Jamaica Inn Food
 

Trying to decide if the all inclusive plan is worth purchasing or if the Breakfast Lunch & Dinner plan is better. Can anyone tell me what the drink prices are like at JI and if there is anywhere to buy wine or champagne near the resort to have in our room. Thanks!

The food quality is excellent.
The drink prices are about what you'd expect to pay in the Caribbean.
They have a nice wine selection.
We bought the MAP and had our lunches in town while we were off sight-seeing.
If you think you'll stay at the resort almost all the time, I would say the AI would be a good value if the price is right.
We didn't see anywhere close by that would have much in the way of wine, so we bought ours there and felt the cost was not excessive at all.

Hi DianeL....

I have intended to respond to some of your JI questions before this...but here is my input ;-) !

I agree with lisager about Blue Cottage. It is not as private, nor does the verandah have the more plush furnishings of the premier suites. The bathroom is more spacious. The bedroom itself is also more spacious. IMHO not worth the extra price.

However, I preferred the beachfront premier suites over those in the west wing. Take a look at the photos on the website....the beachfront suites have the balastrude, where you can literally sit and sweep your legs over and be IN the sand.

When you have breakfast, your waiter will come and set up your table, while he is standing in the sand ;-).

In the west wing, he must knock at the door, come through the bedroom and then set up on the verandah.

I was at JI for two weeks last April and did the all-inclusive plan. It's wonderful to have lunch served on the beach or on your verandah...and lunches are not typical....lots of variety. And being able to order drinks, Red Stripes or whatever your fancy was relaxing for me. The beachfront suites have mini-fridges, which they will stock daily as part of the AI plan.

There are always drivers available to take you off premises for bottles of wine. Or just ask Rupert or Teddy and they will help direct you to the best places :-)

Hope this helps.

Marion

Thank you Diana & Marion! We are leaving on March 16th for 8 nights. I have reserved the Premier Veranda Suite on the beach! Could you tell me what the refrig is stocked with? Also do they provide bottled water for the guests. Can't wait.
Diane

Hi Diane...

Bottled water is one of the reasons I took the AI plan....otherwise you do pay for it each time you ask.

Now I didn't mean to mislead you as to the *stocking* of the fridge ;-) !

When I arrived, I had a bottle of Tia Maria as a welcome gift :-). Then I found the refrigerator empty.

As a woman of *logic*..I called the manager and asked if I could have some beers, sodas and that water brought to my room for my refrigerator. It seemed to me that I would be making life easier for the staff, rather than having to call each time. Hoepfully, this is now a policy ;-)....but ask and it will be done.

They won't stock alcohol...but it doesn't take them long to get there with a rum punch, or a cognac after dinner.

You're going to LOVE it :-) !!

Marion

We've done the MAP option all 3 trips and feel that this works well for us. The drink prices are reasonable and in line with most other resorts and we are not always there to have lunch. The food quality has varied a little over the years depending on the chef at the time but has always been very good to excellent in our opinion.

They provide purified drinking water in a carafe in room which is usually refilled twice a day. There's also a cooler of drinking water by the beach bar that you can help yourself to. I don't think I've ever purchased bottled water.

The MAP was a part of our package so didn't consider the FAP but would probably take it next time. Ate most of our lunches there anyway. With one exception food was very good. Loved breakfast. They do have a van that comes about 10 Am to take you into Ocho Rios and will pick you up at a designated spot and time when you want to return. Cost depends on where you go but think it cost us $10. Went to lunch at Jimmy Buffets Margaritaville. Big mistake--Cruise ship was in and it was noisy and rowdy with people playing foolish games. Food pretty marginal.

DianeL,

My wife and I have taken the MAP all 3 times we've been at JamInn. Never felt I could drink enough to make the AI plan worth it. Lunches were always reasonable and every other day we were at Upton Country Club playing golf, so wouldn't have been worthwhile.

No matter what plan you choose, make sure you are on the beach at 11 AM for elevenses, a wonderful rum punch delivered to you as you lounge in the shade. The timing is always perfect. Just as you start to feel on the edge of being parched, here comes that delightfully icy rum and fruit concoction. Just what you need to get your taste buds excited about lunch.

One day, the punch was late, and I thought my husband was going to start going through withdrawal! :)

He kept standing up to look and see if it was on the way. He tried to do so without appearing over-anxious!

It's a good thing we did our sightseeing early on, because by the third or fourth day, all we wanted to do was lounge on the beach and wait for our rum punch!

And for non-rum punch drinkers, you can always opt for the yummy fruit smoothies ;)

When I was there, the punch usually came between 11:30 and noon ;-)

After one sip, I could tell whether it was Rupert or Teddy tending the beach bar that day.

Now, I'll never tell...but I did have a favorite :-) !

Marion

Gerry and I have spent time all over the Caribbean, most recently at The Meridian Club. The food at JI is by far the best we have ever had in the Caribbean, including Anguilla. . .