Sandals and Secrets compared across 30 open adults-only resorts: couples-only Caribbean islands with diving, transfers, and tips included versus Mexico and Punta Cana suites that earn World of Hyatt points.
Sandals and Secrets are the two biggest names in adults-only all-inclusive resorts, and they are built for different trips. Sandals is strictly for couples on English-speaking Caribbean islands, with airport transfers, tips, and scuba diving folded into the base rate. Secrets welcomes couples, friend groups, and solo adults across Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Aruba, Costa Rica, and Spain, and participates in World of Hyatt.
Highest Palmprint first. Sandals Grenada Resort & Spa leads at 9.2 (5 minutes from GND), followed by the 74-suite Sandals Royal Plantation at 9.1 and Sandals Dunn's River at 8.9 in Ocho Rios. Sandals Grande Antigua (9.2 beach score) and Sandals Grande St. Lucian (9.1 beach score) lead on calm, swimmable bays.
Thirteen Sandals resorts are open today. Three more in Jamaica are closed after Hurricane Melissa: Sandals South Coast is scheduled to reopen on November 18, 2026, and Sandals Montego Bay and Sandals Caribbean Cay are scheduled for December 18, 2026.
| Fact |  Sandals Grenada, via Unique Vacations SandBox |  Sandals Royal Plantation, via Unique Vacations SandBox | Sandals Dunn's River, via Unique Vacations SandBox |  Sandals Halcyon Beach, via Unique Vacations SandBox |  Sandals Barbados, via Unique Vacations SandBox |  Sandals Royal Curaçao, via Unique Vacations SandBox |  Sandals Grande Antigua Resort & Spa, via Unique Vacations SandBox |  Sandals Grande St. Lucian, via Unique Vacations SandBox |  Sandals Royal Bahamian, via Unique Vacations SandBox |
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| Place | Pink Gin Beach, Grenada | Ocho Rios, Jamaica | Ocho Rios, Jamaica | Castries, St. Lucia | Maxwell, Barbados | Willemstad, Curaçao | St. John's, Antigua | Gros Islet, St. Lucia | Nassau, Bahamas |
| Adults only | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| All-inclusive | Included | Included | Included | Included | Included | Included | Included | Included | Included |
| Beach | Near the coast | Near the coast | Near the coast | Near the coast | Near the coast | Near the coast | Near the coast | Near the coast | Near the coast |
| Swimming | Calm | Calm | Moderate | Calm | Moderate | Calm | Calm | Calm | Calm |
| Pools | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 4 |
| Swim-up suite | Yes | Not listed | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Not listed | Yes | Yes |
| Palmprint | 9.2Beach 8.5, Pools 9.2, Food 9.1 | 9.1Beach 8.8, Pools 8.1, Food 9.0 | 8.9Beach 8.8, Pools 9.1, Food 8.7 | 8.7Beach 8.3, Pools 8.8, Food 8.0 | 8.6Beach 8.3, Pools 8.7, Food 8.8 | 8.5Beach 8.4, Pools 9.0, Food 8.2 | 8.5Beach 9.2, Pools 8.6, Food 8.3 | 8.4Beach 9.1 | 8.4Beach 8.6, Pools 8.2, Food 8.0 |
| Airport | 5 min from GND | 90 min from MBJ | 30 min from OCJ | 75 min from UVF | 15 min from BGI | CUR | 15 min from ANU | 90 min from UVF | 15 min from NAS |
| From price | From $451 | From $486 | From $513 | From $335 | From $386 | From $482 | From $370 | From $906 | From $489 |
Sandals Grenada, via Unique Vacations SandBox
Sandals Royal Plantation, via Unique Vacations SandBox
Sandals Dunn's River, via Unique Vacations SandBox
Sandals Halcyon Beach, via Unique Vacations SandBox
Sandals Barbados, via Unique Vacations SandBox
Sandals Royal Curaçao, via Unique Vacations SandBox
Sandals Grande Antigua Resort & Spa, via Unique Vacations SandBox
Sandals Grande St. Lucian, via Unique Vacations SandBox
Sandals Royal Bahamian, via Unique Vacations SandBox
From prices are per person, from a sampled nightly rate for two adults. They are not a quote.
Secrets Akumal Riviera Maya leads the brand at 9.3, where sea turtles graze in the bay right off the sand. Secrets Playa Blanca Costa Mujeres, Secrets Cap Cana on Juanillo Beach, and Secrets Maroma Beach Riviera Cancun follow at 9.1, alongside the ultra-luxury Impression Isla Mujeres and Secrets Impression Moxche.
In Mexico and the Caribbean, Secrets From prices start meaningfully lower than Sandals: Secrets Mirabel Cancun starts at $159 a night per person and Secrets The Vine Cancun at $168, while Secrets Cap Cana sits at the top of the Dominican Republic lineup at $457.
| Fact |  Photo: It's All Inclusive |  Photo: It's All Inclusive |  Photo: It's All Inclusive |  Photo: It's All Inclusive |  Photo: It's All Inclusive |  Photo: It's All Inclusive |  Photo: It's All Inclusive |  Photo: It's All Inclusive |  Photo: It's All Inclusive |
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| Place | Akumal, Mexico | Costa Mujeres, Mexico | Cap Cana, Dominican Republic | Riviera Maya, Mexico | Punta Cana, Dominican Republic | Playa del Carmen, Mexico | Cancun, Mexico | Puerto Vallarta, Mexico | Baby Beach, Aruba |
| Adults only | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| All-inclusive | Included | Included | Included | Included | Included | Included | Included | Included | Included |
| Beach | Near the coast | Near the coast | Oceanfront | Near the coast | Near the coast | Near the coast | Near the coast | Near the coast | Near the coast |
| Swimming | Calm | Calm | Calm | Moderate | Calm | Varies | Moderate | Moderate | Calm |
| Pools | 3 | 4 | Not listed | 2 | 2Lazy river | 7 | 3 | Not listed | 3 |
| Swim-up suite | Not listed | Yes | Yes | Yes | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed |
| Palmprint | 9.3Beach 9.4, Pools 9.0, Food 8.8 | 9.1Beach 9.2, Pools 9.0, Food 8.7 | 9.1Beach 8.6, Pools 9.0, Food 8.8 | 9.1Beach 9.3, Pools 8.9, Food 8.7 | 8.9Beach 9.2, Pools 9.1, Food 8.4 | 8.9Beach 8.3, Pools 9.0, Food 8.8 | 8.8Beach 8.7, Pools 8.2, Food 8.4 | 8.6Beach 8.1, Pools 8.2, Food 8.4 | 8.5Beach 8.1, Pools 8.7, Food 8.6 |
| Airport | 75 min from CUN | 50 min from CUN | 20 min from PUJ | 35 min from CUN | 23 min from PUJ | 40 min from CUN | 20 min from CUN | 15 min from PVR | 30 min from AUA |
| From price | From $254 | From $317 | From $457 | From $289 | From $226 | From $319 | From $168 | From $237 | From $377 |
Photo: It's All Inclusive
Photo: It's All Inclusive
Photo: It's All Inclusive
Photo: It's All Inclusive
Photo: It's All Inclusive
Photo: It's All Inclusive
Photo: It's All Inclusive
Photo: It's All Inclusive
Photo: It's All Inclusive
From prices are per person, from a sampled nightly rate for two adults. They are not a quote.
Choose Sandals when you want an English-speaking Caribbean island, included scuba diving, a strict no-tipping policy, and airport transfers already arranged. Choose Secrets when you want Mexico or Punta Cana, two-bed suites for a friends' trip, or World of Hyatt points.
Both are built for couples, but Sandals is strictly couples-only (one king bed per room, no friend groups) and sits on English-speaking Caribbean islands like St. Lucia, Grenada, Antigua, and Curacao. Secrets is a strong honeymoon pick in Mexico (Akumal, Maroma, Playa Blanca) and Cap Cana, and tends to price lower per night for a comparable swim-out suite.
At Secrets, yes: most Junior Suites offer a choice of one king bed or two double/queen beds, and solo travelers or friend groups are welcome. At Sandals, every room is configured for a couple sharing one king bed.
