Bahia Principe Explore Jamaica: It's really good

The resort has excellent beaches - big and small for every taste. Jamaican food was very good here. People are friendly and ready to help. We enjoyed our stay a lot. I'd suggest two improvements though: Additional shelves in the shower (I put my stuff on the floor, and it was inconvenient) and espresso machines in bars. Thank you a lot!

Bahia Principe Explore Jamaica: Got what was promised

Hotel was clean and organized. Staff was friendly and accommodating. The entire resort was spotless Food was pretty decent, Jamaican was by far the best! Music and entertainment was great. Water was always clean, bar guys were always quick and fun. All and all I'd go back next week.

Beaches Negril Resort and Spa: The best

Alright so this is about to be a super lengthy review please brace yourselves ! I love to get into extreme details about every single moment I can remember from the second I land in the airport lol to even thoughts I had before I arrived so here we go. Before choosing Beaches I did extensive research on the most family friendly resort in Jamaica and beaches came up. Between the two diff locations I gravitated mostly towards Negril because as a single mother travelling with a 1.5 year old it  [... read more]appealed to me more. The bus ride from the airport to the hotel was also shorter than the other hotel so I took that into account as well. I also loved that the beach in Negril is more famous and looked amazing from the pics. I mainly chose this resort solely because it’s partnered with Sesame Street, has nannies/kids camp and is geared toward families and small children in general. Literally. I revolved this trip around my son and what would benefit him the most. Even from Canada when I would call to get more info about shuttle service, car seats, strollers on transport etc they were super helpful and reassuring. The only thing that bothered me is the price I paid I found it super expensive and it was half the price in September. I just got back and it’s May. I figured maybe it’s cheaper because September is hurricane season ? And it happened to fall on the week of mother’s day which might have explained the price hike. I didn’t buy the tickets directly from the website although the cost was similar but definitely cheaper booking it through trip advisor. In hindsight I should have booked 2 weeks because to me the money was so worth it in the end and I felt like it ended too soon. Ok so once we reached the airport it was super easy navigating to find the beaches set up area. They informed me that it would cost me a small tip to the people taking my bags so I gave my money to somebody who was there working and he said thanks only to find out it was a different guy taking my bag and he still required a tip. I wondered why the original guy didn’t say “hey I’m not the one getting your bags” since he was the only one around when the lady told me. They said it’s not their business why I gave my money and I still have to pay lol it was pretty petty but I didn’t end up giving the money again out of stubbornness and totally felt bad after because it’s not the mans fault he didn’t get his money just because his other employee wants to be greedy and dishonest he still did the work and a little $5 tip is really nothing but to me it was just the principle. They should tell you exactly who to tip goin forward to avoid confusion. Anyway so I went to the waiting area where there were refreshments and I shrieked out loud when I saw red stripe on tap ! I was in heaven. Like you can actually drink before boarding a bus ? Wait you can even bring beer on the bus ! Canada is way too strict. They even offered more beer outside. They had plenty of free snacks too so I took one of everything for the bus ride. I did end up tipping the driver and some other person who I thought was the original guy who brought out my bags but he informed me it wasn’t him so I still felt bad about the initial mix up. The bus ride was nice loved the music. Good driving. Made stops to eat drink and use the bathroom. So far so good ! By the way I didn’t bother bringing a car seat , the seats are tight anyway for space don’t see how one would even fit. The laws are much looser there it’s just whatever you’re comfortable with. My son was loving being on my lap and looking at the view freely. Now to the arrival. Was warmly greeted and helped to my room - which happened to be at the extreme end of the entire resort. I wasn’t too happy about having to climb up 2 sets of stairs to reach my room knowing I would be doing this multiple times a day with a baby and a stroller. That proved to be a major pain in the butt most days but I was lucky enough to have spontaneous help here and there. Sometimes I resented the walk to the other end but by the end I loved the placement because it was close to stew fish and kids camp anyway. The resort is not very big but it’s just perfect. If it was any bigger it would be more of a hassle in my opinion. My son would sometimes want to climb the stairs and it’s generally safe for a toddler as long as you keep an eye out however on the balcony of the room I could never leave him freely to explore without me there watching closely because there are gaps at the bottom he could potentially slide through. But for the most part the room is pretty baby friendly he never hurt himself once walking around and I had the wooden room don’t know how else to describe it. The room was nice. It was just what we needed. The double beds were nice I would use one bed to put stuff on and the other to sleep (they put a bed rail on one end to prevent the baby from falling since it’s not against the wall) which was super comforting and helpful. Everything was clean. The bathtub was pretty big. I loved the room personally and didn’t have a mosquito problem either like many people have been echoing- never had to get it sprayed once. I understand that the rooms have the ability to adjoin through a connecting door and although it was closed I could hear literally everything the people next door were saying (thank god they would sleep early) because if they were up all night it would definitely affect me. I found generally everything is audible even people outside and that’s because the bathroom window has open shutters and it’s only a screen. But luckily my floor would be dead quiet at night and my son sleeps early so again I’m glad I chose a family resort for this reason. (No disruptive partying or loud music from rooms just families on schedules for the most part). Cleaning service was always good (they spray the room when they’re done cleaning so it literally even smells fresh). Just some days were above and beyond than others. For example some days there was a towel animal others it was just regular. I told a lady once I would leave something for her at the end and she informed me it’s a new cleaning lady everyday. Tipping is not required but if you feel generous keep in mind to leave something small everyday for the different people if you wish. The do not disturb sign works wonders because I wasn’t aware they come to your door and knock first but sometimes let themselves in to give you like a newspaper at a certain time toward night time which threw me off so I started using the sign more when I knew we needed privacy for breast feeding or napping. The fridge and amenities are stocked daily. If you have food in the room you’re done with you can just leave it outside and when they get a chance they will remove it. The channel that’s already on the tv when you turn it on is nice. I didn’t know there is a bar card so go ahead and ask about it because no one will tell you. They can stock your room with champagne and wine courtesy of the resort but you must ask. I have no real complaints about room or room service. They always help when you call the front desk. Some of the cleaning ladies are really sweet friendly cool and nice. Also I never had an issue with my key card. The view was nice too. Only thing that was odd for me was that I was generally really cold so I never needed the AC but all my clothes would seem almost moist because of this. I was told it’s because of the room location. Also laundry services are advertised but the price isn’t so just know it’s $70!! The beach was wonderful. Absolutely no complaints. Except the people selling bracelets can get kind of annoying although the ones advertising boat services don’t directly approach you as much just walk by shouting. Not gonna lie I felt pressured to buy something at least once lol. The beach chairs were for the most part plentiful and all working condition. I had special help on one day from a kind man who’s name I forgot to have a roof over the beds for my son and I. The cabanas seemed nice but a tad pricey for me. Service on the beach would be nice though so you don’t have to keep getting up to go get a drink especially with a toddler but I mean the bar is literally near by. Only problem I found was my stroller not working in the sand. That got very frustrating too. I would recommend a heavy duty safari type one that withstands any climate as I had more of a light weight buggy one. Other than that it was still a good easy choice. But dragging it through the sand had me aggravated although most times nice people would offer to help. I loved the water. It’s quite shallow but great 👍 I wasn’t going to go too deep anyway. Very clean. I literally don’t remember any litter. Many lifeguards around. I did not try any of the water sports however I took a glass bottom boat to ricks cafe for $250 USD from one of those people advertising on the beach. Sometimes the chairs would be over crowded but I was cool with it because I had a beach mat anyways. The beach size was just enough and the sunsets were beautiful. The beach was definitely a highlight. The swimming pools are amazing too ! One is smaller than the other but never over crowded. They are extremely clean and love the multiple free beds floating around. Someone was always working hard to clean the pool while everyone was using it which was nice. The swim up bar was cool although sometimes I found it empty when I wanted service with no one there to acknowledge me. The lazy river was cool but maybe needs more of a current to push you forward as I found myself trying to put in the work and the kids water park was nice too just wasn’t my 1.5 year olds preference as the buckets spilling were too powerful for him. Love that they have set kids drinks at the bar. But one thing the swimming pool beds are almost always taken unfortunately except the bigger pool by the mill has a little section with mostly empty chairs. Either that or at the smaller pool you can go high up for more empty beds but I couldn’t really bring my stroller and stuff up there. The restaurants and the food was the personal highlight of my trip. When I first saw the bbq park I was absolutely thrilled !!!!! That’s my kind of joint. That’s when I knew this place was gonna be wicked. Everything I tried from there was amazing and best believe I tried the whole menu. Service varied. Sometimes really good others would forget stuff. The Mexican one next door was delicious too (the enchiladas are to die for). I didn’t like certain things on the menu (like the pulled pork quesadillas, chilled cucumber soup, fish sandwich was ok) but most stuff was good and the nacho bar was cool. Special shout out to Annique for always taking care of my baby and I every time ! Such a sweet heart and paid extra attention to us making us feel special and catered to. Some other servers were good too I just forgot names but she was above and beyond. She also helped us at Stew fish which we went to multiple times for breakfast but never for dinner which I regret. The French toast sticks were my absolute fav!! Loved this place and my son liked the oatmeal and fresh fruits. One night we ordered to go from the kids menu and they even helped bringing it to my room which they didn’t have to. I appreciated that and the food was delicious also. Now onto the mill. I ate here many times and loved various items this place was kind of my go to. Very diverse and rich in selection. Great service too for the most part and was even offered bug spray ! I found to get a lot of bites here. But breakfast was always good - the omelette station was good and so was the man making them very friendly and nice. Loved the fruit selection. Just everything about the food and this resort was top notch to me. I tried the Venetian one night but I did not enjoy the calamari or lasagna. I also found the bocconcini with tomatoes to have too little cheese. But my son liked his little pizza roll. I wish I had time to try more items but my son wasn’t behaving so we had to go. It really is a fancy fine dining spot so make sure you dress up a lot. Good service though. We also missed the Japanese restaurant unfortunately. I would definitely come back just for the food to be honest. And yo-yos was really good too. Oh and how could I forget the pizza station ! This place was awesome. My favourite was the pineapple and ham pizza. I found the jerk chicken one to be too spicy and I wasn’t really feeling the 4 cheese one. Takes a while to get the food though understandably. Ok service there too. I would say overall the service at each restaurant was generally good. Some people stood out more than others and really did go out of their way but everyone does their job at the end of the day. And again I cannot remember some names unfortunately. The cafe de Paris was amazing too - I LOVED the coffee and the crepes but I wasn’t too big on the coffees with liquor in them just the original blue mountain from the side that you get yourself. I ended up buying pictures from the photo shop because how could I resist. Keno was a really good photographer and super nice as well. Another lady working there was awesome too but I forget her name. I found it extremely pricy but bought them anyway. I was happy with them all. Again with the pressure to buy from vendors outside the photo shop and other places at the resort made me uncomfortable at times because I wanna support but don’t want to get their hopes up so sometimes I feel I couldn’t even really look at what they’re selling. Some people had a super easy going approach and it made me want to give them my money. But the ones that point you out and go on and on are the ones where I feel put on the spot. After a while you just don’t want to make eye contact to be honest and feel bad for even walking by. The gift shop had some really nice things. I bought many things from in there. The reception is helpful. I also tried out the massage. I LOVED my lavender full body massage by Natasha she really worked hard on me and I was thrilled with the experience. I also purchased a foot massage. The ladies there were super nice and friendly. I even had a broken nail they gave me glue to fix. Randeno was very informative at the booth where you get the Jamaica pamphlet for all activities and he was very friendly as well. One thing I can say I was not fully happy about was the music. Some days I heard nice songs especially when there was a live DJ and other days I heard a repetition which always included shaggy and then a bunch of songs that are not reggae and dancehall. As a hard core reggae listener I was kind of taken aback when I heard back street boys but I get it that Jamaicans are diverse and listen to music from all walks of life - plus this is a family resort so maybe dancehall doesn’t cut it but I would just prefer to hear only reggae to be honest. I did hear soca which I liked and some days weren’t bad it was getting better toward the end of my vacation but other types of music and songs made me wanna wear ear plugs lol. Especially at some of the restaurants. I would just rather not hear rock or pop or top 40 or country or literally anything that isn’t reggae but that’s just me. And not just shaggy either. But some times I would hear buju and sanchez which put a smile on my face by the pool - plus they had a dancehall/reggae history lesson one day which I really liked also. So it wasn’t a huge deal and not like I didn’t like the music the entire time just sometimes it was annoying that’s all. I could barley make it for the night shows but when I did see it one night I enjoyed the steel pan band. Also the steel pan players on the beach were cool too. Another problem I had was that I arrived on Thursday and no one told me there is a Sesame Street March at 5:30 and it only happens on Thursday’s meaning if I miss it I won’t see it again. So of course I missed it even though I was in my room doing nothing and I just wish someone had just given me a heads up. Matter of fact I didn’t get a tour or anything or welcome of some sort with a description of the activities to do and what not maybe it was on that newspaper but I just arrived so I didn’t know any better or what to look out for. I was really disappointed to miss the march but at least I saw the characters walking around on other days and they interacted with my son which he LOVED. he wasn’t able to pay attention to the night shows at 6 where they perform again so we never got to experience those but I can see how a toddler would love it. The day care was awesome. Left my son 3 times and felt totally comfortable. They never had to call me and were always reassuring when I would call. Very safe and legit. Would highly recommend. He loved playing with all the toys and most kids seemed really happy. That was another highlight for me the fact I could leave him if I chose to. Overall this resort is worth every cent. The food is great. The service is great. And the experience is awesome. Just wear a lot of bug repellent and you’re good. Also do research on the way it’s set up and if you have a baby try to get a ground level room if possible. It’s perfect for families. I had an amazing time.

Bahia Principe Explore Jamaica: Great Resort

The resort is awesome, this was our 3rd time there and it never disappoints. Highly recommend to anyone. The steak house was awesome we went there twice. The buffet has different themed nights (Jamaican, Spanish, Italian, Asian etc) and they are all great. The beach is well groomed and the grounds are spectacular. We stayed in building 11 again and in my opinion has the best oceanfront view of the hotel.

Bahia Principe Explore Jamaica: Not that impressed

We recently stayed at Grand Bahia for our first visit to Jamaica and for the money we spent we were not impressed. Our rooms were never fully restocked and trying to get the missing items was a chore. Sometimes it would take hours and a second phone call to the concierge to get what we needed, and other times it did not arrive at all. The electricity was not strong so the blow drier in our room barely had any power. The shower shifted from too hot to too cold without warning. The food was medioc [... read more]re and there was little variety between breakfast, lunch and dinner. And although the staff were lovely, we were afraid to talk to people because it always ended up in them trying to sell you something...always!! I have never been accosted so much at a resort. The grounds were beautiful as was the pool area, but I guess I was expecting more for the money.

Couples Negril: Anniversary paradise.

Our second time vacationing at a couples resort. Once in San souci and the other couples Negril. Both had unique characteristics. We enjoyed the Wonderful hospitality in both resorts and meet some great people along the way. Both resorts grounds are well manicured and looked after. Food was good but would prefer if they had more fresh fish and seafood. Loved all the included excursions and took advantage of them all. Best beach is couples Negril and couples swept away. Water is so warm! Romance  [... read more]rewards have good perks which we took advantage of and used it for a photo shoot. One thing for us is that we like the smaller resorts, much better then the larger ones!

Legends Beach Resort: Love Legends!

Loved the hotel access to the beach. The beach area was nice with seating and umbrellas for shade. I really loved our maid Sandra who let us sleep in and cleaned our room when we would leave. We made sure to show her our gratitude. Overall it was a nice resort, with the grounds well kept. I would come back!

Dreams Rose Hall: Amazing Resort with Best Food and Service

The staff and chefs are superior. food was excellent and the service and extra mile that everyone goes to please customers was fantastic. One manager arranged a private lunch for our big group of 11 just to make us happy as our flight was delayed and did not get to use the resort on the first day. That is considered superior customer service as this was not the hotel's fault but they wanted us to be happy while we stayed there.

Riu Reggae: Was a great resort

Grounds pools was not bad! Food was amazingly good. Would definitely return. Had a well relaxing vacation. Only down fall Sunwing Airlines lost our luggage didn’t receive it after 3 days other than that everything was great....

Royalton Blue Waters: Not a 5*

The resort is beautiful. very clean. staff amazing. however entertainment is lacking. no music at pools or beach. food was awful. Desserts were a disgrace. we were served burnt dry sponge cakes as desserts during lunch time (I have pictures to prove it. Plus, hotel was almost always out of fruits (except for watermelon and pineapple). I wouldn't go back.

Secrets St James: Wonderful resort

Everything about this resort is fabulous. If you are complaining about something it is more about you than the resort. The food is incredible, the staff are terrific, the beach is great. I have been here several times and would highly recommend it

Riu Reggae: Fantastic vacation at RIU Reggae

This resort has excellent service, the grounds are very well maintained and the rooms were spotless clean. The staff were friendly and willing to help in any way. The water sports were enjoyable and in good condition. This was a great place to relax and unwind.

Riu Reggae: Best resort yet.

The beach is perfect,the people amazing and the best food I have ever had at a resort.Our room was very clean and comfortable.Lots to do and the evening shows were outstanding.The jerk chicken was delishous .

Sandals Dunn's River: Sliding downhill

We were at this resort two years ago, and were surprised at the changes since that time. It has changed ownership, and not for the better. Although the Island is beautiful the resort has changed somewhat for the worse. Things that were looking worn down last visit look worse, many cracked tiles in bathrooms and every public restroom we used had at least one stall out of order. Elevators for Diamond building only barely worked, and each floor button needed to be pushed to hopefully get you to the [... read more] correct floor, if they were operational. A guest in our group was told “Sorry you have to exercise on your holiday” when confronted about the elevator hardly working.Sadly, the next door resort is under major construction (which Jewel can’t be responsible for) however, they kept putting guests into rooms on the very noisy side, and then it was very difficult to be moved. Staff were clearly stretched with the extra people, and although they tried very hard to be helpful there were not enough people to go around. During several days they had corporate groups in the resort, so for the most part staff was seeing to their needs (should mention the grill, bar, and bathrooms were pretty much running over with guests so people staying at the resort needed to eat, drink, and pee elsewhere during those times). Very sad they didn’t have a lot of mixes for drinks, even something as we’ll known as the Bob Marley could not be made. We heard lots of complaints about the elevator, drinks, and also many guests did not have good working A/C units. One major difference was the price for excursions the resort offers, most have tripled in price since last we visited (and they were high last time compared to private tour companies) so we didn’t book anything through the resort. On the positive side, the Island and grounds are gorgeous, and some of the great staff still stayed on despite the new owners. Vidal is amazing, try sailing with him, he is also funny and knows all about the island and the watersports. George was an amazing waiter, thanks for the laughs! Aside from the one rude front desk staff (the exercise comment), all others were pleasant and helpful. Angela from the gift shop gave us great advice on using the jerk chicken marinade. Check in is usually a leisurely affair, but they got us in quickly when we mentioned medical issues, and we all eventually got put into rooms that were quiet and had working A/C. Food was good and plentiful, surf and turf at the Platinum and our chef at the Jade were awesome. Damion and O’Neil were our best bartenders, and we followed them to their various workstations for Uncle Sam drinks. Thanks for a good time!

Bahia Principe Explore Jamaica: lifetime memories

it was our 3rd trip to this amazing chain and we will do it a million more times, amazing people, amazing food lots of choices. We celebrated my mother-in-law 82nd birthday and we did not have to worry about her moving around wheelchair was there when we needed it, we did not have to worry about cleanest spot less corner to corner. view from our room was breathtaking. amazing shows for adults and children. love u guys!!!!!!!!! PS: love the no straws and no disposable cups idea.

Sandals Dunn's River: Not a resort worth the money

The grounds were nicely kept. The people very friendly the food was excellent on the negative side. Travel agents in the past always claimed they or someone else in their office visits the properties. Obviously not the case here. The riu hotel next door was being demolished the jack hammering was non stop all day long the balcony was unusable due to the noise and the huge amount of unbreathable dust on the balcony the room was uninhabitable during the day for rest or television due to the racket [... read more]. Also the conceirge never answered the phone. The extra for oceanfront and conceirge was a complete waste of money The elevator was broken every day. We were trapped multiple times and my wife and I were forced to take the stairs (her with 2 knee replacements ????). I will never return here or use the agency again as it was not properly screened. All in all not a trip to remember

Sandals Dunn's River: Nice resort

The grounds were nicely kept. The people very friendly the food was excellent on the negative side. Travel agents in the past always claimed they or someone else in their office visits the properties. Obviously not the case here. The riu hotel next door was being demolished the jack hammering was non stop all day long the balcony was unusable due to the noise and the huge amount of unbreathable dust on the balcony the room was uninhabitable during the day for rest or television due to the racket [... read more]. Also the conceirge never answered the phone. The extra for oceanfront and conceirge was a complete waste of money The elevator was broken every day. We were trapped multiple times and my wife and I were forced to take the stairs (her with 2 knee replacements ????). I will never return here or use the agency again as it was not properly screened. All in all not a trip to remember

Sandals Dunn's River: Wonderful Vacation at the Jewel Dunn’s River

Although it is an older resort, the grounds are well maintained and the resort is very clean. What I loved the most about the Jewel is that it is a smaller resort so everything is close by... restaurant pools and the beach. Not a huge beach waterfront, but good size compared to others in Jamaica outside of Negril. Rooms are very spacious, we stayed in a Oceanview Sapphire room. Only negative about the room is the bed was not as comfortable as I had hoped. Good size private balcony overlooki [... read more]ng the pool and Ocean... great place to have a morning coffee. Main Buffet restaurant is where we had breakfast every morning... both traditional and local offerings with plenty of variety. Although we never had lunch there, part of our group did and they enjoyed it. Overall the food was very good. Hot Oven Pizzas in the courtyard were delicious, absolutely loved the crust. Also Jerk Chicken on the grill. The hamburgers were also amazing. We did the Italian on two of the evenings... once inside and the other on the deck overlooking the pier and beach... service was great and we all enjoyed our meals. The Jade restaurant is quite nice and we enjoyed our dinner while Chef prepared the food Teppanyaki style. You didn’t choose a main, they offered everyone chicken, shrimp and steak ... food was great, however felt a bit rushed, perhaps because we were an early seating. Although we didn’t actually eat at the Platinum Steak House, our spouses surprised us with a private dinner on the beach for our group of 12.... we had two dedicated servers Peggy and Kurt and they we amazing!! The resort had organized a dinner on the pier one evening; however do to winds it was moved inside the Disco the “Bling”... other than the dinner on the beach, the Bling Dinner was by far the best dinner during our stay.... the set-up, the 5 course meal and entertainment by a spectacular violinist will make it a night to remember. The ambiance of that evening blew us away. We spent most of our time at the smaller pool, it was quiet and we never had a problem with chairs . You always fine your favourite Bartender, and ours was Damion... we made our way to whatever bar he was working... and because the resort is small, it was never a distance to go anywhere. Staff overall at this resort are very friendly and accommodating. Only issue we had was with the Front Desk... they were maybe understaffed... always waited for service... and even if they were doing something on the computer and not serving another guest, they never acknowledged your presence. This is the only service area that was negative. This would have been my third time in Jamaica, and my favourite resort to date if you look at the overall service food and accommodation. We stayed at the Riu next door which was nicer and newer, however found the resort a bit bigger than my liking, and the food was good but not as good as the Jewel. We would definitely look at staying there again if we returned to Ocho Rios; however, next trip, hoping to make it to Negril. Highly recommend the Jewel Dunn’s River, it is a great property a Big Bang for your buck...

Grand Decameron Montego Beach: Beautiful humans

Spent an amazing week at this resort, met the most beautiful people and had the time of me life. The bar staff keep me super drunk while the entertainment crew keep me more than happy. Food was subpar but eatable. I would definitely recommend. Great beach, great times! Thanks for all the love, respect

Grand Decameron Cornwall Beach: Amazing resort

Royal Decameron cornwall beach was an exquisite experience with the beautiful beach fancy room and amazing food i would recommend this facility to everyone. The entertainment staff really make your experience a special one. The staff were very polite and accommodating