If you follow me, or my peeps, you know that summer travel is our thing. The wedding industry is dead in the summer, despite what some may think, so we often use that time for our larger trips, and typically, they end up being “tropical”! With the KS Brand branching out to travel with our Concierge services, the planning has become that much more important and choosing where we stay is key so we can try to different brands and options out there.
This year, we decided to stay at an all-inclusive so we could cut down on the amount of pre-planning needed prior to the trip (it was a busy Spring season). I have not had a tremendous amount of experience in the all-inclusive realm, so I had to stick with the brands that I am most often asked about. One of the top candidates was Sandals. One of the newest Sandals resorts was Curacao and since that was on everyone’s “places of interest” list, Sandals Curacao was the winner. Sandals Curacao
I will say that I am typically not a “one and done person”. I definitely believe in second chances and, for Sandals, they will need a second chance. The level of service definitely was not up to snuff and, hopefully, I will turn to the KS YouTube channel to elaborate on my/ our experience at the resort. Do not misunderstand; The grounds were beautiful and we did spend majority of our time at the resort, mainly in the infinity pool. There were a few days that we did ventured out and I would like to share the places and details outside of the resort that we recommend checking out.
First, let me recommend the transfer company that we used to get from the airport to the resort - Discover Curacao Tours. Sandals does offer a free transfer, but we did not want to have to wait for everyone else to fill up a bus so we chose our own method of transportation. Discover Tours was very easy to work with. You should definitely download What’s App for easy communication. They were quick to respond and stayed in touch with us throughout our two-days of travel (since our flight was canceled the first day). They did have a few different options for transfers, but we chose the standard which was $50 per couple.
The driver met us at the bar just outside of the airport (but still on airport property). We sent a picture of ourselves so she knew who to look for and she was exactly where they told us she would be. The drive to the resort was air conditioned, the driver was a local who was well-versed in the Curacao culture and was able to give us a bit of a tour on our way to the resort. 10/10! This company offers other tours and excursions so they are worth checking out. Discover Curacao Tours
Our first stop, when venturing out, was for pre-dinner cocktails at Saint Tropez Ocean Club and boutique hotel. Although we were only there for drinks, the place was absolutely stunning at sunset. Good service, cold beer – what else can you ask for. Oh, and an Instagram-able picture spot for sure. Saint Tropez Curacao
Saint Tropez Ocean Club walk thru
The highlight of the trip was a restaurant, just across the street from Saint Tropez, called Kome. We actually went there twice. It was in fact good enough to go twice, but I was sick the first time we went so I did not end up eating. (Note – If you find yourself getting sick and you cannot figure out why, switch to bottled water – it’s more than likely the tap water)
The restaurant was absolutely incredible and the friends that did end up eating there twice were not upset to go again with us before the trip ended! The service and staff were fun and attentive, the food was a 12/10 and the cocktails were perfection – you have to try the Tokyo Millionaire! This was, by far, one of the top 10 dinners we have ever experienced together. KOME Curacao
The little extras to mention - While we were at the restaurant, we told our server that I needed to get back to the resort so she called us a car (a driver that the restaurant uses often) and he was so amazing that we ended up communicating with him for the entire rest of the trip and he brought us wherever we needed to go for the rest of the week. He was way cheaper and more reliable than the resort’s offerings. As a rule of thumb, we often make friends with the locals so we have reliable options for cabs/ ubers, food options, the best bars, etc.
Moving on to our beach club day where we chose to visit Mambo Beach. Upon arrival, it was very crowded, specifically with a ton of kids and that is not exactly our speed. I recommend continuing to walk down the beach, away from the shops and the entrance to the beach club, and there is where you will find a bit more "adult friendly" area. Truthfully, I am not so sure we were still at Mambo Beach - Mood Beach is directly next door, but the two are separated by a dock, from what we could tell.
Regardless, we found a lovely area at the far end of the beach with beds and umbrellas and, not surprising, we were next to the bar. We paid for beach front beds and had a server with us all day. We had some burgers and cocktails and I snorkeled almost the entire day! The water was calm and perfect for swimming with the beautiful fish. Mambo Beach
Note – invest in a snorkel mask from Amazon – No kidding, the best investment of the trip – It is the Seaview 180 V3 full face snorkel mask. You are welcome.
Finally, on our last full day, we traveled back to downtown Willemstad and we walked the bridge to see the colorful coast and perused the bars and shops throughout the streets. It really is such a cool town with a mix of tourists and locals. The area is full of restaurants and shopping amoungst local-living and apartments. While walking in a, what you think is a, residential neighborhood, you will stumble upon a street of festoon lights and bars with people enjoying dinner or cocktails outside.
We stopped at Cascada, a rooftop pool, restaurant and bar. We witnessed yet another beautiful sunset. The views are unbeatable. Definitely worth the elevator ride (that my husband did not take to get back down, but that is another story).
Another note – if you are going for the pool, do not expect to actually get into the pool if three people are there before you. I am kind of kidding, but for real, the photographer that took those photos deserves an award. It is TINY!! Not at all the size shown in the pictures online, but the bar and restaurant are worth it!!
Overall, the trip was fantastic! Curacao was beautiful and a place that I would definitely recommend to anyone looking for beautiful water, amazing sunsets, a culture-filled town and a good spot for those looking for outdoor eating and cocktailing. While Curacao does have a lot more to offer when it comes to history, if you know me, you know that you should not look to my blog for that type of activity or suggestion. Diving is a huge part of Curacao and I wish I would have had that experience to report back to you, but for what we were looking for, which is always sun, fun and cocktails, this was the perfect place! I am not sure that staying at an all-inclusive is the best option for a place like Curacao, depending on what you are looking for, but for us, just a few activities was good enough and spending the rest of the time on the resort was the perfect mix!
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