Melissa

I am trying to narrow down all-inclusive possibilities for my June 1998 Honeymoon. Any info on the following resorts, suggestions, etc?
Thanks.

Eileen

My husband & I spent our honeymoon at Ciboney in Ocho Rios in June 1996, & while we had a good time I would not go back there again. Are you definitely set on Jamaica? It is my least favorite Caribbean Island due to the lack of safety outside your resort "compound". Resort-wise, I can only discuss Ciboney, which came highly recommended to us by friends. (Maybe we just enjoy different types of vacations?!) Anyway, None of the rooms are close to the water, and we had to stand on our toes and look over trees in the distance to get a small glimpse of it! To reach the beach you have to wait for an always packed hot bus and cross a busy highway. When you finally get there, it is very small, and the waiters at the nearby snackbar & restaurant will not bring drinks to you in your lounge chair. It's more of a do it yourself type of place. The rooms are small but clean, and the help is generally friendly. Many people may not mind all these things, and perhaps if I had been on a college trip with friends would have found it more appropriate. But I expected more service and luxury for my honeymoon, especially with the prices they charge! If you want to be around 500 other people who are honeymooning along with you, in a cattle call like atmosphere, then this is the place for you!. If I ever went back to Jamaica, I'd stay at the Half Moon Resort or the San Souci Lido- I've heard great things about both. Have fun whatever you decide! (P.S. Have you considered Cabo San Lucas? I was there last summer for our one year anniversary and wished we had gone there for our Honeymoon. Absolute luxury, beauty & service abound, with tons to do and see. We stayed at the Hotel Palmilla and can't wait to go back!)

Judy

I'm a travel agent and have sent many people to Swept Away and they tend to go back again and again! It's in Negril which has one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. Sandals resorts are nice but tend to be like a camp for adults....I think if you go to Swept Away, you won't be disappointed!

Elka Enola

Just came back from a week in a Royal Suite at Sandals Montego Bay, Jamaica.

It could not have been further from 'a camp for adults'! The suites have concierge service and you could not ask for more accommodating or personalized service. The Royal suites are the only 'real suites' in that resort. The other 'suites' just have a little table and chair!! Never, not ever, were we 'organized'. There are people there to help you do activities, if that's what you want. We didn't and no one bugged us. We played billiards, cards, chess, checkers, kayaked, used the pedal boat etc... all at our leisure. However, I agree, that Jamaica is not my favourite island... mostly because of the lack of safety. We are off later this week to Sandals Antigua. So I guess we were pleased with the Sandals quality. For us, it was worth every penny.

laura

My husband & I have been to both Sandals Royal Bahamian and Sandals Ocho Rios. I do not feel as though the resorts are "camps for adults." There are plenty of activities, but you may participate if you like. Our first Sandals trip was for our honeymoon, and we did not interact much with the other guests. However, our second trip was for a vacation and we really enjoyed participating in several of the games. The staff was very friendly and there were several different restaurants serving a variety of food. We enjoy diving, and scuba is included. For us, this helps to justify the high cost.

L Chauvin

Hello, We were married at Sandals Ocho Rios on Feb 10th, and I was
wondering if you want to compare notes- Very rushed meeting with the
wedding coordinator when we arrived at the resort--rushing to pick
music,flowers. etc.) Not organized-not detail oriented-- ------- I was
very dissapointed in the photos- which we paid $140.00 extra to have a
package of 13 taken. They all were dark~!! The photographer and wedding
coordinator said it was the lab.......I will take the negatives to a lab
today to see what they say- but I don't think it's the lab....I studied
photography in college- and the pictures are terrible!!! Also, the video
was very poor quality- my voice was cut off in part of the video, and
the rest of the video you could not hear the voices of the minister my
husband and myself -Granted- we were married on the gazebo on the water-
yet they should have adjusted their microphones! We cannot re-create the
moment The other dissapointment was that the whole ceremoney,
"reception" and photography was very rushed- The ceremoney was at 4:00-
the best part was the ministers' words, then we were wisked away quickly
to a reception area - we sat down and then the wedding coordinator
orchestrated the cutting of the cake- the champagne toast, the dance
quickly...then the photographer said he wanted to take photos-(photos
should have been taken first!!!!. I think we were in the reception area
for a whole 1/2 hour-( The whole thing was not the typical "slow
jamaican way".... our wedding was the mo st rushed part of our trip I
thought that after the photos were taken, we would be able to go back to
the reception area, and have some drinks, yet they had already cleared
everything away. I was very mad but blew it off in anticipation of the
"great photos and video" we would be getting-- I was expecting great
photography- a great video- The experience was fine, but not as great as
it should have been, or as they advertised- I called Sandals customer
service when we returned, ( 4 days ago) , yet no return call- I plan on
writing to "Butch" the owner to complain and get a refund of the wedding
fee and photography fee.. I have been to "Couples" in Ocho Rios several
years ago, and wish we would have gone there to get married. The only
reason I didn't choose this resort was because I had been there with a
different person, and thought it would be tacky- I am glad they are
opening a Couples in Negril- because that is where we plan to go next.
The service- just everything at Couples was perfect-I have not one
complaint about Couples- It is fun and very elegant-best service!
Sandals always has something to sell you- and not all of the employees
are friendly- To top it off, two nights before we left- our room had no
hot water- and the water was brown- When I called they said they were
fixing the hot water heater-and did not accomodate us to take showers in
another room- as they said they were booked. We got a decent rate for
Sandals -$1,200. pp including air- Thank god we didn't pay more- The
only positive I can say is that they did upgrade us to a grande lux room
when we first arrived ( when I asked for a complimentary room upgrade)
(But all the rooms at Couples are more elegant and romantic- Sandals
rooms are very plain and lower end-the bathrooms were run down as well-)
Yet , when we arrived at sandals- some received champagne-some didn't-
very unorganized-I didn't get offered champagne- It was like herding
cattle at Sandals- Couples takes more time for individual attention-
Couples was much more friendy- much better service- just better-- I do
not recommend Sandals to anyone- Do yourself a favor and go to Couples-
they do not advertise like Sandals- but they are 100 time better- My
neighbors were married at Couples, and their wedding video was awsome co
mpared to ours- Couples really took time to make everything in their
wedding perfect-- -------------------- Thanks, Lynn in MI
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