Beaches at Sandy Bay

[bakalorber]

Anybody here ever do a beaches family vacation. I am looking at the Sandy Bay location. They seem to have some really good deals now (50 percent off) It would be 2600 for 2 adults 2 kids including airfare for 5 nights. They include food and drinks for the vacation.

 

[Beehn]

Yep, We did Beaches Sandy Bay about 4 years ago. I wasn't very impressed. We were there for a wedding, and were told that it was almost the same as Beaches Negril. They were nothing alike! I think there were only 2 resturants at Sandy Bay, the rest were over at Negril. The water park area is also at Negril, and the beach area is much larger at Negril. The rooms are also much nicer at Negril. There is a bus service that runs between the 2 resorts. Of course that works, but it isn't ideal. Sandy Bay does have a nice small beach, a simple little pool and a few of the water sports that you can do. We had several other problems, that all added up to a less than perfect vacation. I know we'll never go back to Sandy Bay again. I might say "yes" to the Beaches resort on Turks and Caicos....but I won't do Jamaica again. Hope that helps.

 

[bakalorber]

Thanks for the info. I found some bad reviews on sandy bay too.

 

[tam626]

Sounded like a good deal until I read about the reviews. That's too bad.

 

[jagafen]

Try checking out Beaches Negril, or Beaches Boscobel (Near Ocho Rios) as alternatives. Sandy Bay does not get very good reviews. We LOVE Negril (have stayed in different hotels/resorts, not Beaches). Negril is very laid back. If I was dead set on staying near Negril, I'd stay at the Beaches Negril rather than Sandy Bay...it's cheaper due to fewer ameneties as other posters have mentioned. Beaches Boscobel gets great reviews as well. FWIW, we are booked a Boscobel this summer....since we've been to Negril, we decided to check out a different area of Jamaica this time around. Good luck!

 

[ccudmore]

We did Beaches Boscobel 2 years ago and loved it. It was especially great for the younger kids with the Sesame Street theme. Our (then) 9 year old son even really got into the whole theme while he was there and ended up dancing with Cookie Monster. Kids programs were great. And the water park was a huge hit. I enjoyed having the SCUBA diving included. Food was pretty good, but I've had better at all inclusive resorts. But the menu for kids was really well done.

 

[l_kelly]

I'd like to offer a different perspective. My family has stayed at Beaches Sandy Bay 3 times and we love it. We went in 2002, 2004, and 2007. We could have stayed at Negril or Boscobel but we always chose Sandy Bay. When you stay at Sandy Bay you have full priveleges at Negril, so occasionally we would go there in the evening to try a different restaurant or check out the water park. But Sandy Bay has something that Negril doesn't have...a quiet laid back feeling and rooms that are steps from the ocean. The staff there is wonderful. Each time we hired one of the lovely ladies from the child care to be our personal nanny for our vacation (a luxury made possible due to the lower cost of Sandy Bay). They became like part of our family by the end of the week. We are still in touch with each of them.

The food is not the greatest (except for the jerk chicken at the beach side snack shack...that is fabulous!). But it's no better at Negril. And Sandy Bay is just so relaxing.

Anyway, enjoy your vacation wherever you go...but if you are looking for a relaxing place with a gorgeous, uncrowded beach you might take a second look at Sandy Bay.

Lisa