Someone asked me to post my views about our trip to Beaches Negril, an all inclusive resort in Jamaica, so here it is!
Jammin in Jamaica
Beaches Negril Resort and Spa
March 25 29, 2004
The Cast of Characters: Me (obsessive vacation planner) my overworked husband (now known as Joiner Tom) and our 4 year old daughter (simply The Princess).
We flew from Detroit on Northwest non-stop, which was an uneventful 4-hour flight. Upon arrival in Montego Bay, customs and immigration was a nightmare, with over 300 people waiting in 3 lines. It took almost an hour and a half to get through and proceed to the Sandals/Beaches desk. Once we gave them our name, there was a bunch of confusion among the luggage porters and van drivers about who was going where. After another half hour of waiting around, we boarded our van and headed to Negril. With the new road in place, the ride took a little over an hour. We stopped enroute for beverages (water, pop, beer and mixed drinks) at a roadside stand, where a plaque on the wall read, It is my intention to apply for a liquor license at the next opportunity. At least they had good intentions!
Upon arrival at Beaches Negril, we were welcomed and seated in the reception area. We were given rum punches, keys to our room, and a welcome kit of shampoo, conditioner, body lotion and aloe gel. A bellman took us to our room and we were finally able to relax. It was a long 9 hours of traveling and we were ready for some fun.
Our room was a Honeymoon Grand Luxe Beachfront Concierge. The funny thing is we werent on our honeymoon, the room wasnt very grand or luxe, and we never saw or heard from the concierge. As far as being beachfront I guess you could technically say that beyond the walking path, waterpark construction, and thick patch of lush foliage there was, in fact, a beach. If the wind blew just right you could even catch a glimpse of it from the balcony.
Our room looked exactly like the picture in the brochure, minus the fresh flowers and attractive people. It was definitely showing some signs of wear, including lots of mold in the bathroom. The best feature of the upgraded room was a mini fridge stocked with pop, bottled water and Red Stripe beer. We were in the Savannah block of rooms, which was very centrally located. It was a little noisy at night from the evening activities, but that was a trade off for being close to all of the action during the day.
Now, before you start thinking that this is a negative trip report, let me assure you that after around six rum punches, none of this mattered anymore. It was 85 degrees and sunny, there was a reggae beat in the air and I was with the two people I love most in the world. Life was good.
Let me move on to some of the highlights:
Food The breakfast buffet in The Mill was excellent. Comparable to the buffets on a cruise ship, but with even more variety and incredible fresh fruit. Lunch and dinner in The Mill were good, with a wide variety of options on the buffet. Lunch in the Piazza was pizza or pasta, which Princess and Joiner enjoyed. They also had a Beach Grill with burgers, chicken and pork. Dinner in the Teppanyaki restaurant (reservations required and hard to get) was excellent, with a great variety and a very entertaining chef cooking at your table. We never made to Seville, the adults only restaurant, but talked to several people who did eat there and they all said it was excellent. Overall Id give the food about an eight, but Im not a very picky eater.
Drinks With only 2 bars open during the day, the pool bar was always busy (with sometimes up to 15 people waiting to be served). All drinks are made with the cheap liquor (Appleton Rum) unless you request a specific brand. Princess enjoyed five or six virgin Pina Coladas a day, Joiner switched between rum punches and Red Stripe and I slurped on Strawberry Coladas. The kids soda swim up bar was never open during our stay.
Activities The beach is big and beautiful. Beach and pool chairs were at a premium, with people out at 7 am claiming their turf. We had a hard time finding a spot in the shade, as I am a delicate flower that wilts in the sun. They had security people stationed at both ends of the resorts beach and you had to check in and out to leave the property. They also let selected vendors onto the beach to hawk their wares.
For water sports, the offered kayaks, sailboats, water trikes, banana boat rides and scuba and snorkel trips. The bad news was that you had to be six to participate, which I was unaware of. Princess was a little bummed, to say the least. They let us take a water trike out, but that wasnt quite the thrill she was looking for. They had a water trampoline in the ocean and she and Joiner spent a lot of time out there, where he blatantly ignored the No Jumping Off signs. We tried to rent a jet ski from a guy on the beach, but a big fight broke out over who was going to take our money. The resort security had to intervene and instructed us to return to the resort, so that was the end of that plan.
The water park was not completed, which was another bummer for Princess. The brochure and website said Opening in February 2004, but I dont think anyone let the one guy with a wheelbarrow and a shovel know that he was working on a deadline. February 2005 seems more realistic.
The main pool was always busy and filled with floaty rafts, water volleyball games and water basketball. The pool closed each day around 6 pm for treatment.
The grounds were lush and tropical, with a full staff keeping them meticulously maintained.
The daytime and evening planned activities were a little stale and they were constantly begging for participants. This is where Joiner Tom earned his nickname. He and princess won the sand-sculpting contest, the scavenger hunt and he won several dance contests (Princess yelled out at one point Daddy, you dance like a white boy!). He did a music trivia contest, some follow the leader game, and took a dance class. He miserably lost the hoola hoop contest. He dragged me up for a couples contest, where I spent the whole time praying wed lose soon so I could go potty.
Kids Club - Princess only participated in the kids club when they tie-dyed shirts. There were only four kids in the club for that activity and the other three were much older then her and all knew each other. The staff wasnt very warm and fuzzy, so that was enough for us.
Spa - I spent one morning in the Spa, which was heavenly. Its brand spankin new and I enjoyed a 50-minute massage ($80.00, including service charge). They also offered hair braiding and massages on the beach. The price at the resort for a full head of braids was $80.00, but we walked down the beach a ways and met a delightful gal named Crazy Angela who, along with her two nieces, did Princesses entire head for $40.00.
Summary For us, it was an excellent, relaxing and much needed vacation. I dont know if we could have done it for an entire week, however, as we were fried to a crisp after 3 days. All of the activities revolved around the beach or pool, so it was hard to stay out of the sun.
As far as the resort itself goes, at $430.00 per person per night and $85.00 per child per night, it aint cheap, baby. I would not suggest paying extra for concierge or a beachfront room, as you are really quite a distance from the actual beach. The rooms could use a little sprucing up and some of the staff could be a little friendlier.
The best way to sum up our experience is to say that we arrived at Beaches Negril tired, hungry and stressed out. When we left four days later, everything in life was, No problem, Mon!
Jammin in Jamaica
Beaches Negril Resort and Spa
March 25 29, 2004
The Cast of Characters: Me (obsessive vacation planner) my overworked husband (now known as Joiner Tom) and our 4 year old daughter (simply The Princess).
We flew from Detroit on Northwest non-stop, which was an uneventful 4-hour flight. Upon arrival in Montego Bay, customs and immigration was a nightmare, with over 300 people waiting in 3 lines. It took almost an hour and a half to get through and proceed to the Sandals/Beaches desk. Once we gave them our name, there was a bunch of confusion among the luggage porters and van drivers about who was going where. After another half hour of waiting around, we boarded our van and headed to Negril. With the new road in place, the ride took a little over an hour. We stopped enroute for beverages (water, pop, beer and mixed drinks) at a roadside stand, where a plaque on the wall read, It is my intention to apply for a liquor license at the next opportunity. At least they had good intentions!
Upon arrival at Beaches Negril, we were welcomed and seated in the reception area. We were given rum punches, keys to our room, and a welcome kit of shampoo, conditioner, body lotion and aloe gel. A bellman took us to our room and we were finally able to relax. It was a long 9 hours of traveling and we were ready for some fun.
Our room was a Honeymoon Grand Luxe Beachfront Concierge. The funny thing is we werent on our honeymoon, the room wasnt very grand or luxe, and we never saw or heard from the concierge. As far as being beachfront I guess you could technically say that beyond the walking path, waterpark construction, and thick patch of lush foliage there was, in fact, a beach. If the wind blew just right you could even catch a glimpse of it from the balcony.
Our room looked exactly like the picture in the brochure, minus the fresh flowers and attractive people. It was definitely showing some signs of wear, including lots of mold in the bathroom. The best feature of the upgraded room was a mini fridge stocked with pop, bottled water and Red Stripe beer. We were in the Savannah block of rooms, which was very centrally located. It was a little noisy at night from the evening activities, but that was a trade off for being close to all of the action during the day.
Now, before you start thinking that this is a negative trip report, let me assure you that after around six rum punches, none of this mattered anymore. It was 85 degrees and sunny, there was a reggae beat in the air and I was with the two people I love most in the world. Life was good.
Let me move on to some of the highlights:
Food The breakfast buffet in The Mill was excellent. Comparable to the buffets on a cruise ship, but with even more variety and incredible fresh fruit. Lunch and dinner in The Mill were good, with a wide variety of options on the buffet. Lunch in the Piazza was pizza or pasta, which Princess and Joiner enjoyed. They also had a Beach Grill with burgers, chicken and pork. Dinner in the Teppanyaki restaurant (reservations required and hard to get) was excellent, with a great variety and a very entertaining chef cooking at your table. We never made to Seville, the adults only restaurant, but talked to several people who did eat there and they all said it was excellent. Overall Id give the food about an eight, but Im not a very picky eater.
Drinks With only 2 bars open during the day, the pool bar was always busy (with sometimes up to 15 people waiting to be served). All drinks are made with the cheap liquor (Appleton Rum) unless you request a specific brand. Princess enjoyed five or six virgin Pina Coladas a day, Joiner switched between rum punches and Red Stripe and I slurped on Strawberry Coladas. The kids soda swim up bar was never open during our stay.
Activities The beach is big and beautiful. Beach and pool chairs were at a premium, with people out at 7 am claiming their turf. We had a hard time finding a spot in the shade, as I am a delicate flower that wilts in the sun. They had security people stationed at both ends of the resorts beach and you had to check in and out to leave the property. They also let selected vendors onto the beach to hawk their wares.
For water sports, the offered kayaks, sailboats, water trikes, banana boat rides and scuba and snorkel trips. The bad news was that you had to be six to participate, which I was unaware of. Princess was a little bummed, to say the least. They let us take a water trike out, but that wasnt quite the thrill she was looking for. They had a water trampoline in the ocean and she and Joiner spent a lot of time out there, where he blatantly ignored the No Jumping Off signs. We tried to rent a jet ski from a guy on the beach, but a big fight broke out over who was going to take our money. The resort security had to intervene and instructed us to return to the resort, so that was the end of that plan.
The water park was not completed, which was another bummer for Princess. The brochure and website said Opening in February 2004, but I dont think anyone let the one guy with a wheelbarrow and a shovel know that he was working on a deadline. February 2005 seems more realistic.
The main pool was always busy and filled with floaty rafts, water volleyball games and water basketball. The pool closed each day around 6 pm for treatment.
The grounds were lush and tropical, with a full staff keeping them meticulously maintained.
The daytime and evening planned activities were a little stale and they were constantly begging for participants. This is where Joiner Tom earned his nickname. He and princess won the sand-sculpting contest, the scavenger hunt and he won several dance contests (Princess yelled out at one point Daddy, you dance like a white boy!). He did a music trivia contest, some follow the leader game, and took a dance class. He miserably lost the hoola hoop contest. He dragged me up for a couples contest, where I spent the whole time praying wed lose soon so I could go potty.
Kids Club - Princess only participated in the kids club when they tie-dyed shirts. There were only four kids in the club for that activity and the other three were much older then her and all knew each other. The staff wasnt very warm and fuzzy, so that was enough for us.
Spa - I spent one morning in the Spa, which was heavenly. Its brand spankin new and I enjoyed a 50-minute massage ($80.00, including service charge). They also offered hair braiding and massages on the beach. The price at the resort for a full head of braids was $80.00, but we walked down the beach a ways and met a delightful gal named Crazy Angela who, along with her two nieces, did Princesses entire head for $40.00.
Summary For us, it was an excellent, relaxing and much needed vacation. I dont know if we could have done it for an entire week, however, as we were fried to a crisp after 3 days. All of the activities revolved around the beach or pool, so it was hard to stay out of the sun.
As far as the resort itself goes, at $430.00 per person per night and $85.00 per child per night, it aint cheap, baby. I would not suggest paying extra for concierge or a beachfront room, as you are really quite a distance from the actual beach. The rooms could use a little sprucing up and some of the staff could be a little friendlier.
The best way to sum up our experience is to say that we arrived at Beaches Negril tired, hungry and stressed out. When we left four days later, everything in life was, No problem, Mon!
Been there, done that, won't be returning.
