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Caribbean Travel RoundupNewsletter - Paul Graveline, Editor |
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This report describes our recent trip to Negril, Jamaica, including some comparisons to an earlier trip to Jamaica-Jamaica, a Superclubs resort in Runaway Bay. Strictly for my own convenience, I will write this report predominantly in chronological order. Traveling from the Southwest to the Caribbean is seldom convenient, and this trip was no exception. Our routing was to take us from Phoenix to Detroit to Tampa to Montego Bay. Mechanical delays added Miami to this list as we were re-routed from Tampa. It made for a very long day, but we breezed right through customs and did not wait long for our Tropical Tours van to Negril. If you don't find the ride to Negril thrilling enough, I recommend doing it after dark you still go more than 70 mph, but you have less warning about roadside hazards. Nonetheless, we survived the trip and collapsed into our bed at Drumville Cove, on the cliffs in the West End, to catch up on our sleep. We were able to notice, prior to our collapse, that the room was spacious and quite a bit nicer than our dorm-like accommodations at Jam-Jam. In the morning, after breakfast there, we had a visit from Karlene of Tropical Tours (a very nice lady) who gave us an overview of Negril as well as some of the tours we might want to take (we signed up for a catamaran trip to Booby Cay for a picnic). We then got a quick tour of the grounds by the manager, Linus. We had noticed that we left our shampoo behind, and asked Jennifer, the girl at the "lobby" bar where we could get some. She offered to get it for us, and we left her some money to do so. Once we were oriented to our surroundings, we grabbed our snorkeling gear and headed for the water. We noticed that the cliffs are actually fossilized coral and you can see fossil shapes all along the walls. The water was incredibly clear that day (over 100 feet visibility) and once we made the tricky entry into the water saw plenty of interesting sea life. While we were out there, we ran into Linus, who was also snorkeling, and he pointed out a lobster that was hiding between the rocks. After we got out and rinsed off under one of the freshwater showers on the cliffs, we started to notice how empty the place seemed. I think we saw only about half a dozen guests there the entire trip, though there were a number of locals who were hanging out at the cliff-side bar. There was a small pool on the edge of the cliff, but it was not filled. Otherwise, things were in generally good repair, with one exception. The water pressure is normally lower in the West End than in the rest of Negril, but it was especially low at that time due to work that was being performed on the water and sewer lines. We decided to walk over and try lunch at Rock Cliff, one of Drumville Cove¹s neighbors. I was glad that we did not decide to stay there, the service was very slow (thirty minutes to cook ham cheese sandwiches for their only customers) and the girl serving us seemed to resent that we wanted her to do anything at all. We also found out that although they advertise a weekly all-you-can-eat lobster barbecue, they do not do so during the low season. We did more snorkeling in the afternoon, and I tried some cliff jumping, which was pretty fun (the water is at least thirty feet deep in many places off the cliffs). Jennifer found us to give us our shampoo, and we were delighted to get $120 (Jamaican) back from the $5 (US) that we gave her (the exchange rate was between 33 and 35 Jamaican dollars for one US dollar). If we had bought shampoo at a typical resort gift shop, we would have paid much more. We decided to walk down and try the Pickled Parrot, a bar/restaurant that is a popular hangout spot on the cliffs. We had a nice dinner (I especially liked the Jerk chicken) with a wonderful view of the sunset. The food prices were quite good, but drinks were a bit high. We were pretty excited about the trip to Booby Cay . We were picked up at our hotel and met some "ugly Americans" from Indianapolis, that made embarrassed to be associated with them at all. Nonetheless, we made it to the beach and got on the catamaran to head out to Booby Cay. We had complimentary drinks during the whole trip and stopped to snorkel around an offshore reef. Though there were not many fish, we were able to see sea cucumbers, wrasses, parrot fish and a sea snake. We finally got to the island to enjoy our BBQ picnic. We were exploring the island, but had to retreat due to a gathering storm. We rode the storm out under the hut we used for lunch. The strength of this afternoon storm was incredible, even compared to the summer monsoon storms in Arizona; for the rest of the trip, my wife referred to this storm as the "hurricane." Unfortunately, this storm took up all of our time on the island and we were soon headed back. I must note that the catamaran did not use its sails at all, but operated under gasoline engine power, as seemed to be the custom there. For dinner, we walked a short distance down the road to Mariner¹s. We had an excellent meal there with great fish soup and fabulous lobster. The service there was some of the best we experienced on the island, and the sunset view was breath-taking. The next day, I met Moses! Moses is a local who fishes off the cliffs at Drumville Cove, and tried repeatedly to get me to take some tours arranged by him. We later set out on a walk to Xtabi for breakfast. We had just left Drumville Cove when we were accosted by one of the omnipresent taxis. We were not going far and wanted to just walk, so we declined the taxi driver who proceeded to yell at us, telling us we were just cheap! Unfortunately, this and a few other incidents tainted our entire stay in Jamaica. After a nice breakfast, we got a taxi ride from a driver that always seemed to turn up when we needed him and went to Hedonism II for the day. This day pass to Hedonism is a confusing business. In a number of different calls before our visit, we got differing details on this. My travel agent, myself and Drumville Cove got different answers as to the hours a day pass covers and the amount it cost. In the end, it cost $50 (US) each to go from 11-5 (which was shorter than any of the calls had indicated). The people at the front desk were not very pleasant (my notes refer to them as surly), but we did get in. Having heard so much, we were anxious to experience the beach. Although we had been warned, we were a bit disappointed in the quality of the "beach." The area was very crowded, mostly with couples and the use of surf shoes was very important as there are many rocks and urchins underwater. With the aid of some snorkel equipment, we were amazed at the variety of life swimming around these congested waters. These included a small barracuda, some cute baby Sgt. Majors, a sea snake, a puffer fish and some fairy basslets (one of my favorites). The afternoon brought yet another big rainstorm, so we took the time to get lunch. I was struck by the very American menu they served compared to the area restaurants, but the food was plentiful and good. I had more than my share of drinks that afternoon, but it was relaxing to get away from people selling things and kick back. Upon our departure, the same taxi driver appeared as if by magic and took us back to Drumville Cove. That night at our hotel, the water in our second-floor room stopped flowing; we could not flush the toilet or get water to drink. We contacted the management about this, but they said sometimes this happens for days at a time due to the water line construction. In the morning, I was forced to shower out on the cliffs since we still had no water. We spoke to the management and decided to move down to the beach. I have to compliment Drumville Cove for the way they handled this: they covered the extra expense for us to stay at Firefly and also got us a ride down there; they were a class act, though they were clearly sad to see us go. We got to Firefly in time for lunch and got settled into the beach cottage room. This room is in a separate building from the rest of the rooms. The beach bar here was tended by a nice woman named Livia, and features one of the best prices on the beach for Red Stripe ($50 J). We spent the afternoon relaxing on the beach. This was Sunday afternoon, and the beach-walking crowd included some locals. We took a walk later up past Swept Away, but were not impressed. The Swept Away grounds seemed a bit cramped, and the people seemed a bit uptight, though I cant say why. Following a recommendation from Karlene, we tried a restaurant on the beach named Kuyaba. We had some great bacon-wrapped shrimp as an appetizer, followed by an incredible dish of pasta covered with a lobster in garlic sauce. Though the meal was not much more expensive than many others we had, it was awesome, and we vowed to return. After our long walk back up the beach to our room, we went to the spa for a dip, and found the water level too low. We found the night watchman, Desmond (a very friendly man), but he could not help us, so we went to bed. We started our next morning with a quiet walk on one of the world's most beautiful beaches, which was even more pleasant because few hasslers (salespeople) were out yet. I know these people are making a living this way (I don't need any lessons on their struggling economy, thank you), but I don't reward their pushy behavior with my business on vacation any more than I do at home. An obnoxious and insincere salesperson is unpleasant to me no matter where I am. Upon our return, we had a wonderful and inexpensive breakfast of bacon and egg sandwiches at the beach bar. We then headed to Xtabi by way of the resident taxi man, Jerry. On our arrival at Xtabi, we were given an enthusiastic and warm greeting to begin one of our best afternoons on the island. George showed us around the property including the cliff-side caves. We quickly went down for some great snorkeling. When we took a rest on one of the platforms built on top of some coral, Richard brought us some lounge chairs and drinks (what service!). We got in more snorkeling, spotting virtual clouds of small fish, a sand digger, many Tang and some fish I call Neon Dots that were too shy for my camera. We had a tasty lunch of Jamaican Chicken and headed back to Firefly. During our afternoon walk, we went North on the beach again. By the time we returned, the spa had more water in it, and I enjoyed a sunset soak watching the many tropical birds in the trees, imagining I was in paradise. We walked down to Alfred's Ocean Palace, which is noted for its frequent Reggae shows, for dinner. Though the meal was decent, it took over 20 minutes just to get the check. Then, after this long wait, they treated me like a criminal for paying with a traveler's check without a picture ID (which had not been a problem elsewhere). We left there disappointed with our treatment. After a short walk on the beach, we resolved to give Hedo II another try and had Jerry drive us there. We had less hassle getting in this time and quickly found a shady spot on the beach. We had a good time watching the competing teams in the "Olympics" that were going on that morning. Later, I got a sailing lesson from Devon of watersports and got some relaxation in, floating off of the beach. We then took a Sunfish out for a sail over towards Grand Lido (looked much more quiet over there) and around Booby Cay, getting in just as the daily storm was getting underway. In the afternoon, we had a fun time watching the body painting contest which featured some very creative designs. We grabbed a couple of burgers from the beach grill and had to head back. We started walking back towards Firefly when we got a lift from the same taxi driver who took us back the last time (that guy was everywhere!). We got back in time to watch the party boats return after sunset and have a relaxed evening in our room. We spent the next morning reading on the beach and enjoying our breakfast at the beach bar. We had a such a good time at Xtabi that we returned for more snorkeling. The water was a bit cloudier that day, but the snorkeling was still great. We met a nice newlywed couple from North Carolina and had a pleasant lunch during the daily storm. The rest of the afternoon was some relaxation back at the beach at Firefly, followed by another great dinner at Kuyaba and a free shuttle ride back to our room. We spent the rest of our evening packing for our trip back. The nest morning, we got the bus back to Montego Bay to start our long journey back home to some very happy dogs. General Comments: I doubt we would go back to Negril this way again. We went on vacation to get away from hassles, not to be constantly accosted by pushy salespeople and taxi drivers who sometimes don't understand what "no, thank you" means. The only respite we got from this was our time at Hedonism II. We also decided that though we got more variety by choosing where we went for our next meal, the process of deciding and then traveling to each meal was very time-consuming and, in the end, detracted from our vacation experience (YMMV). If we do go back to Negril, we will probably stay at Xtabi As far as Hedo II vs. Jam-Jam is concerned, we prefer Jam- Jam, though, once again, YMMV. We are beach people and the beach and reef are much nicer at Jam-Jam. The full service bar and grill at the Hedo II beach were nice but we would give them up for the natural beauty of Jam-Jam. The grounds at Hedo II seem more lush, in part because it is less open and built upon a hill. Though we did not sample many meals at Hedo, we thought the fare (and the clientele) at Jam-Jam was a bit more international. It was a nice vacation, and a bit less expensive than an all- inclusive, but we are not likely to vacation this way again.
The following are some thoughts about Negril, and some of the things
we did on our vacation there from May 30 - June 6. Sorry for not
finishing this sooner, but most of what we wrote is still valid. This
is not a "daily diary" type of trip report - we won't tell you what
we had for every meal. We'll talk about the fun things we did, and
give our impressions of some of the unique things about Negril. In
addition, there are several pictures in the library on some of these
topics, which we will note in the report.
Air Jamaica
Many trip reports start with the plane ride to Jamaica, so this is as
good a place as any to put this topic. On our previous 4 trips to
Jamaica, we had gone with charter air and hotel packages. Since Air
Jamaica just began flights from Chicago in 1996, and their packages
were competitive in price with the big charter operators (Apple
Vacations and FunJet are the main ones in Chicago) we decided to give
them a try.
A big advantage for Air Jamaica is that they have daily flights, so
that you aren't restricted to going on specific days, as you are on
charters. Various commitments at home required that we had to go from
Thursday to Thursday, which would not have been possible with Apple
Vacations, for example.
Another plus for Air Jamaica was that the plane wasn't close to being
full, so we got a whole row of three seats for the two of us. It was
even emptier on the way home, with about 25 people in a 150 passenger
plane.
The final advantage of going Air Jamaica is that you use the regular
terminal at Montego Bay, instead of the charter terminal. The regular
terminal is much nicer, with modern counters, baggage handling
equipment, lots of shops and a large, pleasant area to sit and wait
for flights. This turned out to be very important.
However, we ended up very unhappy with Air Jamaica, because of the
way they played "bait and switch" with the flight times. All during
early '96, they had been running large newspaper ads promoting the
fact that their flights arrived earlier and left later than their
competitors, thus giving you the maximum time on the beach. In all
their ads they boasted of an arrival time of 10:50 AM and a departure
time of 5:15 PM. This sounded great to us, as we would have a whole
afternoon on our arrival day and a whole morning on our departure
day. (On one of our previous trips we had arrived in Negril after
dark!) When we booked the flight, these flight times were included in
the letter of confirmation they sent us. Then, only a week before our
departure, our tickets arrived with a departure time of 2:15 PM, 3
hours earlier than advertised. This, of course, meant that we would
have to leave Negril before noon on our departure day. Also, the
flight home was no longer nonstop, but included a stop in Nassau! To
make matters worse, we were informed on our arrival in Montego Bay
that the bus to the airport would pick us up at our hotel at 10:15
AM, since we had to get to the airport 2 hours before flight time and
they "had to allow 2 hours for the drive from Negril." Now, many of
you know, as well as we do, that the drive from Negril to MoBay is
only an hour and a half, and we have a hard time understanding why we
had to be at the airport 2 hours early for a flight with only 25
people on it!
Nevertheless, our protests got us nowhere, including a call to Air
Jamaica offices the day before our departure requesting a later
pickup time. The final insult occurred when we arrived at the airport
for our flight home, only to find that the flight time had been
changed to 3:30. So instead of being at the airport 2 1/2 hours
early, we were 3 1/2 hours early! Good thing we weren't stuck in that
old charter terminal or we would have gone crazy.
The Charela Inn
We chose to stay at the Charela Inn, a small hotel near the center of
Negril's beach. The Charela has been around for a long time; we met a
couple who had been visiting the Charela every year for 15 years. It
has only 39 rooms, including a few family rooms. Ours was a garden
view and a lovely garden it was. The vegetation was mature with
probably a hundred different species of trees and flowers. My
favorite was a large poinciana tree in bloom. (We must have 10
pictures of that tree!) The rooms are pleasant with 10-foot ceilings,
4-poster beds, and wooden wardrobes. We had fresh flowers in our room
several times during the week. The lobby has circular staircases
leading up to a lounge, TV room, and some of the rooms. The
restaurant and bar are in the older section of the hotel adjacent to
the beach.
The food at the restaurant was quite good. We ate a number of
breakfasts there and found the prices to be reasonable ($2 for French
toast and $4 for a large omelet and toast). The restaurant featured a
5-course meal each night with the menu announced in the late
afternoon. This was expensive ($25-28) and more to eat than we
usually wanted, so we did not try it. There is also a limited ala
carte menu that we ordered from several times and everything we had
was delicious.
The beach at the Charela is deeper than that of many Negril hotels,
with a number of palm trees, so that sun or shade could be selected.
There were plenty of lounge chairs. The water is almost perfect -
warm, calm, beautiful blue, with a nice sandy bottom that gradually
increases in depth so that you can walk out a long way. People would
often stand out in the water and talk. We met several couples this
way. Sailboats, windsurfers, and kayaks were available at no charge.
The beach attendants were helpful in arranging snorkeling trips,
parasailing, etc. The guests were about evenly divided between
Americans and Europeans. This meant that there was more topless
sunbathing than at some other hotels and Steve particularly wants to
thank those two Italian women for setting the tone of the beach by
wearing only thongs (:-).
Our dealings with the hotel were mostly good; we had one phone
message that got mangled and another that was lost completely, but
the management was generally quite helpful. The prices for the
Charela are among the lowest of the hotels included in most tour
packages. We did not feel that we were roughing it at all. We would
definitely call this a "best buy".
A Visit to Hedo for a Day
Our trip to Jamaica overlapped one day with one of Jamaica Jim's
trips to Hedo, and he invited us to spend the day with him. We won't
give a play-by-play of our day, but will give our impressions.
Hedo is really two resorts in one. One side is a very active, all-
inclusive resort with a full spectrum of things to do. The other side
is a nudist resort, where you can be nude all day except at breakfast
and dinner. It is not just a resort with a nude beach. You can walk
nude from your room to the beach and to the nude hot tub, and you can
get drinks at the bar nude and eat lunch nude. This nudist resort
happens to share a dining room with the regular, clothed resort.
(Some nudists are not happy unless they can be nude all the time,
including all meals. For them, the only true nudist resorts in the
Caribbean are Club Orient on St. Martin and Sorobon on Bonaire.
Conversely, some who frequent the nude side at Hedo don't consider
themselves to really be nudists. As far as I'm concerned, anyone who
likes to be able to walk from their room to the beach nude, and eat
lunch nude, is a nudist!) The nude side is pretty slow-paced; the
major activity is getting up to walk over to the bar for more drinks.
Occasionally some people walk back and forth between the 2 sides, but
mostly they stay on one side or the other. We met a couple who had
been to Hedo 5 times and had never been on the nude side! When we
walked from one side to the other we could really feel the
difference.
The nude hot tub is truly impressive.. But it is a major social
gathering place for the nude side. Some people spend hours in it
every day. While we were unable to personally verify whether the
"sperm bank" reputation is justified, the atmosphere at night is
certainly conducive to such activity. It is big enough that a couple
could easily move off by themselves for some privacy. And if they
wanted to be public about it, it wouldn't really bother anyone.
While we were there, the much discussed construction of the new pool
was in progress. I personally think people are making too big a deal
about this. It's a small pool, and I think the main purpose for its
existence is so Hedo can say they have a "swim-up bar". This seems to
be the latest marketing device for all-inclusive. It certainly isn't
big enough to swim in, or play water volleyball in (the two things I
would want a pool for). And I doubt there will be any water aerobics
classes in it. (Although there's no reason they couldn't. In fact,
nude water aerobics sounds like a neat idea!)
The new nude beach was finished before our visit, and while they have
improved the beach area, it's still the worst beach in Negril. There
is almost no sandy beach. A couple feet into the water you're in
weeds and rocks. It is also easily the most crowded beach in Negril,
so obviously sand isn't everything! (This is pretty typical of nude
beaches. The nudists get the part of the beach no else wants, either
because it's a lousy beach or it's too hard to get to.) It is a
credit to Hedo's management that they're trying to improve it, but
the fact remains that the nude beach is not nearly as nice as the
prude beach. And it just does not compare with the main Negril beach.
Nevertheless, we had a lovely day at Hedo. There is definitely
something to be said for vacationing at a resort where there are
people that you know. We had more interesting conversations on that
day than on the whole rest of the trip. The food was good, although a
bit more American than at a Club Med. The grounds were nice and so
were the rooms. It is a good solid resort, even without the
attraction of the nude beach.
Booby Cay
Some of the hotels in Negril (like Sandals and Hedo) advertise an
"offshore island" or "island picnics". Some suggest that this is a
private island for their guests only. Well, there's only one island -
every hotel in Negril uses the same one. That's Booby Cay, and it's
just off the point between Hedo and Grand Lido. It amazes me that all
those island picnics aren't falling all over each other, but
apparently there is some sort of cooperation. (You take Saturday,
I've got Tuesday, etc.) The picnics are held on the main beach, where
the boats drop you off. There are some shelters and benches here, and
nearby there are some craft booths where several locals will sell you
souvenirs and drinks. The main beach is a nice size, and there is a
little shade.
Some hotels advertise the island trip as a snorkeling excursion, and
some mention that there is a nude beach on the island. The snorkeling
and nude sunbathing is at the other beach on the island, reached by
walking down the path past the craft booths. This is a fairly small
beach, and the access to the water is rocky. The rocks make it so you
can't wade or swim at this beach, but they make the snorkeling
better. This is the only good beach snorkeling that we know of in
Negril.
Diving and Snorkeling
There are lots of opportunities for snorkeling at Negril. As you walk
down the beach, besides offering to sell you souvenirs or something
to smoke, many locals are offering snorkeling, jet ski, or
parasailing trips. There are dozens of snorkel operators to choose
from. We solved this problem by asking the beach attendant at Charela
for a recommendation. He introduced us to Clarence, who took us out
to the reef for about 45 minutes of water time for $30 ($15 pp). We
were the only ones on the boat. It is a short ride to the reef, and
there are mooring buoys to prevent anchor damage to the coral. There
were 2 larger boats there when we arrived, and we indicated to
Clarence that we didn't want to be in a crowd, so he tied up to a
buoy a little ways away from the others. When we arrived at the reef,
he said that he wouldn't be able to go into the water with us but
pointed us in the best direction. Apparently, we didn't follow
directions well, because he soon jumped in after us and guided us to
some nice healthy coral. It was nice snorkeling, with a number of
interesting anemones and some coral that bloomed during the day.
There were a variety of fish, but all of them were quite small. The
reason demonstrated itself when we heard a ping nearby. I turned and
there was a spear-fisherman. He knew Clarence, and got a ride back in
with us. BTW, topless snorkeling, like most other things in Negril,
is "No Problem".
There are also quite a few scuba operators in Negril. I think there
are probably 10 or more. After reading an item in "Negril Today"
(there's your plug, Rob) we picked Mariners, a hotel and dive shop
near Rick's on the cliffs. We decided we wanted to try a shore dive.
They picked us up at the Charela, ("some time in the next hour"--so
we waited on the beach), and drove us the long detour around the road
construction. It probably took 30 minutes to get there. Once we
arrived, we picked up some gear, met our dive master, Stanley, and
one fellow diver, and had a splendid dive right off of the cliffs. It
was a wonderful way to dive--no long boat dive to make us sick just
before we got in the water. There was good coral, and lots of
interesting small creatures. We have an underwater camera, and went
slow enough that we could take pictures. In a larger group, the dive
master often keeps the group moving too fast to get pictures,
especially with the close-up lens. Our maximum depth was about 60
feet, so we had about 40 minutes of bottom time. This was cheaper
than a boat dive, and we liked it better. We paid $30 pp, and this
included all of our equipment.
Note the prices of the diving and snorkeling. I think this is another
"Best Buy" for Negril. We seldom see prices better than this
elsewhere in the Caribbean, and we had as good a diver/dive master
ratio as you can get. In the Bahamas we paid more than this to dive
on a "cattle boat". (This past summer, we took a a trip to the
Florida Keys; the best snorkeling price we could find was $20 pp, and
the best scuba was about $60 pp.)
After our dive, we walked through the road construction and had lunch
at Xtabi. A storm was coming, so we didn't do any snorkeling there,
but it seems to be a nice place to sun, and we certainly had a nice
lunch.
Sunset Cruises
Our stay at the Charela included a free sunset cruise. We sailed on a
yacht (although many other trips are on a catamaran). We went in
swimsuits and t-shirts although many others were in much dressier
clothes. We had to wade out to the boat that ferried us to the yacht,
so many others were quickly rolling up pant legs. On board, we were
served free rum punches or soft drinks and a plate of cheese and
crackers was passed around. Other drinks were available for purchase.
We first sailed north out around Booby Cay and then close to Grand
Lido. We turned around and came back along the beach, past the
Charala and along the cliffs past Rick's. We saw the lighthouse and
then turned back. We stopped to watch the cliff jumpers at Rick's for
a few minutes, and then headed home. It was an enjoyable 3-hour
cruise.
The Character of the Beach
Don't go to Negril looking for long strolls on a deserted beach.
Negril is a lively, active beach, with one hotel after another. The
difference between Negril and other popular beaches like Cancun is
that almost all of the hotels are small, usually 50 rooms or less,
and only 2 stories high. No big high rises here. As a result, the
beach is busy, but not crowded. There are some large resorts, but
they are not along the main section of the beach.
The main section of the beach runs from the Craft Village north to
Cosmos. At this point the beach ends for a little bit where some
trees come down into the water, then it picks up again with a very
narrow strip that soon widens and continues north. Grand Lido, Hedo,
and Sandals are off by themselves at the end of this smaller northern
section. Swept Away (and the new Beaches resort, scheduled to open in
1997) are at the north end of the main "strip" of hotels, but not
visible from the rest of the beach due partly to the way the beach
curves, but mostly to the "no higher than a palm tree" building code.
So the view on Negril beach is of sand, water, and palm trees, with a
few buildings poking out of the trees occasionally. Altogether, it's
a very attractive beach. Also, most properties are not very wide, so
in a short walk you pass by a variety of resorts, restaurants, bars,
shops, etc. Ironically, because the biggest 3 resorts are isolated at
the north end, many visitors to Negril never see the main beach.
On our first trip to Negril in 1982, there were only a few small
hotels and restaurants and a lot of empty beach. They were also
fairly "relaxed" about beach wear. At our hotel orientation, they
told us that topless sunbathing was OK anywhere on the beach, and
nude sunbathing anywhere except right in front of a hotel.
Every time we visit, more of the beach has been built up since the
last time. Now, it looks like every bit of space along the beach from
the south end all the way north to Cosmos has been used. The Beaches
resort, under construction while we were there, occupies the last
empty bit of beach (called the last wild nude beach in a previous
trip report). That part of the beach has been usable for nude
sunbathing, even during the construction. But now there is no longer
a part of the beach that's not "right in front of a hotel" and thus
no more nude sunbathing. (A minor exception to this is Firefly, which
allows nude sunbathing on its beach. Unfortunately, Firefly's "nude
beach" is approximately 2 lounge chairs wide.) For a nude beach in
Negril (other than Hedo), you now have to go to Bloody Bay, north of
Grand Lido.
Topless sunbathing is also much less common than it used to be,
varying a lot from hotel to hotel. Some hotels discourage it (one
hotel told us it was against the law) and some have no problem with
it (the Charela specifically designates a part of it's beach for
topless sunbathing). In general, the more Americans there are at a
hotel, the less topless sunbathing there is.
North of Cosmos, a public beach has been created, including life
guard chairs, changing rooms, and a snack bar. This is a good idea,
since it preserves part of the beach for the local residents to use,
as well as visitors who aren't staying in one of the beach hotels.
The public beach occupies the stretch of beach from Cosmos up to
where the trees come down to the water and the beach ends.
Jamaica Time
In conclusion, a word about the pace of life. Things generally don't
happen as quickly in Negril as most Americans are used to. Some find
this annoying, some find it amusing. You will enjoy your trip a lot
more if you can keep from being annoyed and be flexible about things.
Our parasailing experience is a good example of this.
On Monday we had arranged (the day before) to go parasailing at 9:00
and go to Booby Cay at 9:30. Since parasailing is only a 5-10 minute
ride, we figured we were allowing plenty of time. Ha! The parasail
boat was supposed to pick Barb up at our hotel at 9:00. At 9:15 the
operator came walking up the beach and said she had to walk down to
their office in order to fill out the paperwork. Of course no one
mentioned that the day before when we made the arrangements. When she
got there, they didn't have the kind of boat she wanted (the new
parasailing boats launch you right off the back of the boat, instead
of pulling you off a raft). It was apparently being repaired, and
they said she'd have to use the other kind. She said no, she'd just
go some other time. Then they said they'd get the kind of boat she
wanted and pick her up at our hotel in 10 minutes. It was now 9:25.
She walked back to our hotel, explained the situation, and we waited
until 9:45, then decided to give up on parasailing for the day and
headed off to Booby Cay. (It should be noted that Clarence, our ride
to and from Booby Cay, was quite reliable, and picked us up right on
time.)
On Wednesday morning we tried again. This time Clarence found us a
parasailing operator who had the kind of boat Barb wanted, and took
us and another couple to their office. We paid our money, then waited
half an hour while they put the boat in the water and got it started.
After they got out into the water, it took another 10 minutes to get
the rigging arranged right. Barb was the first one up, and got some
great pictures while aloft. She was up a total of 5 minutes, and when
she was done, the boat came back to shore. They were out of gas!
Eventually, the others on the boat got their rides. Altogether, it
took an entire morning for a 5 minute ride.
Six couples, including my wife and me, traveled to Sandals Dunns River (S.D.R.) in Ocho Rios, Jamaica via US Air the last week of January 1997. Several were opposed to the timing because we left the day before the Super Bowl but it couldn't have been a better trip. We traveled from Kansas City via Charlotte and on to Montego Bay and all flights left and arrived on time. Charlotte was a good place to fly through with our flight being the only one clearing customs on the return trip making reentry into the states a breeze. After the usual slight delay at Sangster Airport clearing customs we quickly headed for the bus. There are numerous offers from within the airport to the bus for anything you might or might not want. If you don't want it, say no thank you and you'll get the Jamaican salutation, "No problem, mahn." We gave one of the locals by the bus 10 dollars to bring us a six pack of Red Stripe in a box of ice for the bus trip and were on our way. TIP: It is a good idea to change clothes while waiting to clear customs in Montego Bay. We always pack our change of clothes in an easily accessible bag and while one spouse waits in the customs line the other pops into the nearby restrooms to change clothes and make a pit stop. I strongly recommend the pit stop since the bus usually stops only once. TIP: Carry your own bags the few feet from customs to the Sandals desk. A porter will carry them from the Sandals desk to the bus and will expect a small tip, as will the bus driver. These will be the last tips solicited from Sandals personnel until the bus trip back to the airport. We've never had any problem or anxiety with our bus trip from Montego Bay to Ocho Rios and this was no exception. We stopped briefly at the half way point for a rest room break and to purchase drinks and finished our trip to Sandals Dunns River about two hours after leaving Montego Bay. Check in at Sandals Dunns River was painless. While the guys pointed out their bags, the ladies checked in and sipped champagne. We were upgraded from the standard room to the luxury class room and the second day there the desk called and offered another free upgrade to ocean view luxury. We accepted the first upgrade and declined the latter. It's a hassle to repack and we were content with our room. TIP: Ask for two room keys when you check in. Some rooms only have one key available. If only one key is available, ask for another room. It's no fun when you get home from golfing, etc., and have to find your spouse on the beach to get into the room and change clothes. Room categories: Rooms range in ascending order of cost from Deluxe, Premium, Luxury, Luxury Oceanview, Grand Luxe Oceanview, Oceanfront and Honeymoon Suites. The Luxury room we were upgraded to was perfect for us. The Luxury rooms are all located in two, two story buildings between the second pool and the tennis courts, where we spent a lot of time. The Deluxe, Premium, and some of the Grand Luxe Oceanview rooms are in the main building housing the lobby and guest services. The Suites and Luxury Oceanview rooms are in the high-rise (a former hotel) Genoa Wing. We checked the Genoa Wing out and these rooms had the best views but we were glad not to have to mess with the elevator. We toured the honeymoon suite during our stay. The room is about the same as all the other rooms but has a hallway leading into a large sitting room overlooking the ocean. The difference in cost between the honeymoon suite and a regular room is about eight hundred dollars for a seven night stay. This difference buys a fully stocked bar, room service, and a robe. The suite has two bathrooms and a large sitting room. Unless we wanted to sneak a few other people into our room to stay, the difference in cost would not have been worth it for us. We simply aren't in our room enough. We didn't find a big difference between rooms at Sandals Ocho Rios, Couples and Sandals Dunns River. I'd judge an all inclusive by the amenities and not by room size since little time is spent there. The rooms have 110 and 220 volt electric services, functioning hair dryers, good air conditioning, a telephone, wall safe, clock radio, satellite TV and a coffee maker. They lack CD players. The TV had a 24-hour Sandals channel outlining the week's activities. A nice added touch over other resorts we have been to was the 24-hour Sandals TV channel outlining weekly activities. The bed was king size and comfortable. Maid service was the best we have experienced. The maids were friendly and came to the rooms twice a day. The bedding was changed daily at their first visit and the bed covers turned down at the second. At each visit the maids turned on music in the room and replaced the abundant towels with clean ones. After fighting for the one wash cloth provided at Couples, the towel supply at S.D.R. was a bonus. Two large beach towels are also provided and there was no problem getting them replaced at water sports. Entertainment was inferior to that we saw at Sandals Ocho Rios and Couples. At Sandals Dunns River the entertainment is in The Forum which is an indoor theater setting with a dance floor. There isn't much seating and it is difficult to see well unless in the front row of the two levels. It is dark and there was little audience participation with the performers. The open air amphitheater of Sandals Ocho Rios was superior in our minds and the entertainment tended more toward audience participation there. The piano bar by the smaller pool was our favorite hangout but the piano played only from 11:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. We were in bed by then. There is a shuttle between S.D.R. and S.O.R. throughout the day. Unfortunately, the last shuttle leaves S.O.R. too late to stay for the superior entertainment there. One good option taken by several people we spoke with was to stay at S.O.R. and spend the daylight hours at S.D.R.'s superior beach and pool. Then you could return to the room at S.O.R., change, have dinner and watch the shows there. Beach and Pool: The beach and pool areas were superior to any we have seen. The beach is secure and there is no problem finding a beach lounge in the sun or the shade. Bathrooms are close, volleyball is nearby, and all watersports including water skiing are close. It's a quiet and peaceful setting. The two pools are beautiful and both are larger than any of the pools at Couples or S.O.R. Both have pool bars accessible from the pool or by land. Two of the three nice hot tubs are adjacent to the pools. They were larger and the water temperatures more predictable than those at Couples and S.O.R. We preferred the setup at S.D.R. with all rooms and activities in close proximity to the pools and beach. Bars: Bars were plentiful and bartenders mixed excellent drinks with our favorite rum drink being the Hummingbird. There were premium beers in addition to the Red Stripe if you preferred. Restaurants: The strength of Sandals versus Couples is in their service at meal time. There is NO comparison. The take your time' attitude of Jamaicans is not seen in the Sandals restaurants. Waiting staff is plentiful to help you to your seat and fill your drink glasses and they aren't stingy with filling wine glasses. They usually left a bottle of each type of wine at our table for our evening meals. Breakfast and lunch are usually buffet style with a terrific selection of local and international menu options. Evening meals are held at one of four restaurants: Teppanyakis is a Japanese style restaurant with oriental meals prepared tableside by an entertaining chef. This was our favorite and requires reservations. Ristorante d'Amore was Italian, Windies was West Indian, and The International had a variety. All had top notch service and were open from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Michelle's is the reservations required restaurant at Sandals Ocho Rios and is a good place to eat if visiting there and catching a little of their outdoor entertainment. TIP: While the Sandals brochure states slacks are required, shorts were allowed at all of the restaurants. They must be near knee length shorts (no jean shorts at all), shirts must be collared and if wearing sandals, they must have a back strap. SPORTS Sports - Tennis The tennis facilities were comparable to Couples and superior to S.O.R.. There are four lighted courts and good equipment available for use. The tennis pro, Trevor, was superb for instruction of all levels of player. In addition to Trevor, there are frequently visiting tennis pros. Paul McNamara was the visiting pro from Australia while we were there and he was also terrific. Between him and Trevor there were always opportunities for lessons and several tournaments were held. We never had trouble getting a court or a lesson. Sports - Golf The golfers in our group liked the Sandals course slightly better than the course at Runaway Bay. The greens could have been a little better maintained but on the whole the course was excellent and had beautiful views. Accuracy is a plus since the fairways are a little tight. Play is quick and the caddies are good to move faster golfers through. The course is a little closer to S.O.R. than S.D.R. but it was still only a 15 minute bus ride. Golf is included but a caddy is required and costs 12 dollars per person for 18 holes. Shoes and clubs can be rented but the shoes were worthless and in very few sizes. Tips to the caddies aren't required but I believe they were expected and our group always felt they were well worth a substantial tip. Some of the favorite caddies were Early, Alfred, and Richard. There are also a putting green and a nine hole pitch and putt course on the premises at S.D.R.. It wasn't much but they had a fun tournament on it. TIP: Bring your own golf shoes even if you don't bring your own clubs. Consider bringing old golf shoes to give to the caddies as tips. They can use them and they are very appreciative. Sports - Water skiing The water ski boat was excellent and had a boom for teaching those less adept skiers. They have some adequate combo skis and a slalom ski with a double boot which they keep on the boat. They also have a wakeboard and kneeboard available. Ask for the wakeboard fin on the boat if needed. Skiing was continuous from 7:30 a.m. to noon and from 2 - 4 p.m. There usually wasn't much of a line. Sandals doesn't offer jet skis or parasailing but they were available for a fee a few steps from the resort security fence. TIP: If you want to parasail, do it in the U.S. or Canada where liability laws ensure a safer ride. I saw at least one parasailor dumped into the ocean so far the parasail went in the water with them and the boat had to come back to pick them up. Sports - Fitness Center The fitness center was in an open air building with Stair Steppers, treadmill, lifecycles, and Universal Weights. There were saunas, hot and cold jaccuzzis, and steamrooms. It's nice to work out in the open air and was a superior location than those at Couples or S.O.R. Sports - SCUBA diving The diving equipment was good quality and so was the resort diving instruction. The instructors weren't too personable or enthusiastic but they seemed competent. When weather permitted, two or three dives were made daily. The first dive was usually limited to internationally certified divers and the later dives were shallow dives for both certified divers and those trained at the resort Three of our group took the resort course. The resort course probably suffices for strong swimmers with any athletic ability but I wouldn't recommend weaker swimmers diving without becoming certified prior. The aquatic life around the north shore of Jamaica is very sparse but I did manage to see some large crab, a large eel, and a puffer fish on this trip. I am certified and on our deepest dives we had planned to dive to 90 feet. There were only two divers and the divemaster. The divemaster dove to beyond 100 feet (by design or by error, I'm not sure) and the dive lasted 28 minutes before we started to ascend. This is beyond what is considered international safe diving limits. Though I stopped at 97 feet, I was still off the chart for safe dive limits. I was a little leery after this and kept a close I on my depth gauge, my watch and my dive tables. Watersports: The beach watersports staff wasn't as strong as at Couples and didn't seem too interested in teaching wind surfing or sailing but windsurfers, sunfish, and hobie cats were available along with aquatrikes and paddle boats. Playmakers: Most of the activities organized by the "Playmakers" were centered around the large pool. Pool and beach volleyball were continuously played and other activities such as Reggae Dancing were mixed in. The playmakers weren't quite as strong or personable as at Couples or S.O.R. Three theme nights are organized including Toga Night, Pirates Night, and Formal Night. Pirates night was worth catching and had Reggae dancing outside and a fire eater for entertainment. From what I heard, most of the resorts are spending less on organized activities and complimentary tours. Special events are occasionally held. There was a well done Super Bowl party during the Packers - Patriots game. Drinks and food were available in the Forum with a big screen TV and two NFL players, Derrick Walker of the Chiefs and Chris Calloway of the Giants, were present to sign autographs and have photos taken with them. Derrick and Chris were active at the volleyball, basketball, and tennis courts and added to the fun. Excursions: Excursions could be booked through the Tour Desk or you could book directly with tour services from numbers obtained from the Jamaican Tourism Board. Dunns River Falls The trip to Dunns River Falls is no longer complimentary. For 22 US dollars per couple a bus takes you to Dunns River Falls and returns you to the resort Everyone should make the trip at least once. It really is an impressive site. Everything off site is an additional cost. At Dunns River Falls it costs six dollars to rent a locker, the guide up The Falls requests a tip, the photographer who carries the cameras for you and takes your picture requests a tip, the bus driver requests a tip, and at the end of the tour you must run a gauntlet of aggressive tee shirt / paraphernalia vendors to get back to your bus. TIP: At Dunn's River Falls take water socks for the climb and a strap for your glasses. Combine with others in the tour group for your locker or take nothing but a little cash in your pocket and a towel so no locker is needed. If you are in a group, have someone carry your cameras and walk on the walkway adjacent to the Falls. They can snap some great photos / videos from there and your camera will be safe. The guide holding our cameras dropped one of them into the river. Also, consider taking the boat trip from Sandals Dunns River. It makes a stop to snorkel and stops at Dunns River Falls for the tour. TIP: Some in our group obtained vouchers for free trips to Dunns River Falls from their travel agent with no additional fee. Consider asking for their availability. Blue Mountain Biking I was opposed to this excursion because of losing a whole day in the sun for eighty dollars per person but it was well worth the trip. It was almost three hours from the resort to the starting point in the Blue Mountains and the same return trip. Our bus driver employed by Blue Mountain Tours made the trip go quickly and he was one of the high points of our trip. His name was "Juicy" and he gave us a running account of the Jamaican sites we passed as well as commentary on the political, social, educational situation in Jamaica. He was a comedian at heart and had the whole bus singing and laughing all the way. He also stopped to climb a palm tree and joined us for a swim under a water fall at the end of our 18 mile bike trip down the Blue Mountains. The downhill bike trip required almost no pedaling and there were frequent stops to see the sites in the rain forest. We were provided ponchos and the rain didn't dampen the spirits of any of the bikers. This trip was down roads traveled very infrequently by cars and an occasional coffee plantation truck. We were able to see the rural Jamaican villages and it gives some insight into how poor the country really is. We never felt unsafe and there were plenty of guides accompanying the bikers. At the end was the opportunity to swim in an icy pool of water under a large waterfall. It made for some more nice photos. TIP: If taking the Blue Mountain Biking trip, demand to go on a day "Juicy" is driving the bus. Blue Mountain Coffee may be purchased here for considerably less than in Ocho Rios or at the resort. Amenities: The usual assortment of outdoor chess, billiards, ping pong, shuffleboard, croquet and board games were available. Massages are available but are no longer included in the fee. Hairstyling was available at the resort and a short walk past the security fence will bring you to numerous locals who will braid hair. Anything else one could want from tee shirts to ganja could be purchased two steps beyond the "fence". Management made themselves very available to guests and were helpful in solving any complaints or problems professionally. A manager's welcoming cocktail party is held to introduce all managers to guests and answer any questions. Guests returning to Sandals received a special dinner and also a Sandals tee shirt and a bottle of Tia Maria. All in all, we ranked Sandals Dunns River just ahead of Sandals Ocho Rios and Couples. If we could bring the saxophone player strolling along the beach at Couples and the entertainment from S.O.R. to Sandals Dunns River it would be almost perfect. As it was, it was about as close as it gets. .
My husband and I spent our honeymoon in Sandals Dunns River so I
thought I'd write up a brief report.
First off, the flight (from the UK) wasn't too bad, except that the
plane stopped in Kingston on the way to Montego Bay which added
another hour and a half to our already long (9.5 hours) flight time!
The bus ride to the resort wasn't half as bad as we had been led to
believe but we did pass one nasty smash on the way. Once we'd got
used to the Jamaican tradition of a) tooting the horn as you overtake
and b) overtaking *anywhere* - we were fine!
Arriving at Sandals we were greeted by happy, friendly faces; our
luggage was taken from us and we were given a glass of champagne
each. We waited while the receptionist went through the paperwork and
were then taken to our room by one of the bellboys. The room was
fantastic - the only problem was the view (we’d upgraded to a "Luxury
Oceanview" which turned out not to have much of an ocean view at all
unless you hung off the balcony by your toenails! Anyway, we asked to
be moved to a better room and the receptionist was really nice - she
had no better rooms in our category or the two categories above ours
available until the next day. So, the next day we got moved into a
better room!
The restaurants there were wonderful - the Teppenyaki (oriental) was
definitely the best but the International, Italian, and Windies were
good too. It took us a while to get used to not having to pay and
just getting up and leaving, but then we soon cottoned on that
equally, we could ask for *two* appetizers, or have "one of
everything" from the dessert trolley! :-) It was great having drinks
freely available too - working our way through the cocktail list was
a major feature of the holiday!
The facilities were amazing - we were worried that there might be big
queues for some of the activities, but the resort seems to have been
very carefully planned with this in mind - we never had trouble
finding a lounger, swapping in our beach towels for clean ones, or
doing any of the activities we wanted to. We tried tennis, table
tennis, pitch’n’putt, pool, snorkeling, wind surfing, water-skiing,
aquatrike-ing, swimming, and of course just lounging around. We liked
the way the playmakers (which we thought sounded alarmingly
American!) didn’t even slightly force you to join in to the "team"
activities if you didn’t want to.
We went over to Sandals Ocho Rios one evening, with the intention of
eating there, seeing what it was like and then maybe spending a day
there later on. However, that one evening was sufficient for us to
see all we wanted to see of the resort - it’s a lot smaller than
Dunns River, and a lot more sedate and relaxed seeming (Dunns River
was quite upbeat and lively). We were glad we’d chosen Dunns River,
but obviously that wouldn’t be everyone's preference! The restaurant
we ate at (Tex Mex) was nice.
We did the Mary Ann cruise trip ("The Booze Cruise") to Dunns River
Falls, which was another great experience. Make sure to take
disposable underwater cameras! We used a total of 8 (!) films, of
which two were disposable underwater ones.
We spent more money than we thought we would given the "All-
inclusive" nature of the resort, but didn’t ever feel we were being
charged for things that should have been included. Things we paid for
were: souvenirs (we bought five t-shirts!) and postcards; a half-hour
massage each; I got 5 braids put in my hair; the Mary Ann cruise; and
three photographs from the resort photographer. Talking of postcards -
we sent our postcards the day after we arrived and they arrived in
the UK the day after we got back!
I don’t think there’s much else to say except to say that it really
was the holiday of a lifetime - we would heartily recommend it to
anyone wanting a really luxurious, every-whim-catered-for holiday.
And definitely try the "Sex on the Beach" cocktail! :-)
Vicky (wishing she was back there now instead of at work!)
BACKGROUND: Lucie and I (Darin) got engaged the weekend before our trip to Jamaica so this was destined to be a wonderful trip. Our only previous Caribbean experience was this past May at Club Med in Turks and Caicos. We are newly certified scuba divers and like the all- inclusive resorts for their watersports/sports, among other things. DAY 1: Preliminary Note: Don’t stay at a Susse Chalet unless you’ve been there before and can deal with it. I would much prefer to spend another $10-15 in the future and stay at a nicer place. At any rate, our Air Jamaica flight was a pleasure. Great food, free movie and champagne, nice service. We had no problems at the airport and didn’t really mind the supposedly dreadful ride to Sandals. The ride is about an hour and a half to this property, with a stop half way through, and you pass plenty of other closer resorts along the way. Upon arriving at the property, we had a friendly welcome, but our room was not ready and despite the fact that lunch was ending, no one was in a rush to either get us a room or lunch. We were able to grab the last bit of lunch and readily learned that coming near the end of a meal was a bad idea and that the buffets don’t really compare to our Club Med experience. More on this later. We also found the Playmakers were not quite as friendly as G.O’s at Club Med. We tried a water tryke and thought it was fun, but a pedal was broken which made it a little bit uncomfortable. We immediately signed up for a scuba check out dive for the next day from a rather unfriendly scuba guy. The pool was fantastic and the drinks were great. Too bad there is only a limited number of floats in the pool, but I guess too many wouldn’t be great either. We weren’t too impressed with the welcome orientation as it was not quite so personal or informative. Dinner was outside by the pool because it was Olympic night. The ambiance was fabulous. Nice service of beverages and carrying your dishes to the table, but the buffet was not comparable to Club Med and you need to eat early. We found this true through the rest of our stay -- items were missing and not re-filled, so you had to come at the beginning of a meal to get the most out of it. There was a nice pasta station. Lucie liked the shrimp stir fry and I liked the chicken saute kabob. There were also pretty ice sculptures. The setting of the meal, outside by the pool, was spectacular and romant ++ We skipped the toga party. Quickly learned that the drink “purple rain” was pretty good. Had a purple rain and blue frozen drink by the Piano Bar area which was beautiful. Lucie was tired by this point -- it was a long day. We had to prepare for our 8:45 a.m. (not our choice of time) checkout scuba dive. DAY 2 - JAMAICA DAY: We began early, around 7:30 a.m., and showered (cold spurts in hot water) and went on to the breakfast buffet, which was only served in one place. I had French toast, fruit, bacon, and juice. Lucie had poached eggs, bacon, potatoes, fruit and coffee. Breakfast was OK, but the fruit was not very fresh. Our check out dive was at 10:00 a.m as it turned out. Good equipment and nicer people. Played pitch and putt. Fabulous fun on a 9-hole 3 par course. Don’t have to be good to enjoy. We’re not golfers. Next, Lucie learned exactly how to make a Banana Daiquiri at the piano pool bar. It was her favorite drink. This was the big beach party night. It was confusing and did not seem organized for dinner. Also, it is especially important to come early for dinner. Not a great selection of food and no helpful drink service. The entertainment was good. Snake charmer, nail board dancer and fire dancer. We played shuffleboard and rested in a hammock after dinner. DAY 6: We made plans to leave to the Royal Jamaican hotel today since it is so much closer to the airport. Don’t do this. If inclined, go to Montego Bay and party there. We looked at Mo Bay and thought it was nice, but a step below Ocho Rios, which was a step below Dunn’s River. Royal Jamaican is below all of the above and is depressing or sedate. Did snorkel trip at Royal J and found it to be really nice. Great coral, lots of fish, thought he water was not perfectly clear or even that clean. Came back to room to change for dinner. Lights went out for about 30 minutes. People at the front desk said it was unusual and they did not know how long it would last -- not real helpful. Finally got changed and ran to boat dock to catch the cool “dragon” boat to the authentic Bali Hai Indonesian restaurant on a remote island nearby. The island, in the daylight, is not too impressive -- a few pools, 1 bar, some “nude areas” (we were told), and lots of dirt and bugs. But, in the evening, surrounded by lights, the restaurant is beautiful with a wonderful view. Dinner was served in tables of six. Each person was given a traditional Indonesian wrap to wear. We were given three drinks -- water, wine, and an alcoholic concoction of some sort. We had 1 appetizer (like a shrimp spring roll) and about 5 cold dishes to share (marinated veggies, cabbage, corn fritters, etc.). We also had 5 or 6 hot dishes along with white rice. Two of the dishes were fish (1 shrimp), 1 beef, 1 pork, and 1 chicken. They were very good. Lousy dessert (mango mousse in a pineapple sauce). Jasmine tea too. It was a fun and different experience. We met lots of nice people at dinner, all of whom were honeymooners. Next, we came back, had a drink, played some backgammon and checkers, and lounged in a hammock on the dock. We had to come back inside to escape the bugs - they were eating us up alive on our last night after having no problems all through the trip. DAY 7 - OUR LAST DAY: We slept in later because we asked if we could check out later than they had scheduled for us to do. Good idea. Had breakfast. As we were waiting for our shuttle to the airport, another couple was having quite the spat. They had gotten married on the trip, but she was screaming at him and asking the hotel people to get them on different flights. I think security was called. Bad scene. Anyway, Air Jamaica was terrific again. Wonderful trip. In short, the food and sports were superior at Club Med, but the ambiance could not be beat at Sandals Dunn’s River.
Trip to Montego Bay We took a Funjet charter from Houston Intercontinental to Sangster, Montego Bay on Friday, June 28, 1995. These charters are offered from May until September and go out on Mondays and Fridays. We went to the long-term parking and got right on the bus. We got there just under 1.5 hours before our flight. This was plenty of time. We checked our bags and were asked for proof of citizenship. We were told that driver's license and voter's registration wouldn't work, but I used them in Jamaica, just to see. They were fine. Anyway, we had birth certificates, marriage license, and affidavits of citizenship. The flight boarded and departed on time (8 a.m.) Funjet uses Sun Country. While the direct flight is great, don't take it if you are phobic about crowded seats. We were given a hot meal of eggs, sausage, and Danish. The flight arrived in Montego Bay at 11:15, late because of wind. Customs was non-eventful. As usual, always went to the far left. You must get in the line with the green sign which reads, "Nothing to Declare". Sandals took good care of us. They stuck Sandals tags on our bags. The (tipped) baggage guy got our stuff on the bus. We got to a bus within 5 minutes after customs. . The bus was air conditioned, and the driver made the ride in less than 5 minutes with earth-shattering speed. After arrival, we were taken, along with another couple arriving from Houston, to the suite concierge center and given champagne. It was noon, and rooms weren't ready. Those with non-suite accommodations got a champagne check-in in the lobby. No petit fours in the basket—just cookies. We spent 45 minutes bombarding Omar, the concierge, with questions about dinner reservations, etc. , and talking while sipping champagne. Omar was a very nice guy and nearly 19 years old. He spent the week going around to various activities, pools, and beaches to make sure the suite guests were having a good time and didn't need anything. We were given a small booklet about Royal, a map of Jamaican, and 3 postcards. We were asked about a room choice. We were not upgraded but could probably have been had we gone to the second floor. The Room We were in room 123 in the Kensington Block. Last time, we were in 216 of the Kensington Block. Room 123 is on the east end, just steps from the ocean to the right and the pool and jacuzzi on the left. We would choose this room again. This room was a Grande Luxe Honeymoon Beachfront. It looks very much like the brochure. There is a sitting area with two chairs and a table with a coffee maker and coffee and tea. The coffee is Jamaican High Mountain, not Blue Mountain. Tea was Earl Grey. The bed is 4 -poster and very high up with a night stand on one side and a desk on the other. There was a radio/alarm. There is a full-length mirror, a refrigerator, which was stocked with white and red wine, pineapple juice, Red Stripe, and chilled glasses. On top, there was individual bottles of club soda, tonic water, Diet Pepsi, Regular Pepsi, 7-up, bottles of local rum and gin, and American vodka and scotch. The fridge was stocked daily, and items varied. They brought ginger ale, orange juice, and champagne, at times. Of course, we did not drink all of this stuff. The idea was to have a choice. Once we met Lancelot, the bar concierge, we told him when needing anything. We referred to him (among ourselves) as Lancelittle. He generally came between 2 and 3 p.m. We hoped he would see that we liked Diet Pepsi and Club soda a lot and stock up on those, but we had to ask for what we wanted sometimes or find the guy's cart when no one was around. There was a dresser with vanity and TV with satellite. The a/c and tv had remote controls. There was a ceiling fan. The bathroom was small but adequate. The amenity kit was like other Sandals amenity kits and not upgraded, as stated in the brochure. Includes shampoo, conditioner, aloe vera gel, hand lotion, and liquid soap. The plug-in in the bathroom did not work, so Todd had to shave without a mirror. Outside the bathroom was another vanity and bench where glasses and straws were kept but not replenished and a hair dryer hung on the wall. The room had room on shelves for us to put Todd's golf bag and our empty suitcases out of the way. There were quite a few hangers, but bring your own if you want everything hung up The safe was in this area. The bed was turned down at night. Tea and coffee was restocked, but not coffee cups. Never replaced our beach towels, no matter how wet. Had to go after towels at the watersports shack. Quite a hike. Glasses not stocked in room. There were usually cups by the pool, so we could get them from there. Suite Concierge Benefits and Rooms At Royal, the Grande Luxe Honeymoon Beachfront and Royal suite rooms are in the suite concierge category. The accommodations are at the secluded end of the property, so it you want to be in the main action and have oceanfront accommodations, book grand luxe beachfront. Will not get the concierge program in that category. With concierge service, you get Sandals terry cloth robes to wear, daily New York Times faxes under your door, stocked bar, use of the concierge, VIP party, invitation to escorted shopping, and the nicest rooms. We will always book this category in the future. Power kept on by generators during 6 hour outage. The Property There are 190 rooms for couples only in 6 categories in various locations of the property. The staff to guest ratio is nearly one to one. The front entrance is very elegant whether you face the Georgian Great House or turn around and face the gates. Rooms located near the south pool and jacuzzi are in the Arundel and Caernarvon Block. These are also near the lobby, tennis courts, and basketball courts. Will be near daytime activity but probably peaceful at night. Rooms in the Windsor Block are on the beach very near the watersports and volleyball. This can be a center of activity day and night, but the view is right, and all amenities are convenient. Rooms in the St. James, Clarence, Buckingham, and Glamis Blocks are all located in the gardens. Patios open out onto the main paths. Depending on location, these can be quiet or bothered by the noise of the main pool and swim- up bar, which can often be noisy. The Edinburg Block is very near the Health Club and near the back of the property. Rooms appear to be like cottages with umbrella-adorned patio table and chairs. The Sandringham Block is located directly on the beach near the beach jacuzzi and beach bar with a good view of the private island and sunset. Although this could be noisy now and then, I would choose this location if not staying in a suite. Rooms at the back of the Balmoral Block are Royal Suite rooms which open out onto small sections of the beach separated by piers which house gazebos or tables. This is a nice location if you want to lay on the beach a lot. It is a short walk to the east end pool and Jacuzzi and the main beach Jacuzzi and bar. Kensington Block is at the east end of the property. All rooms face the pool, Jacuzzi, and beach. Grande Luxe Honeymoon Beachfront Rooms at the side of the Balmoral Block face the pool, Jacuzzi, and have side view of ocean. There is also a Jacuzzi and swim-up bar on the island and a few paddle boats over there. Gardens have giant chess game, hammocks, croquet, and many local plants and trees with names identifying them. You may see an occasional peacock. Staff Everyone we met was very friendly. Staff we passed spoke. In restaurants, were courteous. If running behind, came to say it would be a few minutes. Always asking if it was our first visit. After discovering we were returnees, they always wanted to hear our story. Staff was as nice as you could hope, and that made a true difference. Sandals is doing a good job with this one. One day, Omar, the concierge, ate lunch with us. Another day, Marcia, the playmaker ate with us. She was quite animated. Most of the playmakers look in their early 20s. In fact, it seemed that most were 18-20. They have quite a job. Eat, drink, and play with the guests. Theresa, the assistant manager, is quite a lovely person, as is Robert, the head of public relations. The general manager was off the island until July 4. Once you meet staff a time or two, they will remember your likes and, sometimes, facts about you, such as your room number or where you are from. Sandals is clearly working on the service and personal touches to make it high quality, and it shows. The staff made a lasting impression. Other playmakers of note were Layton, the "no problem, no pressure" man and Roberto. Service Housekeeping came anytime between 9 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Restocking the bar in the room was between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. Each day, they only replaced one coffee cup and no glasses, so we were always looking for glasses. The beds were always turned down in the evening with a hard mint on the pillow. We never ran out of towels in the room since the maid came at least twice a day but had to replace our own beach towels. At breakfast, water was always brought. Some days, we were offered coffee or tea. Juices were served by a staff member. He got upset when people got their own. At all meals, you were seated. At buffets, the waiter carried your plate to the table and placed napkin in your lap. Bar staff was quick at Royal. We didn't find that to be true at MoBay but were there during the fashion show when over a hundred people were around. If you needed something, you were told it was coming, rather than given a solution right away. Never was service at a meal impeccable at either Royal or MoBay. The best service we had at dinner was at Oleander at MoBay. At Regency, it was slow getting started. Service was very good at the returnee dinner and all VIP-type events. Breakfast Regency Buffet There were waffles, pastries, toast, bagels, roasted potatoes (very good), scrambled eggs, grilled patties (sausage), and fruit everyday. Always watermelon. Sometimes mango, other times papaya. Often grapes, plums, nectarines, pineapple, etc. Available one day or another were unique choices such as leeches and star fruit. A nice selection. Five or more juices with a server. Omelets and eggs to order. Stay and watch it if you want it just so. There were cheeses and a few meats. Lots of pastries. Always cereal and dried fruit. Sometimes, there were pancakes. They had hot chocolate. They had ackee, too. We usually had things like fruit, potatoes, eggs, bacon, toast American type stuff. There are a variety of juices. Room Service Breakfast On Sunday night, I placed the room service tag out for the continental breakfast the next day. We selected 7:300- 8:00, the earliest choice. It arrived just after 8. I was already gone to aerobics. Todd was there getting ready for golf. He drank the juices. There was a nice plate of fruit and a basket of pastries. After aerobics, I went to the buffet. A waiter gave me some flatware so I could go back to the room I nibbled on both meals. Courtyard Grill Upon checking out, we discovered that menu service is available. Items include items such as egg white omelet, eggs to order, hash browns, fruit, cereal, yogurt, etc. There are NY Times faxes for reading. This breakfast option is a highly-guarded secret. It is mentioned in the OFFICIAL PASSPORT booklet given out during check-in. Service is from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Continental Breakfast Available roughly between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. in the area where afternoon tea is served. Lunch Most days, lunch is available at the Courtyard between 12:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. It is always available during these hours in the Regency Suite, and the beach grill is open between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. or close to it. Friday, we went to the Courtyard. They have a set a la carte menu. I had shrimp Caesar salad. Todd had pasta. We were offered something from the bar and had white wine. Salad bar included about 10 items. Soup was a tasty seafood chowder which was more like a bisque. Bread was available. Caesar salad was delicious and had 6 large grilled shrimp. Dessert was available, but we did not have any. Instead, we went to the buffet and had mango, etc. Buffet had grilled fish and a pasta with light red sauce, so we tried that. Other dishes on the buffet were things like chicken burritos. In the afternoon, Todd had a cheeseburger and fries. Saturday, we went back to the Courtyard. Both ordered the shrimp Caesar salad. Asked for wine, were told no, I'm taking your order for the meal. Had water to drink. Were offered hot tea. Todd had a cheeseburger and fries at the grill. I tried the pizza. I thought it was interesting. Todd didn't like it. Sunday, we ate roast beef sandwiches, fruit, and a few other items from the buffet. For drinks at the buffet, you stand in line before you wait for a seat. They offer Diet Pepsi, Pepsi, 7 Up, tea, rum punch, and white and red wine. Probably some others. You order what you like and bring it along to your table. The waiter carries your plate and seats you. It you try to seat yourself, they always direct you somewhere else before you ever make it to the table. Monday, we went to the buffet. It was not one of their better days. By then, we were stuffed from many other meals. I had two slices of pastrami on a homemade piece of bread. There was an Italian theme that day. They had ravioli in cream sauce, fried mozzarella (popular with Todd). Salad bar had fake crab. All other items on the salad bar and dessert bar were similar to other days. I ate mostly fruit. Tuesday—Regency Buffet. Todd had grilled pork chops and various other items. I had lo mein and a beef stir fry dish, along with salad. Omar, the concierge, dined with us. We had a nice conversation. Todd also went to the grill for cheeseburger and fries. Wednesday—we tried to dine at the Courtyard, but the power was off, so they did not cook. We had to eat at Regency. The grill was closed, also due to power outage. Marcia, the playmaker, dined with us. Thursday—we rushed to take the 11:20 shuttle to Sandals Montego Bay after returning from snorkeling. We went to the beach grill. There were about 20 people around waiting for "service". If you didn't want a cheeseburger and fries, you were in trouble. At noon, we went to the wedding of Les (the Prez) Levinowitz and Lorri. It started on Jamaica time. The service was in the same gazebo where we were married in 1993. Flower arrangements were everywhere and slightly hampered by the wind. After the ceremony, we met the bride and groom, both friendly, fun-loving people. We stayed for champagne. The wedding was attended by several guests and quite a few staff members, for a total of around 30 people. After the wedding, we ate at Pennicott. The buffet included items such as fried chicken and carved roast beef. Iced tea with lime was available. There were July 4th contests. We rushed to make the 2 p.m. bus back to Royal and said goodbye to the couple, who was busy making rounds for photos. Dinners Regency—menu changed every night and was International. This is the main dining room. Smoking preference available at dinner, and you can dine inside or next to the water. Outside is always my preference. You can see several types of fish in the water, but there are mosquitoes. This restaurant has improved since three years ago. Service-wise, it always took 15-20 minutes for someone to take our order, but we usually had bread and wine after 10-15 minutes. A wine steward always brought choices in a basket. Once food started arriving, courses were back-to-back. Friday is normally lobster night, when in season. Not season April 1-June 30. Shrimp with squash was substituted. I generally ordered the seafood dish everywhere. Other dishes were beef, pork, chicken, served in courses. There were usually 3 appetizers, 1 salad, 2 soups, 4-5 entrees, and dessert on request. No reservations needed. Dinner 6:30-9:30. Pavilion—set menu with Jamaican cuisine. Three appetizer choices, soup is pumpkin, salad course, dinner is choice of Jerk chicken, Jerk pork, or shrimp middle quarters. Dessert is available. This is the white-glove restaurant. We didn't go there because there is a lot of these same items elsewhere, and we, unlike some, do not come to Jamaica for the local cuisine. This is a candlelight meal. Wines are on display. Closed on Monday. No reservation needed. They start serving around 6 p.m. Bali Hi—we went on Thursday, our last night. At 5:45 or 7:45, guests with reservations line up at the pier by the watersports area to be boated over to the island. You will be left if late. Men and women are separated into two lines, and a sash is tied about the clothing for good luck. Of course, a photo is taken of each couple. Indonesian meal with around 16 courses. Seating was in groups, usually 6 people. A welcome drink is served, and wine during the meal, with jasmine tea served near the end. The meal is brought out in groups of 3-4 dishes at a time. Guests pass these around the table and use a sterno-type stove to keep things warm. The dishes I remember include spring roll, pickled greens, green beans, greens with tofu, curry fish, garlic shrimp, pork kabobs, beef slices, ginger chicken, crispy potatoes, prawn chips, and rice. A gong is sounded at the beginning of the meal. For dessert, ice cream with pineapple topping was served. The menu may vary, but it was the same during our entire stay. Once dark we had a beautiful lit view of Royal across the water and the beach. Courtyard—never made it to dinner, only lunch. Set menu of about 5-6 grilled entrees and 2-3 choices for other courses. Open most days for lunch from 12:30-2:00 and serves a nice a la carte lunch. Breakfast from 9-11. Sandals Montego Bay Dinners Pennicott—ate there just after Oleander on Sunday. Soup—vegetable bisque. Nice salad. Rib eye steak. Prime Rib, not that good. Too many mosquitoes. There was quite a line for seating. Tokyo Joe's—we visited on Tuesday. We thoroughly enjoyed this. It has changed since our experience 3 years ago. Back then, guests cooked their own poo poo platter-style appetizers on a habachi. This time, we were asked to get appetizers under the Tokyo Joe's sign. We were served one each of a little crispy turnover, lumpia wrapper spring roll, and shrimp with the same batter. I asked for two of the spring rolls. Each appetizer was the size of a thumb and very good. Next, we were brought miso soup. Next, we lined up for the salad bar. Some items included lettuce, onions, grilled onions, beets, almonds, sesame seeds, alfalfa sprouts, cucumbers, and carrots. One dressing, the type served at places such as Bennihana and Mikayo, was served. The salad was so good, I went back while my main course was being cooked.. The main course was Mongolian barbecue. About a dozen or more vegetables and noodles were available. Chicken, shrimp, beef, pork, and fish were available. All of this was piled on a plate anyway you desired. Next, the cooks grilled in woks 4 at a time using a variety of sauces at their discretion. I asked for mine spicy and got two sauces not generally put on. Rice and a Chinese pancake were placed on the plate along with the cooked food. Orders for bar drinks were taken at the beginning of the meal. Later, hot tea was served. Ice cream was served. Fortune cookies were available at the end. This was one of the very best meals during our stay. Mosquitoes abounded. Off was available. I wish we had used it! Guests without reservations were allowed to wait for a seat. People were seated in groups of approximately 10, and no one new was seated at that table until all in the group had departed. Oleander—Jamaican cuisine, ate there on Sunday. Wider selection than Pavilion. I had shrimp middle quarters. Todd had grouper. His appetizer was something bammy that the waiter recommended. I had a curry chicken appetizer We were given a wine list here. White glove service. We had pumpkin soup. Next, we went to Pennicott Returnee Dinner at Royal—held on Wednesday. Returnees received an invitation. Early in the day, we received T-shirts and a bottle of Tia Maria coffee liqueur. The returnee private cocktail party was at 6:30 p.m. at the Kensington terrace. Guests were asked to sign in and were given instant sandals. An open bar was available with a wide selection, including champagne, and Theresa, the assistant manager greeted everyone and introduced a few more managers. Robert, the head of public relations, gave everyone their sandals. At 7 p.m. we went as a group to the Regency suite for the dinner. We sat next to Theresa and a couple on their sixth visit. The menu was lying on the table, and Theresa indicated that we could order off the regular menu which had items such as escargot that night. Everyone (over 20 people) had the returnee dinner. Dinner was 5 course. I noted that the regular menu looked better than the returnee dinner that night. Watersports Kayaks, paddle boats, aqua trikes, hobie cats, and sunfish were available. Water skiing was available beginning at 9 a.m. Glass-bottom boat tours went out every day. See activities section for information on scuba and snorkeling. Theme nights Island/Pirate Night—Friday night The island barbecue takes place on Kokomo Island, the resort's offshore island. Guests are asked to gather at the dock around 6:15. Many do not dress up at all, but several women wore beach wraps. Guys who dressed up used makeup to create scars, T-shirts for head dressings, and shower curtain hooks for earrings. One of the playmakers told raunchy jokes as we waited for the bus. After arriving on the island, everyone went to the bar for something. Next, couples stood in line for the ever- present photographer. Seating was on picnic tables. A few reggae group dances got everyone involved. The barbecue was at 7. After viewing it, we decided to eat very little and head back on the first boat and go to Regency. Normally, Friday nights are lobster night, so keep this in mind. There is a ban on lobster due to spawning from April 1 through June 30, although we had lobster at Sandals in April 3 years ago. Anyway, if lobster is important (it is to me), keep this in mind. The island barbecue is not the best food or time, in my view, but it depends on what you are looking for in your fun. This was highly visited by the 20-somethings. They had thin steak, jerk chicken, grilled fish, and other items. The first boat back was around 8, at our request. Casino Night Held on Saturday. After dancing with the band at 7:30, the casino games began in the Warp Zone disco at 8:30. This is a charity event, so it cost money. For $10 U.S. or $38 Jamaican, you get $1000 in funny money chips (10 chips). We spent $20. They had black jack and horse racing (controlled by dice rolling to advance the horses). The games were run by playmakers. We got 20 points toward our sandals for playing. Some of the dealers were scammed a bit by a few, so only a handful had enough money for the high-stake amounts the prizes went for. We gather that normally you can get a prize if you have $4-6 thousand. However, everything went for $50-100 thousand. They auctioned Jamaican souvenirs and Sandals merchandise. They grouped prizes, so only a few people got anything. It was fun, though. Formal Night Held on Sunday. People wore anything from regular slacks and dresses to formal evening wear. No shorts. After the evening entertainment, slow dancing was held in the disco at 11 p.m. We were off at Sandals Montego Bay that night. No one was formal over there, but a fashion show was held and attended by over 100 people. Beach Party—Held on Monday night. Buffet is similar to island night but quite a bit better. The buffet begins after the manager's cocktail party. The food was placed inside, due to the threat of rain. Dishes included several jerked meats, king fish, a dish of calamari, scallops, and shrimp, pasta, and many other dishes, as well as an array of desserts. The beach party included reggae dance lessons, which we participated in, and contests for prizes and points. A fire dancer put on a good show dancing with the fire, breathing the fire, and dropping it down his drawers. He went around and performed to groups of guests so everyone got a good view. Bingo--on Tuesday night, Bingo was held at 8:30. We had to take the shuttle from MoBay to Sandals Inn and then Royal to save enough minutes to get to the Bingo on time. Cards were sold for $5 each to benefit charity. We bought 4 cards and got a fifth free and 45 points toward sandals. Five games were played. I won the eight number bingo and got a large shell and a T-shirt. Oldies Night--entertainment was an Elvis impersonator and Karoake. The Elvis impersonator was escorted by some playmakers dressed as bodyguards. They frisked members of the audience who participated in the show. This show was highly entertaining. As all of the good shows on the property, this was standing room only. Luckily, we were early enough for a seat. Streets of Montego Bay & International Buffet—Held on Thursday night. This is definitely the best buffet of the week. They had all of the items mentioned in the beach party but many more. They had sushi, pasta cooking station, parmesan dishes, carved meats, steaks, ribs, shrimp, huge array of salads. Desserts which were much more elegant than any other night. We ate at Bali Hi, so we only viewed the buffet. It is important to know where the best food will be each night and book reservations accordingly. We were originally scheduled to be at this buffet, but we rescheduled Bali Hi in order to attend the returnee dinner. Dining at the international buffet guarantees a good seat for the evening's entertainment. Other things of note were that they were carving up coconuts and giving to guests with a straw for the milk, offering flavored ice, cutting up sugar can, passing out red stripe in a cart, and selling Jamaican crafts. Entertainment that night included a fashion show, a magician, and a singer named Jam Marley with a voice range as wide as Whitney. Her show was 1 hour and highly entertaining. She was very slim and appeared to really enjoy singing. She involved a couple of guests in her act, as did the magician. The magician did tricks and memory things. The fashion show was of swim wear and featured models from the Miss Jamaican pageant. Holidays Canada Day & July 4 were both celebrated and honored. Activities Lots of activities held daily and activity board near main pool showed the day's schedule. For watersports schedule, check the watersports hut. Aerobics Led by Robert, same as 3 years ago. Workouts held at 8 and 4 at fitness center and 10:30 in main pool. Canceled if only one person, but still awarded 5 points. See section on Fitness Center and Fit Shape. Golf—bus leaves every half hour for Ironshore, not always on time. You get a voucher from the tour desk. Pay $13 for a caddie for 18 holes, tip when you're done. Todd gave them $10 and sometimes bought them beer. If you show up at 8:00 or 8:30, you can be done by 12:30, walking the course. The course is practically outside the gates of the resort, near the newly built McDonald's. Todd went Sunday, Monday, and Wednesday. Scuba—show up daily, except Sunday at 8:45 (no reservation needed) for class for resort course. Sign your life away and generally answer no to all of the questions. Swim test is 4 at a time. Six laps AROUND the main pool. There were twenty people to show up on Tuesday when we went. Many barely passed. We were absolutely last and saw many struggle. We , foolishly, ate breakfast and came right to the test. I felt panicky after two laps and dropped out. Todd quit after 3.5 because he didn't want to go without me. Instructor said we could come the next day, but we didn't come back. We were the only ones to fail and went straight to snorkeling and had a wonderful time. We heard that some on the resort dive were disappointed because there were so many people that it took a long time to get everyone down, and viewing time was as little as 10 minutes. Snorkeling—Boat goes out 4 times per day It was at 10, 11, 2, and 3. It leaves on time, if not early. Tuesday—went at 10 all forlorn about failing scuba test. Saw crabs the size of my computer screen., schools of beautiful blue fish, coral, etc. Showed up for our 3 p.m. snorkel on Wednesday on time. The boat had just left. Thursday—saw two stingrays, manaray, schools of fish, many colors, blue coral, long fish with stripes and pointy nose. Wonderful experience. You were allowed to dive down. Were urged not to kick coral. Could use life jacket or not. Equipment was top- notch. Tours—tours can be arranged at a desk in the lobby. Possibilities include tours such as Rose Hall, Sunsplash, horseback riding on the beach, mountain rafting or rafting on the Marthae Brae, and Dunn's River Falls. The prices vary but average $80 per couple. Books and Board Games Both are available for loan from the playmakers. Points: Points are awarded for activities such as volleyball, aerobics, aquasize, contests and games, tennis, basketball, talent night (instant Sandals), Olympics, Casino night, buying bingo cards.. You can go to the playmakers and find out how many points you have at any time. Sixty points gets you Sandals. It was 50 points when we were there before. Check with playmakers. We earned 128 points. Although our room number was taken down at every event, they had down only 10 points for us an hour before our departure. I told Marcia what we had done, and the points added up to get us each another pair of sandals. Manager's Cocktail Party This was hosted by Theresa, the assistant manager, since the general manager was not on the island. It was held Monday at 6 p.m. Appetizers and an open bar was available. All the managers who were on the property, including watersports, interpreters, etc. were there. They greeted us in several languages. There was a lovely ice sculpture. This was held by the main pool and open to all guests. Most appetizers were something on a cracker. There was also fruit and cheese and bacon-wrapped bananas. Church The Reverend Gordon, who performs the non-denominational weddings at Royal (we were his 3100th, and he is now over 5200, averaging 2 per day) holds a non-denominational prayer service on Sunday morning at 9 a.m. in the Hampton Court convention center. The front desk or concierge can help find other services on the island. VIP Concierge Cocktail Party This was held on Tuesday afternoon on the Kensington terrace. All staying in the suites were invited. Champagne was flowing, along with rum punch. Appetizers included boiled shrimp and the same appetizers, fruit, and cracker items from the manager's party. The concierges were there, along with a couple of people from guest services. The entertainment trio performed. Returnee Benefits On Wednesday, we received very colorful Sandals Royal Jamaican returnee t shirts and a bottle of Tia Maria. At the dinner, I received a rose, and Todd received a souvenir bottle opener. Dancing The resort band plays for dancing around 8 p.m. every night. The band at MoBay also played at 8 when we were there, sometimes as early as 7:30 p.n., and we danced several dances on several occasions. The disco is supposed to open at 10 p.m., but they usually did not open until 11 unless it was to hold some other activity there, such as the casino night. On formal night, they had slow dancing in the Warp Zone disco. Photos A photographer takes your picture all over the property at various times. They are everywhere from restaurants to pools and jacuzzis. The pictures are available the next day for $7. No pressure to buy. You don't even have to go look at them. Scandals Gift Shop Lots of Jamaica and Sandals items. They had a great sale on the 4th of July and had cake and rum punch. Stamps for postcards were available for 30 cents U.S. Spirits, etc., are cheaper at the airport. Fish and Birds There are large fish and a turtle to feed and view just off the lobby. There were two parrots just down the path from there. We were able to get them to say, "hi" and "hello". There were birds at the main entrance of Sandals Montego Bay. Fitness Center and Fit Shape Program The fitness center is always open. There are free weights in various sizes. There are more machines and a new exercise floor added since our visit in 1993. There are four bikes, three treadmills, a Nordic Trak, two stair steppers, and four machines for various parts of the body. Classes for points included step and/or power walk at 8 a.m., aquasize at the main pool at 10:30 and stretch and tone at 4 p.m. if more than one person showed up. Fit shape food items were noted at the Courtyard Grill and at the Regency at lunch. Three years ago, those who went to 5 classes during the week got a Fit Shape T-shirt. This time, it was 5 points toward Sandals on every visit to a class. Jo Jo's Beauty Salon The beauty salon is adjacent to the Fitness Center at the back of the property. Massages were 30 min for $28, 45 minutes for $40 (in brochure but not mentioned), and 60 minutes for $55. Facial was $27 and lasted 45 minutes. Manicure was $12. Pedicure was $18. Eyebrow, arm, bikini, and leg waxing were available for $12- 18 each. Hair braiding was available at variable prices or you could see Nancy who yelled out to women from near the watersports hut. She charged $2 per braid but negotiated on full head down to $35 for 50 braids. I had a one hour massage, which was full-body and a facial. Both were wonderful. You can generally get an appointment on the same day you call. Slot Machines Noticed a couple in the Warp Zone disco and at Sandals Inn. I never saw them in use. There are also a few at the airport. They were unattended when we were there. Beach Bar and Grill The bar opens from 11 a.m. until 2 a.m. The grill opens from around 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. and again around 11 p.m. Alcoholic and Non-alcoholic drink specials are posted at the beach bar and main swim-up pool par (two menus are not the same). Errol provides comedy at the beach bar. One day, he balanced an empty wine jug on his head while he danced. Daily and nightly, he entertained guests. The grill served hamburgers. Cheeseburgers, grilled cheese, jerk chicken hot dogs, fries, pizzas, meat turnovers, muffins and pastries, and fruit. Popcorn was available at the bar. Service was prompt at all times. Afternoon Tea Tea and coffee were always available in the Jamaican tea room. Between 3 and 4 p.m., service included pastries served from a cart by a strolling waiter. Piano Bar The bar, itself, is open from sometime in the afternoon until as late as you want. There appeared to be no piano player any time during our stay. Other Sandals The shuttle runs every 1-2 hours to the other two Sandals. At MoBay, a schedule is posted. At Royal, you must ask. The shuttle had Sandals logos all over it. The trip between Royal and MoBay was about 3 minutes each time. The atmosphere at MoBay was much different. The property is large and more spread out than Royal. We enjoyed Tokyo Joe's, but found the service at the lobby bar, beach grill, and restaurants to be very slow and impersonal. We also hated the plane noise and dreaded cats. They still do a wonderful job of weddings. Reverend Gordon no longer does weddings over there because he doesn't want to council his couples 30 minutes before the ceremony. He wants to do it at least a day in advance. Sandals Inn staff appeared to take interest in its guests. The beach was public and looked a bit skimpy and run down. I liked the layout of the pool, rooms, and Jacuzzi. I think this would be a nice property for the right type of guest. If you want to go to Sandals in Ocho Rios or Negril, transportation is available but not free. Beaches, the first Sandals resort to be targeted at the family market is now scheduled to open in January, 1997 in Negril. The Royal Bay in Turks and Caicos will turn into a Sandals ultra- inclusive sometime between fall of 1996 and spring of 1997. The Royal Bahamian opened on Cable Beach on June 7. The resort was formerly Le Meridian. Sandals has pumped a large chunk of cash into the resort. An extensive spa is available offering massage, facials, wraps, and other services a la carte. Management indicated that this would be the most upscale Sandals to date, and the price indicates that this will be the case. Minimum stay will be 2 nights. Departure and Return Home When checking out on Friday, July 5, we noted the sign that American Airlines frequent flyer points were available. After inquiring, we found that 1000 points per couple were available, and we put the points on Todd's account. We were handed a Sandals video. This is the same old video which does not include Turks and Caicos or Royal Bahamian. The new returnee system, the Ultra-Club is being handled by the Florida Sandals reps at Ultra Vacations. Instead of number of trips, they will be rewarding by number of nights. After 70 nights, 7 nights, land only, will be awarded free. Get an application at the front desk. You can mail it in. Omar arranged for us to go to the airport in a car, the resort's 1993 Toyota Crown. After breakfast, we got our bags outside the room and called the bell captain. No one had picked up our bags when time to leave, so Omar had to have them brought to the front. I got the pool bar guy to give me a glass of wine, though they were not open. The Funjet charter trip included the departure tax, so we only showed our tickets and proof of citizenship. We bought rum and wine and boarded the plane. The flight left at noon and got into Houston at 2:40. Customs was very backed up and took an hour. We arrived home at 4:30 p.m. and considered this one of our best trips ever. Comments The power blinked off and on several times a day. On Wednesday, it was off for about 5 and a half hours. They have generators which kick on immediately, so we were able to use light and razors, etc. However, the power was a bit weak. They opened only one restaurant for lunch, and the satellite went off. We got the idea from some other guests that not all rooms kept power. Meals at Sandals ranged from strange to excellent. A few were gourmet. In comparison to other all-inclusives we have visited in Jamaica, I would rate the food better than Breezes Runaway Bay, but only because of specialty restaurants. It is generally below the quality found at Couples and the Lidos. Staff is generally friendlier at Sandals than any of the other properties mentioned. Go with the right frame of mind and expectations and you will have an outstanding vacation. Email me at DebbieH103@aol.com or you can check my home page at http://members.aol.com/DebbieH103/private/travel/debbiewb.htm
. We made it in fine and were escorted to our concierge who upgraded us from a jr.exc.honeymoon suite to a one bedroom suite. We had our own livingroom which looked right over the ocean with a TV(although it was only turned on once the whole week), a wetbar stocked with Red Stripe, Miller Lite, Pepsi (no Coke), and 7-up, and of course bar liqueurs. 2 French doors lead into the master bedroom with 2 closets, and a separate bathroom. Sandals is about 20 years old I'd guess, but in excellent condition. Anyway about 30 minutes after check-in we went to an orientation of the place and quickly ran over to Sandals Royal to dine at Bali-Hi restaurant. Each guest receives there own silk wrap to ware, we dined with two other couples, both whom were staying at Sandals Inn. Neither liked the Inn at all, and one had upgrade to the Royal.(for about $600.00).The dinner was great. One thing that stands out was a beef-k-bob with a peanut butter bar-b-que sauce,, yummy!!! The only negative there to me was the soup. Susan thought it was OK, but I nicknamed it "goat shit soap". Made it home about 10:30 and were both totally exhausted. The next morning went to the Breakfast buffet, a great setup. You can pile on omelets, sausage, you name it tons of pastries. We aren't really breakfast people and both had a bagel and oj. The dining area looks over the beach and it was a great place to watch the sun come up. Spent the whole second day we a couple we met at orientation from Long Island, who turned out to be great friends by the end of the week. I went snorkeling 3 times and basically just hung out on the beach drinkin Jamaican delites. Many delites!! The next morning We all took off to Dunn's River falls. Its about a 2 hour bus trip but well worth it! the falls are absolutely beautiful. The only negative was taking the bus for $98 bucks a couple instead of getting a taxi where you can set your own pace. for instance we went to a nice shopping center in Ocho Rios but were only given 30 minutes to shop. anyway go to the falls!! That night we eat a the Oleander Room, nice place, eloquent, but not what we were in the mood for. Ended up at the piano bar around 11 and sang and partied till late. One thing for sure about Jamaica, you are either filthy rich or dirt poor. No middle class, no welfare system . so many families live in one room shanties, with cardboard walls no floors or running water. It's hard not to feel for the children living there. Went to one straw market and had enough after about 30 minutes. the vendors are very aggressive, but never pay close to what the ask for their products, at least get 50% off or go to the next one. As they all have the same stuff, hats, canes, baskets masks, etc. I wanted to go to the scuba-diving class but never made it up in time. The water is crystal clear and I snorkeled about 12 times during the week. I think we enjoyed the food at Tokyo Joe's the best, were we were able to create our own stir fry. Friday night was Lobster night at the main dining room, it was good, but we should have gotten there earlier than we did. The resort was beautiful, with palm trees bearing fruit, banana trees, and some of the prettiest flowers I had ever seen. The only negative were the jets flying over our heads, but it didn't bother us much at all. The beach grill was great for a 1 am Burger and fries. All in all we loved, made some life-long friends we never would have met and would go back any time. Wish we would have gone to Negril. Hopefully next time, anyway thanks to everyone for the advice before the trip, any questions fire away, cause everything is Irree Mon!!
Anyone going to Montego Bay Sandals (or thinking about going) read the review below I had a fun time, but if you looking for excellent food and great service, stay far far away from this place. This place is OK on food and service (sometimes both are terrible!) but a great place if you like to drink and do different activities. Also the beach and island are beautiful, but little if any waves. Here are some of my comments you won't read in the glossy brochure or see on the jazzy video: (1) Want to call home during your stay? Don't forget your VISA card. $9 for 3 minute call. Want to use your calling card? $3 surcharge for every call. I didn't mind the money--but you must go to the front desk and give them a copy of your VISA card before they turn on your phone. (even if you use your calling card.) This is total crap. Five star hotel? No, I don't think so. (so you say, use the pay phone...sorry, no such thing in Sandals) (2) I didn't have hot water in my room for 36 hours. I called 4 times. Every time they said "No problem, mon"..... "Your problem, mon." The fourth call was to the general manager, who took care of it. Remember, most locals make $1 US an hour. (According to one employee I spoke with... He showed me his pay stub to prove his point.) Half of the people who work have a positive attitude...the other half couldn't give a shit. (I don't blame them) You say $1/hr is probably a lot for the workers relative to the cost of living in Jamaica....but food and necessity items cost about the same as in the US. This is a very poor country with little if any economy. You'll come back to the states and appreciate want you have (even if you have nothing!) (3) Don't forget any toiletry items. Good hotels have common courtesy toiletries. Remember, this is Sandals where "Love is all you need...and your wallet" I paid $5 for shaving cream in their gift shop. Also, don't count on getting a local paper while you stay on Sandals property. I wanted to get a flavor of what happens on the island (and also check the weather forecast) The reason (I think) they don't sell them? I picked the Kingston, Jamaica newspaper up at the airport on the way home---stories about the water you shouldn't drink, economy in the shitter, and a couple of murders here and there. Don't want to scare the vacationers. But hey, this stuff happens everywhere. (3) I didn't like sitting on the beach when locals on surfs boards would harass you to buy stuff (shells, necklaces...). "Hey mon, come here in the ocean I want to show you some stuff" Hey, I'm on vacation, leave me alone. (this happened to us several times a day...the Sandals security can't do anything (so they say) because the peddlers stay in the ocean. Neutral property. I'm telling you...this is a poor island. Guys did this all day in the ocean! (4) I had lots of ants in my room. Called housekeeping several times. "No problem, mon" was the response.. Never corrected....but not a big deal..you learn to check your water glass before drinking. Half the time, there were ants in my glass. I thought this was a five star resort? No way, mon. (5) Many capital improvements needed. Some pools, fences, and buildings show definite age. If you compared the piano/bar pool picture in the brochure to the actual place, you would get a good chuckle. Lots of creative work have gone into blending pictures together (to make everything look larger than actual) and pictures have been touched up. (Sandals should commend their ad/creative agency for great work! But I'm sure they paid big $$$) (6) Lots of cats (wild) around the complex. They didn't pose a huge problem--but they beg for food when you eat lunch and dinner. I can't believe they let these run wild. (7) If your a beer drinker, be prepared to drink Red Stripe. This is the only beer available on tap and sometimes the ONLY beer period...The beer is a light reddish beer, I grew to like it...but some people dislike. When other beer was available in cans (Miller Lite, MGD) sometimes it was served luke warm! If you've already booked your trip, don't let this message discourage you. We both had a great time, but was overpriced for the quality. (suggestion: book the all day bus trip to Dunn's River +Falls...$110 US for two but well worth it! About 80 miles away from Montego Bay and the Falls are awesome....the drive is neat. The company that does the tour is not affiliated with Sandals, but you can book the tour inside the hotel.) Also, I think the majority of the people who stay in Sandals Montego Bay have a blast...but know the pitfalls... complain immediately to the general manager when there is problem...ask when the problem will be corrected (they hate this, they have no sense of time or urgency)...request an upgrade on your room when there are multiple problems (upgrading is very very common). Also, during their slow periods of the year, you can upgrade your room in some cases for $99. Ask. They upgraded our room upon arrival for no apparent reason. Others we talk to said the same. Why do you hear so many great things about Sandals? Most people who stay there are not familiar with truly five star resorts and dining back in the states. Most are newlyweds ready to unwind after a big wedding. Sandals is two and half stars at best. FUN, but not want I expected.
Getting There: We flew American to Montego Bay via Miami the Saturday before Thanksgiving. The Miami/Montego Bay flight was so overbooked that the voluntary bump incentive climbed to $1500 per person before enough people accepted the first Sunday flight. The drive from Montego Bay to Negril was not as bad as we expected, but it helps to look at the scenery instead of out the front of the bus!! The total time from landing at Mo Bay to arriving at Sandals was 2.5 hours. Room: We booked and received a Grande Luxe Beachfront room, Sundowner 6112. The room was average, nothing great but no problems either. The Sundowner block location is good, right next to the Piano Bar which makes drink runs from the room quick. We could walk directly from our patio to the beach, but we couldn't get back in through the patio door because it was a different lock. 2 beach towels are provided at the start of your trip, and fresh replacements are available 9am-4pm daily. Dining: None of the 4 restaurants stand out as particularly good or bad. The 4Cs is popular because of the "design your own stir fry" format, and the Coconut Cove (main dining room) popular on buffet nights. Tuesday's lobster night in the CC was canceled so we switched to the Sundowner which is good but doesn't have a large selection. Early reservations at Kimonos are easy to get, later ones you should plan a day in advance. Only Sundowner has a dress code which is basically not athletic wear, but dress shorts and decent shirt are okay. Beach: Fabulous!! We will return to Sandals Negril just for the beach and the watersports. The soft white sand beach extends the entire length of the property, so even though it is narrow (about 30 feet), you have plenty of room and palm trees to yourself. We had no problems finding chaises even with a 92% occupancy rate Thanksgiving week. Water Sports: 1. Snorkeling--There are 4 1-hour snorkeling trips per day, 2 in the morning and 2 in the afternoon. The water was very clear and the snorkeling good, especially in the cannon and anchor area. The second morning trip is usually the best because they learn from the first where not to go, and the wind hasn't picked up yet to rough up the surf. 2. Scuba--My husband took the resort course and then dove the next 2 days. Sign up early for the class and the dives because they fill up quick (he would have gone out more). 3. Sailing--By far our favorite activity. We sailed the 13' Hobiecat Wave several times and took full advantage of the stiff afternoon breezes. The 16' Hobiecat must be piloted by an instructor with sporadic availability between noon and 4pm only, but worth it if you can catch him. Farther up the beach were the dozen+ Sunfish which are popular, but watch out for the sudden wind gusts which would tip over at least 25% of those out. 4. Water-skiingWe didn't water ski, but the line never grew more than 4 or 5 people during prime time, usually only 2 people. 5. Windsurfing--Lots of boards, lots of instructors, lots of people falling but having a wonderful time. Lessons are available at either the specified time or at off times if the instructors aren't too busy. 6. Paddleboats etc.--Take out the SeaCycle which moves much faster and easier than the Aqua Trikes or the Paddle boats. If you take out the Surf Bike, trust us, do NOT stop pedaling until you are back to shore. Activities: Activities are continuously available, especially near the main pool, but there's not a lot of pressure by the Playmakers to get you to participate. There are lots of 2 player games scattered about including pool, shuffleboard, bocce ball, croquet, darts, lawn chess, regular chess, and board games. The evening entertainment ranges from fair to good, with the beach party being our favorite. Warning to honeymooners: do not volunteer when they ask specifically for honeymooners at the beach party unless you want to pop a balloon in your "favorite position" in front of the entire resort. Summary: In our opinion Sandals Negril is not as luxurious as the brochures claim, but it is a good vacation that we will do again.
Sandals Negril September 9-19, 1996 My husband and I spent a 10 night honeymoon at Sandals Negril and would never recommend it to anyone. The first 7 days were wonderful - great food, great activities, great accommodations and on the last three days things were so intolerable that are honeymoon was ruined. We had reserved the top-of-the-line honeymoon 1BR suite at a cost of over $600 per night (all-inclusive) and were treated very well at the Sandals desk at the Montego Bay Airport. The 1 « hour bus ride was not too bad. At Sandals the suite concierge immediately whisked us upstairs to a private check-in facility for suite guests. Very relaxing with drinks during the check-in process. We were taken to the room and it was beautiful. Two levels with a spiral staircase leading to the bedroom with a four-poster bed. There was a bottle of champagne and a fruit platter waiting for us that our travel agent arranged. The premises are very well taken care of by the groundsmen. A board of activities were offered daily and you received points for everything that you participated in to win various prizes. We played beach relay games, took tennis lessons, beer chugging contests, water aerobics, etc. Most of the day was spent sitting on the beach, or floating in the ocean on the chair pads - which there were not enough of. Breakfasts and lunches were buffets and there was a very large selection which changed daily. Dinners were mostly a la carte (5 courses) except for buffets twice a week in the main dining room. There were four restaurants all together (Jamaican, Japanese, Low Calorie restaurant where you choose the ingredients for a stir fry meal, and the main dining area). There was also a beach grill with hamburgers, hotdogs, fries and pizza. We took an evening party cruise to Ricks Cafe to watch the sunset. My husband dove off the cliffs and lost his watch. The cruise was lots of fun with dance lessons, aloe vera body rub and free baseball caps. One tour we took was a full day bus tour to Black River Safari and YS Falls. Well worth the money. I think it was $90 per couple, including lunch. The safari was amazing with many crocodile coming up to our boat and the captain hand feeding raw chicken to them. YS Falls was beautiful. Very unspoiled by tourists, not like Dunn's River Falls which we had previously been to. The suite concierge had us well prepared for the trip by giving us a cooler to bring with sodas, ice and Red Stripes for the trip. All we had to do was ask. Sandals has numerous water sports to do - you won't be bored. We kayaked, learned to use a sailfish, paddleboat, waterbike (looks like a big plastic tricycle). There was water-skiing and other activities we didn't participate in. We did however go snorkeling about six times. Sandals has boats that take you out to four various snorkeling spots which were really good. We saw many stingrays and schools of fish. These boats are also glass bottom boats but you have to sign up separately for those rides. The first five days of the trip had perfect weather and the last five had rain showers for about an hour a day. We were caught on the snorkeling boat twice in the rain. Not fun. We took a shopping trip to the Negril markets ($15 US per couple). We didn't buy much. Not a big shopping area unless you were looking for Negril T-shirts. Now that I have filled you in on the great things that Sandals has to offer, here's what ruined our honeymoon. Our suite had ants on the walls when we checked in and the concierge said we were a part of nature and they won't bother us. The room was beachfront but had gardens all around it. By day seven the ants had grown wings and flew onto us at night. Housekeeping brought us ant spray which killed the ones in sight but the ceilings were so high we couldn't reach them all. We were offered to change our room but we were very comfortable where we were. The ants were so unbearable the last three nights, we had to sleep with a sheet over our heads. Our air-conditioning unit broke numerous times and every time we called difficult task. One night we had no A/C all together. The worst problem was that we had no phone service the last three days of our stay. The maitic. We skipped the toga party. Quickly learn and they would set up an appointment with the phone company as soon as possible. The next day the front desk told us it was a resort wide upgrade and they would be letting us know the next day when it would be fixed. Our last day we finally received a notice under the door explaining the situation and that no phone service would be available for the next two days. I spoke with the manager on duty to relay my problems. It was getting very inconvenient to walk to the front desk to ask for maintenance or house- keeping due to lack of phone service. The manager was very nice and took diligent notes on my complaints and was apologetic but I wasn't offered anything for our troubles. Our last day came and we couldn't wait to get home. We had arranged a TimAir flight from Negril to Montego Bay (thanks to the Compuserve discount) and it was quick and hassle -free. Upon our return, my travel agent lodged our complaints with the tour package com