized, honeymoon-calibrated. Excellence is a grown-up resort that happens to be adults-only. Pick your flavor.
Of the 11 measures we call, Sandals leads on 3 and Excellence leads on 8.
The verdict
If the trip is the honeymoon (the once-in-a-decade, want-it-ceremonial version), Sandals' inclusion depth and couples machinery justify the premium. For everyone else optimizing suite size, food, and price, Excellence usually wins the spreadsheet. Compare the specific two properties you're weighing; both chains have standouts and middling performers, and our per-resort scores expose which is which.
The properties to shortlist
Want it property-level? Put Sandals Grenada Resort & Spa and Excellence Playa Mujeres head-to-head, or open any two resorts in our resort comparator.
Frequently asked questions
Is Excellence cheaper than Sandals?
Usually somewhat, for a comparable room class, and the gap widens at suite level, where Excellence's standard swim-outs undercut Sandals' top categories. Exact pricing depends on property and season.
Which has better beaches, Sandals or Excellence?
It's property-by-property, not brand-by-brand. Sandals spans some of the Caribbean's best (and a few average) beaches; Excellence's Playa Mujeres and Punta Cana beaches are excellent. Check the beach score on each resort's page.