Jamaica packs a punch
Having once waited for a coach for 40+ minutes at Luton to take me back to my car in an off-site car park, now I always book the extras that make my holiday even better. So my journey to the airport started with a private limo service, which dropped me off outside the Terminal door. Once through check-in and security, my next stop was the airport lounge. Quite a few of my colleagues were off to Jamaica too, so it was a perfect way to meet and catch up, away from the airport hubbub.
Our first resort was Sandals Negril Beach Resort and Spa, located along the island's legendary Seven-Mile Beach on the North West coast. I arrived late in the evening and I went down for dinner, feeling rather weary. The waiters and waitresses were absolutely fantastic – fun, professional and friendly, and it was a real boost after a long day travelling. A quick recce after dinner brought me to The White Party, complete with chocolate buffet and the entertainment team members wearing glitter and angel wings. Maybe this was heaven after all.
Next morning, I looked out at the view from my room – in the dark of the evening before, I had thought my room was overlooking a small road, but my room was actually right on the beach front. In fact, I’d been allocated a Paradise Honeymoon Beachfront Grande Luxe Club Level Room, complete with champagne in the fridge, and wines and spirits also to enjoy – and all kept topped up during my stay. There’s “all-inclusive” and there’s “high-end all-inclusive” and this was definitely high-end all-inclusive. Another bonus of my accommodation was that I could enjoy Club Level Concierge service and exclusive entry to Club Sandals.
There’s a whole range of restaurants to try out which was great fun. I did have a few favourites – however, the level of service and quality of food was very high in each one. You could go to an a la carte restaurant like Barefoot for an evening under the stars or book to enjoy the fun and fire at Kimonos, or opt for something more casual. Every time, the staff were excellent and they really were a highlight of my stay – there’s nothing like a fist bump and a “Respec” in place of a handshake to make you feel like one of the locals.
It was great to start my day with a long, relaxing breakfast looking over the ocean, and enjoying the watersports taking place. The resort has a daily newspaper listing Dining Guide, Entertainment Schedule, Fitness Schedule and Deals & Steals, so it’s easy to pick out what you want to do during the day, bag a bargain at the Spa and decide where you are going to dine in the evening.
There are several pools to enjoy and you can always find a quiet spot, if you don’t want to get involved in the fun around the pool. Generally, after a long day on the fantastic beach, spent sunbathing, snorkelling, reading or going out on the glass-bottom boat to see the starfish, I’d retreat to one of the bars for a signature Jamaican drink and watching the sun catch fire before heading off to get changed for dinner. The sunsets at Negril are listed in the Top 100 Reasons to visit Jamaica, and they are truly spectacular.
It was not all relaxation of course – the Resorts Sales Manager gave me a tour of the higher accommodation categories - stunning.
The resort is a lovely place to get married, and several weddings took place during my stay, ranging from an intimate party to larger gatherings. With the all-inclusive amenities and activities of Sandals Resorts, including gourmet dining, and stylish suites, it’s a stress-free place to have your wedding – and there’s even special offers for a free “Beautiful Beginnings wedding” if you stay a certain number of nights. I met many couples who were celebrating their honeymoon there too – a great choice, given Sandals was voted "Top All–Inclusive Resorts for Honeymoons" by Brides magazine.
If you want to go outside the resort, there are some unique excursions and scenic drives I’d recommend. However, all too soon, it was time to set off for the next resort - Sandals South Coast. I was intrigued to see how this would differ from the vibrant Negril.
Sandals South Coast resort is set on a 2-mile stretch of Jamaica's south coast's white-sand beach and it features three distinctive European Villages: French, Dutch & Italian. My room was in the Italian village - this time I was allocated an Italian Beachfront Club Level Junior Suite, where once again a dedicated concierge was available to handle any special requests and reservations. Check-in takes place in the Club Lounge while sipping a glass of champagne, which is a very civilised way to start your holiday.
As always, there was a range of restaurants and bars to experience and the many fire pits were great places to chill out and chat to your fellow guests.
I spent most of my time during the day at the pool of the Dutch village as it was smaller and quiet. However, if you like fun and activities, just head to one of the other pools where they have well-organised entertainment, such as couples scavenger hunt and pool volleyball.
There was a range of watersports here too – scuba diving and courses, snorkelling, glass bottom boat trips, sailing, kayaking, waterskiing, windsurfing and paddle board.
Again I had a tour of the accommodation which gave me an excellent insight as to what’s available in each category.
What I noticed about both Resorts was that on the site maps, they look quite spread-out but in fact, they were both easy to get around. The quality of the all-inclusive food, drink and activities is uniformly high - and the staff excellent.
Setting off back to the UK, another highlight was the lounge at Kingston airport. The staff are top notch and they worked tirelessly to ensure their guests could relax (and the Jamaican patties were on endless supply).
If you’re thinking of going to Jamaica or anywhere else in the Caribbean, I have lots of hints, tips and contacts to help you make the most of your holiday, so do call me on 020 3432 2510 to have a chat about your plans.