Laura Meier

Review of Sandals Grande Ocho Rios

Great honeymoon/couples retreat!

Great honeymoon/couples retreat!
The resort and grounds are absolutely beautiful! The majority of the staff is very friendly and helpful. We didn't realize until we arrived that there are two parts of the resort: beach-side and mountain-side. The nice part the bus called the Hop gives you a quick and easy ride to the other side. There are pools, restaurants and entertainment on both sides. We stayed on the mountainside in the Butler Village and we were very pleased with our villa and our butlers: Dacia and Richardo! Our villa was two stories and we had the bottom floor apartment to ourselves; it included a living room, small kitchen with a well stocked bar and fridge, decent size bedroom and bathroom. One of the few problems we had was not having any hot water in our shower when we arrived; unfortunately we had to mention this to our butlers and the staff several times before the problem was solved. The manager apologized for it being a problem and that it took a day to resolve it.
Dacia and Richardo were both lively, helpful and took great care of us! We would love to have them again if we return one day. It was so helpful to have them to guide us towards great dinner reservations and so forth. They also figured out very quickly our favorite snacks and drinks; they made sure to have some waiting for us each day.
All of the restaurants we visited were delicious! We ordered room service most days for breakfast and that was always wonderful as well. The late night room service left a lot to be desired but it was still an option when you're hungry.
The "play makers" were very friendly and if you were interested in playing sports or games with other guests they did a great job of including everyone and getting the crowd excited. At night the entertainment did not disappoint. They hosted "broadway" type shows, carnival night, and other events. The Speakeasy was also a unique spot we enjoyed visiting.
We enjoyed our visit to the spa but we had some trouble using the spa credit that we earned from booking through our travel agent. The spa was very nice and serine, they have several options but they are more pricey than what we are used to in the states.
There were several pools and multiple locations to hang out on the beach. There are quiet areas and there are areas to meet other people and provide more of a "party" atmosphere. There is also a club that plays current club type music and has a pool table. Other bars having different reputations, there is something for everyone!
We only took one excursion and it was the catamaran tour from the resort to snorkel and hike Dunn's River Falls. It was an amazing experience; from the staff on the boat to the falls tour guide. The snorkeling was pretty great for my first time; my husband said there are better places to go but it was nice to have the opportunity. The hike up Dunn's River Falls was beautiful and fun! The boat ride home included snacks and rum punch that was delicious! We met friends that went on other excursion they had a great time on. You can book them ahead of time (which we were able to do through our butler) or you can book them when you arrive at the resort.
The transportation to and from the resort to the airport was safe and the drivers were very friendly.
Although we had a couple of small hiccups our trip overall was amazing; we met some great friends and really enjoyed our butlers and the relaxation!