Trip Report to Jamaica & Boscobel Beach <BR>( Very Long! ) <BR> <BR>We (my husband and I, with our 3 children ages 13, 10 & 8) arrived in Jamaica around 2:30 pm. Another flight had arrived just ahead of us, so we had a long wait getting through immigration, but we were already in vacation mode and didn't care about the wait, after all, what good would getting upset do?! Our only concern at that point was….will our bus wait for us? No Problem! We found our way quickly, waited less than 5 minutes before we were shuffled out the door and taken to our bus. Everyone seemed to know what bus went in what direction, so my advise, tip the gentleman who gets you on the right bus. As long as the bus driver knows what resort you're going to, you'll get there. Typically, your bus will carry passengers getting off at a variety of resorts along the way. <BR>The trip to Boscobel is quite the experience if you've never traveled in Jamaica before! Although nerve wracking at times, your driver does know what he is doing and will get you to your resort safely. After a few bus trips, you do get used to it….it's just a different way of driving from what we're used to. If you get motion sickness easily or are afraid of what you might see out the front window, sit in the middle of the bus. The bus ride is just over 2 hours long. (The resort is located about 10 minutes east of Ocho Rios in what seemed to be a quiet, residential area) On all occasions, the buses were air-conditioned and very clean. Both coming and going, we made a rest stop half way. This was an ideal time to stretch the legs, use the washroom, and get a snack if you needed one. My advise is to bring something to drink or snack on along the way as I found the prices to be on the expensive side at the rest stops, but if you're craving that Red Stripe or a Ting….you pay what you have to! <BR>Arriving at Boscobel Beach, someone is right there to take your bags for you. After getting checked in, they will then take your bags to your room. Every room at Boscobel is unique. We had requested a junior suite with day beds for the kids, so that's what we got…..a king size bed for us, 2 day beds and a cot for the kids (each having their own bed). The room and bathroom were clean, comfortable in size and in excellent condition. I saw other rooms which had bunkbeds and other bed configurations, so ask your travel agent to request a room setup that would best suit your family's needs. The air conditioning worked very well, most of the time we had it on the lowest setting. There was a small fridge in the room which contained a few bottles of flavored soda which was restocked daily if you drank any of them. A coffee maker and coffee and tea was also provided. There is also a TV with cable service in the room (for as rarely as you actually watch TV there!). Our only problem we ever ran into, we had a fan in the room that didn't work. There was plenty of air flow from the air conditioning, but the added movement from the fan would have helped to dry out our wet clothes faster. We mentioned it to the front desk, but we were hardly worried about getting it fixed. I suspect they preferred to wait until the room was vacated before making a mess. From my understanding, renovations and upgrading is a constant happening at Boscobel, but you would never know it. We happened to stumble upon a section of the hotel under renovations strictly by accident….we were exploring! And we only noticed it because a door to one of the rooms was left open and you could see the room had been newly painted and decorated. Otherwise, there were no signs! <BR>Food was served ongoing from 7:30 am - 9:00 pm from 5 different restaurants (with a midnight buffet at the Terrace from 11:30 pm - 1:00 am) You could also order room service for a continental breakfast. The Bar-B-Q Park offered kids fare (hotdogs, hamburgers, fries, ice cream, desserts, etc.) The Beach grill also offered hotdogs, hamburgers and fries, but also jerk chicken and pork, chicken burgers and spicy beef patties. The kids loved to go to the Terrace for most of their meals (so did the adults!) There was always such a selection! Everyday your breakfast, lunch and dinner selections changed. Usually there were at least 2 different (meat) Jamaican dishes to try at every meal. Everything from, jerk chicken, ackee and saltfish, callaloo, curried goat, etc. For those not so adventurous, there was always a wide selection of other dishes to try (pork kebobs, beef steak, stirfrys, lamb, roast beef, fish of every description, etc.) Lots of choices for accompaniments - a variety of rice dishes, potato dishes, pasta dishes and vegetable dishes, a large selection of salads, soup, breads, crackers, cheese and sausage, fruits and fresh vegetables. And the dessert selection! What choice! I gained 10 pounds just looking at it! There was also kids fare at the Terrace- pizza, hotdogs, chicken nuggets, pasta, ice cream, etc. <BR>Typically, you filled your plate at the Terrace and then wait to be seated (no wait really…you walked over to the sign, they asked how many in your party, and they seated you at an appropriate table) A waiter would then arrive, fill your water glass and take a drink order. Your water glass was typically refilled on a regular basis, sometimes you'd be asked if you wanted another drink, but expect to wander over to the bar if you want another. <BR>The nicer you are, the more you smile, and the more respect you show those who work there, the better you are treated, and the better service you will get. If you're rude and miserable to those that work there, who would want to be around you?! You will get what you deserve…which is nothing! The people who work in the resorts work long hard days (roughly 12 hours a day, 6 - 7 days a week), and get paid very little. They have very little time for a life outside of the resort, yet they are forever happy. Always singing and dancing and trying to entertain you. So show some respect, and tell them how much you appreciate what they do for you. A simple smile and a 'thank you' will go a long way. They say tipping is not allowed at the resorts, but gifts are very much appreciated. We had 3 individuals who went out of their way to make our stay extra special. On the last day, we gave them each a gift as our way to say ' thank you '. Inside the gift, we left a tip…which we stipulated…was not a tip, but a gift. <BR>The 2 other restaurants at the resort, the Allegro and the Pavilion are a MUST to try. Both are casual/dressy (no shorts; long pants for men are a must, and a nice golf shirt works well; sundresses or pants for women). The Allegro is an adult only restaurant featuring an Italian menu for dinner. The Allegro also serves breakfast (but we never tried it). The Pavilion is for everyone, however, their dinner menu is limited yet different every day of the week. We always stopped by the Pavilion in the morning to see what was being served that night, before making any decision as to where to dine that evening. The Allegro and Pavilion both require reservations. Since we were there during the quiet season, we could still make reservations at the last possible moment. <BR>There are 5 bars all together. The main one is at the Terrace. Attached to it (on the lower back side) is another one which serves the pool area. There is one at the adult pool, an indoor piano bar in the adult only section of the resort, and a nightclub called 'The Escape Hatch', downstairs from the main lobby. You can also get Red Stripe beer at the Beach Grill. All bars served premium brand alcohol if you requested something specific. Most of the time, however, your drinks were made with local brands (which I have to say are excellent!) I lived on far too many pina colada's, dirty banana's, purple rain's, and my all time favorite, deep blue sea! <BR>The beach is small in size, but very nice. Beautiful clean white sand (they cleaned it every day). The beach is also private, so we never worried about the kids wandering off, or the dangers that a public beach might entail. The beach area was more than sufficient for us. One drawback…..it wasn't long enough for a moonlight stroll. Never encountered jelly fish, sand fleas, etc. And, there were always plenty of chairs available. If you have small children, I recommend bringing sand pails and shovels if you have the extra room to pack them. They're available for purchase at the resort, but like everything else, they are expensive. Expect to get a bit of exercise if you want a drink however. The employees do an excellent job cleaning up after you (collecting all your empty glasses and plates off the beach), but they expect that if you want a drink, you'll go get one. <BR>The grounds were beautiful. Clean, well manicured and an abundance of fragrant blooming bushes. The resort is built on a hill, so expect to walk up and down many stairs to get to the beach and boardwalk. There is an elevator that will take you down to the beach. Although slow, it was in fine working order while we were there. <BR>Activities: Everyday, from 9:00 am - 10 pm there are activities going on all over the resort for kids and adults alike. Everyday, they post a new list of the days activities. There are 4 kids clubs: the Tiny Town for babies to age 3; the Bear Bungalow for 4 - 7 year olds; the Boscobel Bunch for 8 - 12 year olds; and the Jump-Up Club for 13 and up. At any time, you can drop off (or pick up) your kids from these clubs. There are also 'super nannies' who will look after your children before and after these hours, or if you require your child(ren) to have one on one supervision throughout the day. Supernannies cost $3.00 / hour/ family up to 3 children. Although my children didn't spend much time in the clubs, they did enjoy the time they did spend there, and the nannies seemed to genuinely care for the kids they were looking after. <BR>There were also organized adult activities on the go all day. Such activities as; tennis lessons, aquasize, aerobics, family charades, soccer/domino/beach volleyball/table tennis tournaments, dancing, arts and crafts, etc. Whether or not you participated in any of these activities, was entirely up to you. Some activities were known as 'supercent events'. Participating in an activity which they deemed a 'supercent event' earned you 'supercents' which you could cash in at the end of your trip for such things as; t-shirts, rum, frisbees, cards, etc. Every evening, there was always entertainment which started around 6 pm on the Terrace stage. Everything from local bands, comedy skits, and fashion shows. Some nights there were beach parties, Piano Bar sing-a-longs or movies playing in the Escape Hatch. Every day it was something different. <BR>As for other activities, there are 4 tennis courts, a small zoo with farm animals and a dog named Khobii (make sure you say 'hi' to him!), a playground, fitness centre, table tennis, pool tables, beach volleyball, basketball, video arcade, adult only pool and hot tub, main pool & kiddie pool. Then there are the watersport activities, which included; sailing, snorkeling, banana boat ride, catamaran, windsurfing, kayaking, water-skiing, glass bottom boat ride and scuba diving. It's always a good idea to check in with the watersports office in the morning to book in a time if you want to water-ski or snorkel that day. Plans to scuba dive also have to made in advance. <BR>One night a week (for us it was Wednesday), local people were allowed to set up tables <BR>with their varies crafts and wares for you to purchase. This was a great opportunity for you to pick up gifts such as carvings, shells, jewelry, pottery, paintings, t-shirts, etc. without the pushiness you would encounter at the markets. (although I did enjoy the experience of going to a market in Ocho Rios) Also, check out the one vendor per day who is allowed to sell his wares on the boardwalk. <BR>Other services provided at the resort included, a gift shop by the entrance, a beach shop on the boardwalk, a duty free shop which also served as a cambio, a beauty salon - $60 for a full hairbraiding, $30 for half a head and $1 per single braid, a body treatment centre (for massages), laundry facilities, slot machines and a tour desk. The tour desk offered a wide range of tours. Everything from a Blue Mountain bicycle tour, rafting, sunset cruises, fishing trips, climbing Dunn's River Falls and shopping in Ocho Rios. If you plan on taking only one tour while there, I highly recommend the Ocho Rios Highlight Tour. This one gives you a chance to see a little of everything. <BR>All in all, we had a wonderful time at Boscobel Beach and would definitely recommend it to others! <BR> <BR>If you have more specific questions, feel free to email me at: [email protected] <BR> <BR>Cathy <BR>

I agree! We just got back from The Boscobel Beach Resort last Friday, 2/4/00! We had a wonderful time! See my trip report on this same forum <BR>

Hi Cathy, <BR> <BR>I have read some of the other reviews in this forum. Most are very positive but the one about the dirty, discusting rooms (complete with bugs) really upset me. Did you hear of any guests while you were there expriencing these problems? My sister-in-law just got back yesterday and was unable to even stay at Boscobel most of the week due to overbooking. I think that by the time she got there, she just couldn't say anything good. The situation was not handled well. Sounds like she just wasn't impressed at all! My family will be going at the end of April. Any suggestions for special requests? Should I upgrade to a one bedroom? Help! <BR> <BR>Thanks, <BR> <BR>Maria

Hi Maria, <BR>Just got back from boscohell beach, not a typo...I'm sorry to report that after having been in Jamaica once before and loving it. This time I can't say the same thing...Traveled with my hubby and 2 kids ages 9 and 6.along with friends, 2 adults and their 3 kids..First we requested rooms close together, didn't get that...AA lost my kid's luggage for over 10 hours, had to purchase bathing suits, etc. for my kids the first day...Then,they found luggage couldnt explain where it had been. Resort was no help whatsoever...We are not silver-spoon fed people but the accomodations were less than desirable...We left our rooms at 815 each a.m. to have breakfast and beach it, returned to our rooms at 5:00 p.m. to relax, shower and get ready for dinner, only to find out that our rooms had not been cleaned as yet, had to call main desk complaining and then had to wait for the room attendant to show up and clean ...This happened on more than one occasion....not happy!!!!The food was mediocre at best same thing every day, execpt Allegro rest. only decetn meal we had there. The 2 nannies we hired to watch our kids that evevning were very good to the children, we were very pleased about that...We had an army of ants in our room by the third nite, they came and sprayed....not happy....You had to fight to get beach towels each day. No buckets,pails and shovels,,,,You have to buy them there..not happy, having been advised that everything was provided.You must make reservations for the glass bottom boat a day in advance as the same boat is used for the banana boat and the waterskiing....not available at all times....the craft making was alot of fun for the kids and the moms...Relaxing too!!! the drinks you request are not always available, run out of bananas and Absolut alot We felt we had to beg, borrow and steal half of the time we were there...Very aggravating!!!!!!!!The people that work there are not the most accomodating either, unlike our first trip to the island(we stayed at Sandals Mobay thaat time)and loved it by the way I love Jamaica and most of the people there but this resort was not worth one quarter of what we paid to go&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;I'm sorry to say!!!!!!NOT SO IRIE MON!!!!!

Ditto, Ditto, Ditto. Kind of a disgusting place. <BR> <BR>My husband had money stolen out of his shirt pocket. Security covers there own. We felt unsafe most of the time. <BR> <BR>Their attitudes were poor, acted like we were an imposition. <BR> <BR>With all of the places to go, don't go there.

Can anyone provide any more recent information? We are planning to go in August. Thanks!

Im going next week. I'll let you know. <BR>

How it got a 5 star rating is beyond me. It was the dirtiest resort I have ever experienced. Alive and dead cockroaches everywhere you looked. don't wear jewerlry unless you want it stolen. don't carry money on you. <BR> <BR>We felt like we were going to be jumped or robbed all of the time. <BR> <BR>go to a safer plce.

GREAT!!!! My in-laws say we should save money and go to Jamaica (Boscobel Beach) and not Hawaii, but having read so many negative messages I think Hawaii sounds better and better. Been there twice and loved every minute of my vacation! It is expensive but maybe this time we'll do an all-inclusive.

All inclusive in hawaii? I think not,unless you know something no one else in the world does. They simply do not exist in hawaii.

Kay, I know a couple that did go to Maui and stayed at an all-inclusive. I asked what about going sight seeing, guess the place gave them tokens for food, etc.