Sarah Hartman, VP of Interior Design for Hospitality Purveyors Inc (HPI)

Posted in People on 4 October, 2023

HPI is the exclusive design and procurement arm for all Sandals Resorts International properties.

Sand, Sea, Sky and Romance is the inspiration behind the interiors at Sandals Resorts – and the main attraction for its loyal guests. In conversation with SPACE, Sarah discusses her role, keeping the brand relevant and how the Sandals aesthetic has evolved.

Launched in 1981, Sandals Montego Bay set the bar high in the world of ‘all inclusive’ and ‘couples only’ resorts.  43 years later, it comprises 24 properties in eight countries across five brands, including its latest offering: Sandals Dunn’s River. Although Sandals Resorts remain a firm favourite with honeymooners and love-struck couples alike, its sister brand, Beaches Resorts welcomes them back once the children have arrived.

Born in Melbourne, Australia, Sarah Hartman’s formative years involved a lot of travel, holding her in good stead for a career in design at Sandals Resorts International. Graduating from Parsons School of Design, a timely advertisement in the Miami Herald was her introduction to resort life. Starting as a junior designer in a ‘team’ of two, 28 years on and she is Director of Interior Design for the chain, heading up a team of 25.

As Vice President of Interior Design for Hospitality Purveyors Inc (HPI), what does your role involve, and which areas are you directly responsible for?
I am responsible for heading up and leading the design team and making most of the decisions. My role involves designing and furnishing many of the luxurious rooms, suites, restaurants, spas and other public spaces at our Sandals and Beaches resorts. From thinking about the colours, furniture type, artworks, soft furnishings and more, I direct the design team and make decisions on styling each space. We always think about how we can ensure all guests have the most luxurious, romantic, and authentic Caribbean experience.

Could you describe a typical day?
No two days are ever the same – they often involve a lot of travel, working on all the resorts, current inventory and acquisitions. We are a boutique design firm, issuing full construction documents, design intent and specification for all the custom items in each resort.

How many projects are you currently working on?
We are currently working on several different projects, including the design plans for some of the new Sandals and Beaches resorts that are planned to open within the next few years. These include Sandals Royal Dunn’s River and Beaches Runaway Bay in Jamaica, as well as a new Rondoval Village coming to Sandals Regency La Toc in Saint Lucia and a new resort in St Vincent, which is a brand-new destination in the Company’s portfolio.

Is there any such thing as a typical Sandals guest and has this changed over the years?
As Sandals Resorts has been around since 1981, we are fortunate to have a loyal base of repeat visitors. The ages of our guests vary, ranging from younger honeymooners right through to older couples who have been returning to our resorts for years. Traditionally, the average age of a Sandals guest from the UK market is typically around 50, as these customers tend to have more disposable income after their children have left home. However, weddings and honeymoons are also a big part of what we do, so we tend to see lots of young couples booking to stay at our resorts. We believe that after the Covid pandemic, couples are wanting to spend more quality time together and a luxury holiday is a great way to do so. This is why we incorporate unique details at every Sandals resort, to create spaces for couples to share romantic moments together. For example, the heart-shaped love seats for two on the beach at Sandals Royal Curaçao are the best seats in the house for watching the island’s fantastic sunsets.

What do you believe Sandals guests are looking for in terms of interior design?
Our guests are always looking for that ‘wow-factor’ which we work hard to create. At the brand-new Sandals Dunn’s River resort, which opened in May this year in Ocho Rios, Jamaica – we introduced several new first-of-their-kind accommodations. The Coyaba Sky Swim-Up Rondoval Butler Suites are magnificent. We have thoughtfully reimagined Sandals’ iconic standalone circular villas, adding vast open-air rooftops where guests can bask under the Ocho Rios sun and stars. The Tufa Terrace SkyPool Butler Suites at this resort are also the first skypool suites in Jamaica, with glass panel edge infinity pools spanning the length of balconies offering views of the Caribbean Sea. Over at Beaches Negril, we’ve just opened a collection of 12 brand-new villa and townhouse suites, some of which sleep up to 18 guests so are perfect for multi-generational holidays. In today’s day and age, our guests are also looking for ‘Instagrammable’ moments to capture on holiday, so we are adding more of those as we develop new properties. At Sandals Royal Curaçao for example, we decided on some tongue-in-cheek sayings with planting and touches of neon, to create those opportunities. On the interiors side of things, artwork is also a popular trend. So as not to detract from the picture-perfect views at each resort, we aim to keep artwork in the rooms and suites to a minimum, with specially selected pieces.

Is there a design recipe for Sandals, or does each resort have its own identity?
Each resort does have its own unique personality; however, the design is kept consistent throughout the portfolio to maintain the ‘Sandals’ experience. We add subtle tweaks here and there to make each resort unique. A commonality between all Sandals Resorts is romance. We are always working to make sure that the rooms and public areas at each resort allow couples to have the most romantic holiday together, from placing Tranquillity Soaking Tubs for two on many guest patios or balconies to placing large hammocks around the resort, or private outdoor pools in select suites. This adds an extra element of luxury to the design.

Where do you find inspiration when considering a new design concept?
I am always inspired by each individual island that we are working in. For example, when we created Sandals Royal Curaçao, we took all kinds of inspiration from our local surroundings. Curaçao is made up of European beach clubs, so we wanted to extend this feeling with our own signature beach club adjacent to the main Dos Awa infinity pool, creating a very relaxed feel with textures in beige rather than bright colours. Curaçao is also full of street art, so we worked with two artists to create the resort’s food trucks, and another local artist for the female Chi-Chi statue located at the resort’s entrance. The entire hotel is wrapped in the colours and textures that Sandals represents…sea, sky and sand.

How would you describe the Sandals aesthetic, and how has it evolved over the years?
The Sandals Resorts aesthetic can be described as luxurious, romantic and Caribbean cool. These are the themes we prioritise and focus on when designing a resort. Years ago, we designed our resorts in quite a different way compared to now. For example, we used to use traditional dark wood furniture in the rooms and suites. Now, as we work on designing new resorts and renovating our older properties, we are moving in different directions. Wood tones are becoming lighter, and we are incorporating a layering effect with wallpaper, art and furniture. This is the new ‘Sandals 2.0’ aesthetic which we are working to develop.

At Sandals Royal Curaçao, we chose lighter white oak to maintain the coastal feeling throughout the resort and all the furniture was custom designed by our team, including lighting and upholstery. The softer tones lend themselves to a more elegant feel – we wanted the resort to feel very residential and to offer a VIP experience.

At Sandals Dunn’s River, we introduced some amazing design elements including water from the nearby Dunn’s River Falls flowing through the resort’s water features, such as the pools and the Red Lane Spa. The brand-new suite designs are another standout feature. The Coyaba Sky Villa Swim-up Rondoval Butler Suites with Private Pool Sanctuaries are the first of their kind for Sandals Resorts. These suites come with a rooftop sundeck and telescope so that guests can watch the stars from their very own rooftop – there’s even a Stargazing Concierge on site to help identify constellations.

www.sandals.co.uk.