Hummingbirds, Jerk & Beach Days: My Jamaica FAM With The Jamaican Tourist Board

In June 2025 I travelled to Jamaica on a familiarisation trip hosted by the Jamaica Tourist Board. I have sent many clients to the island over the years, but this visit was all about getting under the skin of different areas and resorts: who they suit, how they feel, and what the overall experience is really like.

We covered Ocho Rios, Montego Bay and Negril, visiting a wide range of hotels from intimate, character properties to large all‑inclusive family resorts and adults‑only hideaways. There was also plenty of time for jerk chicken, waterfalls, hummingbirds and a few rum punches along the way of course – you can’ t visit Jamaica and not sample a rum or two!

Here is how the week unfolded and what stood out for me…

First Stop: Couples Tower Isle, Ocho Rios

We flew out on 7 June 2025 and headed straight to Couples Tower Isle in Ocho Rios for our first stay. After the journey, that first glimpse of the sea and the clean, white sand at the resort felt was what I needed. We had some free time on arrival to settle in, explore a little and start to get a feel for the property – I really liked the feel of the hotel it felt homely and it felt smaller than it was ..  I stayed in a Deluxe Ocean View

Morning Hummingbird Searching

The next morning, after breakfast, I went out early with one mission: to find a hummingbird!  I had seen a few flashes of colour the day before and was determined to spot more.

What started as a simple wander around the gardens turned into a lovely mission completed! I bumped into one of the gardeners, explained I was hunting for hummingbirds, and he very kindly took me under his wing (no pun intended). He walked me around the grounds, pointed out the plants they love and showed me exactly where to stand and wait.

Once I knew where to look, I suddenly saw them everywhere: tiny, iridescent flashes zipping between the flowers. It was a lovely, unhurried way to start the day and gave me a real sense of how lush and alive the gardens are at Couples Tower Isle – I will include some of the photos taken!

Dunn’s River Falls, Mystic Mountain & Island Village

After my wildlife fix, we headed out to experience some of the classic Ocho Rios highlights.

Dunn’s River Falls

First up: Dunn’s River Falls. I had heard so much about it from clients, but climbing it myself was a different story. The climb was definitely longer and more challenging than I had expected, but it was a lot of fun and very rewarding.

You move up the cascades in a chain, helping each other over rocks and through pools. It is wet, slippery, and there is a fair bit of clambering involved, so I would always recommend proper water shoes and a reasonable level of mobility. For those who are up for it, it is a brilliant, shared experience and something you genuinely remember – I am glad I invested in good water shoes!

Lunch At Scotchies

All that climbing worked up an appetite, so lunch at Scotchies was very welcome. This is a well‑known jerk hotspot and a great place to introduce clients to proper Jamaican jerk chicken and pork. It is rustic, smoky and full of flavour. If I send you to Jamaica, there is a good chance “jerk at Scotchies” will feature as one of my recommendations!

Mystic Mountain & Island Village

In the afternoon we headed to Mystic Mountain, an adventure park tucked into the rainforest with a mix of attractions and great views back over Ocho Rios. It is ideal for clients who like a bit of activity with their scenery – we went up in a chair lift and then we did the raggamuffin coaster and we couldn’t leave without doing the Rainforest bobsled! Which was fun powering through the forest controlling our very own bobsled that was fun!

We then explored Island Village, a lively little area with shops and entertainment that works well for a wander, a bit of browsing and people watching.

That evening it was back to Couples Tower Isle for dinner and drinks at the pool bar, which gave us a chance to see the resort properly in with some free time – so more relaxed, sociable .. I should also point out at the hotel there is a smaller island you can get a boat over too if you want that “all over tan”

Resort Inspections Around Ocho Rios

The next day was a full hotel‑inspection day around Ocho Rios. These are such an important part of any FAM Trip: you can see room categories, beach quality and general atmosphere with your own eyes, rather than just relying on photos – it was a full on work day …

We visited:

• Couples Sans Souci
• Jamaica Inn – one of my favourite’s great if you want to completely switch off
• Riu Ocho Rios – lot’s of fun here families feature teen club 13-17 yrs 41 x 2 bed family rooms and elevators in each block
• Sandals Dunn’s River – luxury Property adult only

It was useful to see the contrast: from the elegant, timeless charm of Jamaica Inn to the larger, livelier all‑inclusive feel of Riu and Sandals. Each has a place for different client tastes, depending on whether you want quiet sophistication, grown‑up fun, or a busier all‑inclusive experience.

We rounded off the day back at Couples with dinner and a relaxed evening around the pool bar.

Moving West: Trelawny & The Luminous Lagoon

The following morning we checked out and continued along the coast for more resort visits.

We inspected Moon Palace and then Royalton in Trelawny, where we also had lunch. Both cater very well for families and those who like larger resorts with lots of facilities, multiple dining options and plenty for children and teens to do.

Riu Aquarelle & Evening Glow

From there we checked into our next base, Riu Aquarelle, and did a walk‑through of the property. This gave us a good feel for the layout, pools, beach area and room types – this hotel was livelier with a busy pool bar scene! We also had optics and full fridge in our rooms.

In the evening we headed out to the Luminous Lagoon, one of Jamaica’s natural highlights. The water here can glow an electric blue at night thanks to microscopic organisms that light up when disturbed. Gliding through the bioluminescence and watching the water shimmer around the boat is a special experience and one I will happily recommend to clients, especially families and anyone who likes something a little different.

Montego Bay: Big‑Name All‑Inclusives & Multi‑Gen Options

The next day was dedicated to Montego Bay and its big line‑up of resorts.

We visited:

• Riu Montego Bay – a firm favourite – great location
• Hyatt Ziva & Zilara
• Hilton Rose Hall
• The Iberostar resorts, which are particularly strong for multi‑generational stays

Lunch at Iberostar gave us a chance to see how the food offering works in practice and to get a sense of how easily different generations can find their own space within the complex – we found the food to be plentiful and really good buffett with prawns – oysters and lots of different options.

After a full day of walking, note‑taking and inspecting, it was lovely to have some free time back at the Riu to enjoy a drink and simply relax in the pool bar.. This also allowed me to experience the resort as a guest for an hour or two, rather than just another inspection walk through – the Riu had some evening entertainment going on and live music was a much busier vibe to the previous laid-back hotels..

Adults‑Only & Upmarket: Secrets, Breathless & Princess

The next day began with more adults‑focused properties.

We had site inspections at:

• Secrets resorts
• Breathless Montego Bay (very much adults‑only, stylish and sociable in feel)

These are ideal for couples and groups of friends looking for something a little livelier and more contemporary, without children around – I loved the feel of these for sure could see myself being comfortable here.

Palladium & Princess Resorts

We had lunch at the Grand Palladium resort, which offers a big, family‑friendly product with lots of pools and facilities, then moved on to inspect the Princess resort.

That evening we checked into Princess Senses the Mangrove, our home for the next part of the trip. After a full day of resort visits, it was good to unpack, and it was a WOW moment at this hotel!  Even the room with my free-standing bathtub this hotel was right up my street!  We also got to enjoy dinner on site and make the most of some free time in the evening at the bar – where we had some entertainment with dancers and reggae music and then we even headed to the hotel club for some more dancing!

Negril: Cliffs, Sunsets & Character

Our final big touring day focused on Negril, which has a different vibe again: famous for its long beach, laid‑back feel and dramatic cliffs.

We visited:

• Riu Negril
• Couples Negril
• Beaches Negril (a big one for families, with lots of facilities and activities) I was very impressed by its focus on Autism friendly kids club
• Couples Swept Away (romantic, with a lovely stretch of sand) beautiful property
• The Cliff Negril, a boutique clifftop property with a very special feel really lovely hotel although the heavens opened on our visit so the outside was a quick visit!

Seeing The Cliff Negril in person confirmed it as one of those properties I would recommend to clients who want something more intimate and design‑led, rather than a large all‑inclusive.

Rick’s Cafe, Ice Cream & A Bit Of Shopping

No trip to Negril is complete without a visit to Rick’s Cafe. We stopped there for the classic experience: watching cliff divers and soaking up the atmosphere. It does get busy and it is quite a scene, but for those who enjoy a buzzy sundowner spot, it is iconic.

We rounded the afternoon off with a bit of shopping, ice creams and a visit to a chocolate shop, which made a nice, low‑key contrast to the big resort visits.

Back at the Princess resort, we enjoyed a farewell dinner, sharing highlights and favourite properties from the week – and we got to chat about what we will take away from the trip ..

A Last Morning On The Beach

On our final day we had free time on the beach before departure. It was a chance to exhale, look back over a busy but very productive itinerary, and simply enjoy being in Jamaica without a schedule for a couple of hours.

Then it was time to head to the airport and fly home, with a notebook full of impressions and a much clearer sense of which Jamaican resorts will work best for which of my clients.

What I Took Away From Jamaica

Seeing so many different areas and properties in a short space of time reinforced a few things for me:

• Jamaica is incredibly varied: from quiet, classic hotels like Jamaica Inn to large, activity‑packed family resorts and chic adults‑only hideaways.
• The personality of each resort really matters. Two five‑star, all‑inclusive brands can feel completely different on the ground.
• Excursions like Dunn’s River Falls, Mystic Mountain, the Luminous Lagoon and Negril’s cliffs add a real treat to get out into the heart of Jamaica and mix with the locals!
• Places to visit for a traditional patties is Juici Patties in Montego Bay
• The people we met, from the gardener pointing out hummingbirds to the guides and restaurant staff, made a big difference to the warmth of the experience.
• One love bus tour no 1 trip advisor only available from Negril
• Couples hotels have a veggie hut at each resort
• On arrival there are a few lounges Sandals, Couples, Mombay and Secrets at the airport –
• At the Couples Tower Isle I tried Escargot for the first time and was amazing that I had to order more!
• Couples resorts is a strict NO tipping resort The Couples Tower was the first all inclusive hotel..
• Couples Sans Souci has a ground floor beach front suite for disabled clients and adapted room – all couples resorts have a no swim suit needed beach!
• The Jamaica inn is very quiet with no clocks and no TV is great to get away and unwind it is on the sand beach front – offers a complimentary boat to dunns river and arrives early to beat the crowds – menu change daily kids over 10 welcome – Deluxe Veranda Suite are good for mobility  needs
• Iberostar is leading in sustainability – produce own electricity and no water bottles etc
• Palladium Grand and Hamilton are next to each other and 23 acres 1054 rooms with 2 elevators – signature level receive extra benefits  - 2^nd largest pool in Jamaica
• Princess Senses – water villas -24hr room service butler service – babysitting service at a local charge -kids club for 3 years (parents stay if not potty trained) sports centre and a casino – also feature pleasure suites with pleasure kit and ceilings come with mirrors
• From what I experienced on this trip, LGBTQ+ couples who are discreet and low‑key generally did not attract attention

If you are considering Jamaica for your next holiday or honeymoon, I would love to share more detail on the resorts I visited and help match you to the right part of the island and the right hotel for your style, whether that is barefoot boutique, adults‑only luxury or a big, multi‑generational all‑inclusive with something for everyone.

Contact me to start planning your own Jamaican escape.