I am looking to book a trip to Jamaica in September. We are considering doing an AI and staying at the Hotel Riu Palace Tropical Bay in Negril. Can anyone tell me what they think of this hotel and is it worth doing an AI in Jamaica? When is the best time to visit? Do we need a rental car for sightseeing? If you have any suggestion on a good AI deal/hotel/packages? Should we stay at a different location? WE are a couple w/o kids and want some relax time to just enjoy the ocean & beaches. We want to do a little sightseeing but mostly just relax and enjoy ourselves. Any suggestions or ideas would be helpful!!!

I can't give info on this resort but I have stayed at other RIU resorts and they are a solid choice in the All Inclusives. I love AI but others will differ with that. I also love Jamaica but keep in mind that Sept-Nov are the rainiest times for the island. It is a tropical island with lush vegetation and when the rain comes it is a lot of rain!

We've actually stayed at the RIU Tropical Bay before it was turned into a Palace hotel. Of the 14 AI vacations we have taken that RIU was the worst. Terrible tasting food and standing in line for reservations for dinner was a pain. We found the atmosphere to be too partish for us. Lots of very loud, obnoxious, half-naked drunks. The RIU's are inexpensive because they are the lowest quality AI chain out there. You get what you pay for. From that experience, I hesitate to ever book another RIU again.

Look at Couples Negril next door or Sunset at the Palms across the street. Many others can point you in the direction of a non-AI.

September is hurricane season, so if you must go at that time buy the hurricane/trip insurance. Get the insurance that you can cancel for any reason and not just your airline doesn't fly or your hotel closes. The best time to go is either the first 2 weeks of November or the first 2 weeks of December. Prices and crowds are low.

For sightseeing you can either book tours at your hotel or book a driver to take you sightseeing for the day. In Negril many people use Talk of the Town tours.

"Look at Couples Negril next door or Sunset at the Palms across the street. Many others can point you in the direction of a non-AI."

Absolutely agree with that. Besides what is stated above, RIU has multiple documented instances of willfully causing environmental damage by breaking the laws, dumping raw sewage and more. This is in Jamaica and elsewhere. I would never put a dollar in their pocket.

And the two RIU resorts in Negril are garish purple and pink monstrosities IMO in an area where there are many better options. Beach was as crowded as a cruise ship pool deck when we walked past several times a day in March. YUCK.

We head to Couples Negril next week for the second time and have enjoyed 5 trips to Couples Swept Away. These are Jamaican owned resorts offering a great value, excellent service, very good food and lots of inclusions. Both have stunning beaches and a great tropical vibe. They are also green resorts if that is of interest.

Sunset at the Palms is not adult only and not on the beach but it is a very nice resort with a beach club next to the RIU.

If you can stay for less at Breezes Grand Negril - which is a nice resort with good food on a great stretch of beach - it is worth a look as well.

For non AI, I love Rockhouse on the cliffs, Idle Awhile on the beach. Less costly and very nice are Tensing Pen and Xtabi on the cliffs for a unique Negril experience and lots of food options in easy walking distance.

Depending on where you are staying, the AI option is a good one in Jamaica. If you want that experience, then I think Iberostar Rose Hall, which I just stayed at last weekend, is a step up in terms of food and service, but they are in the Montego Bay area, not Negril. In Negril I tend to agree with everyone else that AI is not the best option unless you want to stay at Couples Swept Away, which gives a similar kind of experience to the Riu at a much higher level of quality.

You'll find that there are a wider variety of excursion and activity possibilities nearby to either Montego Bay or Ocho Rios; the area between MoBay and Ocho Rios is the heart of AI country in Jamaica. It's where the original all-inclusive resorts in Jamaica were opened because they were fairly distant from other cities so needed to be all-encompassing and self-contained. And many of these resorts are still among the best AIs in Jamaica.

If you are on a budget and drink a lot, then the AI concept can be a practical one. But as everyone else has pointed out, September is the month when hurricanes are the most likely, so be sure---absolutely sure---you buy adequate insurance to protect you in case your vacation needs to be cancelled or postponed at the last minute.