Downward Angle Symbol A symbol in the form of an angle pointing downwards. The newlywed said she and her husband felt like they couldn't enjoy much rest at the all-inclusive resort. Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images
- Royal Bahamian sandals left a newlywed couple in trouble after spending three days of their honeymoon there.
- The couple paid nearly $5,000 for their stay but said the all-inclusive resort was “not a vacation.”
- Sam Doll said employees “pressured” her to spend more money on photos and activities.
A Canadian couple expected three days of peace when they booked a stay at an all-inclusive resort, but said it was anything but.
A woman known online as Sam Doll went viral on TikTok for detailing her honeymoon with her husband at the Royal Bahamian sandals. She said her three-day stay consisted mostly of a cold pool and frequent interruptions of relaxation by workers.
The couple spent nearly $5,000 on the all-inclusive resort to avoid the hassle of planning or thinking about money while on vacation, Sam told Business Insider. BI looked at the payment confirmation that Unique Travel Corp. sent to Sam and her husband.
Instead, Sam said the couple were “pressured into paying more” by staff who tried to sell photography packages and excursions. Sam's rant about her first time at Sandals was viewed over 6 million times in less than a week.
“Sandals just weren’t a vacation,” she said. “The whole point of this exact experience is that I don’t have to think about spending more money.”
Her previous positive experience at an all-inclusive resort in Mexico inspired her to book with Sandals Royal Bahamian.
Sam said she and her fellow guests avoided eye contact with Sandals staff in the halls to reduce the likelihood of another sales pitch. But she told BI she chose not to make a fuss to management about people simply doing their jobs “too well.”
Instead, she blamed what she called Sandals' “no tipping” policy on workers she believed were desperate for a commission.
In addition to the human “pop-up ads” — as commenters called the workers — employees ignored the privacy shield on the couple's door, she said.
Her video about her experience has over 650,000 likes and 20,000 comments, but Sam said they haven't heard from Sandals about her negative review.
Sam recommends that the company tip and discourage employees from talking to guests one at a time when they want to relax.
BI reached out to Sandals for comment and clarification on its tipping policy but did not receive a response prior to publication. In a 2020 blog post, Sandals said there was no need to tip employees other than butlers because tips are included in the upfront cost.
Although Sam said she likely won't return to a Sandals resort, regular guests have reached out with recommendations, including another Sandals location, for future all-inclusive Caribbean vacations.