Excellent vacation at Sandals Ochi

Went with a group of 8 for a week in July and joined by friends who stayed one night. From the moment we arrived at the airport till the morning we left we were treated with superb customer service from Sandals staff. Large resort with lots of options for food and we were treated very well at every restaurant. The food was delicious and well prepared. Our rooms were clean and well supplied with adequate toiletries and towels. We didn't have to ask for anything for our rooms which were locat [... read more]ed in the Great House and in the villas on the Hillside. Staff are always asking if we needed anything and would go out of their way to meet our needs. We spent most of our days at the beach soaking in the sea. Some spots are a bit rocky but we didn't need water shoes as we avoided those areas. We were able to get beds in the shade every day on the beach. We recommend this resort if you are looking to be pampered and want some time away for fun and relaxation. There is something for everyone at this resort.

Almost perfect

The resort was beautiful, the beach areas were well maintained, the food was fantastic, Howard at the Piano Bar makes the best drinks. The housekeeping on the other hand, not great. We arrived on Thursday and our room was not touched until Sunday night, we left Monday. Once our water in the mini fridge was replenished without asking. I had to repeatedly ask for clean towels, our garbage/dishes were not cleared away until the Sunday night. Our bed was not made until the Sunday night. Disappointin [... read more]g considering you go on vacation to not have to worry about these things.

Sandals Ochi

The grounds are exceptional. It is a huge property and every bit of it is filled with. Beautiful gardens. Our Villa was much more than we expected. Many restaurants to choose from, cleanliness throughout.

Good resort, Good staff, needs upgrading

This resort has some really bright spots and some things that really need improvement. I’ll start with the bad…. The rooms….. if you’re expecting a stunning room then you are going to be disappointed. The room we stayed in was very basic and kind of reminded us of a run of the mill 3 star hotel. The TV had cracks in it, the water pressure in the shower was awful, furniture was chipped and paint was peeling off the walls. The pool….. the pool was big and the water was a nice temperature but [... read more] it is in serious need of some TLC. There were pieces of tile missing on the pool wall, paint was peeling on the big sandals tower and there were tons of bugs in the pool. We even noticed a cockroach dead on the pool deck. The beach….. the beach is beautiful but there is no shade at all. No umbrellas, no trees to sit under. The beach is also quite small. Now we move onto the good….. The food…. The food was pretty decent, definitely a step above some of the all inclusives we’ve been to. Our favourites were Kelly’s dockside, the jerk shack and the pizza places. The staff…. The staff for the most part were super friendly. They always made sure that we had everything we needed. They also put a lot of effort into getting people involved in playing games by the pool and having a good time. The entertainment……. The entertainment was good…. Nothing spectacular but definitely not something to complain about either. The silent party on the beach was super fun and so was the couples game show. The drinks….. the drinks were very good. Being able to get premium alcohol was a huge plus for us. The bartenders were extremely friendly and always made sure we had a cold drink. Some bartenders also got a bit creative when we felt like trying something new and we loved that. The bartenders at the pool bar and the beach bar were standouts for us. The rabbit hole….. We went here almost every night. They had really cool drinks that you can’t get anywhere else on the resort and the decor inside is a nice touch. From about 10pm to 11pm it’s a pretty nice vibe as they have a live DJ but the place empties out pretty quick once he leaves. Overall this hotel has a lot of good and a lot of bad. I think that if you go into a trip here knowing that everything isn’t going to be perfect then you’re going to have a good time.

Amazing staff

This hotel needs the guest rooms to be updated as they are very worn.Bathroom mirrors so worn you thought they had a chronic bathroom fog on them. Lobby and restaurants were very current. Food was average at best at most restaurants. My favourite was the Sushi and Italian. Pools needed some tiles work . A no tip policy was strictly enforced but a totally different story when you arrive at the Sandals airport lounge. There the Sandals representative who escorts you to your bus to the resort [... read more] reminds you strongly to tip both the luggage attendant and the driver. Wow, that was not expected ! I told the representative that I will choose who I will tip and when and I didnt appreciate hearing this from him! I really think this hotel should shut down , refurbish guest rooms and pool tiles, storm damages Then re-open with a splash!! Lovely, attentive staff .

Disappointing

This resort did not live up to the image I had of a Sandals resort. The grounds are beautiful and well kept. But the food was lackluster. The dishes rarely lived up to the menu descriptions. And there was such inconsistency. One day a dish would be somewhat palatable and the next poorly prepared. At times service was non-existent. At one pool, no staff circulated to take drink orders and when I asked a pool person, he responded that I should walk over and down the stairs to another pool t [... read more]o get a drink a 5-10 minute walk. The next day I asked him again if someone would be coming; he responded that I told you yesterday you have to get it yourself. Some of the staff were friendly and helpful but some were downright surly. Upon arrival, we were shown a room that bore no resemblance to the room that was booked. We were then shown another room which was small and dark, and then told that they would find a better one for us the next day. And they did move us over but was that necessary? If you think that i am overly critical, we met a couple at the airport who go to Sandals every year. They were at the one at Dunn River and they had the same experience. Even having a meal that was inedible. They were totally disillusioned by their week. It seems that Sandals has gone downhill since the original owner died. I will certainly not go back to a Sandals.. Finally, I believe that this particular property is not suitable for seniors due to the endless amount of stairs, with no elevators. One must go down at least 3 flights of stairs to access the beach, the main pool and almost all dining facilities.

Amazing resort

Sandals is a wonderful resort, food was spectacular and they ensure you are pleased with everything. Had a butler village room and was happy with the service of the butlers, you are treated to every possible thing you could think of. They go out of their way to make your stay memorable

Great time at Sandals Ochi

Beautiful grounds, awesome staff, good food. The first room we had was a bit run down and needed a reno. We mentioned this to the concierge and we were promptly moved to a renovated villa. The beach was gorgeous - a word of warning, take water shoes as the beach is very rocky and not kind to your feet.

Average resort

The resort was beautiful, but we were not impressed with our room. We received an upgraded room which we were told was bigger but the poolside was shared with three other couples which was not ideal. Our in-room beverage service (from coffee to champagne) was not restocked daily as advertised and briefed; we needed to request this from the concierge each day which detracted from the (advertised and paid for) Sandals all-inclusive experience. We will not be returning in the future; no need to rep [... read more]ly. Thank you.

Sandal’s Ochi - bring ear plugs

Very desappointed in this Sandal’s resort in particular but also in Sandal’s in general. We selected this resort for what we thought would be a trouble free and relaxing vacation so that we could rest and enjoy ourselves but we’re we wrong. The first thing we noticed arriving there is that the wifi was down. It stayed down for the entire week. I had set up cameras and various systems at home that I wanted to monitor but couldn’t do it unless I did it over the cell network which I had [... read more] not planned on. Sandal’s with thousands of employees and multiple resorts couldn’t fix an issue that affected all of its resorts. No wifi, ok. Let’s relax then. Oh wait, the pounding music. You can’t really escape it unless you go to the ‘hidden pool’ ( that’s the real name). It is very small and well hidden, you won’t see a server there. And by the beach? Well you can still hear the music but you need to get up early to ´reserve ´ your spot. 8:00 is too late. But hey, we came here also for scuba diving. Not a great experience here either unfortunately. Basically, on most of the dives, the guides were with people getting their certification. So, we went to the bottom and waited and waited for the guide to arrive with the students. Then we had to end our dives because the students air supply reached 1000 psi which is to be expected with people who have no experience diving. The food. The Italian and French restaurants are quite good and the Jerk Shack is also noteworthy. The rest are not at all at the level of a 5 star hotel. After our second day we complained to the appropriate staff member who took notes. She said someone would contact us in the afternoon. The next day, no one had contacted us. Back to the Customer center, they said they tried to contact us. I responded that there was no note under our door, no message on our room phone. They apologized and said to come back the next morning to talk to the manager. That would be the day of our departure. But, apparently the manager was not present that day. Our first experience with Sandal’s was at the White House a few years ago which was great. And that is why we returned but needless to say, no more Sandal’s for us. Good luck. Oh, get ready for a 2 hour drive from the airport.

Not bad, but not amazing.

So to start, I did enjoy this getaway. Would I spend the money to do it again….no. First off, the staff were really pleasant. The entertainment staff were fun and engaging. The restaurants had pretty good food and the bed was decently comfortable. The resort itself is beautiful with its lush gardens and it’s pretty easy to get a place to sit and watch the ocean in the sun for the day. They have beautiful coves and the beach is kept clean and groomed. Things I didn’t like: it’s [... read more] a long transfer from airport to the resort..1.5 hours. The entire resort could use some maintenance. We had a king room Rivera side and although it was decent, I wouldn’t call it luxury. Things like the magnifying mirror in the bathroom was broken, the closet doors were broken and wouldn’t stay shut, the balcony railing was rusted and moved dangerously when leaned on so we stayed away from it. The air conditioner worked and made the room lovely and cool but dripped constantly on the carpet below, causing the room to smell musty. There are lots of stairs on the resort to go anywhere, it didn’t bother us at all but could bother some. Beach Towels were hard to find in the mornings, we went searching often for them. Everywhere you go, someone is trying to upsell you. Whether it’s to get you to book the spa or buy pictures or book a table at an event which costs more, it got tiresome being approached constantly to ask you to spend more money. Breakfast Buffett was good and booked dinner restaurants were good.. but there are no snack options. You can’t just quickly grab anything. The pool has a pizza place that takes an hour to get a tiny pizza. I ordered 2 tacos one afternoon and waited 45 mins for them. There is no haste for anything and seems disorganized. We started to joke while finishing breakfast if we should order lunch right away so we could actually eat when we were hungry later. The bar frequently ran out of cups to serve people. The coffee urn was empty a few mornings which didn’t destroy my day or anything, just a little frustrating when sandals sells “luxury”. The speakeasy is a super cool vibe with fun drinks. We went to watch the entertainment … which didn’t show up. We enjoyed the piano sing along one day so checked the schedule and went a second time and guess what?…. They didn’t show up. So overall, the break from work was still nice and we enjoyed the beach but I wouldn’t do it again. It even kind of put me off the sandals brand as other people we spoke to told us they have been to nicer, much cheaper resorts.

Absolutely Amazing ❤️❤️❤️

Sandals Ochi is a great resort. Very clean and well kept. You have to sanitize before going into any facility or restaurant on site. We had a butler suite and I want to give a big shout out to Dennis and Danrick for amazing service and helping to make our anniversary special.They went above and beyond to make sure we had everything we needed .The entertainment was also good and kept us entertained. I would recommend Sandals Ochi to anyone and I look forward to returning again soon.❤️❤︠[... read more]â¤ï¸

Just Above Average

Grounds: overall quite good, lots of vegetation and little pathways which added a sense of exclusivity and an overall tropical feel. However, the resort was dated and I believe is the oldest Sandals, which is obvious from the more compartmentalized entrance and foyer. Also, way too many steps to get to beach on Seaside and to get to Ochi Beach Resort. Food: Below what we expected for a Sandals and for the $3900 each that we spent for this trip - so we were disappointed. Portion size was minis [... read more]cule and in many restaurants, the food was too salty, and even cold on presentation of the meal. Room: The room was good overall with a nice view. The biggest disappointment was the bed which gave both of us little support and added to lower back pain, not good on a vacation. Please upgrade the mattresses! Sandals personnel were hot and cold. A number of their people were rude at the Airport reception area and in the hotel, which is not expected at a higher end resort. Upselling: There was a constant barrage of sales personnel continually trying to sell you trips, return visits, etc... in the main foyer, which was very tiring. Overal trip we would give it a 7/10. Would not go to another Sandals unless the pricing reflected a much better deal.

Great vacation

Lots of great dining options and top shelf booze available. Grounds were plentiful, well manicured and had many great pools to relax around. Butler service was impeccable. Rooms have not been updated but they are clean and in good working order. Service could be very slow at times and we did experience hot water issues in room. Maid service inconsistent. Overall- a great option to experience Sandals on a lesser budget.

Not as advertised

Sandal's perfected the advertising and deceiving industry. They sell their resort as the most luxurious vacation that one will ever have. In all honesty that could be not more farther from the truth!! The resort is very outdated thou in my rating I didn't considered it. That didn't bothered me nor the very fact that climbing in the bed requires some acrobatic skills! I am 5.5" tall and getting in the bed was challenging every single time. My rating of 2 stars is given because of the way this  [... read more]resort operates. I've booked a room with a balcony. Guess what my room had no balcony. It took about an hour to get the room that was paid for. I've always wanted to try Sandal's and at our 30th anniversary we decided to book it. We wanted a vacation to remember. Well it happen but for all the wrong reasons. I have had the opportunity to visit different islands in the Caribbean and I can testify that any other resorts you can get luxury for much less money than here. Here they use the cheapest raw materials that can be purchased on the market and they serve it in very small portions. If you ask for chicken your portion is 2 drumsticks of the size of chicken wings and be happy. If you try to get more that always ends in an argument because there no way that they will honour your request! All the orders are mostly hit and miss. The resort has no mineral water, nor a canned club soda! The alcoholic beverages are questionable. I never saw anybody open a seal on a bottle (except on sparkling wine). When you go to eat you have to give your room number. I found this to be a try to intimidate you so one would not complain. If that doesn't work they send in the managers who try to smooth things over. I found this to be degrading because my intelligence was insulted.They are smiling as long as you don't want anything from them. If you have a question or complain they make you feel small and stupid. One example of this: one morning I went to the wending machine to get my latte. There is no freshly brewed coffee on the resort you have to help yourself at the machine. So I started the procedure. The machine could not finish my order because there was no milk. I saw an employee and asked for his help. He came there and explained to me how the machine works. I've asked him to demonstrate it. Well he had no more success than I did. Even than I could not get an 'I am sorry'. Somehow he got into the clear while I ended up being in red. I've got so much lecturing in those 5 days that I don't even want to remember. They are doing it wrong, it's their fault and still they make you feel stupid and they lecture you all the way. Every single interaction for food or drink was a challenge! On our anniversary at dinner we asked for a bucket with ice and a bottle of sparking wine. After about 2 minutes the server comes back asking what kind of wine we want?! I am very sorry that I booked this vacation. I've spent a lots of money and got not much except bad memories I would never return here nor visit any other Sandal's resorts. My dear fellow travelers do your home work and try other resorts where you will get value for your money. I feel ashamed that I've let the commercial of a dream vacation fog my judgment and not investigate the place before I booked it. Hope my review will help others not to make the same mistake that I did.

Great resort!

Overall good resort; Pros: - lots of restaurants - good entertainment Cons: -small beach - make sure to request ocean view or else you’re across the street. Great country, great people. Highly recommend any sandals.

Beautiful property...poor service

The beach is incredible. Clear blue water with a reef close by so you see a ton of colourful fish just standing in the water. The service is very slow. Sometimes it was taking 1+ hour for the food to arrive. They also ran out of key menu items much too often.

Less than Stellar

We have been at a number of Sandal resorts and quite honestly were disapointed with our Ochi Rios experience compared to others. Food and service were both less than satisfactory. There certainly seemed to be a lack of communication amongst employees and management. In summary, this was not a typical 5 star Sandals experience.

Wonderful time!

My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Ochi Sandals, Jamaica mon! The food was fabulous, our room was terrific and the grounds were pristine! The staff bent over backwards to entertain us and were extremely welcoming! We had absolutely beautiful weather for the 7 days we were there and we highly recommend this resort!

Great couple time!

We stayed in the Butler Village and had a private pool. Although it was shared with 3 other rooms in the villa we had the pool to ourselves almost the entire time. Food OK. Of each the meals, portions were very good and then other items not good. It would appear that the cooking vegetables appeared to be quite a challenge. They were not very tasty (or cooked in some cases). Service in restaurants at dinner left little to be desired. For every one smiling person 4 others disengaged. Some areas of [... read more] resort a little dilapidated but there was a spot to chill for everyone depending on what pace of interaction or privacy you desired. Butlers were great! We had Reynaldo and Roger-niel. They were very attentive and went above and beyond to ensure we had a lovely stay.