"Just push this button if you need anything and we'll take care of it."
Checking into Sandals Emerald Bay on the Caribbean island of Exuma on a warm May afternoon, my partner and I must have looked confused by the comment.
“It’s your butler phone, anything you want you just call.”
Our stunned silence, followed by a not so quiet “Yahoo” from me, brought a smile to our butlers “Action Jackson” and Treco, who were assisting us while we checked into the air conditioned comfort of our suite.
Having been invited by Sandals to check out the resort during our visit to Exuma, we were confident it would be great. But prior to this moment, we had no idea just how great.
Our biggest question then became, what does one do with a butler? Our guys were the best and, when they hadn’t heard from us for a while, would show up unexpectedly with drinks or call our butler phone to see how we were doing. Jackson and Treco delivered tropical cocktails by bicycle to the beach, left fresh coconut drinks and snacks in our room and made sure our bar was fully stocked — with Sandals being an all-inclusive, there wasn’t a lot of drinking being done in the room. But the best part of having a butler was not having to get up at 7 a.m. to reserve lounge chairs by the pool because they took care of it. Best. Perk. Ever.
We were also invited to try a new couple’s treatment offered at Red Line Spa called the Night Blooming Jasmine Massage, which after 11 days of travelling was literally a gift from the gods (and Sandals).
Sandals Emerald Bay is nothing less than stunning and the attention to detail is astounding. The resort is situated on a mile-long beach boasting Champagne-coloured sand, a championship golf course designed by legend Greg Norman, unlimited scuba diving and water sports, tennis courts, a deep water marina designed to hold more of those super yachts and seven restaurants.
We had the pleasure of trying the fine dining at Italian restaurant Il Cielo, but we also enjoyed the more casual fare served at Barefoot by the Sea and our favourite, the Drunken Duck, an authentic British pub complete with a menu offering fish and chips and bangers and mash.
This luxurious resort was designed to ensure guests feel like they're the only ones on the property, where service reigns supreme and Bahamian-style architecture harmonizes with nature. Secluded amongst 500 tropical acres along a pristine, mile-long beach, civilized pleasure coexists with exotic adventures.
The centrepiece of the property is the half-acre, zero-entry pool with a dramatic fire pit in the middle where during the day guests can listen to a live DJ, while sipping tropical drinks at the swim-up bar, or relax by the quiet pool, where even blenders are banned.
Our suite opened up to the beach and on our last day at Sandals a kite surfer wove his way across the bright blue sky as I lamented having to leave not only this beautiful resort, but Exuma itself. I also briefly considered stealing the butler phone to see if it would work back home, but as Jackson gently took it out of my grasp he suggested we’d just have to return to see them all again.
