Frommer's Review
This stately inn, the town's foremost rival of the also-recommended Jamaica Inn, positioned 2km (1 1/4 mile) east of the town center, is marketed as the most upscale and most luxurious member of the Sandals chain in Jamaica. Its decor evokes the antebellum American South meets baroque Europe, thanks to an elegant and gracefully symmetrical Neoclassical entrance portico, spike-shaped Mediterranean cypresses, lavish use of patterned marble laid out into marquetry-inspired patterns, a series of terraces that seem to cascade in graduated and artfully landscaped ripples to the sea, strategically positioned gazebos jutting on either piers or rocky headlands into the sea, and exotic orchids positioned strategically whenever a sight line might even hint at being boring. There's a definite aura of drama, flashiness, and romance in the air here; a conscious response to the deliberately understated decor of, say, the also very posh Jamaica Inn.
Staff is hip, articulate, and urbanized, used to lavishing perks and extra services upon a clientele that might otherwise have felt at home within an upscale casino hotel in Las Vegas. A complete renovation has brought major improvements to the rooms and public areas and added a full-service Five-Star Diamond European spa. Gone are the tropical floral patterns of yesteryear: In its place are high-Victorian furnishings in the public areas (possibly the most upscale great house looks of any hotel in Jamaica), and in the suites, a Mediterranean theme of soothing earth tones mixed with lots of mahogany, and a traditional sense of old-time British glamour.
Management here provides a lot for guests to do, including the availability of painting classes from locally famous Jamaican artists, cigar-rolling classes, and every Thursday, cooking classes. Each of the accommodations is configured as a suite, each opening onto an ocean view. Bedrooms are handsomely equipped with scads of mahogany and marble, with such extras as plush cotton robes, your choice of four different styles of pillows, the daily New York Times, fax service, Internet connections, CD players, and the like. Guests have full exchange privileges with the two other Sandals resorts in the area. The cuisine is far superior to that at the other Sandals properties. The atmosphere is less rowdy, and management has added some additional gewgaws and gimmicks that include the only caviar-and-champagne bar in Jamaica, perhaps in the entire Caribbean. An unusual perk to a stay of any length here includes the gratis transfer, in a private car, to and from the airport at Ocho Rios. Expect a clientele that's a bit older and more prosperous, and persons under 18 aren't admitted. Note: Stays are sold here based on an EP plan, but 70% or more of the clients here opt to pay a supplement for all-inclusive plan whereby most food, drinks, and sports programs are included as part of an agreed-upon package.
Facilities:
3 restaurants; bar; golf at nearby Sandals; full-service spa; 24-hr. room service; glass-bottom boat; scuba diving
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without
notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before
planning your trip.
