So we're planning a destination wedding. We're not really familiar with the resorts except for some brochures we've received. Only one of us has been to an AI resort (in riviera maya) once.

So far we almost booked Sandals Montego Bay, but some bad reviews and some other policies are turning us off so we figured if this is our special day, might as well look at all options.


I was wondering if you guys could provide some alternatives to this resort. We like Jamaica, but our hearts are not set on it. This is basically our main criteria:

Caribbean
All inclusive
Affordable (< $4000 total for us/wk, < $1200/person for guests for 4 nights)

English-speaking
GOOD food with OPTIONS
adult only
beachfront rooms with ocean views

What we liked about montego bay:
close to airport
buildings had an island feel, didn't look like large hotels, seems smaller than a lot of other resorts. We want it to feel like a resort, not a hotel.
most buildings were beachfront
numerous restaurants and transfers to other resorts
basic wedding, reception, and rehearsal dinner are comped if you have enough guests.

things we don't like:
resort is basically across the street from runway.
butler service seems nice but might alienate guests who don't have it
room designs are old and "loud"
pools seem small and swim-up bar will be very far from where we are staying.


things we liked about other resorts so far, mainly couples, iberostar, secrets...

sunset weddings are available (may or may not be important, but the option is nice)
can book wedding now and decide about rooms later
some of the pools and swim-up bars are AMAZING

main ages will be late 20's/30's with some elderly guests, so something close to the airport and accessible would be better)
prefer simple, laid-back, restful to hustle/bustle

The Secrects and Iberostars in Mexico get really great reviews. If you are interested in Montego Bay either one of those resorts would work. Couples Negril is nice. Negril is also a nicer area compared to Montego Bay, but about a 90 minute drive from the airport. Might not be condusive for your guests.

We've been to 2 Sandals and don't feel like we got our monies worth. The Sandals in Montego Bay and Negril are their older resorts and do not get good reviews. Sandals Whitehouse outside of Negril, gets the better reviews. Sandals Dunn River in Ocho Rios use to get decent reviews before they closed it. Again, a Secrets or Iberostar would be a better choice for what you stated you were looking for.

Is there anywhere else besides Jamaica and Mexico that you'd recommend? or does it become too pricey?

this will be the middle of next novemeber, which should be far enough out of hurricane season?

Try Curacao.

"this will be the middle of next novemeber, which should be far enough out of hurricane season?"

Don't mean to be a spoil sport but that is still during hurricane season (it officially ends Nov. 30). There is a storm down there right now.

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/graphics_at1...daynl#contents

Chances are you will be fine, but you should know that it is possible.

Curacao does not have good adult only AI resorts or amazing pools and swim-up bars. Did you even read the question?

Adult only and AI. Your options are Mexico, Jamaica and The Dominican Republic. They are also going to be your less expensive options. Unless you consider Sandals, which has resorts on other Islands, but don't think those will meet your budget.

If you would consider changing some of your critieria, I would suggest Aruba. The Manchebo is adult only, but not AI. However, you do not need an AI in Aruba. There are tons of great restuarants and bars and easy to get to. If you want AI and not adult only, then the RIU or Occidental would work. However, I don't think adult only is really an issue in Aruba either. You'll find the pools and swim-up bars at the RIU and Occidental that you're looking for. Arbua meets most of your criteria, and in November the weather should be fine there.

Instead of Montego Bay in Jamaica, look at Negril. It's lovely, much smaller, and there are a number of all-inclusive resorts on the gorgeous 7-mile beach there.

Negril is WELL worth the 90 min. drive from the airport. It's inexpensive ($20 per person), a beautiful drive along the coast, AND you end up in Negril (which is fabulous).

I would also look at the Mayan Riviera in Mexico (Caribbean coast outside Cancun) because it has everything you are seeking and loads of AI options. Again though, you have a bit of a trek from the airport (like an hour or so). To get anywhere laid back, I think you need to accept the idea you aren't going to be really close to an airport.

Thanks everyone for all the options. I could go for Negrill except I have to be concerned with a 90 minute drive after a 4+ hour plane flight and customs, etc. There will be people in their 60's and perhaps 80's at this wedding. It would be fine for us to do the drive but I have my guests to consider as well.

Further it has to be AI because I don't want anyone to have to worry about where to eat, how much money they brought with them, etc.

For future trips we may wind up going elsewhere, but Montego Bay seems to be our best destination for what we're planning this time.

We're narrowed down to 3: Sandals Montego Bay, Royal Caribbean, or Secrets Wild Orchid/St James

Unless you stay in Cancun, the Mayan Riveria will have about an hour drive to the resorts. If you consider Cancun, look at the Royal Cancun or Le Blanc. We've been to Cancun twice and was not a favorite, but does meet your criteria.

Aruba is a long flight, but the airport is about 15 minutes to all the hotels. Eagle Beach is gorgues and I have seen many pics of sunset wedding there.

Another option would be Cozumel, MX. Look at the Sabor at Wyndham Cozumel Resort and Spa. It's adult only AI and they have the amazing pools and swim-up bars. It's about 20 - 30 minutes or so from the airport. The only downside of this hotel (at leaset for us) is if you want to leave the resort and go into the town of San Miguel, it's the same distance and can be an added expesnive for cab fare. I would check and see if they have a shuttle. However, for your older guests, it may not be an issue. We honeymooned in Cozumel and loved it so much we've been back 3 more times. Of all the places we've been too, Cozumel is our abslolute favorite.

Avoid Sandals in Montego Bay like the plague. They are their older resorts and not as well kept up as their newer ones. They are overly expensive for what you get and I don't think they will mmet your budget requirments. For a destination wedding with guests, I don't think the atmopshere is well suited. It's a honeymoon/couples only resort chain, not a family resort. You're guests may feel out of place. I believe also the rooms must be booked as a "couple". If you have single guests they will have to bunk with someone. They are better suited for elopement type weddings. Secrets really has that same type of atmosphere, but not as much. I would go with the Iberostar Grand Rose Hall.

I don't like Montego Bay at all. I was just in Negril recently and everyone in our party was in their 60's. There's nothing hard about the drive, you have a prearranged shuttle, they pick you up outside the airport and off you go. I'm not sure why this would be difficult for people of any age.

Honestly if you don't want to do the drive, I would not recommend Jamaica. MoBay can be a bit rough outside the resorts. Not a place I'd be comfortable taking older relatives, that's for sure!

For what you describe, I would re-look at Cancun. You can fly directly in, it has more of the type of resort you are looking for. You haven't mentioned it specifically but the way you refer to the ages of your guests, I'm guessing perhaps some of them might not be regular "travelers"? Personally I would not be comfortable bringing a group like that into Jamaica.

I'm really confused. Why is Montego Bay so terrible?

I don't want it to sound like I don't appreciate the advice, because I do, but here are the points that I am trying to convey. It's not as though we haven't looked at all these countries.

Mexico has very strict wedding regulations that would impact the timing of the event. Further if possible we would prefer English-speaking employees. There is also a lot of turmoil going on in that country. I've also read horror stories about their police, doctors, and government.

The DR easily costs $400 more per couple for airfare than Jamaica, and again there is an issue with language barriers.

That leaves Jamaica. I have guests staying for 4 nights and don't want them spending half their first and last day traveling if I can minimize it.

We just want to relax on the beach. Having excusrions available is great, but really why would I expect any of them to wander off the resort by themselves? The point is to relax in paradise and see a wedding, right?

Is there a problem with locals being violent at the resorts in Montego Bay?

What are "travelers?"

MoBay is not "terrible" but I found it a bit scary, and I travel quite a bit.

Sorry, by "travelers" I only meant people who regularly leave the U.S. and travel internationally. Who would not be phased by being in a somewhat exotic and foreign, even 'edgy' atmosphere. Landing at Santander airport is a real trip (sometimes it takes hours to get thru immigration and customs).

No I have never heard of violence from locals at a resort, no. But in Jamaica sometimes you do encounter resentment from locals against tourists ('rich Americans'). People do hassle and hussle you. There's a chip-on-the-shoulder attitude there on occasion, something I've never experienced in Mexico.

What about in the DR? are things different there?

The two islands have completely different atmosphere. And remember the DR is Spanish-speaking which you said you didn't want (and is he other 1/2 of the island of Haiti). I haven't been in the Dominican Republic since the 80's (Santo Domingo, Sosua, Puerto Plata) so cannot speak to the current situation there.

But they are both poor islands, and I think you do often get this kind of dynamic when you have "rich" tourists vacationing in very poor places.

Hopefully someone who has recently flown in and gone to the new resort developments at Punta Cana will chime in and give you some current information about that as an option.

I was in Jamaica as recently as this past summer. I actually love it there mysaelf, but it's more of an adventure trip than my other usual destinations. I've been to Mexico 21x over the past decade or so (Puerto Vallarta, Cabo San Lucas, and La Paz) where I always receive an extremely warm welcome from local people (they love their tourists!) and have always felt completely safe in the places I've gone.

To me, and this is my opinion, Jamaica is really not an Island that I would go too if I was not a avid traveler. It took us 5 years and several destinations before we ever went to Jamaica just due to the horror stories regarding that Island. We did not have any issues on our trip and loved it. We want to return to Ocho Rios someday, but I personally would not leave the hotel property unless on a guided tour or in a taxi. Some people will, we won't. That's a personal decision. If you want to just chill out at a resort and take guided tours than Montego Bay is fine.

Mexico has been given a bad rap due to the media and people not understanding the actual location of the areas that are affected. We've been going for 10 years and are returning in December. We have no qualms. If it's doesn't fit your marriage criteria, that's up to you, but do not cross off your list just because of what you read or heard. Before all this happened, Jamaica was actually considered the worst Island to visit for safety reasons. The employees at the resorts in Mexico speak good English. Never had an issue of not being able to communicate.

I haven't been to the DR in a while and there is a reason for that. I don't like the atmosphere, there is not anything interesting to us to do off property, we don't like huge mega complexes, etc. Like Suze doesn't like Montego Bay, we don't like the DR, and like she prefers Purerta Vallarta, we prefer Playa del Carmen. It's a personal choice. Don't let a personal choice cloud your decision. Do the research instead and make up your own mind.

It looks like you heart is set on Montego Bay. Do some more research if you still have qualms. Have you read the forums and hotels reviews on Trip Advisor? It might help with your decision.

If you interested, here's our pic site of our trips. It might also help with making a decision:

http://community.webshots.com/user/kvrlvn