Riu Reggae: Exceeded all expectations!

After booking Riu Reggae initially, I was a little discouraged by all the negative reviews I was reading. Some people were even switching hotels. Having just returned, I have one thing to say: YOU ARE TOO PICKY!!! My review is long, but hopefully it will answer a lot of the questions I have been reading: My boyfriend and I stayed Dec 24-31/16 and absolutely loved everything about it. Check in was seamless. Our room was ready, spotless from day 1 to 7, tastefully decorated, and very mo [... read more]dern. The food was absolutely incredible. Top shelf all the way. Especially on New Years Eve. The effort the staff went through to make this evening special was admirable. They even had an electrician there in the morning doing special lighting for the evening. There were ice sculptures, all-you-can-eat seafood, beef wellington, lamb...you name it, it was there, and it was all amazing. The food was great every day; breakfast, lunch and dinner. And the jerk chicken hut on the beach was unreal as well. The staff and entertainment crew was so friendly, talented and personable. A special thank you goes to our favorite bartenders Kevon and Dexford. From night one, they treated us like their best friends. Zee, Vibes and Barbie on the entertainment team were very hospitable! They are excellent dancers, clearly love their job and are great at it. People complained about having to walk to the disco at Riu Montego Bay and that there should be a shuttle. OMG! Walk...it's 5 minutes away, you're in a tropical country, and the drinks are included. The spa was top notch as well. We had a massage on the beach. The drinks were amazing. They have the best mango daiquiris. They have premium labels such as Tanqueray gin. Free, unlimited wifi everywhere on the resort. Yes, there is a gift shop in the lobby. Yes, there are hairdryers in your room. If it doesn't work, the front desk will give you one to use for your stay. The shower has a shampoo dispenser in it and there is plenty of hot water and water pressure. The towels and bath robes provided are high quality. The garden view rooms are SO peaceful and quiet. The beach is private and beautiful. For those who complained, you clearly didn't walk to the other two resorts. Riu Reggae definitely has the nicest beach of the three. You can always find a beach lounger. You may have to walk around to get one, but they are there. And they can be moved. So if you don't like where you found it; move it to where you want to sit. There is no ATM at the resort. There is one at Riu Montego Bay in the casino, but if it is out of order, there is a Scotiabank right across the street in front of Burger King. Yes, planes fly overhead, but you are on a tropical island that is in demand. It's the only way in and out. The pools are gorgeous with pub-style tables IN the pools. Very nice. My boyfriend and I joked and said if we HAD to find one thing to complain about, we would say the drink coasters in the bars are too thin! Ha ha ha ha....Honestly, that's all we could come up with. For those of you with trips/weddings planned at Riu Reggae, rest assured, you are going to absolutely love it!

Riu Palace Jamaica: Great Resort

Everyone was very helpful and extremely friendly. The weather was terrific. Great last minute trip. Booking was easy. There were no shortages of smiles. "Oscar" really stands out. Would highly recommend this resort to family and friends.

Riu Ocho Rios: Beautiful resort

Dining rooms nice, grounds are beautiful as well as the pools. The washrooms were to far from beach and dinning. The jerk hut on the beach was very good. Chicken amazing the sides were just okay. Upgrading was not worth the extra except for the beach area. No extra for the al a carte . Had to wait just like everyone else. The entertainment was very good. The staff were very friendly and helpful. The excursions were very expensive. The ride from airport was much to long, stopping for the  [... read more]smokers who took there time. Going back from hotel to airport was quick with no stops except to pick up passengers.

Riu Palace Jamaica: Perfect adult getaway.

Courteous staff, well kept with modern amenities, great food and drinks, great accessibility, exceptional value, secure environment, good entertainment, awesome beach, great pools, variety of music and activities.....

Jewel Paradise Cove: Awesome Time at Christmas

We were here over the Christmas break from December 23-30, our room was clean and our families room was equally clean and very much the same as ours. We were celebrating our anniversary on the 23rd and had a nice surprise awaiting for us the next day. The pools were a little cool but refreshing, ocean water was a little warmer and refreshing when your on the beach, lots of activities for you too join in if you wanted too. Staff were awesome on the resort and this makes all the difference in the  [... read more]world at a resort for our stay. While not a 5 star resort, it is a very solid 4.5 star resort in my opinion. Breakfast buffet was good and the restaurants were all very nice, especially liked the grill and the pizza place. It was nice having a coffee at the coffee bar as well. Piano bar was awesome, we had a lot of fun there one night.

Bahia Principe Explore Jamaica: Disappointed with this Bahia

We have stayed at all Bahia properties in the DR and the Sian Ka'an in the Mayan and can't even compare the service we received at the other properties as opposed to the non existent service at the Bahia in Jamaica. We are probably the least picky travellers you could come across and don't sweat the small stuff, however, am I disappointed....yes....did it ruin my holiday.....no....We learned to overlook the lack of attention over the 10 days we were there and just sat back and enjoyed our ti [... read more]me as a family. At the end of the day, the property itself compares well, we had no issues with towels, sun loungers (we are early risers), the food was good (when you could find a plate), the sun was hot and the beer was cold. Would we go back.....no Would I recommend this property....not likely Did we have fun despite the short comings......yes, it's all in what you make it

Riu Montego Bay: Wonderful place, wonderful people!

The resort is extremely close to the airport so after a grueling day of travelling, you're only a 10 minute bus ride to paradise! Walk into a gorgeous, spacious front foyer where friendly staff are ready to assist you. (And put a drink in your hand!) All inclusive really means all inclusive here with unlimited drinks inside each room. Although all main areas have strong wifi connection, there is no wifi inside the rooms. (It is available for a fee.) Every night my family and I would loo [... read more]k forward to the exciting shows after dinner. The Riu entertainment crew and dancers are so talented I really thought I was watching The Grease musical or a Michael Jackson concert! They are always ready with activities by the pool, dance lessons and fun games. The crew really impacted my stay at Riu Montego Bay. There is so much culture and beauty in Jamaica. One of the best trips by far! Amazing staff and service, great food, and beautiful beaches!

Royalton Blue Waters: Exemplary resort

My husband and I recently returned from the Royalton Blue Waters resort. We spent our Christmas there and it was beautiful. The new unit has beautiful large rooms with comfortable beds and pillows. The new and remodelled restaurants serve a wide variety of tasty food. The buffet has areas where they cook the food in front of you so that you get it exactly the way you like. The new pool area and grounds are well maintained and always clean. We also spent a lot of time in the White Sands pool and  [... read more]bar area and it continues to be well maintained. The staff work hard to meet your needs and are always friendly. A few people that always go beyond our expectations to make our holiday enjoyable: Vassell looked after us at the buffet and a la carte restaurants; Shanoy checked everyday at the adult pool to assure we were taken care of; Ramon kept mixing the drinks to perfection; and Glenise was constantly bringing us beverages at the pool. The entire staff including bartenders and the social club did an excellent job. We have had 5 trips to this resort and have already booked our next trip in February. Cant wait to go back and visit our second family.

Riu Reggae: Relaxing holiday

Just got back last week and had a very relaxing holiday. Since it is a new hotel everything is very clean. Checked into a garden view room which had a view of a wall and ugly trees. Was able to upgrade to an ocean view room which was great. View of the beach and pool. Depending on what you are looking for in a holiday the Riu Reggae for me has some faults. No room service which I missed. If you do not offer room service then at least have a coffee maker in the room. Very far to go in the morning [... read more] for a coffee. I would of enjoyed having it on my balcony. The beach is man made so in places very stoney and it is not long if you enjoy walking. The pools are shallow maybe 3 feet. Not a lot of service around the pools and none on the beach. Food in all the restaurants were good and great variety in the buffet. Nice hotel but no wow factor!!

Sunset at the Palms: Extraordinary resort

Upon arrival, you will be greeted with smiling happy staff and swifter into paradise. Beautiful gardens surround the rooms, dining areas and pool. Enjoy dinner under the stars with local entertainment and delicious Jamaican specialities as well as international food. Very relaxing atmosphere. The beach across the street is the nicest I have ever seen. 10+++ all around. I would highly recommend for couples who want a relaxing couples only result filled with nice surprises, lovely people a [... read more]nd serene surroundings.

Bahia Principe Escape Runaway Bay: Beautiful Resort

Stayed at the Luxury Bahia Príncipe Don Pablo Collection December 2016 to celebrate my birthday. We were warmly greeted by the hotel receptionist and check in was smooth and seamless. Beautiful surprise when we arrived to our room. The housekeeping staff decorated it in honour of my birthday. Our room overlooked the pool with a nice view of the ocean. The rooms are tastefully decorated with a wide selection of pillows from the pillow menu. The housekeeping staff did a wonderful job when they c [... read more]leaned the room daily. The grounds are beautifully manicured. The poolside is spotless. Plenty of lounge chairs but you need to arrive early to reserve a spot at the prime locations. The entertainment group worked endlessly to encourage the guests to participate in various poolside activities. The beach is shallow and small. I would have preferred if it was longer for nice walks and more waves. Plenty of food selection at the buffets. Food at times a little too salty for my taste. Would have been nice to have a wider variety of fruits. Would recommend that you book at the a la carte restaurant upon arrival because it is booked up quickly. The nightly entertainment was amazing. We loved that they showcased the local talents. We particularly enjoyed the steel band, synchronized swimming and the talent show by the hotel entertainment staff. Did not leave the hotel to go on any of the excursions. Found it to be expensive and besides there was plenty to do the the resort. The only drawback, lots of mosquitos. The housekeeping staff would open the balcony door when they cleaned thereby allowing the mosquitos in the room. We were bitten several times in the room. The housekeeping staff did spray the room in the evenings upon request. I wished the hotel fogged the premises with mosquitos repellent like they do other hotel chains. Overall very good vacation and would definitely recommend

Riu Ocho Rios: Average Resort

Entertainment was great for all family members. Housekeeping in the hotel was also good, the mattress need to be replaced 'VERY UNCONFORTABLE'! Information counter very slow, waited 20 minutes. There was also the one day that they ran out of pool towels. Food was good but not enough, also not enough Staff to serve people during dinner time. They were not prepared for our large group (15) from when we got off the plane.

Couples Sans Souci: Great Couples Getaway

This was our second visit to Jamaica and first to a Couples resort. Sans Souci was an incredible experience! The food, the room, the people and the intimacy of the property were all superb! We loved the room service and mini bar service. These were great add ons (Although Warning, when you order vodka for your mini bar it comes as a 1 Litre bottle! We were expecting those mini sampler sizes and were very surprised.) Highly recommend the lamb dishes and anything seafood. Compared to ou [... read more]r previous trip to another adults only resort in Jamaica, the entertainment wasn't as strong. But that may be a function of the resort acknowledging that many couples want to have their own privacy in the evenings and not be out with a larger crowd. This is why I gave a 4 rating instead of 5. The resort makes everything seem so private. We spent some time on the raised beach by the gym, and didn't have anyone bother us for over 2 hours. The dinners are booked such that you are spaced out from other diners and are very private and intimate. It really was a great place to just be with your partner, but if you wanted to be social, there were plenty of people to talk to!

Bahia Principe Escape Runaway Bay: Wouldn't go again!

The room was nice and clean, staff were nice. Didn't like the fact that you had to make reservations everywhere when the restaurants were completely empty. Some restaurants they didn't allow reservations cuz it was "full" when you go to the door and see there were like 2 people dining!!! There was practically no beach! And the little man made beach they had no one would go in it! Then the last day we were there we find out there was a shooting in the Bahia Village just a few days before we got t [... read more]here and staff kept telling us the resort was dead cuz of the season which made no sense! One time experience wouldn't go again!

Riu Reggae: Great stay at Reggae!

Grounds very new. In a few years there will be mature trees and plants. Food areas safe, bright and signs of conscientious supervision of wait staff and food handlers. Clean, bright and new. Staff amazing, helpful and ready to please. Jerk hut, never ran out of food. Our one critique is that of the pool maintenance and the surfaces around the lounge areas. I have seen at other resorts, tireless pool maintenance, washing stone surfaces, vacuuming, etc . I did not see this here. Sand an [... read more]d spills not washed each night, even cigarette butts on the tiles next morning....glasses still with drinks sitting on the swim up bar areas in the pool well past walking back from the shows at 11pm we didn't see anyone working in the pools. Pool had slimy surfaces, the ramp was no vacuumed of sand, there were Garbage pieces and straws in the pools. I do not know why these resorts hand out straws with every drink. We saw them all over the resort, in the pool, flowerbeds, patio areas, sand, beach etc. They are bad for the environment, think how much money RIU could save if they banned straws!

Riu Negril: Great family time ...but

Family vacation over Christmas. December 19-26. Great job Candice at tripcentral, fantastic service. Limo pick up at 6am to go to airport good. Given instructions for arrival. Post 29 etc. Great job. Patrick I think. Mermaid limo p/u at home Good. Pick Up at airport see later in post Sunwing to Jamaica. Original flight time 10 am unfortunately, delayed flight on departure by approx 3hrs. Seats with extra space used to be given to travelers with disabilities free. Now [... read more] you pay for these. A.v. Equipment broken on way down, therefor no movie. You now pay large for cheap crappy food on board. Son had mac and cheese, wife had soggy pizza, I had lazagna. Bill came to $32. Frozen pasta dinner from micalina(?) is better and only cost a dollar. Jamaican airport is a zoo. Bus to resort Waited 2 hours at airport for a person who took wrong bus before driver left for resort. Arrival at resort at approx 8 pm.14 hours traveling. Arrived at resort to find room booked for third floor. No elevator. Wife with cane. Hotel was sent request for ground floor when booked. "Upgraded room" to oceanfront from ocean view. Look around trees to see ocean. Also right at pathway intersection. Room 1049. Like being parked at busy highway. Room having been upgraded last year, good. Need to fix broken tile on floor as it has sharp edges.Had to have rollaway bed brought for son. Water pressure very low at all times. Unless you are going on excursions, don't waste time going to orientation.sunwing more pushy for excursions than pedallers on beach. Food... Mediocre at best. We at at buffet on arrival. Late in day therefor food warm at best. Selection was ok but repetitive and got worse through week. Try to be at omelette bar early and you won't have to wait. up to 25 minutes one day for me. Kulinarium rest. Pumpkin soup good Fancy salad excellent Snapper good - me Goat good- wife Duck ok -17 yr old usually picky son Mandalay rest. I could not eat here. Tried several things, cold, greasy, Wife- ok at best Son - indifererent Italian rest. - did not go. No pasta dishes?! Beach. Sandy beach with small tree roots, be careful. Fogged and raked every morning at about 6 am. People on it or not. No sand fleas or bugs thou. Day Activities by entertainment staff were excellent and kept our son busy most days. Way to go Rolly-Polly. Wow, what energy. Pools were good. Clean. Pools games fun to watch. Son took part in some. One unfortunate incident by drunks fighting. Ugly and a disappointment but not a resort issue. Unfortunately, staff didn't know what to do. Evening entertainment, Preshows involve audiences participation fun. I saw 3 shows and steel drums. History of Jamaican music, good Africa? Left some of audience detached Circus. Left after 2 very slow balancing acts Steel drums, wife says they were alright DRINKS Come on guys, I TRIED to get drunk one day, 25 double rum piña coladas each with wife and I. Normal night for me is 4-5 max at home. Didn't happen. Departure, Original checkout time from resort set for 10 am. Told bus pick up for airport 11. Packed checked out and waiting. Then told bus now 1 pm. Ok, I'm at resort. Dressed for air conditioned travel. Bus showed up at 1:20. Is that our bus? Sunwing rep didn't know. Arrived at airport in record time. Wow driving incredibly fast. 80 km limit , no way. Called limo for pick up kept company informed of flight status. Arrived at airport flight time and gate changed to two hours later. Delta passengers were given sandwich and soda pop for only 2 hour delay. Flight time changed at least twice more.finally boards at 7 pm. Land in Toronto at approx 11 pm. Limo pick up driver did not follow procedure and sign in. Therefor left at airport making phone calls to closed company.... finally driver shows at approx 1 am. Not impressed. Overview, Great family time together. Traveling left room for improvement . Sunwing in particular. Get it together. It about the customers. Hotel, room ok. Food needs improvement. House Wine needs to be replaced, undrinkable. Christmas bottled wine good. Drinks thin.Beach good. Pools good.

Riu Reggae: Amazing Christmas vacation for me an my dad

Shout out to daywayne zee and cash amazing place thank you riu regga an also the lovely country jamica. The food,people,resort,go Scottish. Christmas Eve An day will be one I'll always remember with me an my dad. Was money well spent. Will be my number one choice of trip An resort so close to the airport.

Bahia Principe Explore Jamaica: Disappointing Experience

My mother and I traveled to Jamaica for my cousins wedding during December 3rd-December 11th, 2016 as part of a group of ~60 individuals. We stayed at the Grand Bahia Principle Jamaica in Runaway Bay and we are extremely dissatisfied with our vacation stay for many reasons. First, throughout the week there were consistent problems with the utilities. There were power outages throughout the week, and there was one day and morning that we were without water. As well, for a large portion of the  [... read more]week we did not have air conditioning or warm water in the room to shower with. We also got stuck in the hotel elevator, which was happening throughout the week so we began to avoid the elevators. We understand that things happen; however, it was disappointing that these issues were not resolved during our stay and that there was no communication from the hotel at all with their guests. We were given no explanation for the reasons there were issues with the utilities, no explanation as to how these issues were being reconciled, and we were not offered anything in lieu of the situation (e.g., candles/flashlights). For example, one evening the power was out in the dining hall and there were no candles or signs put out by the food. Guests were walking around trying to use their cell phones to figure out what the foods were and to see what they were taking. The only explanation I was given was that they were in the advanced stages of fixing the problems; yet, these problems persisted all week. Although some of the power came back in certain areas of the hotel, there were still areas that were out of power. The only emergency lights were in the hallways and so other areas that were out of power were completely dark; we felt unsafe using these areas (e.g., bathrooms on the resort). We felt unsafe due to the behaviour of the security guards in the evening. The security guards often made gestures, inappropriate comments, or sometimes followed us. Some of my cousins had similar experiences, particularly the bride-to-be. This made us feel extremely uncomfortable, particularly in areas of the resorts where the power was not restored. As well, there was an odd situation that happened to my mother on my cousin’s wedding day. My mother was relaxing in our room between the wedding ceremony and reception when there was a knock on the door. My mother did not answer the door because she was not dressed and did not know who was at the door. A man entered and seemed surprised that she was there stating, “Oh what are you doing home?”. My mom was frantically trying to cover herself and she could only make out that the man said something about checking the bathroom. He did not check the bathroom and he left. We filed a security report with the hotel, for which we were never followed up as promised by a staff member. In addition, the hotel was not stocked with the basic necessities or items that you would expect to be available as part of an all-inclusive vacation. The bathrooms by the pool and beach were often not re-stocked with soap or toilet paper. On one occasion, the bathroom by the beach was not stocked with soap or toilet paper first thing in the morning. We asked throughout the day for the bathroom to be stocked since we were spending the day at the beach, and by the end of the day no one had come to re-stock the bathroom. As well throughout the week, the bars around the resort would not have the ingredients needed to make the drink you requested. We were usually settling for alternative drinks that we did not really want. As well, one full day by the pool and beach bar the hotel was out of cups. We were unable to even get a drink of water during the day in the sun. Another day at 10 am when the pool bar opened they were also out of cups and ingredients for many drinks. My birthday was during our stay and my mother planned a surprise birthday party for me on December 6th. My mother ordered a cake from the hotel on the Sunday and she was told that the order was put through for $20 US and she could come back to pay. When she returned, she was told the cost of the cake was $38 US. In addition to the inconsistent pricing, the cake that she had paid for in advance was never made. During our dinner, my mother had to secretly try to get our family to stay while she tried to find out for over an hour what was happening with the cake. She finally demanded for a manager and we received Rudolph. His customer service was exceptional, but unfortunately it was a little too late, as he informed us that the cake was never made. We understand that the power had been going out that day, but we would expect the hotel to inform us that the request could not be made, rather than us having to chase someone down for an extended amount of time. Overall, this was a very disappointing experience. While some of the hotel staff was considerate, many of the hotel staff were very rude. It made the whole experience even worse on top of the above issues I have mentioned. We understand that many of the guests might have been taking out their anger on the staff, which we did witness and we agree is unfair, but we did not feel that anything was being done to better our experience, especially considering the circumstances with the power and water outages. Unfortunately, we are disappointed because we do not feel that we received a 5-star experience worth the $3279.44 that we paid for our vacation. We feel that the quality and reputation of this hotel and this travel package was misrepresented. We travel often down south every year and we have never had even close to such an experience as we had this week, even in hotels with a lower star status.

Riu Montego Bay: Amazing Vacation

Although there are certain things that the resort can improve on, the week my family and I spent at Riu Montego Bay was one of the most relaxing and enjoyable vacations I've had in a long time! This was me and my wife's 3rd trip to Jamaica and second to Montego Bay (first at the Riu). The vacation was fairly priced and definitely worth what we paid for. I would definitely go back to the Riu Montego Bay. Pros: - Food was amazing! always had plenty of choices - Beautiful pool area - R [... read more]eally big resort that you can find a lot of activities to pass your day - Wonderful staff that make your stay more than what it is Cons: - Beach was fairly overcrowded (but with this big of a resort I guess they have to make room for a lot of people on the beach) - Had no reservations for the restaurants (first come first serve)- this made a huge line ups everyday- we still got to try all three- but would be nicer if they can give out reservation times ahead of time

Beaches Ocho Rios: Average resort

Beaches Ocho Rios is an average resort. Beach is extremely small - if you are a beach walker then I do not suggest this resort. Meals were good, however the buffet lacks variety in comparison to other all inclusive resorts, I have been to better resorts that offer a greater variety of food options and quality. Neptunes best choice for dinner. Lunch spots - BBQ, Pizza area overcrowded and food not great. French okay. Italian restaurant was a disappointment. Rooms average, extremely hard b [... read more]ed and pull out sofa had poor mattress. Plus side of this resort, Josephine's crepes and coffees, premium brand alcohol and slides for kids. Overall, average resort. 3.5/5.