Julie

HI,<BR>we are planning on going to Jack Tar - MOntego Bay (or posibly puerto plata) for the thanksgiving weekend...<BR>does anyone have any pros or cons to staying there? how is the nightlife right at the hotel? is there a disco of some sort? is it far from local entertainment? clubs/bars around the hotel somewhere? who stays there? it's supposed to be all adults, but is it a younger or older crowd? how would we get there from the montego bay airport (we don't have transfers).<BR>Thanks for any help you can offer us!<BR>

cdt

Jack Tar MoBay is VERY close to the airport - you can watch incoming planes from your beach.<BR><BR>Assuming they won't agree to drop you in the water in front of your resort, it's just a short taxi ride from the airport to Jack Tar.<BR><BR>Many of the MoBay area resorts are out of town, but JT is right in town - very close to clubs etc., but it's not the safest area to wander around at night. The JT beach is small but you're next door to Doctor's Cave Beach, which is gorgeous, despite the somewhat urban setting.<BR><BR>The water in MoBay is usually clear and calm, with snorkelling not far from shore.<BR><BR>We didn't stay at Jack Tar (we were down the road), so I'm not sure about entertainment right at the resort. My impression from talking to other people was that it draws a fairly young crowd.<BR> <BR><BR>

Julie

Thanks, cdt.<BR>the info is very helpful!

tivertonhouse

Jack Tarr Villages are pretty downscale for the money/perfectly fine for people who like Aruba (shudder the thought)-- but Puerto Plata is the pits. A bettet bet is the Ritz Carlton Rose Hall in Jamaica which often runs special packages of luxe for far less.

Mary

My husband and I stayed at Jack Tar MoBay 1 year ago, it's pretty run down, but we actually had a really fun time. The crowd there is lively. Very true that it's right in town, we walked thru town during the day but would never feel comfortable to at night. There was a great place just down the street called margaritaville. It would be the place to go to dance, there wasn't much of a disco at the 'resort'. all in all we had a great time but i think it was because we just made the best of it. We wouldn't go back or suggest to our friends to stay there.

Sarah

There will be plenty of taxis parked outside the airport that can make the 20 minute trip to the resort. I stayed at Jack Tar for one week in March of 2001 and had a wonderful experience. If you are expecting a sumptuous luxury resort with Vegas-quality shows, then JT is not the place for you. However, if you want generous(and tasty) food and drinks, a nice beach and pool, wonderful staff and somewhat tacky but fun entertainment, then you will enjoy your time at JT! The crowd there was very mixed- both young and old (I think there is an 18yr old age limit), but overall it was a relaxing, low-key enviroment with plenty of opportunities for both activity and relaxation. There is a chinese restaurant at the resort (you must reserve) that offers a break from the buffet, although I prefered the buffet with its selection of fresh fruit, chicken, fish, and pasta. As I mentioned above, the entertainment can be tacky, but the staff puts on shows, tries to involve guests in karaoke, etc. My personal favorites were the live jamaican music concert that continued well into the night and the reggae dance lessons. I would reccommend taking a daytrip to climb the 40 foot falls at Ocho Rios (the concierge can set this up for you). Additionally, there are several excellent restaurants in the area that are a short walk or cab ride-- from the casual "jerk pit" to the fancier "Old Mill." There is one very popular bar just down the street (maybe 1/2 mile walk) complete with giant water slides that dump you into the ocean, etc. If you are looking for a crazy day, you could also take a day trip to Negril where college students often stay. We had tons of fun at JT, so go in with an open mind and have a great trip!

Sarah

There will be plenty of taxis parked outside the airport that can make the 20 minute trip to the resort. I stayed at Jack Tar Mo Bay for one week in March of 2001 and had a wonderful experience. If you are expecting a sumptuous luxury resort with Vegas-quality shows, then JT is not the place for you. However, if you want generous(and tasty) food and drinks, a nice beach and pool, wonderful staff and somewhat tacky but fun entertainment, then you will enjoy your time at JT! The crowd there was very mixed- both young and old (I think there is an 18yr old age limit), but overall it was a relaxing, low-key enviroment with plenty of opportunities for both activity and relaxation. There is a chinese restaurant at the resort (you must reserve) that offers a break from the buffet, although I prefered the buffet with its selection of fresh fruit, chicken, fish, and pasta. As I mentioned above, the entertainment can be tacky, but the staff puts on shows, tries to involve guests in karaoke, etc. My personal favorites were the live jamaican music concert that continued well into the night and the reggae dance lessons. I would reccommend taking a daytrip to climb the 40 foot falls at Ocho Rios (the concierge can set this up for you). Additionally, there are several excellent restaurants in the area that are a short walk or cab ride-- from the casual "jerk pit" to the fancier "Old Mill." There is one very popular bar just down the street (maybe 1/2 mile walk) complete with giant water slides that dump you into the ocean, etc. If you are looking for a crazy day, you could also take a day trip to Negril where college students often stay. We had tons of fun at JT, so go in with an open mind and have a great trip!

shawna conti

About 1 year ago a friend and I stayed at Jack Tar which is very close to the airport. For the most part I liked the resort for the money. If your looking for a 5 star I would not stay here. The beach and pool are small, the food was good ( I really enjoyed the Chinese restaurant). The entertainment was OK, there is no disco at this resort. We did walk in town with a bunch of people we met at the resort and went to Tequilaville which is a diso, bar which was fun. I thought the view from the hotel balcony was really nice. So if your not a picky person and just want to relax and eat good food, I think this is a good pick for the money.