Legends Beach Resort: such a disappointment -

Check in was fine, friendly lady Beach , too small for the amount of chairs, very crowded vendors,, in your face all the time, day and night , very aggressive and harassing, even walking on the beach , put things in your bag and ask for $$ or compensation all the time, pretend to be your friends but in reality they are not, same for jewelry vendors put things on your wrist and next thing you know you are committed to buy it,,,, did not appreciate that keep saying "respect " ,,, well we did not  [... read more]think so, no respect at all Accommodation : was on superior room ocean view Bed was hard as a brick, very uncomfortable , did not sleep well during my journey, returned with a backache shower : no pressure, a stream for hot water, so we had to opt for cold water showers ocean view , well if you stand up it is with a view on the sea and the vendors waving at you, if not you got a cement wall, location : this resort is next to Bourbon Beach Bar, place where locals hang out, not recommended for safety ( just an example ,we got threatened to be killed over a beer) again they follow you on the beach to your resort Also music so loud until 3. am daily,, the whole room was shaking so the bed, we had to leave the TV on to diffuse a bit the noise,. street close by: great but again, you walk and get asked to buy drugs, or harassed Shopping mall across the street, : convenient Decent place for a drink & food : small Italian cafe which was quiet and very nice food : was good, but small variety, to be expected from small resort service : friendly , kind and finally, i suggest that you verify with the airline, airport prior leaving, the Sunwing rep , misinformed us on our pick up time, we have told her several time that we had checked directly with airline carrier and airport as well my ticket and she did not bother to verify or better yet rectify, if we would have listened to her we would have spent 12 hours waiting at the airport prior our flight ???????? we had to call ourselves customer service to have the proper time for pick up which was 4:15 pm. the positive,side was: We had sun daily, hot, beautiful beach ,site and sunsets, water warm , did an excursion in snorkeling and stop to a deserted island ( saw many fishes ,) horse riding,( horses look healthy ) value : thought we paid too much for what we received we have been very disappointed. happy to be home and safe. I recommend to go to a secluded resort, where there is security and control, it is not like it used to be, was told by a local at the hotel ,,, We went Jewel Dunn's beach resort in Ocho Rios in May and it was amazing,, our experience was positive across the board maybe more expensive but WORTH it, i am usually looking at the positive side of things , but it this case the negative overthrew the positive.

Bahia Principe Escape Runaway Bay: Beautiful resort; our room experience not good

I wish I could provide a better review but we paid for the luxury Bahia Principe, adults-only side of the hotel and were assigned rooms in the family area. The room itself had some problems - the sink was blocked and there was leakage around the toilet. In addition there was no soap, face cloths or hand towels available. During the first few days we dropped by several times to the Luxury Bahia Lounge and employees there noted our complaints and one even mentioned to us that they would move us to [... read more] the Luxury side but that never happened. I also called the Concierage by telephone about sending us the missing bathroom items but to no avail. It was not until day 4 when we ran into the resort's Executive Assistant Manager at an Air Canada welcome tour reception and listed our issues with her that any action was taken to address the toilet leak and sink problems. I am very grateful to her and she was a bonafide professional and the company should be very proud to have her represent them.

Hyatt Zilara Rose Hall: So nice, I went twice

The staff, food & resort were perfection. I love the food, which can make or break a vacation. Many of the staff actually remembered me from 7 months earlier, which was a pleasant surprise. I recommend this to anyone that wants 5 star food & staff. In the 7 months I noticed more upgrades to the resort. Better all the time.

Riu Ocho Rios: Lovely stay with few complaints

Hotel was very nice. Stayed in Deluxe Wing after changed from Adults only on Nov.1st. Only complaint about room was bed -- pushed two double beds together to make a king - was horrible...crack right in middle where beds would separate! Would rather have had one single queen or king. Nice sitting area, well maintained although looking a little worn with some broken bathroom tiles. Stayed for two weeks, and second week was crazy busy (tons of people came for a few days over the American Thanksgivi [... read more]ng holiday) so will time it to avoid this next time - challenge to get loungers. Beach was good, but couldn't walk too far either way because it was impassable. Great jerk chicken hut for lunch on beach. Fruit selection was a bit disappointing - not much fruit native to Jamaica -- no fresh pineapple, coconut, mango or papaya -- served melon, apples, grapes and sometimes kiwi. Disappointed that mandarins and pineapple were canned... Steakhouse and Japanese a la cartes very good...Mandalay not so much - just another buffet. Staff very friendly, cheerful, happy, good service. Long ride from airport. Booked ClubMobay for return home....wouldn't do it again, disappointing. Took Blue Mountain Bike Tour -- would recommend it. Other travellers who were familiar with Riu chain told us this hotel was not as good as others they stayed at. We would probably book other than Riu next time. But let's keep perspective -very minor disappointments, overall great relaxing two weeks.

Couples Tower Isle: It's all about the food.

Food is the best from all the Couples resorts. It was the best I have had in the 9 times I have been to Jamaica. The resort itself is beautiful. Rooms are old and dated but were always super clean. If you are looking for a beach this is not the place for you. It is very small and the water had alot of waves. The staff were very good and super polite. I would return here strickly for the food. It was that good.

Grand Palladium Jamaica: Very Good

Open concept, beautiful breathe from the ocean right into the lobby. Nice walk between the units and to the main lobby. Great friendly staff, probably people of that island are the highlight of the trip. The unit walls not well isolated, easy to hear people talking when ur trying to sleep. Cricket sounds at night, eventually u get used to that. Now the food...not bad overall many choices. The desserts are a disaster. Every time in went to get dessert (my reason for having a meal). I kept thinkin [... read more]g whoever is making these desserts should be fired. Sorry harsh but really a waste of flour, sugar and butter. Except one night, happens to be my last, a panacotta dessert....amazing. Ice cream... that chocolate soft ice cream. I couldn't get the first spoon in past my lips and pushed it away along with the cake, pastry....whatever that's suppose to be considered. The ingredients are there, just hire someone who can put it all together right. Sorry harsh but better be truthful since no one is judging. Otherwise it was a nice place to be. Oh the rooms where beautifully decorated.

Grand Palladium Lady Hamilton: A very relaxing stay

The grounds and amenities are fabulous,. Great main pool, nice adult pool too. There are several restaurants, buffet is available for every meal with a good selection for each meal; good full service restaurants as well. The Mexican was our favorite one! Housekeeping services are variable and fairly slow. You need to accept that requests are dealt with on "Jamaican time" (some of the staff actually use this phrase). An couple of examples: We asked for robes that were not in the room as promised, [... read more] we had a knock at the door for delivery at 12:15 am, after we had gone to bed. They ran out of clean towels at the pools a few days and it took quite a while for the staff to get around to bringing more towels. Overall a really good vacation but you need to be patient, be in holiday mode.

Secrets St James: Loved it!

This is a great resort! Beautiful beaches and large pools. There are lots of choices for restaurants and you are not stuck with one option for lunch like some other places. The menus have lots of variety and the food is above average. The staff everywhere is very friendly. Although all inclusive means all tips and gratuities included, I noticed that most people tip. Also maybe be hard to find a spot on the beach is you are not up by 8 am.

Riu Ocho Rios: Great Hotel

Most say I thought this was one of the nicest resorts I have stayed at. The staff are wonderful, the food was great and never had a problem finding chairs at the pool or beach and there were 12 adults and 3 babies in our group. My only complaint would be the elevator, it didn't seem to want to open on the 2nd floor.

Sandals South Coast: Sandals Whitehouse was amazing

It was rainy season, but there was only a few days of the wet stuff. Every night was great and the entertainment was a show of local talent from steel bands to singers and an entertaining piano bar. The main pool and restaurants were great with a good variety and choices of food fair. Highly rcommended.

Iberostar Selection Rose Hall Suites: Great vacation resort

Room were perfect as well as room service, great food, well organized, top notch installations, friendly staff absolutely nothing to say against this resort. I enjoyed everything about it. Would recommend this resort to everyone

Riu Palace Jamaica: Great Stay Loved the Riu Palace

My wife and I had an excellent week at the Riu Palace , everything was superb and met all our expectations. We both enjoyed all the amenities , service and staff were exceptional , food and beverages were wonderful. The Riu Palace Montego Bay just the right size not too big and all restaurants, pools and beach area were clean and well maintained. Our room was perfect as we paid the extra for Oceanfront which was a great decision as it had great views and was close to all facilities. Great locati [... read more]on per arriving from airport 10 minutes at hotel first drop off and last pickup when leaving. Check in absolutely smooth , quick and refreshing Only cautionary information that I could supply is: a Garden view room would not be a good choice as Riu is building another set of buildings right next door and will be building another hotel complex beside that. Construction is basically 18 hours a day and with a Garden view room your balcony overlooks a major construction site . Other negative is my wife and I have been travelling to Jamaica for over 30 years and have gotten use to Jamaica time which is a little bit behind prompt Canadian time unfortunately that has changed at the Riu as we showed up late by 15 minutes for a a la carte dinner and found our table had been given away as were the 2 couples who showed up behind us. We were all scolded which didn't sit well and had to get the hotel manager involved to resolve which he did but could have been handled more professionally. No Problem Mon Overall rating: Absolute fantastic holiday, Great Facility, Great Location , Great Amenities and absolutely wonderful staff through out

Grand Decameron Montego Beach: Average but could be great.

We chose this location because it was central to what we wanted to see and do, plus it was a very short commute to and from the airport. After all who wants to waste precious holiday time on a boring commute. The hotel and the facilities were well kept and all of the services were as advertised. The reviews that I had read were for the most part accurate. There were some staff that were exceptional, but there were some that were a little more than professional. The hotel is in a transitional p [... read more]hase and there is an expansion project underway to add more rooms. The sound of construction going on during the day did take away some of the ambiance of being on the beach but the noise was tolerable. What keeps this resort from being at it's best can be illustrated by how the resort manager acted during our visit. While the staff were busy and attentive to the guests needs, the manager had absolutely no interaction with the guests. Instead he would ignore everyone around him and cut in line for food and beverage service. If you are going to improve service interacting with the guests even at a superficial level should be part of your job. This attitude has a trickle down effect in that the staff would think that they can do the same. When some staff were questioned about services they would act like it was an annoyance to answer or interact. While I do understand that as an employee you have been asked the same question a thousand times, as an guest, it's all new to me. As an example when requesting a towel at the beach on our first day all we got was an eye roll and the girl holding up a piece of paper and a card. No verbal interaction, just the eye roll. I had to ask her what she was showing me and then what I had to do. All of this because she was fed up with the tourists not being informed properly. Also some of the male staff use the hotel as a personal hunting ground for picking up women. If the resort wishes to expand and move up the star rankings, there should be more attention paid to managing the staff and discouraging this behavior. I would recommend this hotel if the price is a good deal but as a resort experience it is average at best.

Royalton Hideaway Blue Waters: Don't Waste Your Money

Royalton White Sands – Montego Bay - Advertised as being open for 2 years, actually open for many years as 2 other resorts and refurbished poorly - Advertised as 5 star luxury, 4 star at best - At airport, no welcome package on the bus w/hotel info (everyone else got one) & also no tour guide on the bus to or from the resort (every trip I’ve booked since I was 20yrs has had someone to speak to guests on board the bus) Room - - Gave us a room w/1 bed (we requested 2), changed rooms & got a d [... read more]ouble bed with a small single bed instead of 2 double beds. It took over half hour for maid to clean the second room so we had to wait –the resort was not full - Bathroom was poorly lit and almost no water pressure, no ventilation in bathroom - - - Air conditioner was very damp. If you made it warmer in the room even by a few degrees, the dampness increased. It caused severe ear & throat pain for me the entire trip. I was forced to purchase extra Advil from the store daily - One entire side of building looked onto the construction of the new Royalton resort. It ran 24hrs a day with loud drilling. This was the side of the hotel we were on Food - Minimal choices at buffet, sometimes not ready to serve once open - When food trays ran out & were empty, it took over half hour to replenish each tray if they were replenished at all - Some days there were certain foods, some days not (regular foods like bread, fruit, potatoes etc) - Foods that were to be kept cold, were room temp (fruit, desserts, ice cream was melted liquid) and foods that were to be kept hot, were very frequently cold (meat & veggies, rice was always under cooked) - Ran out of different foods everyday (bacon, hash browns etc) - **Ran out of vodka one full day** Service - Upon arrival, poor reception by staff - Exceptionally slow, dinners at a la carte’s took close to 2-2.5hrs to get food & finish meal - Did not get the same foods as other guests while at restaurants which were complimentary and supposed to be at each table. Other tables around us had these things. (bread, butter, oil/vinegar etc) - Sometimes dirty used utensils were still at the table (didn’t change out new cutlery for new guests) - Slow to ask if we needed drinks or refills, sometimes didn’t ask at all - Store by the sports bar never had change. If you wanted to buy something you had to have exact bills or they wouldn’t sell you anything or attempt to get you change. Also staff at the store were caught sleeping multiple times on the floor by the register Grounds - Multiple weddings during our stay which cut off entire back area of resort to accommodate them so nowhere for visitors to walk around (small resort) - Digging up the grounds at certain areas on the resort during the stay - No ventilation or fans in the martini bar or sports bar area which made it very hot & cramped - On the right side of the beach, there was a chain link broken-down fence covered in tarps separating the resort part and the public parts of the beach. It was a horrible eye sore and the locals stood behind it & watched the guests daily Staff - All very friendly at first, but with time expected a tip before providing a service, would stand in front of you and wait - Staff sometimes bothered guests to take them to the buffet for lunch as they could only attend if they were invited by a guest (once you got friendly, this happened daily)

Sandals Dunn's River: it's okay!

Short and sweet...Buffet-had way better, which ticks me off because if the hotel was at FULL CAPACITY then why was it not better???Restaurants-good. Pool was dirty everyday, pump hasn't worked in years we were told. Rooms very clean, people great! I probably wouldn't go back. Bartenders at the pool bar were amazing guys! Damian, Joseph and Chad - great great guys!!!

Riu Montego Bay: Great trip

The beach was beautiful and the staff were friendly! The food was amazing. The desserts were not the best. The room was clean. Lots if mosquitos and sand flies. The shows are very entertaining and very enjoyable!!

JOIA Rose Hall by Iberostar: Great Resort

This is one of the best resorts we have visited. The layout of the hotel is excellent as are the rooms, but what made the difference for us was the service and the food in most of the restaurants. The only somewhat disappointing food was at the Japanese and Jamaican restaurants. The staff has obviously been hand picked, they were attentive, knowledgeable, and had a sense of humour. The maître d', Nicholas, was particularly good. I am not sure what purpose the Butlers served as I could get what  [... read more]I wanted through Housekeeping and the butlers kept changing every day, and worse, twice a day.

Grand Palladium Lady Hamilton: Great resort, the villas are amazing!

We've travelled to many all inclusive resorts in Cuba, Mexico and the D.R. This was our 2nd time at the Grand Palladium in Jamaica. We were in paradise. The villas are amazing, food great, will return.

Sandals Dunn's River: Very nice vacation

The resort is very nice. I spend all my time at the pool and it was not very clean. The people are so friendly and make your stay so enjoyable. Wifi sucks. Very unreliable. Really only worked on my balcony or in the lobby. The island is gorgeous I would return to Jamaica anytime.

Sandals South Coast: Awesome

The staff everywhere was excellent. They tried their very best. However, I found the service in the al a carte restaurants very slow. The landscape of the property is commendable and deserves a 5+ rating.