Welcome to my Jamaica ❤️ Story

We are not always given the opportunities that we are looking for, sometimes, we are actually given opportunities that are larger than we ever imagined. Here is my story about how I fell in love with the beautiful island and country of Jamaica.

As a travel planner, it's important to have a deep understanding of the destinations we're offering, but realistically, it's not always possible to experience everything firsthand. While I've had the opportunity to travel to the Caribbean before, it's been some time, and I've never had the chance to visit Jamaica. I see this as the beginning of an exciting journey into exploring the rich, vibrant Caribbean lifestyle, not only for myself but also for the clients I guide.

Jamaica, with its unique culture, beautiful landscapes, and incredible hospitality, is a destination that holds so much promise. I’m eager to dive deeper into what this beautiful island has to offer and share that passion with others. This exploration is not just about learning new details—it's about immersing myself in the essence of the Caribbean way of life, so I can help clients create truly unforgettable experiences.

I’m excited to continue this journey and to bring the best of Jamaica and the Caribbean to those seeking their own adventures in paradise.

I had a lot of firsts on this trip. I traveled alone for the first time, I had and used a passport for the first time, I had a connecting flight for the first time, I rode a banana boat for the first time, and many other things, but the biggest being that I traveled alone for the first time in my life. There was a time when I couldn't even go to the mall alone, and here I am traveling to another country, making friends based on the color shirt they are wearing (Our Sandals branded Blue that I love)

and spending a week getting to know something totally out of my element. I met some of the best people that I have in a long time, and to this day we are still talking. Going into this, I didn't know if I was going to be eating alone for a week, or not going out at night because I was scared to walk to my room alone at night....all these and more thoughts went through my head. But all of them were immediately erased once I got there and realized that all my worries were nothing but worries and that is it. It was the opposite of all of that, we ate with friends, every night, we drank, explored, adventured, learned and were a part of history in Jamaica.

Now, I am going to go through my whole week with you but do my best to condense it into the informative and the important, but maybe throw a little fun in there too 😜

We all know how flights go whether they are in the US or out so I will start when we arrived in Jamaica.

Upon approaching the bottom of the ramp leaving the plane, we were greeted by smiles and signs.

Our concierge from Club Mobay were there to take us through immigrations (the fast way). I learned here that I will never go to Jamaica without this service, it spoiled me for sure 😂 We walked past all of the people waiting in line to go through immigration to a private area to do ours. Once done that, we headed to the baggage claim where we got our luggage. FYI, you cannot take photos in the airport until you are out of the immigration area, once you are at the lounges you are free to take as many as you want. Because we were traveling with Sandals, we had the use of the Sandals Lounge, as well as Club Mobay. There are food and beverage options in there for you as well as bathrooms that are out of the way of the public areas. Once outside, we were treated to a food truck that was serving Jamaican patties, in beef, chicken or pork. And of course, Rum Punch.

We headed on to our bus to head to Beaches Ocho Rios where we were staying.

It is a bit of a ride, so when we got there, we had just a short amount of time to get changed, freshened up and head down to our welcome cocktail party. Again, plenty of food and drink options to choose from. There were some speeches by resort managers as well as our amazing Northeast BDM Ashley Kooker. It was a great kickoff to the week.

Monday arrived and it was time for our Irie Resort Immersion Tours. Unlike traditional resort tours, these were set up to put us in the resort and island. We got to experience things along the way that other tours would never get to see and do.

Our first tour was our very own Beaches Ocho Rios. You will learn that we stayed in Beaches Negril as well, but let me tell you a few things about the Beaches Resorts as a whole whether here or in Turks and Caicos and soon to be in the Bahamas. They are family friendly resorts, chock full of kids activities, Sesame Street Characters, Kid/Teen clubs galore. Beaches Resorts are the first resort company in the world to complete the rigorous IBCCES training and Autism Certification. With their Beach Buddies program they have one-on-one guides who are extensively trained to supervise, engage and play with individuals on the spectrum.

Meaning that they are there to help make your and their vacation everything that it should be. There are also babysitters, so if Mom and Dad are out on a catamaran or snorkeling but the kids are too little or don't want to go, there is someone there for them to hang with. We were on a Glass Bottom Boat (an inclusion with your stay) with a Babysitter and child one afternoon, so that goes to show that they can take the kids to do the fun things too. There is a fee that comes with the one-on-one, but the kids club is included!

So what are the inclusions that I have hinted to here? And what else is included? I will tell you.

• Kids Camp (ages 0-18)

• Waterparks

• Daily entertainment and shows, live bands, theme nights, beach parties, teen nightclub

• PADI Certified Diving equipment (free dives if you are already certified)

• Greens fees on local golf courses

• All Land Sports

• Pickleball, Tennis, Volleyball, Basketball, Bocce ball, Croquet Shuffleboard, Table tennis, Board Games, Billiards, Lawn Chess, Darts

• All Water Sports

• Windsurfing, Hobie Cats, Paddleboards, Kayaks, Snuba (a shallow water diving activity that is a cross between snorkeling and scuba), Snorkeling, Aqua Trikes, Waterskiing, Wakeboarding, Tubing, Banana Boats, Sailing

• All Food

• All Drinks

• Up to 21 Restaurants per resort

• Up to 14 bars

• Premium Liquors and Wines

• Stocked mini fridge in every room

• The only thing here is that since this is a family resort, the fridge comes stocked with soda, juice and water. You can opt to have alcohol brought to your room on request. Ther will be a card in there for you to send to the front desk.

• At all Beaches Resorts, you can find Red Lane Spa. And with the family in mind, there are services for everyone, including the kiddos. You can also workout in the fitness center.

• Want to get married here and have the entire family, perfect! There are many locations on the Beaches properties that will host a wedding, and the kids can be a part of it all.

• Remember that I said there were Sesame Street Characters??? You can do sunrise Yoga with Elmo! In addition you can hang out in the kids club, play X-Box on a rainy day or the teens can go to Liquid, the teen nightclub. And when they are done, it opens up to the adults at 10PM for you to enjoy once you send them off to bed!

• This resort hosts 223 rooms spread over 3 villages and has 14 styles of room categories

Next, we jumped on the bus and drove to Sandals Ochi Beach Resort.

We have now moved onto the Adults Only part of the brand. The greeting gets better each resort. Cold towels, songs, drinks, and grand entrances.

Sandals Ochi is a little more laid back then some others and has a slighter party atmosphere. Meaning that you can have a quiet time with just your loved one in a Butler Village or you can have fun with friends in one of the main buildings closer to the action of the pools and the beach.

There are 522 Villas, luxury rooms and suites with mountain and ocean views, including the Butler Village. 105 pools, 22 whirlpools, 2 Red land Spas to choose from and more. (stay tuned). Here we are on the North Coast of Jamaica between the Caribbean Sea and the mountains of St. Ann.

We were lucky here to be able to see the Butler Village Honeymoon Romeo & Juliet Sanctuary One Bedroom Villa with Private Pool.

This is a Love Nest Butler Suite, so that means that your room is fully stocked with juice, soda, water, sparkling wine, Robert Mondavi Twin Oaks wine, local beer, and your selection of Premium Liquors, replenished as needed. This room is like an apartment in paradise. There is a courtyard that separates, the sleeping area from the eating/relaxing area. This is quite a room and should be on everyone's bucket list.

Next up we saw the Butler Village One Bedroom Poolside Villa Estate Suite. This room has a semiprivate pool, French doors and an elegant living room. You will sure have your privacy here within this exotic garden view room. Also, a Love Nest Butler Suite.

Last here we saw the Riviera Bamboo Grove Premium Room. This room is located in the Riviera Seaside Village/Ginger Lilly Building on the 1st-4th floors, with views of the Gardens or Pool. Although this is not a Butler room, you will still get a mini fridge with it stocked full of beer, wine, soda, juice and water daily.

At Sandals Ochi Beach Resort you will have 16 Restaurants, 10 Bars, Golf at Upton estate and Country Club, ATV and Horseback Riding Experiences.

The coolest thing we go to see here besides these fabulous rooms was The Rabbit Hole.

The Caribbean's only Speak Easy. You need the password in order to get in the door, you can sip on craft cocktails and dance all night long.

Now for the Sandals Inclusions and keep these ion mind when seeing the other locations I have here for you, most if not all will be the same, but some vary by resort.

• All Meals

• All Bars

• Stocked bars in every room

• Premium Liquors

• Premium House wines

• Day and Night entertainment

• All Water Sports

• Waterskiing, wakeboarding, tubing, knee boarding, aqua trikes, snorkeling, glass bottom boats, Hobie cat sailing, windsurfing, paddleboarding, kayaking, daily scuba for certified divers, boogie boards

• All Land Sports

• Tennis/Pickleball, squash, racquetball, basketball, croquet, horseshoes, bocce ball, shuffleboard, golf, billiards Tables, Pool tables, table tennis, lawn chess darts & Board Games, Fitness Centers, Fitness Classes, Indoor Game rooms, Beach Volleyball, Pool Volleyball, Bowling and more!

• Airport Transfers, some shared and some private, it depends on the room category you are in.

• All Tips, tax and gratuities

Most restaurants do not require reservations but here there are a few, Kelly's Dockside, Valentinos, Le Gourmand, and Kimonos. Each day you will find boards whether at the water sports area, main area or on in the app, of what type of entertainment and shows will take place that week.

And certainly, we cannot forget about the wedding facilities here at Sandals Ochi, this resort has one of the most beautiful scenes for a wedding that I have ever seen. An over the water wedding chapel, with class down the aisle to see the beautiful Caribean Sea below your feet. Among other locations of course, but this one was not to be missed.

Moving on to our next Sandals resort we head over to Sandals Dunns River....WOW. This resort just re-opened May of 2023 after a complete renovation. Here you will have 260 rooms with 14 room categories. 12 restaurants, 9 bars, private pools, Rondovals, Sky pool suites and more! The coolest bar here is Dunn's Rum Club.

The food was outstanding, the drinks were great, and the music was over the top. We were lucky to be taken here for our lunch on our resort tour day, plus took the shuttle over at night to enjoy the night entertainment also. PS, there is a shuttle that runs between here and Sandals Ochi Beach so that you can enjoy all of what both resorts have to offer.

Here we saw the Tufa Terrace One Bedroom Sky pool Butler Suite with Balcony Tranquility Soaking Tub. This is also a Love Nest Butler Suite.

These rooms are all Beach Front, Ocean and Pool View. You will wake up everyday with a view you will never want to leave.

Next up was the Mammee Bay Club Level Room,

this room will have your Club Sandals amenities which include private check-in, all day room service, and exclusive access to the Club Sandals Lounge. Your views here will bring you into the flora and fauna of the lush gardens.

You will need to make reservations here for L'Amande, all of the rest can be reserved but are not required, but again, highly suggested.

You can plan an amazing wedding here just like at any other Sandals resort, the beach, the gardens and the pool.

Last stop of the day, we arrive at Sandals Royal Plantation. This resort is all butler, all suite, all ocean view boutique resort. Much more of a relaxing location with 2 private beaches that offer personalized services. This resort hosts the Caribbean's only Champagne and Caviar Bar. This resort has exchange privileges with Sandals Ochi Beach as well as Sandals Dunns River, however those 2 resorts cannot come here. You can find 74 suites in 11 categories including Villa Plantana, a 3-bedroom Villa. AND you are getting all Love Nest Butler Elite Service.

First, we saw the Governor General Oceanfront 1 Bedroom Butler Suite, this is a top floor room with exceptional views. These rooms are very elegant dressed in mahogany furniture.

Next is the Grand Duchess Oceanfront Veranda Butler Suite. This room has a very large veranda and hardwood touches through the room.

Villa Plantana is like nothing I have seen in a resort ever! This is a completely private 3-bedroom beachfront villa.

You will be able to enjoy the amenities around the resort, including golf privileges at the nearby Sandals Golf & Country Club and a full staff to cater to your every need. A Separate driveway and a stone walkway lead you over to the main resort when you are ready to explore what the resort has to offer.

Here you have 2 restaurants that require reservations. Royal Grill and The Terrace. Should you venture into C'Bar (Caviar and Champagne bar) they offer Vueve Clicquot champagne among other exclusive brands and a fine selection of Ostera caviar. Reservations are required here and attracts an additional fee, here you will dress in Resort Evening Attire.

Moving on to Tuesday, we hopped on the busses early to head to school. Our school was just up the road from Beaches Ochi.

This event was in support of the Sandals Foundation that is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization. It was created to expand upon the philanthropic with that Sandals Resorts Internation has undertaken. It is a culmination of three decades of dedication to playing a meaningful role in the lives of communities that are operated throughout the Caribbean. It funds projects in 3 areas: education, community and the environment. With this being said, we went to Boscobel Primary and Infant School, part of the diocese of Jamaica. This excursion is something that you can do when staying at a Sandals or Beaches resort. It is the Reading Road trip and can be booked though Island Routes Excursions.

We brought with us, school supplies and books for the students and got to distribute them while there. I was placed in a room with 3rd graders, and boy were they fun. It was an experience that was something that everyone traveling to Jamaica, or any other Sandals Caribbean area should do. I had a little girl and 2 boys. My girlfriend was a little teacher and was helping her classmates to keep up with the activities we were doing. The looks on their faces when they were being handed the school supplies was amazing. Leaving was hard, they were sad to see me go, but happy that I was there for the "Best day ever" as my little girlfriend said.

Feeling fulfilled, we headed back to the resort to rest up and explore the resort. Tonight was the night that we headed to Dunns Rum Club to check out the night vibe.

Wednesday was the big day. We were up and out early, bags packed and ready to head to the Montego Bay Convention Center. This was the day that we had all been waiting for, the day that we were all here to attend. We hopped on our busses and had one hell of an experience getting there on our 90 min trek to Montego Bay. We had a police escort the entire ride.

The two officers on their motorcycles, guided us through the streets of Jamaica without waiting in any traffic, or hitting one red light. People were pulling over to let us through, we felt so VIP and a little terrified at the same time 😂 This convention was rolled out with red carpets, photographers, media, politicians, executives and everyone in between and beyond.

First, we got to see some of the amazing performers that make their way through Jamaica to showcase their culture and traditions. We also go to taste some pudding from the Jamaica pudding guy. And of course, shop, from some of the most amazing local handmade crafts and decor.

Heading inside we went up a grand staircase to photographers and music, onto Elmo, Cookie Monster and more friends. Into the Ballroom that was dressed for success complete with a Wedding Set Up that was absolutely stunning. This was a long day with lot of details, so I won't go into all of it, but a few of the important people we got to hear from while here was Adam Stewart, ambassador for Jamaica and the Executive Chairman of Sandals Resorts International, Dr. The Most Hon. Andrew Holness, Prime Minister of Jamaica, Hon. Edmund Bartlet, CD, MP Minister of Tourism of Jamaica, Gary Sadler, Executive VP of Dales and Industry Relations at Unique Vacations Inc., as well as many more throughout the day.

We learned, we drank, we ate....we ate some of the best food that we have had thus far. Lobster tails, sushi, prime rib, and the list goes on, so much that we didn't even get a chance to see all they had to offer.

By the end of the event, it was time to do some give aways. There is no reason for me to pay any attention to anything as I never win anything, so I opened my purse to get some lip gloss when the person next to me started screaming, "that's your name up there" Huh? What? Holy Hell what just happened????

I just won the first trip they gave away, out of, I don't know 1,000 people in the room, y name was the one the wheel stopped on! My choice of any Sandals I want!! I was never so shocked in my life as I said I don't win anything. I immediately called my hubby who was in a little disbelief at first, but then realized I was serious. We are finally going to go on the trip I have always wanted to take! An adult only, all-inclusive trip in the Caribbean!!!!

On to our next resort stay in Negril, we hopped the busses for the 90-minute commute to Beaches Negril. Our police escort got us there in no time, and thank god for that, I was exhausted and so ready for bed. Our next day was a resort immersion day, meaning we were to stay on property and enjoy all of the things that we had there to bring home and share with you.

Thursday was a "free" day, but for our Free day we chose to take a catamaran excursion. The catamaran was amazing.

We loaded up, got settled and headed out to sea for a ride and some snorkeling. We had food and drinks for the ride as well as Island Routes employees there to help with whatever we needed. I chose to snorkel; I haven't done it since my honeymoon 100 years ago and that was the only time. It was amazing. The water was so clear, and we go to see some beautiful fish and other sea creatures with the help of our guide.

Again, this is an excursion that you can choose to purchase on your trip to Jamaica. However, sometimes we have to opportunity to offer the chance that I can get you a FREE catamaran for 2 at Sandals or for 5 at Beaches. We were out for about 2 hours, after snorkeling, we drank and partied as we rode along and watched the water change from blue to brighter blue to turquoise to teal to royal blue and everything in between. I highly recommend taking this excursion when you are there.

Next up our last day of Irie Resort Immersion Tours. Today we tour and learn about where we are staying, Beaches Negril, which has been fully renovated. This resort is located along Jamaica's famous 7-mile beach, which is not private, but no one really bothers you. If you tell them that you are not interested, they will respectfully leave you alone. We even go to know some of the beach vendors. I won't go over all of the inclusions again, it is mainly the same as Beaches Ocho Rios, so you can refer to that section for those things.

I will highlight specific things about this resort. This resort has 197 rooms with 29 room categories. There are 11 restaurants, 2 food trucks, and 7 bars. My room was a Tropical Ocean view Concierge King room.

It was on the 3rd floor of the building which was the top for where I was. it was absolutely beautiful, the view was amazing, with the garden and the ocean. I had coffee on my balcony every day. There was a trundle for 2 so the room would hold 4.

The first room we got to see was the Eventide Penthouse Four Bedroom Butler with Balcony. This room holds 18 people. This is the perfect option if you are a large family or group of friends wanting to all stay together. These buildings are beachfront, oceanfront with nothing to see out the windows but the Caribbean Sea.

Next was the Firesky Reserve Villa Four Bedroom Butler.

This was my favorite because I am a complete lunatic about laundry on vacation, and this one had a washer and dryer!! This unit sleeps 10 so same thing as the first if you are a big group of any kind to stay together.

A cool thing her at this resort is the Bubblemaker Program. This is an introductory scuba program for kids 8 and older. It is done in a pool setting though fun and games. (additional cost) We got to see a nighttime show here with the Fire Dancers. It was one of the coolest things I have ever seen. At the end they engage with the kids in the audience.

Next up we went to Sexy Sandals South Coast.

Here there are 380 rooms in 20 categories. We got to see 3 room categories here. I would totally take a couples or girls trip here as well as a honeymoon or other romantic getaway. There is something for everyone here.

First up is the Rondoval Swim-up Butler Villa with Private Pool Sanctuary.

This is in the Rondoval Village, so you are a little farther from the rest of the resort, however they do offer a transfer to the beach. Once you are here, you will have a butler that is with you to bring you all the things you need for your relaxing romantic getaway.

Next, we headed to the Longbeach building where we saw the Longbeach Beachfront One Bedroom Butler Suite with Balcony Tranquility Soaking Tub.

This is the only butler category in the Longbeach building. Lastly, we saw the Longbeach Beachfront Swim-Up Club Level Suite with Patio Tranquility soaking tub.

This resort has a great opportunity for deep sea sport fishing excursions with Island Routes Excursions. There are also over water bungalows that were under renovation so we couldn't see them, but that means when they are ready, they will really be amazing! You are also close to the Appleton Estates Rum Factory here, that is a tour I will be putting on my list my next trip to Jamaica.

You can also find another of those beautiful over water wedding chapels here, among many other options for weddings in this stunning location.

We stopped for a quick refresh and snack and got to see one of the chefs making a local dish called Ackee. This is a Jamaican Fruit but served like a veggie and has the consistency of a scrambled egg.

We were treated to lunch here with amazing local food options including jerk chicken ,beef and pork among other delicious tastings.

Last stop on our resort tours is Sandals Negril. Here we will talk about 2 room categories. One will be the Bamboo Grove One Bedroom Skypool Butler Suite,

this is beachfront, oceanfront and pool front. The balconies have not only the skypool but a swing bench as well.

We next go to the Palm Grove Oceanview Penthouse 1 Bedroom Butler Suite. This room can be either a garden view or ocean, but the room itself is exactly the same. And again, with the Love Nest Butler Suites, you are taken care of from the minute you arrive to the second you leave. Here you can find 8 restaurants and 6 bars. It also has a signature late night buffet.

The rest of the time here at Beaches we spent really immersing ourselves in the activities and fun that can be had at the resort, especially the things that are included here.

We went banana boating, on a glass bottom boat, snorkeling, rode an aqua trike, took a ride on a Hobie Cat sailboat, kayaked, took a float around the lazy river, ate at multiple restaurants, drank all different kinds of drinks, some traditional and some cultural, and waded in the beautiful warm water of the Caribbean Sea.

On this day, I will share a story not meant to scare but to praise the staff here at Beaches for the excellence of their work. We were just loaded into our Kayaks, started out into the water, when a boat came speeding in with a kneeboarder that appeared to be an (older) kid. We couldn't help but wonder what the hell this guy was doing going so fast. We then got called out of the water at just about the same time the boat came in. To realize when we got out that the drivers of the boat spotted a hammerhead shark in the water. They were so diligent on seeing, knowing, warning and getting us all out. They guided the shark back in the right direction, to the deeper water and beyond. Once clear, we were able to go back on our way. We all know sharks live in the water, we are essentially in their homes when we are there, so we can't expect to not see them in some capacity. This staff lives there, sees these kinds of things happen and are completely trained on what to do and how to handle these things. I applaud them for their work this day! A storm took the remainder of our last day, but that was ok because I think at that point we had done it all! The only thing we were planning that we didn't get to do was eat at the food trucks.

At that point it was time to go nap and pack and get ready for our farewell beach party, which was an absolutely stunning set up on the beach. If that was my wedding set up, I would fall over. we had an amazing dinner with entertainment from the Fire Dancers out on the beach as well as drinks, laughs and pictures to hold onto these memories forever.

The morning came quickly, and it was time to head home to my boys. We all ate breakfast together for the last time, here in Jamaica. It was sad to leave as I had made some great friends and had a great week learning and relaxing, but I was excited to come home too.

We headed to Montego Bay Airport, and when we arrived we checked our bags and headed straight to Club Mo Bay for our departure.

We had about 2 hours at this point to relax, so we got something to ear, a drink and satin the comfy lounge chatting and already reminiscing about the trip we haven't left yet. Again, I will not travel to Jamaica without using this service, it is worth every penny that they charge. For the departure lounge there is a family side and an adult only side, which makes it great for those who have little kids, that they are with like individuals in their travels.

Soon, we needed to board to head to Fort Lauderdale and that is where I will end my journey with you.

Until next time, this is my story and how I fell in love with Jamaica.