Love at the Beach
When the invitation arrived to spend the weekend in Antigua at a 3-day celebration hosted by Gordon “Butch” Stewart, Chairman of the Sandals Resorts, I was intrigued. Just how did a self-made, Jamaican billionaire entrepreneur (who started his career selling air conditioners) know so much about romance that he earned the moniker, “Cupid of the Caribbean?”
To find out I attended the launch of Stewart’s newest resort, the $70 million, five-star, all suite Mediterranean Village at Sandals Grande Antigua. To celebrate the opening, Stewart retained powerhouse public relations firm BWR to create a lavish, over-the-top weekend of events that highlighted the property’s super-luxe amenities for a select group of Hollywood stars, media personalities, press and local luminaries.
On Thursday, October 4th, the resort and spa welcomed celebrity couples including Kimora Lee Simmons (star of the Style Network show Life in the Fab Lane) and her new boyfriend Djimon Hounsou, Brooke Burke and David Charvet as well as Stacy Keibler and Geoff Stults. All VIP guests including Gossip Girl’s Blake Lively, Rumer Willis, Teri Polo, Melissa Rivers, Stephen Colletti, Kelly Killoren Bensimon and Access Hollywood’s Maria Menounos and Tony Potts were invited to experience Stewart’s new Luxury Included Vacation complete with spacious suites, private plunge pools with waterfalls and even personal butler service.
Opening night had a ribbon cutting ceremony followed by “The Taste of Antigua” – a dinner of signature culinary dishes from the island and a parade of dancers and musicians outfitted in vibrant costumes typically worn during the annual Antigua Carnival. Grammy Award winning artist Shaggy performed on a massive sound stage built by Bralco Group overlooking the Sandals pool.
Friday was full of rain showers which meant a soggy beach party but not dampened spirits. After an energetic show by reggae artist Sean Paul, guests piled into the British Pub for late night snacks and a lively set by DJ Splyce, one of Hollywood’s top DJ’s, that had guests bumping and grinding (literally) until the wee hours of the morning.
Thankfully, the sun came out in full force on Saturday so the silky white sand beach on Dickenson Bay became the place to be seen. A friendly yet heated game of beach soccer initiated by Access Hollywood had everyone cheering as well as ducking for cover. I might add that the highest scoring team members were all women – Blake Lively, Maria Menounos and Rachel Zalis, style correspondent for We TV.
Closing night celebrations were held poolside with an elaborate buffet of chilled lobster and shellfish, sushi and a dessert table that seem to go on for miles. An incredible fireworks show ushered in an unforgettable night at the resort. VIPs headed up to the tower for an all night dance party with DJ Splyce playing a mix of hip hop, rock and 80′s including a few crowd pleasing favorites from Journey, AC/DC and Michael Jackson.
After a weekend as a guest of the Stewart family, I began to realize that their resorts were so much more than just idyllic locations, luxe amenities and celebrated partnerships with wedding designers Preston Bailey and Sylvia Weinstock. According to Butch’s daughter, Managing Director Jaime Stewart-McConnell, the heart of Sandals is really about fulfilling all of your needs, desires and dreams.
And, isn’t that what romance and seduction are all about anyway?
PHOTO CREDIT: Dimitrios Kambouris for Wire Image
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[...] An interesting post on Sandals Resort and Dickenson Bay. A friendly yet heated game of beach soccer initiated by Access Hollywood had everyone cheering as well as … [...]
SANDALS RESORT HAD SUCH LOVELY BLISS AND THE GUESTS ARE NONE OTHER THAN MY FAVORITE.
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