Our Jamaica 2023 Escape: Negril, Beachfront Resorts & Island Flavours part 1
This time we decided to head for Negril. I had heard so many good things about its beautiful beaches and great restaurants, so we booked return Virgin Atlantic flights in Economy Class to Montego Bay. We were really surprised to find both flights completely full, especially as we were not travelling in a school holiday period and it was technically low season in the Caribbean. June can be part of the rainy season, but we were very lucky: we enjoyed many hot, sunny days relaxing on the beach.
We split our stay between two properties: three nights at Azul Beach Resort on an all inclusive basis, followed by four nights at Sandy Haven Resort on a bed and breakfast basis.
We flew from London Heathrow, with a total flying time of around 12 hours to Montego Bay including a short stop in Nassau, Bahamas of just over 90 minutes. You remain on the aircraft in Nassau and do not need to recheck your luggage, as bags are tagged through to the final destination.
We also pre-booked VIP Attractions, which included fast track immigration, meet and greet, and access to the Club Mobay lounge on both arrival and departure. It was absolutely worth the money. As we stepped off the plane we were met by a Mobay representative holding a board with my name, then escorted straight to the fast track lane for immigration. We genuinely felt like rock stars as we sailed past the queues at passport control.
After collecting our luggage we were guided to the lounge, where we could help ourselves to snacks and drinks, including rum punch and Red Stripe beer. Our rep was very friendly and polite and it was lovely to have a comfortable place to relax before our transfer to the hotel. The package we booked, which included meet and greet plus lounge access on arrival and departure, cost 83 US dollars per person and we both felt it represented excellent value.
Our shared transfer to Negril took around two hours. There was quite a bit of traffic around Montego Bay, but our driver had a few shortcuts and drove like Lewis Hamilton, so we made good time.
On arrival at our first hotel, Azul Beach Resort, we were welcomed with a refreshing drink and personally greeted by the General Manager, Jose, which was a nice touch. The lobby is bright and inviting, with lovely views of the sea. Once checked in, we were taken to our room, 10301 in building 10, and it was absolutely stunning. We had been given a complimentary upgrade to a spacious suite with a separate lounge area, bedroom and a fantastic view of the beach. The bathroom was impressive too, with a separate shower and bath plus his and hers sinks.
As we arrived late on the first evening, we went to the main buffet restaurant for dinner. It was Mexican theme night, with plenty of choice, but we are not huge fans of buffets for dinner so it was more about convenience that night.
The next morning we woke up properly able to appreciate just how lovely our room was. The minibar was restocked daily with beers and soft drinks, and we were only a two minute walk from the beach. The resort offers different room types, including swim-up rooms and adults-only sections, and in total there are 283 suites.
There are two main options for breakfast and we tried both. Each offered a buffet breakfast with a wide range of hot dishes like omelettes and pancakes, as well as continental items such as cold meats and pastries.
After breakfast we would head straight to the beach to relax. Sunbeds and beach towels are provided free of charge. The hotel sits on a beautiful stretch of Negril’s white sand, and we were amazed at how warm the sea was, like bath water. During our three nights at Azul, we spent most of our time swimming and soaking up the sun.
We did manage to book Ackee, the Jamaican speciality restaurant, which has lovely sea views and serves excellent local cuisine. We really enjoyed our meal there. We were disappointed not to fit in Hua Hin, the Thai restaurant, on this visit. The speciality restaurants (Thai, Italian and Jamaican) all need to be pre-booked in advance. We also tried Garfield Beach House for lunch, which was great for jerk chicken and other Jamaican favourites.
Our three nights flew by. We especially loved the coffee shop, which is included in the all inclusive package and serves teas, coffees, cakes, ice creams, milkshakes and snacks throughout the day until 11 pm. The resort also has a great spa, kids club, nine bars and seven swimming pools. We saw plenty of families with very well behaved children. Overall, we felt this hotel works really well for couples, singles and families, and we would happily return.
After our stay at Azul Beach Resort, we took a local taxi to our next hotel, Sandy Haven Resort, also in Negril. The journey took about five minutes and cost 15 US dollars. On arrival we were again welcomed with a drink and greeted by Rohan, the Reservations Manager, and Edwardo, both of whom were very friendly. We were delighted to receive another complimentary room upgrade, this time to a lovely room overlooking the beach.
