Bahia Principe Escape Runaway Bay: Don't believe the naysayers....this place is great!

Reviewed 2 days ago Don't believe the naysayers....This place is great! Just returned from our best tropical vacation yet! Arrived at the hotel late afternoon. Check in was fast and pleasant, and then we were escorted to our well appointed room by a hostess who explained the hotel amenities, showed us our room features and outlined the various services available to us. Other than our first evening, we ate at a la carte restaurants every night. (Get the Bahia App to make booking them easy!) Fo [... read more]od was the best we've ever experienced at a resort....beef tenderloin, rib steak, chateau briand and of course jerk chicken! Drink selection was equally impressive.... Canadian Club, JW Black Label,Grey Goose etc....as long as you ask for them specifically! Even though it was busy over March Break, we had no issue finding loungers around the pools. They do enforce the rules about reserving loungers early. They periodically swept up unattended towels, bags etc before 8am and their owners had to retrieve them from the towel hut! (Yes I got caught too, but it prevents people keeping two sets of chairs locked up at both the beach and the pool!) As usual, it's the people that make or break your vacation. For the first time in our dozen or so tropical trips, there was never a situation that made us feel as if an employee was merely "going through the motions" when interacting with us. From the reception staff, waiters and waitresses, bar staff (especially Teddy-Lee, Timmoy and Shedale), security people (my 5am coffee buddy Patrick....an employee of a private contractor, but certainly did the hotel proud!), and the always friendly grounds and room staff, we always felt appreciated and respected. And I think I know why...... This property has a very visible and involved management. I saw them constantly roaming the property identifying anything that was less than perfect. They were very hands on, picking up any trash, calling for maintainance, etc. As an operations supervisor myself, I was REALLY impressed with Gianni? Jonni? (I wish I had taken note of his proper spelling! Sorry!) I saw him often, and he was always active and professional! He was even involved in catching one of the resident cats that appeared injured. We spoke a couple of times, and I believe he is responsible for the overall operation of the Luxury Side. When management leads by example, you get these great results! If there is anything that is less than perfect, it might be the beach. There is no endless expanse of sand as you would find in Punta Cana or Varadero, but it is passable. There is a private Luxury only beach, or the larger "everyone" beach at the other side of the resort. For me, this wasn't an issue. This was truly the best experience we've had so far...and probably will be tough to beat!

Jewel Runaway Bay Resort: March break fun!

A perfect sized resort for families. Everything is close by...beach, pools, restaurants, bars and water park. Great staff and lots of things for the kids to do - ours are 8 and 11 - plenty of staff at the water park and running the kids club. Good food and enough variety to keep everyone happy. Basic rooms were a bit on the small side but we spent very little time there...it was never an issue. Staff kept rooms and grounds clean. We can’t wait to go back!

Bahia Principe Explore Jamaica: Fun resort!

We spent 7 days at the Bahia Principe and loved every minute of it. The only down side of the resort is the beach area. The beach area is not very big and there was only a small area of the beach where you can swim. All in all we are quite impress with the food and the service. Good food at the buffet. There was something for everyone. Very difficult to get a reservation at the specialty restaurant. Just a quick note, although it is an all inclusive resort, an all you can eat buffet, gues [... read more]ts should tip the person who serve you your wine, water, juice or beer. We saw a lot of guests not tipping, just getting up and leave. A US$2.00 tip every meal, that is $6.00 a day times 7 days is only $42.00. I'm sure it won't break the bank. It means a lot to the servers if you tip and they appreciate it. We enjoyed our vacation and we will go back for sure.

Bahia Principe Explore Jamaica: Fantastic week away

The resort was very clean, staff was very friendly but the wifi was very difficult to obtain a connection but being on vacation this was not a big deal for us. The food was fantastic and it was very easily to reserve for the restaurants. We visited the same resort two years ago and noticed there were many improvements made to the beach front and the resort continues with improvements.

Riu Palace Tropical Bay: Riu Palace Tropical Bay

4 out of 5 stars. Food and service could be improved in the restaurants. Beach is excellent. Resort needs more washrooms so that you don't have to walk so far.Lunch buffet offering seemed to be the best food offering.

Bahia Principe Explore Jamaica: Amazing time at the Bahia Principe

Overall, great place! Food was excellent, never went hungry. The beef patties at the grill were awesome. Had the opportunities to try the Brazilian steakhouse on the luxury side (adults only) and it was absoutely delicious and our favourite meal of the trip. The staff are very friendly, most very genuine. Pools were great, and beach near the kids park was great. Rooms were clean and spacious. Would love to come back and stay on the luxury side, as it did seem a little nicer over there.

Bahia Principe Escape Runaway Bay: Awesome resort

The resort was amazing. Great food, beautiful pools, excellent service and atmosphere. Be prepared to walk as it is a large resort and the nice beach is on the family side of the resort. Had a concern with our room but it was rectified quickly.

Royalton Blue Waters: Beautiful resort

Blue waters continues to be an excellent resort. It is clean, comfortable and a reasonable size. The people make the resort and enjoyable experience. We will continue to trave twice a year to Blue Waters.

Iberostar Selection Rose Hall Suites: Better Than Expected!!

I am always a bit hesitant about all inclusive resorts during peak March Break season, but I was pleasantly surprised with my visit to Iberostar. Check in was quick and easy, staff was friendly, chairs around the pool and on the beach were plentiful. Food was repetitive but decent. I would not say it was outstanding, but was good for all inclusive and buffet styles. The Asian restaurant was horrible and really needs to be improved. But Italian was decent. Only issue was the lack of avail [... read more]ability and difficulty booking dinner reservations in a la carte restaurants. We were told they were full, but then noticed so many empty seats. Kind of felt like they had a limit and then pushed the rest of the guests to the large buffet dinner. Room was small and needs an upgrade ... their ocean view required me cranking my neck around a wall and then I could see ocean. But I was barely in the room so not that big a deal. But was clean and bath products were fine. Fridge was restocked with fresh water bottles daily so liked that service. I did not like how the concierge was fully pressuring us into signing up for time share meetings or whatever they were selling. It was completely annoying that in order to book dinner reservations I had to sit through her sales pitch and upgrade offers that would cost me more money. I get that is her job and she was lovely and a nice person, but totally takes away from the relaxing vacation vibe. Drink Service around Pool and Beach was slow and intermittent. They need way more staff. One drink would take 20 minutes to arrive. There is no food menu around the pool. That needs to be added. They have a buffet on the beach a couple times a week, but really need snacks and food around pool. Would make for much better experience. But staff was really nice. Place was clean. Lots of chairs by the pool and beach and thankfully no annoying chair hog guests!! So overall was much better than I expected for a last minute March Break Trip.

Hyatt Zilara Rose Hall: Top Notch Resort (except for the beach)!

This was our first introduction to an all-inclusive resort. This was the honeymoon we never took 23 years ago. While there were a few hiccups along the way overall this was a fantastic vacation. We loved everything about this resort except the beach. There was lots of choice in terms of restaurants and type of dining you wanted. We loved the Choicez Buffet Restaurant (which we ate almost every day for breakfast and lunch). There was no waiting for someone to serve you and there was an incre [... read more]dible variety of foods to choose from. Something for everyone's taste buds! We tried almost every specialty restaurant. Each and everyone of them were delicious and service was for the most part excellent at all of them. Servers were kind and very professional. We had a swim up suite and it was unbelievable. We stayed in room 4108 and I do believe it was the best location in the Zilara Resort. We had direct sunlight from 6:30 am to 1:00 pm. So if you are a sun worshiper then this is the room to get. The room was also incredibly beautiful, cozy, clean and spacious. The fitness centers and programs we would classify as state of the art. Did a few spin classes too and the instructors were entertaining and classy. Great workouts!! We would say that the night life was a bit low key. Not a lot of entertainment but that's okay if you like a more quiet environment in the evenings. Pools were incredible so they did make up for the less then appealing beach experience. If you have a preference for a beach over a pool then this might not be the right place for you. The beach itself was stunning, but the bottom of the swimming areas were very rocky and unless you have water shoes, you risk getting nasty cuts on your feet. There was also a considerable amount of seaweed washing up into the swimming area. So not a great beach experience. Aside from that, this was an amazing resort. Very clean, good music, good eats, very kind and professional staff. If the beach was nicer I might consider a second visit. Price point.....a bit on the expensive side but worth doing once. We booked this vacation almost a year in advance. Not a reflection of the resort but when we originally booked our vacation package with Trip Central, it was based on the flight times (arriving mid-morning and departing mid morning). Shortly after booking, our flights were changed by exactly 12 hours later in the day on both sides of our vacation (the maximum time change an airline is permitted to make apparently). As a result, we lost a full day at a very expensive resort and in addition, ended up having to pay for an extra day (at $30 US per hour) as our check out time was 6 hours before our departure for the airport. When we called to inquire and express our disappointment in losing a day on the resort, we basically got the run around and told there was nothing they could do for us, unless we wanted to change airlines, which meant dishing out yet another $1000 plus for another airline. Overall we did love the vacation but there were some issues along the way that were frustrating and disappointing and will need to consider for future travel.

Bahia Principe Explore Jamaica: Top Notch!

We’ve travelled all inclusive for the last 20 years, I always read the reviews prior to travelling. I’m not really sure where some of these negative reviews come from. From start to finish we had exceptional service, everyone went out of their way to ensure we were happy with everything. We stayed in room 18104 - great location. Ground floor, close to pool, beach and most restaurants. Thanks for a great week and hope to travel back to Jamaica some time soon!

Couples Sans Souci: Simply Awesome

The location was beautiful. The food incredible and the service out of this world. Relaxing and exciting all at the same time as the mood struck. I will be going back! The transportation to the resort and back to the airport was easy and non stressful, something I traditionally worry about. The staff were like friends. The weather was almost perfect, but a little liquid sunshine never bothers me. The beach was very well maintained and naturally stunning. The waterfront staff wer [... read more]e engaging and informative. A true jewel in Jamaica.

Moon Palace Jamaica: Highly recommended

We loved the Moon Palace. Rooms were very clean (albeit a little small) and well stocked. Food was amazing, as were the drinks. The staff was friendly and go out of their way for guests. The beach was very clean and the water calm. The beach was small so be prepared for that if you are someone who likes long walks along the beach. Also know it is about an hour and a half ride from the airport to the resort. We also enjoyed the spa at the resort and were able to use our resort credits for it. Ou [... read more]r family would highly recommend Moon Palace.

Royalton Negril Resort And Spa: Royalton Negril

This is our new favorite resort. A true 5 star. The swim out pools were amazing and the water was warm. The beach was beautiful and it was close to everything. Food was great at all the restaurants and the buffet. The resort was very safe and the staff were amazing. Going back in 2019😎

Riu Palace Jamaica: Best Week EVER!`

Just came back from our fantastic trip to Jamaica! We stayed at the RIU Palace adult only resort and it was the best decision ever! This was a girls trip ( just the two of us ) looking for a week of relaxation and sun. We got a whole lot more! The hotel was amazing - super clean. Actually the cleanest hotel I have ever stayed at. All the staff were super friendly and courteous and greeted us every morning with a smile! Our 2 main servers every morning Jemar and Filmore took care of us and [... read more] had what we liked at our table without even asking.. Those 2 guys go above and beyond and deserve alot of credit! We miss their smiling faces and our morning seranades! LOL But the highlight of our trip was the AMAZING entertainment staff! Not only are they the elite at what they do, they are all the most kind hearted, sweet and kindest people I have ever met. I want to give a HUGE shout out to: Jo-Jo Dr Fun-Fun ( aka Shaggy LOL - get him to do a Shaggy song.. It's amazing not to mention is awesome laugh ) DJ Snake Kash CC Talawuh These people are the glue of that resort and can your week much more fun. Give them a chance to get to know you - they are amazing people with amazing stories. They love when you participate in the activities! The great place about RIU Palace is that if you want quiet there is another pool that is very low key for those who want to just chill and enjoy the fabulous cocktails. All in all I can't say enough about this place - It was just what the "dr" ordered for a girls getaway... It's a smaller resort which I liked - it made it more intimate and you got to know everyone and made lots of friends The only CON I guess for me was there wasn't much shopping.. I like resorts that have a few stores to shop around in the evening.. If you want to call that a CON One last thing - if you like long walks on the beach - this isn't the resort for that.. The beach is very small but super clean. FYI - their sister properties on either side of the RIU the Reggae and Montego Bay ( the beaches are small as well and not really well kept ) I give this place 5 out 5 stars! :)

Fun Holiday Beach Resort: Great location

The hotel needs a lot of work . Needs an upgrade in a big way . The employees were great and the food was good . Would luv to see the deck opened up . Great location , near the beach , pool and eating area .

Jewel Runaway Bay Resort: Fantastic trip!

The Jewel Runaway Bay is an excellent place to take your kids. The water park is a ton of fun and the kids can safely have the full run of the resort on their own. The beach is beautiful and there is a coral reef near by so the fish will swim right up to you even when you're swimming in the roped off area. Food, drinks and staff are awesome! Our 3 boys (ages 12 , 10 , 7) particularly loved the nighttime games of capture the flag on the beach with the kids/ teen club. Good tennis courts with a lo [... read more]cal pro, 3 nice clean life guarded pools, nice entertainment at night. Very clean, smoking only allowed in a few designated places away from the main activity areas. My only suggestion for this resort is that they do the audience participation portion of the show after the main stage portion because it seemed to me that they lost a lot of their audience as people snuck away to prevent being chosen for the audience participation activities on stage and that left very few people to stay for the higher quality entertainment such as the steel drum show or the historic dancing or the excellent guest singers with the band. Overall though: a definite gem in a fantastic country: yeah mon!

Moon Palace Jamaica: Exceptional Resort

We have travelled to many islands staying in different resorts, never a Moon Palace until this year. This is a first class hotel large but you never felt overcrowded. Staff was amazing and pleased to serve you. Tip was optional, you were treated the same if you tipped or not. Restaurants plentiful and food outstanding no disappointments at all. Many free outdoor activities for both adult and children. Dolfins on site and well cared for again staff was great dealing with participants. Spa was use [... read more]d, again over all cleanliness, staff supportive and very professional with their approach. Drinks made of quality eg. liquor Grey Goose my favourite.

Bahia Principe Explore Jamaica: Great Vacation

The hotel is massive so be prepared to walk a lot. The grounds, rooms and common areas are very clean. The hotel is very bright with many areas to relax. The pool is massive. There is the lack of eating areas during the day. The only place to get food after the main buffets close in the morning is the beach restaurant. Also, their is a lack of entertainment throughout the day. Nothing on the beach. The food is amazing and very fresh. Unfortunately the staff is hit and miss. Very few are [... read more] friendly and most make you feel like your imposing. this is unfortunate. The timeshare staff hound you and are very pushy and they are in every area so you can't avoid them. The beach is wonderful. I will return but obviously know what to expect.

Rooms on the Beach Negril: Lovely resort

The rooms were very clean as was the whole resort. The only complaint is that to have a fridge in your room it would cost $8 a day. That should come with the room. The grounds are beautiful, restaurant very nice, and the staff are all very friendly and helpful.