Michelle and Carl

We are trying to decide on an all inclusive in Jamaica. We'd like to hear from anyone who has been to Couples. The amenities sound good but their web site was not as specific as Sandals. Can anyone help us? Out of the Sandals resorts, we've narrowed it down to Negril or Dunns River. Any feedback.

joan

my husband and i have planned a trip to couples over the memorial day holiday. we researched the area resorts and found couples to be the only place where everyone had only good reviews. we heard of several bad experiences at the sandals resorts, too crowded and too many forced activities. one thing we discovered about couples is they have side trips to dunns riverfalls, shopping shuttles to ocho rios, plantation tours and sunset cruises all included in your original package. none of the other resorts offer anything of this nature. they also have horseback riding on the premises. there are five different restraunts for your dining pleasures, this is pretty much the same at sandals. just somethings you may want to think about. keep in mind, no matter where you all decide to go ya'll will have a nice trip. if you want more info,feel free to email us. good luck

Jay

Hi there!! I've been to Couples twice and loved loved loved it (1996 and 1997). If you are interested in our trip report email me.

I'm not really sure about Sandals as I have never been but their brochures look nice.

You could check out these to sites for information on Couples, I hope they help you out!
www.zoomnet.net/~dpi/ or www.best.com/~ctr/jam.htm

good luck
Jay

heather

My fiance and I have booked a wedding/honeymoon trip to Couples for June 1998. All of the reviews I have read in this site have been good concerning the resort and what it has to offer. We are very excited and looking forward to the trip. Would like to hear from Jay regaring his experience at Couples. We chose Couples over Sandals because of the 750.00 we would have been charged for the wedding. You get the same things at Couples and the wedding is complimentary. We'll let you know how we liked it.
Heather

Gwen

We have been to both Couples and to a Sandals (not Negril or Dunn's River, though - we were at Sandals Royal Jamaican). Both were very nice resorts and in our experience you couldn't go wrong with either. Couples is very green and lush, and the view from the balconies of the Oceanview rooms is spectacular. However, I would have to say that we preferred Sandals Royal Jamaican over Couples because both the service and the food were much better. We were treated like royalty at all times at Sandals, whereas at Couples we encountered some less-than-friendly staff and simply weren't pampered to the same degree as at Sandals. The food was good and there was plenty of it at Couples, but at Sandals there was an even greater variety, and a number of meals we had were among the best we've ever had at a restaurant. Contrary to some reports, I did not find that we were at any time pressured to participate in activities at Sandals (and I am someone who, for the most part, prefers to lie in a hammock reading a book when I'm on vacation, while my husband runs around participating in various activities). I hope this helps, and I am sure you will have a wonderful vacation no matter which you choose!

Jay - Trip Report for Couples

I have been to couples twice and stayed, both trips, in an Oceanview deluxe room. They are somewhat bigger than the other rooms and I did see some pretty small rooms in the middle section of the resort.

Personally, I would request to stay in their "new section" (400 series suites). Couples will always do their very best to accommodate you. I would recommend the new section because they are "brand new" - all the decorating and furniture is new, and you have partial ocean view (although, in our brochures in Canada, they advertise as ocean view) and the decor is elaborate. But, if you don't like the room you are offered, just go to the lobby and tell them, they will switch you if they can. They have one section of the hotel which doesn't have balconies, and I love balconies. I was in this section the first time I went but after a quick visit to the lobby to request a room with a balcony, they switched my room that very day.



There is a couples site at www.couples.com and they will list all the details you want. They also have a 1-800-Couples telephone number and you can order a brochure with fantastic pictures and details about the property.

Restaurants (No reservations ever required at Couples)

Dinner:

They have 1 ultra formal restaurant (air conditioned); men must where shirts with collars and no sandals are allowed - - but the service is to die for!! (we wore formal attire and most men wear sports jackets). The food is amazing and they have a rotating 2 week menu.

They also have another indoor air conditioned restaurant that is not so formal, but the dress was not too casual (almost like business casual for the Caribbean). The service at this restaurant was again fantastic and the food was very good.

They have the most gorgeous Italian restaurant that juts out onto the water, it's quite a treat and it's open air. The dress is informal. The food here is basic Italian (no surprises) and they offer a salad and dessert buffet.



Dinner/Lunch/Breakfast

Buffet. The dress is informal. For breakfast coffee is served and the selection is large. Bacon, eggs, omletes, fresh juices, breads, pancakes, fruit, cereal and the list goes on.... For lunch they serve a great Gewertraminer wine and again a good assortment to choose from the buffet. Dinner again is a vast assortment of meats, vegetables, etc. and the wine is french white or red.

Morning/Noon and Night

Beach Grill which serves hamburgers, fries, hotdogs, jerk chicken throughout the day and night.

Room Service Breakfast

You can also enjoy continental breakfast in your room each day which is served at your request between the hours of (I believe) 7-9AM which we loved for a quiet morning to sit on the balcony and reflect. Then should you want something more substantial you could always go to the buffet later (which we did on many occasions)

There isn't a swim up pool bar on the island side of the resort but is one at the nude island, which they will take you to and from many times throughout the day but you "have to" take your clothes off to stay (it's about a 2 minute boat ride, you can see the people on the island with binoculars!). We went twice but didn't have the nerve to walk around, so picked a spot at the far end of the other side to tan in private, but maybe if we had gone more often we would have gotten braver than we were. Most people that went to the nude island surprisingly enough were over 40. But it is beautiful and very tastefully done.

There is a fair size pool and many hottubs around the resort which is a real treat!

The property is very lush at the front (and verrrrry private - this is where the hot-tubs for two are). The beach isn't too big and there is no beach bar but the outdoor bar is close enough. They also have a long pier that you could sit out and soak up some late afternoon rays on (which was really nice at about 3:00).

They offer Dunns River Falls (the climb) included in there package, and they have shopping trips and golf. They also have snorkeling, and all kinds of water sports. They have at their property directly across the street, tennis courts and horseback riding.

There is nightly entertainment, but it stops at about 11:00pm. The piano bar stays open until the last person leaves (most nights people sing around the piano -- lots of fun)

It really is a great place for romance, food, service, and of course, the weather. It's well worth it.