We stayed at this resort Feb/Mar 06. Sandals is couples only and all-inclusive so I have given it a poor rating for family friendly - but is definitely adult friendly!!!
ARRIVAL After passing through immegration we were directed to the Sandals desk where they took our details and luggage then invited us to wait in their lounge where beer, water, soft drinks and coffee/tea were available free of charge on a help yourself basis.
We were called forward for the transport to Grande Ocho Rios and our cases were moved and loaded for us. It is approx a 2hr journey from the airport to the resort and the road leaves much to be desired, it is in the process of being upgraded/built and our driver told us that this had been going on since the year 2000. It is more like a road on a construction site and is very bumpy and littered with rocks and potholes. We were the only 2 in the transport and the driver said normally they would stop for a "comfort break" but we requested he just carry on.
We have stayed at Sandals in St Lucia so knew what to expect, a wet towel and a glass of sparkling wine whilst checking in - they failed to offer either of these and had also upgraded us from the room we had requested. We explained we didn't want the upgrade and specifically
asked for the room we had booked, they couldn't do anything for us for 2 nights but we eventually got what we wanted. When you arrive your luggage is unloaded by the "bell-hops" and taken to your room, it is also collected from outside your door before departure so no struggling! Also when we moved they collected it from the villa and delivered it to our new room whilst we were out enjoying ourselves - Great!
THE RESORT Sandals Grande Ocho Rios is actually 2 resorts in one, there is the Manor side and the Riveria side. The Manor side has what is known as the Manor House with approx 38 rooms & suites, some overlook the mountains and others the main pool and ocean. This side of the resort also has villas dotted around the gardens and some of these are quite private as well as some being on quite a steep hill. However "jitneys" (little golf cart type things) are available 24hrs and all you do is phone for one and they will pick you up and take you were you want to go. The Manor side also has the "great pool" which has a swim-up bar and cabanas.
A bus runs approx every 10mins to the Riveria side (and back!) and takes about 2 mins, there is a walk if you prefer but you have to cross quite a busy road and it is all uphill on return! The bus runs from 7am - 2.30am so is always available (last bar shuts at 2am!). We didn't stay on the Riveria side but visited frequently as that's where the beach and beach club are. The pool isn't as big or as grand as the one at the Manor and never busy as I think most go to the bigger one.
Watersports are available and these can all be found on the website so I won't list them, there is also a glass bottomed boat which goes out twice a day and is free.
There is plenty of daytime entertainment organised by the "Playmakers" if you want it and entertainment is provided everynight but mainly on the Riviera side at the amphitheatre.
Each side has a gift shop and photo shop, photographers walk around day and night asking if you would like photos taken and you can view them before buying. Everything in the shops and all the tours etc are priced in US$ - Jamaican dollars are very rarely used.
FOOD & DRINK The Service of all staff from housekeeping to managers could not be faulted, they are friendly and nothing is too much trouble. The bar occassionally run out of Jack Daniels & Absolute vodka but was usually stocked up again by the next night (Smirnoff was also available). Other premium brand drinks available were Tanaquerry & Beefeater gin, Cointreau, Drambuie, Dewars, Teachers & Chivas Regal whisky, Jim Beam and Harveys Bristol Cream to name a few!. However you can only get Red Stripe as a draft 'beer' - nothing else and no bottled beers. There was also only local brand Rum (well it is Jamaica!!)Bacardi and Malibu type drinks and all liqueurs were also local - but hey they all taste the same in a cocktail which I can more than vouch for! Bear in mind though if you don't ask for the premium brand drink you'll get the local one!
In the buffet restaurants (2 of) food was good quality and varied but as with most buffets not very hot, you get used to this! You can get fresh omelettes at breakfast, as well as cereals, fruits, pastrys and cooked food. Fresh cooked pasta is available at lunch and dinner with a variety of sauces but as with the omlettes you have to wait for it to be cooked (neither take very long). We tried most of the restaurants apart from the "posh" Italian. For this one, the chinese and the mexican you have to just turn up and stand in line - they do not allow you to book for any of the eateries - waiting can be a pain but if you want to eat early then there usually isn't too much of a wait. If you arrive later they will take your name and send you off to the bar then call you out. The food in the restaurants was a'la carte and as it was cooked to order hotter than the buffet food!
ROOMS We had booked an Ocean View Room in the Manor House but they deceided to upgrade us to a villa. We stayed in the villa for 2 nights and although they have semi-private pools (shared between 4) the pools are not clean and we never saw anyone using them. The villas are in blocks of 4 (2 up 2 down) and have a bathroom, bedroom with wardrobe and safe, kitchen with fridge, cooker and sink, a coffee maker, glasses and cups there is also a lounge with a balcony. They are fair sized rooms, the TV is in the bedroom and the lounge has a two seater sofa and a desk. I'm not sure what purpose the kitchen serves as there is nothing to cook with, or eat off and everything is all inclusive. The fridge is stocked with cokes, ginger ale, sprite, water and fruit juice. The one we were in could have done with a bit of a face-lift but it was clean.
The Ocean view rooms in the Manor house have exactly that and are spacious with a coffee maker, TV and mini fridge (stocked as above) with balcony. There are plenty of hangers and hanging space but no doors so your clothes are exposed to the humidity that's always present, there is also a safe for use and and iron and ironing board (available in the villas as well).
Housekeeping visits everday and clean extremely well, if you prefer not to be interrupted there is "Do Not disturb" signs that will be honoured.
SUMMERY For anyone who has not been to a Sandals resort I would recommend this as an introduction and it is not as expensive as some of the others. It will make you want to return - we found Sandals Grande St Lucian slightly better but that was probably because it was our first time at Sandals and we were just overcome with it!!!! We are already planning our next trip to Sandals Antigua next year!
A point you might find interesting - Sandals run a loyalty scheme that you can join after your first visit and you get points based on the nightly rack rate of the room you are staying in, these can be offset against the price of your next Sandals visit, we saved £214 on this holiday just for signing up to their Signature Guest scheme after going to St Lucia for 7 nights. You also get a returning guest gift - we got 2 T-Shirts and a bottle of Jamaican rum!
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I would love to go here, it sounds wonderful. Very well written and informative review xx
flan 13.03.2006 21:25
Seemed like i was really in Jamaica when I read this
snake_plissken 13.03.2006 20:51
Great review, I remember staying close to this complex in Jamaica Jamaica, Runaway Bay, some 15 years ago. What a place...... and what great people. ;-)
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