Antigua and Barbuda’s Prime Minister Gaston Browne has announced that Sandals Resorts will now allow its employees to keep the tips they earn, following discussions with the resort’s Executive Chairman, Adam Stewart.
The decision marks a shift for the Jamaica-based luxury hotel chain, which has traditionally discouraged tipping under its all-inclusive pricing model.
Browne revealed the update during an interview on Pointe FM, where he praised Stewart for agreeing to the change. “If the government of Antigua & Barbuda wants the staff to get tips, they can have the tips,” Stewart reportedly said, to which Browne responded, “Definitely.” The prime minister also stated that the government expects Sandals to proactively implement the new tipping policy before any legislation is passed.
At Sandals Resorts, tipping has historically been discouraged, with the company maintaining that gratuities are factored into the overall cost of a guest’s stay. Staff were generally not permitted to accept tips, except in cases such as butler services and spa treatments. Employees who accepted gratuities outside of these exceptions risked consequences, leading to criticism of the resort’s stance on worker compensation.
Browne emphasized that with this change, all tips given to Sandals employees should belong solely to them and not be placed in any trust or fund controlled by the company. “We hope Sandals will be proactive and put the new tip policy in place so that when workers receive tips, those tips belong to the employees, not the employer,” he stated.
The update comes after previous tensions between the government and Sandals in 2024, including disputes over tax payments. Browne has previously accused the company of withholding millions in unpaid sales taxes, a claim Sandals has not publicly addressed.
While the new tipping policy is seen as a win for hotel workers, it remains to be seen whether this signals a broader shift in Sandals’ relationship with the Antiguan government.
