insideKENT Magazine Issue 23 - February 2014 | Page 117

category come with a butler – more specifically, three butlers! Extravagant? Perhaps. At odds with our British reserve? A tad. But a pleasant and welcome addition to our stay? Without a doubt! Butlers are there to enhance every aspect of your holiday and in our case Kevin, Karen and Roxanne did just that. They were on hand to take care of every detail: unpacking our suitcases, confirming dinner reservations, reserving pool beds or beachside cabanas complete with a cool box of your favourite drinks (these are memorised from day one!) and organising spa treatments or excursions. They can also arrange for you to have food and drink anywhere on the resort. Breakfast in bed? Check! Lunch by the pool? Check! Dinner at eight at the best table in the house? Check! And don't forget the candle-lit scented bath before bed. Check! What's more, all of these services can be managed by the mobile ‘butler phone’ that's provided for the duration of your stay, meaning that you can contact your butler at any time between 7am and 10pm. Once settled and following the eight and a half hour flight from London (made more bearable by the comfort and service of Virgin Atlantic’s upperclass cabin), and a relaxing pre-flight breakfast in Virgin’s trendy V-room at Gatwick. We were happy to explore our surroundings and headed for the familiar comfort of home: The Drunken Duck British Pub for our late dinner. Waking under the glorious Caribbean sunshine, it was time to see what makes this resort so popular. What is immediately obvious is that this resort is made for couples – sun beds in pairs, double hammocks, love seats by the beachside fire pits and tables for two. Why would honeymooners consider anywhere else? But it's not just for honeymooners. Sandals have pioneered their unique Wedding Moons™ where their wedding package is actually included in the price of your holiday. Far from being a wedding conveyor belt, intimate ceremonies are offered in various locations on the resort and the couples who we met that had married on site clearly had had the wedding of their dreams all taken care of by the Sandals coordinators. The weekly beach BBQ took place at the end of our first day, but this was no ordinary beach party. Round tables set on the sand flats were laid for groups of ten, seats were allocated randomly after you were given a tempting glass of ‘cool runnings’ a moorish cocktail which was topped up time and time again that night. The food was divine, kayaks usually used for beach water sports were used as tables under the platters of fresh salads, sides and breads. The BBQ proffered huge juicy beef kebabs, plentiful pork ribs, flavoursome jerk chicken and beautifully charred fish, whilst other stations offered freshly cooked Mexican chicken and shrimp to mix with guacamole, salsa and tortillas. Once guests had had their fill, mini desserts were available with cheesecakes, profiteroles and tarts forming just some of the tempting treats offered to the sound 117 of steel drums and calypso music and sights of traditional dancers and fire breathers. Food over, the cocktails flowed whilst the beach disco beats and soft sound of the crashing waves took the party late into the night. Exceptional Food and drink is at the heart of the Sandals experience, and Sandals Grande Antigua is home to not just a few, but 11 world-class restaurants. The team of chefs cater for all tastes, and in settings from barefoot beach casual to white gloved grandeur. In an attempt to do the resort's restaurants justice we aimed to eat in a different restaurant every evening. Most restaurants on the resort offer freestyle ‘eat when you please’ dining, however Eleanor's the Caribbean and Kimonos the Japanese restaurants require reservations (effortlessly taken care of by the butler team of course). Food is literally available 24hours across the resort. The Mediterranean Village is home to Mario's the Italian Trattoria which offers authentic Italian dishes inspired by the Salerno region in a traditional Italian setting. Appetisers are chosen from a bounteous buffet whilst main courses include pastas, risottos and grills. Mario's is also home to the resort's most favourite food: the Chocolate Lava Cake, an indulgent chocolate fondant pudding that has guests coming back for sneaky extra portions even when dining in one of the other restaurants!