Sandals Resorts and other All inclusives

[tvictory]

There's a Club Med in San Salvador (Bahamas) where the diving is good. There is also Riding Rock Inn which is all-inclusive as to meals and diving, but I don't know that you'd call it a "resort". Sunset Waters on Curacao is AI (and even throws in the beer/wine/booze).

 

[fjsala]

We did Sandals Whitehouse in Jamaica for our honeymoon and loved it, the diving 2 times per day already included was excelent.

 

[mike_s]

hey Mike... are you on the Couples message boards too?

No.. I'm not on the Couples message board, but I can try to answer anything you want via PM or here. (I didn't realize they had a message board)

As soon as I read this post I thought... no! Don't go to Sandals. Go to Couples!

I was told that Sandals based themselves off the concept of Couples and took it further with marketing and multiple locations.

Listen to Mike! He's getting me excited, and we've already booked! We are going to Couples Swept Away in Negril for our wedding in Jan. 2008 and we couldn't be happier. As Mike mentioned, the diving is all included, as is golf, a catamaran cruise, glass bottom boat trip and snorkeling. You can get continental breakfast delivered to your room in the mornings, and they have flag service for drinks on the beach.
The resort looks amazing and romantic in it's lush setting. The service is supposed to be top notch, and already I can vouch for that. One inquiry about food selection for my celiac sister in-law and I got a prompt reply from their executive chef stating that they will prepare special dishes for her and assign someone to give her personal daily assistance with her meal planning. Wow!

One thing to note about Couples in Negril. There is Couples Negril and Couples Swept-Away Negril. Swept Away was ownded by the same parent company, but they only "branded" them the same in recent years and I think allowed you to "share" amentities between the resorts in the last couple years.

Couples Negril is where we stayed. It had everything you mentioned above except for golf being all-inclusive. (Maybe it was, but I don't remember it).

The continental breakfast to the room is the way to go. They serve the best coffee you've ever had. Jamacian Blue Mountain Coffee. Buy some and bring it back (helpfull hint: it's about the same price in the airport as anywhere else on the island, like alcohol is, if you want to wait to the last minute to buy).

The flag on the beach for drink service is great also, but just remember that nobody in the islands gets in any hurry, so drink service anywhere there is not "lickidy-split". (just order in advance of running out of your drink, or order in a large glass).

Great infomation Debbie and Mike. I have been doing lots of reasearch and Couples Negril has came up severl times. I have a friend staying at Ocho Rios in May so I can get a report from her.

I've been to Couples Ocho Rios as well. It's a very nice resort but is an older property, but the building had a lot of character to it. it's set up so you interact more with the other guests and they sometimes seat you with other guests at dinner. The staff was much more friendly than Negril (not that the Negril staff wasn't friendly though).

We just thought this resort had more 'character'.

Mike,
How was the food at Couples Negril?

The food at Couples Negril was good. They have a "large buffett" restuarant, a fancy type restaurant (slacks and dress), and annother out on the deck that does outdoor candlelight meals. Durig the day the last one does burgers,etc. They also do some buffetts around the pool at night some nights.

While the food at Couples Negril was good, I thought it was much better at couples Ocho Rios. Ocho Rios had a GREAT Italian restaurant.

What about the booze. did they have a good selection of beer and top shelf liquour?

The booze was good. They had top shelf and most brands of beer that you are used to in the US, however, you had to ask for top shelf. The margaritas and daquiries were made using standard Jamacian rum and were a little on the "light side". You had to ask them to add a little 'kicker' to it. The rum punch they made with 151 proof though was "just about right"

Does the dive boat pic you up right at the resort?

Ocho Rios and Negril had 36 to 40' Newton Dive specials. In Negril they had a nice dock. In Negril they anchored if off shore and ran you out from the shore in a small runabout. It wasn't a problem though. The boat stays right at the resort all the time so you didn't have to leave the resort to get on the boat.

Is transportation easy if you want to venture out to the other couples resorts?

Swept Away in Negril wasn't part of the plan that you could use their resort when I went, so that wasn't availble. They however do several tours throughout the week that Couples provides the transportation. This includes a "shopping tour", A trip to Ricks Cafe, etc. For these trips they use a transport service that takes you in small mini buses (toyota vans, etc).

We went shopping on our own one day and arranged with the resort to provide a driver for us. It ended up being the same driver that took us to Rick's Cafe the night before. He took us all over to shop at different small shops and we were able to keep our shoppings bags in his van. he was a pretty good "tour guide" of the island/area also which was nice. It was well worth hiring him out. I think for a half day it cost us somewhere around $35 bucks(plus tip), which I thought was pretty resonable.

sorry for the long response, but trying to answer everyones questions.

 

[DiverDebbie]

Mike - great and thorough write ups about Couples... thanks I sent all the dive details to the divers in our group who are going.
I'll add that I don't think Couples has the "stay at one, play at all' like Sandals does. Although honestly, who'd want to spend all their time going from one resort to another. Couples Swept Away (CSA) has an older, original section as well as new development, but the older rooms have been updated (no frills or flowery prints - all very earthy tones) Some even have hammocks on their huge verandahs. The property is all low-rise buildings of 4-12 units per building, all set in the vegetation. CSA has about 6 or 7 restaurants, from Thai and a very formal one, to a veggie bar and all night grill. I hear the food is very good, but I can't vouch for it yet. I think they have 6 or 7 bars on the property too. As for the beach flag service, that is incredibly lazy, isn't it? ...especially when the beach bar is right there! For the athletic types it has a full fitness centre with a gym, big lap pool, and courts for every racquet sport. Couples Negril is on Bloody Bay and CSA is on 7 mile beach.
The diving would be exactly the same sites from Couples Negril and CSA I'm sure, since they are only 5-10 minutes apart. I'm personally not at all interested in Ocho Rios, for the diving, the beaches, the additional rainfall, or the mega cruise ports. Both Negril Couples resorts look fabulous though. It was tough to decide.

 

[mike_s]

One more note about Couples Negril.

You have three choices of rooms.

• Garden view- means you can't see the ocean as its on the back of the property. The 'garden' (trees bushes) blocks the view and it's further back.
• Ocean View. These are in buildings that are closer to the ocean. It is still not a perfect ocean view.
• Oceanfront Suite - these are in the end of the building that the oceanview rooms are in. They are the rooms closest to the ocean. They aren't a real suite, but are rooms that are twice as big with a large sitting area. You also get a bathroom that is just freakin huge with huge tub. The balcony/patio is twice as big also and has a hammock on it that the other rooms don't, plus a table and chairs. The only other items is that it has an all inclusive stocked bar and mini fridge in it. (this was nice).

We stayed in the Ocean Front suite in Negril. The suite was nice and all with the extra features and being so close to the beach, but in review it was not worth the extra money they wanted for it. If we went back, we'd most likely opt for the garden view room, only because the ocean view rooms weren't that great of a view now that the trees have grown up a good bit. (that might be solved if another hurricane hits and reduces the trees).

 

[DiverDebbie]

(that might be solved if another hurricane hits and reduces the trees).

:11: Let's hope not!!!
I think the trees obstruct much of the views at CSA too, at least in the original section. I don't care. I'd rather get stuck behind the trees than have them gone!
We had a to-die-for perfect 180 view from our little 3.5 star in MoBay in a standard room. It was nice, but honestly, how much time are you in there?

 

[del_mo]

Grand Lido Negril might be an option. Check out skyauction.com and bid if you like what you see. It's a fine adults-only facility, two one-tank dives per day (nights available but at a cost).

 

[mike_s]

Grand Lido Negril might be an option. Check out skyauction.com and bid if you like what you see. It's a fine adults-only facility, two one-tank dives per day (nights available but at a cost).

Grand Lido is very nice.


You'll dive the same spots there as Couples and Sandals.

I've only been to the resort once and didn't spend much time there, but I was pretty impressed by it.

They used to have Princess Grace's yacht anchored at the resort and take guests on cruises, but I think they've sold it (or something).

 

[Willar]

Diving around Negril Jamaica is very good. It is not Bonaire or Cozumel, but the water is very clear and normally 83-85F all year long. Seas are normally calm and there is a good selection of dive sites.

Couples Negril is on Bloody Bay which has a great beach but is not on the main "7-mile beach" of Negril. Couples Swept Away is on the "7-mile beach" (actually named Long Bay) which is very, very nice. Sandals Negril is also on this same beach.

You can walk almost the full length and have plenty of places to stop and have a drink or dinner. I have walked this beach plenty of times and it is a very nice stroll, especially early in the morning. Great sunsets almost every night! Long Bay is protected by a reef so the water all along the beach is very calm. This is a great bay to sail Hobie Cats, ride PWC's, parasail, or snorkle.

Grand Lido Negril is on beautiful Bloody Bay and is the highest rated resort in Negril, and is frequently named as a Top Ten Caribbean Resort by several magazines. Grand Lido is know for outstanding service and outstanding food. Of course, the price reflects the quality. (The ship M/Y Zein was sold about 2 years ago.)

The Wife and I enjoy Hedonism II, right next door to Sandals Negril. It has a bit wilder reputation than the more staid Sandals or Grand Lido. If you want to laugh until your side hurts, sing in the piano bar, stay up all night dancing, climb the rock wall, swing on the trapeze, get nekkid on the beach, and just generally have a higher energy vacation, Hedo II can't be beat. To learn more try http://www.DennyP.com for a great Hedo II board.

The best board I've found for info on all Sandals resorts is Debbie's Tropic Travel Online. http://www.tropictravelonline.com/

Congratulations and best wishes!

 

[DiverDebbie]

The Grand Lido does look nice. It was on our list, but when our quotes came in it was absolutely ridiculousy highly priced. I hate to split hairs, but the Grand Lido has in fact been beat out by Couples, which Travel and Leisure rates 11th in the Caribbean (for CSA), and they are way up on the Conde Naste Gold list as well.
Hedonisom might be a tad wild for a honeymoon or wedding.
Really looking forward more and more to diving in Negril!

http://www.travelandleisure.com/worldsbest/2006/results.cfm?cat=hotelscabeba
http://www.couples.com/08newsletterF.htm