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CRITIC Bloomberg Pursuits October 7, 2019Sandals Montego Bay
in the early 2000sA renovation at Sandals Montego Bay highlights a 35-year
love affair with the swim-up bar. By Claire BallentineJust Add People
The swim-up bar is a polarizing amenity: It’s either the
pinnacle of leisure—think of lounging in a Caribbean pool
watching the sunset with a piña colada in hand—or a ridicu-
lous chain resort gimmick to siphon more dollars from hotel
guests’ soggy wallets.
No surprise, then, that they can be found in locations that
range from the Four Seasons Resort Maui, which has pan-
oramic views of lush tropical gardens, to a thatched-roof
version serving giant pickles at a theme park in Des Moines.
There’s even an indoor one at a Times Square hotel.
“It goes along with the whole vacation experience,” says
Eric Herman, senior editor at Aqua Magazine, which covers thepool industry. “It’s like being served cocktails on the beach.
It’s a hedonistic indulgence activity.”
Traditionally a swim-up bar is like a regular bar but located
directly in the pool, allowing guests to order their frosé with-
out the burden of getting out. There are usually submerged
bar stools and a shallow depth, so you don’t actually have to
tread while you sip.
This year, Sandals Resorts International Ltd. is celebrat-
ing the 35th anniversary of the first Caribbean swim-up bar at
its Montego Bay resort in Jamaica with a redesign, which was
introduced on Aug. 30. Architects removed the window pan-
els that framed the bar’s opening to break down the divide