molly

My husband and I have booked a vacation at this resort in March. Any info on restaurants,beach and rooms would be appreciated. Is tipping expected? What is the dress code. Thanks

Will

Molly, <BR> <BR>Couples is a great resort and I'm sure you will have a great trip. Regarding info, I assume you have checked out the Couples Negril web site (www.couples.com/). <BR> <BR>If you enter "Couples Negril" in the Fodor's Search box you will find there have been a fair number of comments about the resort within the past few months. <BR> <BR>Another good source of info is the trip report archive at www.caribtravelnews.com/jam.htm. <BR> <BR>Lastly, if you want to find out what is going on in the Negril area during your stay, check out www.negril.com. <BR> <BR>

joan

Molly, my husband and I just returned last week from a four night getaway to Couples Negril. We loved it. To answer your questions, there are three restaurants: the main terrace restaurant, which serves buffet breakfast and lunch and menu dinners; the beach grill, serving burgers etc at lunch and pasta at dinner (we didn't try the pasta dinners); and "Otaheite", a reservations-only indoor restaurant serving gourmet fare. My husband was almost turned away from Otaheite because he had leather sandals on. We (I) made sure he had the required collar shirt and dress pants, but I guess I never noticed a SHOE requirement. Hubby was very annoyed, but when the Maitre D' learned he had no closed-toe shoes, he made an exception (and my husband pointed out that the tablecloths go down to the floor, so nobody could have seen his shoes anyway . Other than that restaurant, there is no dress code (a nude beach and many topless sunbathers also). The beach was beautiful, lots of shady spots, plenty of lounge chairs, red flags you could post if you wanted drink service. One day they came around with frozen fruit kebabs. Way cool! Lots of water sports with instruction. We had a room on the second floor, very basic, immaculate, nicely furnished in a sixties-retro kind of way, with balcony. The blow dryer was useless (no wattage)... All the rooms are the same, with the exception of some corner rooms: they are suites and have hammocks and in-room jacuzzis. <BR> <BR>Regarding tipping, we didn't know either... When we tried to tip the maid for bringing extra coffee, she said "oh no we can't accept tips", but I told her I wouldn't tell anybody if she didn't, grinned, and insisted. She did keep it, but I get the impression this was unusual. Saw no tipping at the bars either... We ended up leaving the end-of-stay maid's tip on the dresser. <BR> <BR>Hope this helps! <BR>Joan

amy

joan, <BR>is it true that everyone that goes to the nude beach must be nude? also were there topless sunbathers on the non-nude beach? <BR>amy

joan

Amy, <BR> <BR>The nude area is not a separate beach; at one end of the Couples property, where it borders Grand Lido Negril, there was a section fenced off on three sides which was obviously the nude area (maybe 50 yards of beachfront). Lots of lounge chairs and what looked like a mini bar, with not many people, all nude. It was uncomfortable though because there are guards on both ends (who, when you walk the beach, ask and record your room number) and so there was a guard posted on the beach right in front of the nude area. (Meanwhile, the ganga guys stroll by all day long and wink and nod and offer.) On the rest of the Couples beach, yes there was lots of topless sunbathing. On the other side of Couples, for a half mile or so, it seemed like undeveloped public beach with many people nude or topless. Undeveloped, that is, except for the Rui Palace being built next door, twice the size of Couples...I imagine that should make the small cove very crowded eventually.