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.
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Rcm22 -
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Grand Palladium Lady Hamilton: OK Resort, Definitely not 5 star
We left Canada early in the morning and arrived at the resort in the afternoon, Check in took an hour and a bit, but we were a large group of newly arrived guests. The bus from the airport was full. Our check in experience was interesting- we did not get our previously requested ground floor room right away, we were assigned a 3rd floor room, but after TIPPING the front desk agent, a room suddenly became available. As a former manager at an international hotel chain, I found this interesting.
[... read more] We missed the lunch buffet due to the lengthy check-in, and the dinner buffet was not open yet but we were all incredibly hungry since we hadn't eaten since 6am. After check in, we were driven in a cart to our room with our luggage. The driver was polite and brought our bags to our room for us. pointed out features of the room ( building 35 Lady Hamilton side).
We were then directed to the Sports Bar for food until the buffet opened. That was a mistake - the sports bar buffet was empty, and when they brought food to replenish the buffet, it was enough for 2 or 3 guests, not the 30 people who were all starving. There were French fries and some old hotdogs. We also ordered burgers for the 4 of us at our table in the Sports Bar, but it took 75 minutes for our food to arrive. 75 minutes for our order is UNACCEPTABLE. The hotel knows there are guests arriving from flights, they know the arrival times as they repeat weekly, and they know that the Sports Bar is recommended to bus loads of guests as a food option until the buffet opens. There should be some coordination between the front desk and the sports bar staff so that adequate amounts of food is readily available for arriving guests. If guests waited 75 minutes for food from the restaurant in the hotel I was a manager at, both the restaurant and front desk managers would be reprimanded or dismissed.
The resort on Lady Hamilton side is older and tired. The floor tile was cracked in the bathroom, paint drips were dried on the floor from whenever they last painted, the toilet area was incredibly small. You could bump your head on the wall in front of the toilet just getting up after using it, the wall is so close. The towel supply was adequate on the first day only. We had 4 bath towels, 2 face cloths, 2 hand towels, a bath mat and a black make- up removal facecloth. Every day after more towels disappeared and were not replaced despite tipping and leaving requests for towels and a bath mat on a note. We ended our stay with only 2 bath towels and one hand towel that we used as a bath mat.
The hair dryer worked fine, the safe was also in working order. Other guests in our group did not have working TV’s. The jacuzzi tub didn't look clean so we did not use it.
The overall cleanliness of the room was questionable - the make up mirror was spotted and was not cleaned during our stay. The small toilet area floor smelled, and I left a note asking for the floor to be washed. My best guess is that urine was in the grout, and the heat and humidity made it smell like urine. The floors were washed on the day my note was received and it improved the situation. We know the floors were washed because they were still wet when we returned to the room in the afternoon.
Our room overlooked the main walkway, and the patio was nice. Nothing special but it was nice with 2 chairs a table and a drying rack (broken). The sliding door was old and you had to position it just right to lock it. the curtains were stained and old and had sun-rot. The sleeper sofa was a hard-foam fold out. Definitely not something you'd expect in this caliber of resort. We did not need to use it, but just sitting on the hard vinyl-covered foam was uncomfortable.
The air conditioning was not nearly adequate. The setting would not allow the temp to be adjusted cooler. It was set at 25C/77F. The air conditioner had an automatic shut off -
1. by motion sensor and
2. a sensor when the patio door opened. If there was no one in the room, the air conditioner turned off, which made the room hot and stuffy, especially at night when you slept. No motion, no air.
Buffet- the food was adequate and nothing special, the temperature of the food sitting in trays at all the meals would not pass the Canadian Food Safety/ Health Inspection, (but thankfully we did not get sick) The only hot food was when it was prepared in front of you. Scrambled eggs were room temperature, bacon was slightly warm under the red heat lamp, pancakes were refrigerator-cold, French toast was refrigerator-cold, Potatoes and rice were room temperature. The crepes were freshly made so they were hot and actually very good. We liked the lovely woman who made the crepes, she was very kind. The fruit was disappointing- watermelon, cantaloupe, pineapple and honeydew melon, bananas, apples, oranges slices. The melons were mostly hard and not ripe. More fruit varieties would have been nice. The juice dispensers were disgusting - it came out thick like pudding, because the juice had settled. (I have photos of the juice/pudding) It was not changed during the shift, and fresh- squeezed juice was not available. The orange juice we asked for from our server was not fresh. It tasted like orange flavored crystals they mix with water, or an orange flavoured drink from a box or can.
The desserts were gelatin based - the dessert labeled cheesecake had gelatin in it, creamy mousse desserts were made with gelatin. The cake and the donuts on the dessert buffet were good. The bread items were good, the yellow buns were delicious as well as the coconut buns in a warm glaze.
The best hot entrees were the roast pork and the roast beef.
I did speak up to another guest one morning at breakfast, they approached the buffet with a plate of scrambled eggs just after I served myself, and she scraped her plate of eggs back into the tray of scrambled eggs on the buffet. There was no attendant in sight at this time. I took it upon myself to tell the guest that she was NOT ALLOWED to scrape her plate back into the fresh food, and she became defensive and defiant, saying she didn't touch it, she just changed her mind after going to her table. I told her it was against food safety standards to put food back that she had already taken to her table. I stood at the egg station, turning other guests away from the tray of scrambled eggs, explaining what happened until a staff member finally came out from the back-kitchen. I told them what the guest did. The attendant didn't quite believe me until I insisted they remove the tray and I pointed to the dirty plate the guest left sitting on the buffet counter. The resort Really Needs to Be Sure there are attendants at each station at all times, or only allow the attendants to serve the guests. How many others have done this? I did see many people eating bacon or other foods with their hands as they also helped themselves to different foods on the buffet. No one asked guests to hold off eating until they returned to their tables. Yuck.
Pool and bar area- The pool water temperature was colder than expected. We did swim but it was uncomfortable - maybe because it was February and the water had not warmed up in the sun. Pool seemed clean. There were a lot of available pool chairs, and we enjoyed the visits from the cats that live on the property. The resort should and could do more for the cats who live on the property- I believe from a post on Facebook that they just agreed (March 2026) to conduct a spay and neuter veterinarian clinic for the cats.
The pool bar on the west side of the pool was "ok". They did serve a jerk chicken lunch daily which was nice. The bartender was not very attentive when we would ask for drinks. He ignored me one day completely and I finally spoke up and said “I’m not invisible- it was my turn in line” but he served 3 guests a young man, and 2 bikini-wearing young ladies ) who came to the bar after me.
I was pretty vocal in my statement and walked away. He did track me down to where I was seated by the pool and apologized. After that incident, our group of 17 friends mostly just used the server who came around to the area where we were sitting. He missed out on all of our tips.
The app- it is not user friendly to book restaurant reservations, we ended up going to the front desk to book.
The a-la-carte restaurants were alright. We ate at the Mexican restaurant, the Indian restaurant, the Japanese teppanyaki and the Poseidon seafood restaurant. We enjoyed the show and food at the Japanese teppanyaki, and the Indian restaurant's butter chicken was delicious. Service was prompt at all of the a-la-cartes.
The seafood restaurant was only ok - the salad bar and the entree's were basically the same selection, only the salad bar seafood was cold and the same food was cooked for the entree. Local seafood options would have made it much better.
We did NOT like that they offered to sell us lobster at an extra cost. When we pay for an all inclusive resort, we expect everything to be “all inclusive”, not have items offered at an additional cost.
The upper bar above the pool was a nice place to sit in the evening. The sunset views were beautiful. We REALLY enjoyed the live entertainment/music, but the chairs and tables are worn out. some were missing cushions, and had stains. Some nights there was not enough seating for everyone. We didn’t find the shows at the theatre as good as the live music at the bar, They tried but the shows were not our thing. One of the problems was that the music from the theatre show could be heard at the upper level outdoor bar, while there was a musician trying to play. The sound travelled across the pool patio and interfered with the musician. Maybe having the live musician set up straight across from the main bar upstairs or on Miss Lou’s side would have helped?
Miss Lou's coffee bar was the BEST spot on the resort. The sandwiches were fresh and tasty, the coffee drinks were amazing, the desserts were delicious, staff was friendly, and I wish we knew it was an option as a place to eat on the day we arrived instead of being directed to the Sports Bar, It may have changed the overall impression we had of the resort from Day 1.
We will not go back to this resort. We heard the Iberostar Rose Hall was nicer and they have a cat sanctuary for the cats that live on their property. That is a huge positive for us. Our thoughts are that if a resort cares for the cats, they will most likely care for the guests.
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Ocean Coral Spring: Ocean Coral Spring
We really enjoyed our stay at the Ocean Coral Spring Resort in Falmouth Jamaica. The rooms were lovely, the food in all the restaurants we went to, was delicious and well presented. The staff were very courteous and knowledgeable. They were quick to ask if anything was needed. The pool and activities kept us busy and moving, the grounds were lovely. We would recommend more ambient lighting on the walkways near the pool area for the evenings.
Unfortunately the beach was a little disappointing[... read more] in that you couldn’t walk the beach long distances and the water was weedy. Staff collected weeds on the beach but it appeared that it might be a never ending battle to keep them at bay. One afternoon we enjoyed the Lazy River. The evening shows were entertaining and very well done. All in all, this resort was amazing and we had a great time, I would strongly recommend this resort to family and friends.
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Private -
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Ocean Coral Spring: Amazing Resort
I loved this resort. The proximity from the rooms to the pool to the bars and restaurants was awesome! You didnt have to walk a mile from your room to get anywhere or pack a bag for the day because the room was so far away. The pool was huge. Lots of bars and restaurants. Everything was very clean. Newer buildings with modern amenities. One of the best parts was "Mikes" coffee shop. Basically a Starbucks for free opened early closed late. Pastries in the morning, snacks for afternoon and[... read more] night. The lobby was beautiful and had piano players a few of the nights. The buffet was amazing with themed nights. Tons of variety and lots of small extras such as mint at the tea station. Everything was so carefully thought of. Everything was great! Only downfall which we didnt really mind was the beach. It wasnt great but we never spend much time at the beach. I would definitely go back or try a resort under the same brand.
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Private -
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Ocean Coral Spring: One of the best!
The whole resort is amazing but the beach is not very good.
It was hard to get lounge chairs in the shade around the pool.
The food is amazing. There was always something for everyone.
The Cafe was really special.
Service very good.
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Mini flies -
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Riu Palace Tropical Bay: Amazing resort!
This hotel was so nice, perfect size. The service was impeccable, the grounds were clean. There weren't any lines at the buffet or at the bars.
They had turn down service. The beach was beautiful. The only complaint is the vendors on the beach. They are a bit annoying but respectful. The food was amazing.
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Mini flies -
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Riu Palace Tropical Bay: Amazing resort!
This hotel was so nice, perfect size. The service was impeccable, the grounds were clean. There weren't any lines at the buffet or at the bars.
They had turn down service. The beach was beautiful. The only complaint is the vendors on the beach. They are a bit annoying but respectful. The food was amazing.
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Christopher -
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Samsara Cliff Hotel: A special place
Relatively small hotel, quiet, peaceful. Important information: No classic beach. Instead, a great access to the water from small cliffs. Step ladders mounted to the cliff walls. Crystal clear water, excellent snorkeling. One larger swimming pool and two smaller ones.
A very homey small restaurant. Excelled food, all simple, Jamaican dishes cooked on the spot by a mamma type chef, batch by batch. Everything super fresh. This means sometimes you must wait few minutes until it is ready. [... read more]The wine is not included in all-inclusive, but available for cash.
There is a free shuttle bus to Legends hotel (7min drive), which has a traditional, shallow and sandy beach. Also great water.
Accommodation - nothing too fancy, but absolutely sufficient.
At the price tag $2000 per person per week this is a bit too expensive for the value, but I met people there who managed to get the same for smaller amounts.
Well, there is another building (newer, I think) with more luxurious rooms. I do not know the costs of those.
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Miguel-Angel -
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Ocean Coral Spring: Relaxing!!
Hotel was very clean and beautiful designed. Has a modern feel to it.
People are not very social though with the exception of Latoya "sunshine" at the pool bar.
Drinks were,very well served and tasty although cold beer ran out quickly.
The hotel caters more to tourist with there American foods and lack of authentic Jamaican food at the buffet.
A la carte restaurant were the worst things to eat with there lack of choices and taste. Stick to the buffet or the small hut that servers great jerk [... read more]dishes with rice and coco bread.
The hotel should have more chairs for the pool and beach because when the hotel is half full you won't find anywhere to sit.
Pool is only 3ft throughout which i gues is good depending who you ask and the beach is full of coral and sea weed so there very small area to actually enjoy in the water.
Other than that it was a great stay and better them most hotels I've stayed at in DR or CUBA.
A must try!!!!
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Sandra -
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Riu Negril: Amazing vacation
We have been to this resort many times. The grounds are lovely and very well maintained. The resort has been fully renovated and the rooms and public areas are lovely. The staff are wonderful, with a special shoutout to Claudia and Kevin at the Sportsbar, they are friendly and so welcoming. The beach is lovely and I like that it spans the full length of the resort, unfortunately water is very weedy, but nature is what it is. The only addition I would suggest is another washroom facility closer t[... read more]o all the restaurants
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Hankster 22 -
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Riu Palace Jamaica: Riu palace Montego Bay
It’s kinda out dated and the food is not hot otherwise it would be excellent . To be at the Riu palace now you must be come a elite member and that I should have been told before I booked online instead of finding out when I arrived there
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Barbara -
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Riu Palace Aquarelle: Amazing beautiful resort
Back from 7 days stay
At the Riu palace Aquarel
Very enjoyable clean amazing grounds
Beautiful beach
Amazing buffet choices of food
Very helpful staff from the beach to every corner of this beautiful safe resort
Recommended to all my friends
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Private -
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Riu Ocho Rios: Amazing Resort ?
We have nothing bad to say about this resort everything and everyone was amazing, beside mother nature ,and we all know that she always win..............................................................
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Riu Palace Tropical Bay: A Great Resort
From the moment you walk into the reception area you know this place is going to be a great place to stay. The room was clean and spacious, the food at the restaurants and buffet were wonderful with the buffet having a very large selection. The beach was what one expects to find in the tropics, clean white sand and shade to be had under a palm tree.
What made this place extra special was the people. The pride they showed in their work and how they were ready to help. Truly an exceptional [... read more]group.
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Private -
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Riu Ocho Rios: Everything was great!
This resort is HUGE!!! Can be good or bad I guess, but rest assured that they are a well oiled machine!!! They never ran out of anything, everything was clean, food was plentiful and the staff were so friendly!!!! Would definitely recommend!!! Riu never disappoints!
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SabC -
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Riu Ocho Rios: Fourth time at Riu Ocho Rios
Never a disappointment! We love the hotel, entertainment and staff! I prefer the à la cartes to the buffet, only because I’m a picky eater. Might go back for a 5th visit in 2027! We tried Riu tropical palace in Negril but it doesn’t even compare.
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Private -
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Ocean Eden Bay: Great resort
The hotel is very modern and beautiful. The room is stunning. Bathroom with the double shower was great. Very comfortable bed. Housekeeping did an amazing job. Rooms cleaned thoroughly everyday. Best housekeeping I have seen at any resort. We had privilege and enjoyed the perks. The Hot tub on the balcony was used daily and we really enjoyed that. The food was great no complaints. À la carts were all impressive. The only resorts that we consider a five star for food that we have been to is the[... read more] Bahia’s in Mayan Rivera Mexico. The staff seemed friendly enough . The staff jn the privilege pool area do not let you know perks you have access to. We saw someone ordering from a menu to have food delivered to pool. We were not aware of that option till we saw that the day we were leaving. The beach is really beautiful we wore shoes as it’s rocky till you get out farther. The only drawback is the lack of shade from the sun . You have to get up very early to get a seat with shade from sun . We would go back to this resort for sure.
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Iberostar Selection Rose Hall Suites: Good experience
The hotel was clean, staff were friendly, buffet had variety. It was a good resort for a quick getaway. Close to the airport. Entertainment was weak compared to other resorts I’ve visited comparing to Mexico.
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Iberostar Selection Rose Hall Suites: Good experience
The hotel was clean, staff were friendly, buffet had variety. It was a good resort for a quick getaway. Close to the airport. Entertainment was weak compared to other resorts I’ve visited comparing to Mexico.
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Couples Sans Souci: We love Couples Sand Souci!
Fantastic, small, private resort. Perfect for quiet time together. You can be social if you wish, but the staff and other guests really respect your mood either way. The staff is lovely, food is great and we really love the beach and the amenities.