Sandals Jamaica South Coast: Wonderful visit - but?

We have just returned from a week at Sandals South Coat (Whitehouse). We had a fabulous week - unfortunately with a couple of reservations. The good - the weather, the setting, the grounds, the sand, cleanliness and wonderful staff (mostly). We were in the French village with a walkout room which was some distance from everything except Schooners. The room wasn't updated but was clean and had a very very large comfortable bed. We ate in all restaurants except two and food was great except for a [... read more] couple of hiccups. Our best memories - Cobb salad and Jamaican pattie for lunch at Schooners, drinks before and after dinner at bar outside Neptunes, wonderful pastries at about 4 pm at Café Paris, breakfast at Bayside with baked beans, sailing catamaran in the bay. There were many other fabulous memories. Unfortunately the bad The trip to and from airport was taxing- even though we had a limo on the way. Every morning we were awoken by lifeguard turning on music very very loud at pool and he would make these silly bird sounds. Same lifeguard would hassle us to fold umbrella while we were still using it late afternoon. One afternoon a group put on ACDC at the pool so loud you couldn't think - but nobody did anything and we all packed up and left the area. Clean towels would arrive at various times and butlers would reserve all the best lounger locations in spite of that not being allowed. Eleanors - service was disgusting. Waitresses on night we went there were outside dancing to Country singer. Next morning for breakfast the same women were waitressing. Three times we asked for coffee and mamosas with no result so we left and went to Bayside buffet. I felt that paying for Sandals meant I could enjoy a breakfast away from a usual buffet - not so. We went to buffet for rest of stay and it was great. Twice we had to wait for a table in restaurants even though some tables were empty because they were reserved by butlers with flowers. This made us feel like second class interlopers and upset our experience at each instance. Pasta in Italian restaurant was dreadful as was Tuna steak in Neptunes. Lastly - for 2 days in Italian village jack hammers were breaking concrete - if I had paid extra to stay there I would not have been happy - and for 4 days at French village beach there was concrete mixer and tractor running back and fore along beach. This was being done to improve "my experience" apparently. They are building "over the water bungalows" which will ruin the beach view for those in cattle class like us. I don't think I may visit again. Incidentally we took a trip to Sandals Negril which left me feeling happy to be at South Coast and I will not visit. Below it asks would I recommend - not sure - but not worth the extra $1000 each we have paid above other places we have been.

Bahia Principe Escape Runaway Bay: Great facility - Great people

The grounds are very clean - rooms on the lux side are very clean; lots of space. Bar staff very friendly. Beach on Lux side nice and quiet but beach on Grand side is natural and much larger. Food was great - Japanese restaurant not the best but all others were great. Lux side buffet is awesome for breakfast and the lunch buffet by the pool is huge! Would definitely go back.

Grand Palladium Jamaica: Great resort don't get a massage in the spa!!!!

Upon arrival we were all upgraded to the lady Hamilton side of the resort, it's got nice spacious rooms, comfortable beds, upgraded washrooms and the housekeeping did a great job making sure our extra needs of cleaning were met!! martin at the pool bar was awesome!!! He made sure, we as there were 14 of us in the party were never without a drink and was always willing to go the extra mile to ensure we had lots to drink!!! Fiona at the Sunset Coast bar was very good at meet our needs, and ensure  [... read more]we got attended too quickly and always went the extra mile to ensure our drinks, were never empty!!! fluffy Diva and Happy with the entertainment were awesome keeping us dancing and envolved in the games on beach and pool Side too!!! The spa sales team did entice my husband to purchase the couples massgae package, upon arrival in the spa we were greeted with a questionnaire that was required to complete inwhich we did, my husband who is On a blood thinner medication Entered his medication and let the staff know he had a aortic valve replaced 4!years ago, and we were there for what was to be a relaxation massage ???? The day after the massage my husband felt unwell, and his arm was in pain, day 2 was worse! This was brought to the front desks attention, they requested we speak to security and the manager on duty, in which we did at that time the resort Nurse was called, she was not listening to my husband and since we were travelling with 2 REgistered Nurses we were Requiring a tensor wrap to wrap my husbands arm, she refused said he needed to see the hotel doctor for $450 USA dollars, the next am! With the nurses strong accent she wasn't listening to my husbands words, he went to his room feeling frustrated! The next am, we visited the nurse and were instructed again the doctor would be the one to provide the tensor only after the $450, but since we were flying back the next morning to Canada we decided To keep Icing, resting , elevating and arm until we got home to Canada, the am Of our flight I went to the front desk around 545 only to catch the front desk staff sleeping on the job!!!! I took a picture of her, and kindly woke Her to ask about getting a refund of my husbands massage, she had me speak To a manager who offered to upgrade my next visit to the same hotel, disappointed to say the least when I went for coffee and to find 4 more cleaning staff sleeping on the lounge couches in the upper level!!! I enjoyed my am coffee and waited to speak to this manager with the paper to show me what they offered, I was only looking for the refund as my husband had not enjoyed his last 2 days of his holidays due to this massage he was uncomfortable and in a little pain, upon arrival home to Canada my husband has since been diagnosed with Compartment Syndrome, from the Massage, and if left for another 12-16 hours he would be without his left arm!!!! Disappointed to say the least about the questions At the massage, the lanaguage barrier and basically the hotel just didn't care!!!!!!

Iberostar Selection Rose Hall Suites: Rose Hall Suites can't be beat!!!

Iberostar Rose Hall Suites met and exceeded our expectations for an all inclusive family-friendly resort. The staff were amazing as advertised, always smiling and offering assistance where needed. Our kids loved the Children's Waterpark and Kids Club. Having the main pool so close to the beach and ocean allowed us to easily transition from one to the other, which was important for us with young children. The restaurants were fantastic, including the main buffet. All in all, a great family  [... read more]vacation, one that I would recommend to others!

Bahia Principe Escape Runaway Bay: Luxury Bahia Principe Needs Improvements

Rooms need attention ex. loud AC, leak from above bathroom, outdated showers, lack of light in the bathroom. (Block 24) They were cleaned well daily, some items missing but brought promptly when asked. Natural pillows not available even though shown in their pillow menu. Grounds are beautifully maintained. Polls are very nice. Towels always available. Water in the pools was to cold. The speakers are extremely loud. Stuff is very good and courteous also they are overworked and underplayed. t [... read more]his is from observation, nobody complained. The food is very good but repetitive and cold at times, flies. The daily jerk pork or chicken BBQ is the best ever. Bars are very good but need more stuff. The worst experience was with making restaurant reservation. Twice a day for 7 days to get the reservation even though we stared the reservation the same day we arrived. This time we should spent on the beach not at the reservation desk. We have had a buffet 3 times a day. The evening should be at the restaurant without running back a forth to the buffet. The beach is very nice and clean. Although we liked the resort I would not go back. The restaurant ordeal is the deal breaker.

Bahia Principe Escape Runaway Bay: Bahia Principe Runaway BAy

This resort was by far the best that we have been to in years. The staff were friendly & courteous at all times, from the bus driver to the server on the beach. The resort was beautiful, no issues at all. Food & drink were plentiful. A must to vacation at by all. This resort was recommended by our travel agent Laura S. Well done & thanks

Riu Reggae: Reggae Fun

This adults only resort offers a great time for those that chose to have fun while offering the choice of having a relaxing vacation also. Fantastic entertainment and recreation staff. Very clean environment, all areas of the hotel were kept clean. Bartenders all have entertaining qualities, cheerful and fun to be around. Dining and food variety was outstanding, although there is a wait time at the restaurant. Buffet meals were very tasteful and always offered lots of choices. Beach was a l [... read more]ittle small but lounges are always available. More beach area available if you walk over to the adjoining resort Montego Bay.

Coco La Palm: Wonderful Smaller Resort

We booked this hotel due to it'so good reviews and smaller size. We were not disappointed. We were warmly welcomed and all staff we encountered from that point forward we very pleasant. Our room was clean and comfortable. We had no complaints. The complimentary continental breakfast is adequate for most. We also ordered a side of two eggs to get that extra protein. We eat many of our other meals here as well. Our only complaint would be the number of beach chairs that would get res [... read more]erved by the towel guy for those who I assumed "slipped him a tip". On those days that we couldn'the find a satisfactory spot we just went to one of the pools. No big deal. I would recommend this hotel for anyone not looking for the all-inclusive big resort experience.

Riu Reggae: Great time, great party, great people and fabulous weather!

Restaurants: all restaurants in this hotel served fantastic food. No reservations needed for the A la Carts, guests are required to get there before 6:30 to lineup to get in. Not a problem. The buffets was also excellent, never a problem finding a table, and never a problem finding something good to eat...seafood to pasta, to breads (awesome bread btw), from international cuisine to Jamaican cuisine. The for lunch the resort served bbq jerk chicken on the beach, it was fantastic, we had it  [... read more]almost each and every day. The grounds, were clean yet there seemed be a lot of finishing still to be done. Tiles were being replaced throughout week, walls being repainted, which is understandable for a new resort. What I found a little odd is the tiling in the bar pool, for a hotel that is only a little over two month old, the pool already needed to be repaired, which is likely a big job and will require the pool to be drained and shut down for a few days. The hotel grounds are not very big, the pool and the beach are almost on top of each other, the beach is pretty small. However, the entertainment staff and available watersports more than made up for it...weather permitting we played beach volleyball, sailed hobby waves, used the paddleboards and played water polo. For anyone going to this resort the staff does fabulous tie-dye on the beach so bring a white t-shirt. This is truly a party resort, it is very loud but everyone had a great time. The evening entertainment was only ok. The music was too loud I had a difficult time talking to my wife and friends in between the shows. The best show we saw during our week was the steel drum band, they were fantastic. We had a garden view room, the room was clean and very modern, however the garden view room as is indicated in other reviews, is a view of the concrete wall and fence, so more of a standard room. However, it isn't so bad if your staying on the second floor as you look over the fence and onto the forest. Proximity to the airport is great about 10 minutes, however it has it's cons too, the hotel is right over the flight path of planes taking off, so expect upwards to 10 planes or so to pass over the resort. This was not an issue when in our room. The entire staff is extremely pleasant.

Sunscape Splash: Great time!

We had a wonderful time at the resort. The MOD was very accommodating and all the staff was very pleasant. The kids loved the pool and the grounds were very clean so we're the rooms. I would definitely recommend this resort to families.

Bahia Principe Explore Jamaica: Beautiful resort

This place was excellent. It was clean and kept clean daily. The room was spacious with a great view of the pool and beach area. The staff was always eager to help with a smile. The beach area was long enough for everyone and always had a lounging chair ready everyday. It was great to walk the beach and grounds.with beautiful palm trees and such.Highly recommend this resort. André

Grand Palladium Jamaica: Fantastic All-Inclusive Resort

The hotel was huge. Friendly staff and front desk personnel. We went to 4 a la carte restaurants (Italian,Asian,Mexican,Chez Bubbas BBq) and the 2 buffet restaurants. Great variety of food. The a la carte restaurants paid particular attention to any food allergies anyone might have had. The beaches were nice and not crowded. We could always find lounges. The WestJet rep at the hotel was fantastic. She booked two excursions for our group and help make dinner reservations for us (we had 8 in [... read more] our party). We would go back there in a heartbeat

Riu Palace Tropical Bay: loved the resort

Although this is an older resort ,the rooms were clean, the food was great and the beach was one of the best we have seen. We had an ocean view room with a wonderful sunset every night. The flea market between the RIUs was a great attraction and the other RIU was a nice place to visit. The trip from the airport was long -about 2 hours with stops but that was the only drawback. We would like to make a return trip.

Hedonism II: Good resort

The resort other than being a little dated, I would consider it a good resort. This was our 6th trip there, so it keeps drawing us back. Staff are friendly and the entertainment is very good compared to other resorts.

Iberostar Waves Rose Hall Beach: Lovely Resort

This was my second time at the Iberostar Rose Hall Beach Resort. Very laid back, relaxing and fun place. Rooms are clean and large. Staff are helpful and friendly. Food is great, hotel lobby bar is a fun place to meet up in the evenings All in all, a great experience.

Grand Palladium Lady Hamilton: True paradise!

This resort was absolutely outstanding, from the staff to the beautifully manicured grounds. I have stayed at 3 other resorts prior to this one, and the Grand Palladium Lady Hamilton far surpassed the others. The staff was very approachable and helpful at all times. This resort boasts many a la carte restaurants , which served very high quality dishes with highly trained servers. The best part was that no reservations were necessary for these restaurants. I found this extremely convenient, and w [... read more]e only ever had to wait once for maybe 10mins to be seated. The beaches were also beautiful whith lost of natural coral to explore if you like to snorkel. The pools were nicely cooled which proved very refreshing on those really hot days. A truly amazing experience for my husband and I, and we definitely plan to return in the future.

Sandals Jamaica Montego Bay: Great Resort

The grounds were well maintain, the pool area was kept clean as was the beach. The Staff were very Friendly and Helpful with any issues that we encounter. The only complaint that I would have was the variety of food was limited and that depending on your room type no alcohol was in the Bar Fridge in the room.

Sandals Jamaica Dunn's River: Smaller is Better!

What a Jewel! First time in Jamaica and so impressed with this resort. A little smaller resort than we've been to but there was nothing lacking! Food was good, room was good, bar service was amazing and the list goes on! Employees can't do enough to ensure a great experience! Excellent all around! Staff always have a smile on their face! Probably the best vacation ever!

JOIA Rose Hall by Iberostar: EXCELLENT RESORT

Excellent Resort - Food is exceptional - Rooms are very clean - Grounds are kept clean daily Butler Service - more like Concierge Service Everything is close walking distance A La Carte Dinners are excellent

Grand Palladium Jamaica: Because of the great weather combined with a fabulous hotel and staff this has to be one of my and my wife's best hoiliday ever.

To start with the hotel and grounds where just plan breathtaking but what makes all of this even better was the genuine,helpful and beautiful staff the greeted our party through out our visit. Whether it was the greeting at upon arrival to the staff in the restaurants, the gardening personnel or the security officers or just a staff member passing by on the walkway; they all seemed genuinely happy with their environment and always wore a smile and where pleased to acknowledge other persons in th [... read more]eir presence. I have very little to say that was not positive about our visit to this resort or for that matter to Jamacia. this being ourt frist time in Jamacia we where very pleased with pretty well all aspects of the trip. from the quick handling of our group at the airport ( with all of the paperwork and personnel in order to get us to the resort ) From the informative bus driver, to the reception and introduction at the resort , our air Canada represntative, the helpfull and courtiuos staff throughout our stay. It a very enjoyable trip and I beleive we will be back to Jamiacia. Thanks again Pat and Ford Underwood