TRIP REPORT 7/29/01 8/5/01  

We booked our honeymoon through the Vacation Outlet located in the Natick Mall in Natick, Massachusetts.  They were offering a tremendous special for 7 nights all-inclusive with airfare and based on brochures, it seemed nicer than other resorts that were comparable in rating and cost.  We were not disappointed!  

We were scheduled to fly out of Boston at 8am on a North American airline charter flight.  It was about an hour and fifteen minutes late departing, but because we have been so happy with previous flights on North American, we were pretty okay with the delay.  We arrived in Montego Bay at about noon.  Immigration and customs went quickly, despite the long lines.  Areas were pretty well marked, and though the airport was busy, we had no problem getting around to be where we needed to be.  

We were booked through GWV and were thus met by their local representative after passing through immigration and customs.  He directed us towards the Couples desk and that was essentially the extent of our involvement with GWV.  Once we checked in at the Couples desk, we were told to wait until they had everyone and then we would be shown to the bus.  That only took about 5 minutes and we were on our way.  There were people offering to carry our bags, but they were friendly and agreeable when we declined, opting to carry our own.   

Once at the bus, a man came around collecting orders for Red Stripe and water while our bags were being loaded.  Red Stripes were $2.50 a piece, and I dont know how much the water was.  Tipping was not expected I presume we were considerably overcharged, but oh well, it was the beginning of our vacation.  Speaking of tipping, Couples promotes no tipping permitted.  We did arrive with plenty of American ones and probably went through 5 to 10 dollars by the time we got off the bus.  The same guy that gets your beer goes around and collects tips for the young man that loads the bags, and then the bus driver also expects a tip.  Again, we were prepared and not bothered at all considering the heat, and it was work we did not have to do respect, Mon!  

The bus ride to the resort took about an hour and forty minutes.  We did not think it was all that bad, other than being long.  The road was in very bad condition, and at some points, we had to stop completely while a bulldozer cleared boulders from the center of the road.  Some parts were kind of scary, such as the speed with which the driver took a lot of the blind corners, but the 6 pack of Red Stripe helped.  Oh, and the goats and the cows really will move, even though it looks like they are about to be run down.  When you are thinking about how much Red Stripe or water to buy for the ride, keep in mind the length of the ride and the fact that there is not a bathroom on the bus.  Also, the bumpiness of the road has the potential to render ones bladder more sensitive than usual.  The driver will make a bathroom stop, but does not tell you that in order to use it, you must buy more beer as a courtesy.  My husband ended up asking him (urgently, I might add) to pull over, which he did immediately without a problem.     

We arrived at Couples and were met by a quartet and Wayne.  Wayne ushered us into the Piano Bar for a group registration.  We had been given registration cards at the airport to fill out while we were waiting.  We had filled ours out, but this did not make check-in any quicker considering they still had to take credit card imprints and not everyone else had filled out their cards.  Wayne waited for everyone before taking them all to the front desk.  While we waiting, we were served cold champagne and Wayne filled us in on the basics of the resort.  About a half-hour after arriving, we were given a key to our room.  Each couple was directed towards their room block and told to wait there, that luggage would be delivered within the hour.  

Our initial impression of the property was that it was better than the photos, lush, tastefully laid out, and well kept.  We were not, however, too keen on the location of our room (#2308), at least not at first.  The entrance to our room faced the back of one of the kitchens, which was neither quiet nor attractive to look at.  We were also very close to the road and the airport across the street.  The view from our balcony was considerably better, and looked down upon the ponds by the spa area.  We could not hear the noise from the kitchen, and really did not notice the planes or car traffic, even though I am sure it was audible.  While this particular block of rooms was not overly close to anything other than the spa, the property is laid out in such a way that everything is within comfortable walking distance.  The room itself was exactly like in the brochure.  It was spotlessly clean and included a CD player/radio, t.v. drawers for clothes, iron/ironing board, hair dryer (bring your own, as it did not have any oomph), and candle holders (bring your own votive).  The bed is huge enough that some nights, we could not find each other and we both thought it was extremely comfy.  The balcony was good sized with two chairs and a table.  There is no clock, which severely annoyed my husband, who can never do without knowing what time it is.  

Patrick arrived within 15 minutes with our luggage and showed us the controls for the t.v. A/C, and ceiling fan.  He also pointed out a book that explains the resort, restaurants, etc.  We tipped him a couple of dollars, after which he gave us a complete tour of the room totally unnecessary considering it is a basic room, but he must have felt obligated.  He did point out that thing in the ceiling above the bed was a light to illuminate the tapestry and not a video camera.  He did not seem amused at my suggestion.  By this time, it was about 2:30pm.  I hope that I have given you an idea of how long it took from landing in Montego Bay to arriving in our room.   

THE PEOPLE

I put the people before all else because it was definitely the highlight of our trip other guests at the resort as well as the Jamaicans that work there.  It seemed as though every time we turned around, we were chatting with another couple on their vacation.  I have traveled pretty extensively and have never encountered a friendlier group of guests perhaps it is Jamaica that brings the friendliness out in people!  The guests seemed mostly on the younger side, from mid-twenties to mid-thirties (we are late twenties), but there was quite a wide range overall.   We also thought everyone who worked at the resort was extremely friendly and interesting to talk with, including the front desk staff.  We watched many guests and staff members throughout the week, and it seems as though through our observations and experiences, it makes all the difference in the world if you are open and friendly.  This seems like common sense, but I dont think many guests understood the distinction between friendly and friendly demanding.  For example, instead of just saying, please may I have a Red Stripe (friendly demand), try hows it going today?  Do you think the sun will come out?  When you get a chance, could I get a Red Stripe?  Tell the guy cleaning the pool that it looks great. Jamaicans have a wonderful sense of humor and seem to enjoy chatting.  They take pride in their work and seem to genuinely care what you think of them, the work they do, and your impression of the island.  When youre there, be sure to say hello to Robert, Damion, and Kirkpatrick down at the pool bar, Wayne the lifeguard (very smart and interesting person to talk to intrigued by the issue of race relations in the U.S.), Richard at water sports (had the unfortunate job the week we were there of scraping the seaweed), Jeffrey the watersports instructor, and Judy, the woman who works in the News Shop.   If you get sunburned, Headley (one of the groundskeepers over near block 9) will pick you aloe.  Most will be quick to remind you that when you go home, you cannot say you visited Jamaica, rather you visited Couples Negril to them, there is a big distinction considering how far removed the resort is from the real Jamaica.  However, getting to know the people that live there brings you that much closer.   

THE BARS/DRINKS

Be sure to visit Robert at the pool bar (sometimes he works at the beach bar) and ask him to make you something special.  Only do this if you have no problem with getting trashed and have no pressing events scheduled for the afternoon.  You never quite know what you are getting, but the conversation is great and whatever it is, will be sure to knock you on your ass.  The service at the bars overall was good.  The only place where it was at all slow was the main bar located in the Cassava Terrace, but it seems as though the reason for this is they were also responsible for supplying the dining room with drinks.  Also, if you choose to use red flag service on the beach (pick up your flag at watersports stick it in the sand and someone will come take your order), be prepared to wait a long time.  We found it easier to just go up and get the drinks ourselves.  There is drink service at each of the dining areas for dinner, and the Cassava Terrace for lunch.  I think I read somewhere that wine is only served with dinner, but you can get wine during the day too if you ask.  Also, they will not just give you cans of beer (Miller Lite) something to do with the management not wanting people to walk around with 6 packs of beers and leaving cans everywhere.  Be sure to try a Flaming Bob Marley not very tasty, but fun and you can walk away saying you did one.  Miami Vice and BahamaMamas are also good drinks.  Some people suggested bringing big insulated cups to use instead of the small plastic cups supplied by the resort good idea, but we forgot ours.  If you enjoy your drinks, consider it a priority.  Also, consider investing in an inflatable drink oasis.  Basically, it is a floatie with drink holders and a place in the middle to hold ice.  We tied a string to ours, loaded it up with cocktails, and then brought it with us when floating in the ocean.  It saved us from repeat trips to the bar, though greatly contributed to intoxication.  We got ours at Linens n Things.  We did pass ours on to Richard, who works at Water Sports perhaps he will let you borrow it!  Overall, the drinks are good, cold, and strong.  

FOOD/RESTAURANTS

There are several restaurants from which to choose on the property.  For breakfast, you have a choice of room service or the buffet at the Cassava Terrace.  Most mornings, we chose room service and would eat out on our porch.  Room service consisted of fresh baked pastries and breads, cereal, fruit, juice, and coffee.  The first morning, my husband thought he would still be hungry, but found in the long run, it was plenty of food.  Room service was prompt and we didnt tip the guys didnt linger seeming to wait for one either.  If you eat out on your porch, dont leave it unattended because the birds will be right there eating off your plate.  We also hit the buffet a couple of times.  This was pretty standard breakfast fare, though they did have made to order omelets, pancakes, waffles, and fresh fruit smoothies.  The coffee was good and our cups rarely hit empty before someone would be over filling them up again.  Our only disappointment, we had read somewhere that they have self-serve mimosas and bloody marys, but not that we could find.  For lunch, your choices are the Beach Grill or the buffet at the Cassava Terrace.  We usually ate at the grill, just because it was convenient and we didnt need shoes or a shirt/cover-up.  I dont know if there was an official dress code at the Terrace, but we felt as though shoes and shirts/cover-ups were appropriate.  The food at the Grill was pretty good the jerk chicken and chicken patties were excellent, and the rest was traditional grill fare.  There was also a salad bar, self-serve nachos, soup, and self-serve ice cream.  For dinner, the Beach Grill and the Cassava Terrace became a la carte (3 nights, the Cassava Terrace was buffet).  You did not need reservations and they did display the menus ahead of time so you could make a decision.  In regards to dress, we saw pretty much everything, though most cleaned up.  We thought the food at the Beach Grill (at night it becomes the Pasta Bar) was better than the food at the Cassava Terrace, though we enjoyed listening to the house band that played during dinner at the Terrace.  If you eat at the Pasta Bar, dont sit near the far perimeter (near the foliage) because thats the only place we experienced mosquitoes.  Whatever you do, be sure to make a reservation for at least one night at OTAHEITE, the gourmet restaurant.  The food, service, and atmosphere were all spectacular!  We ate there twice, though the menu did not change throughout the week.  Dinner consists of several small courses of some of the best food I have ever eaten.  The service is top notch, and you really feel pampered.  There is a dress code long pants, collared shirts, and covered shoes for men, and dresses or pantsuits for women.  We did see people turned away for inappropriate dress.  Also, be sure you are on time because they will not seat you if you are late.  You can make your reservation at the guest relations desk in the lobby.  

THE BEACH/POOL

We spent most of our time at the beach, setting up around 8am and staying until the daily rain at about 2pm.  The beach is absolutely gorgeous, white sand, wide, and very clean.  There are plenty of trees that offer shade, though we dragged our chairs down to the water to be in the sun.  We spent a lot of the afternoons in the hammocks, but be careful of falling almonds.  We spent most of our time floating out in the water with our drink oasis, a wonderfully relaxing activity.  We did go to the pool in the afternoon when we had enough of the beach.  It was also remarkably clean and the water was on the warm side.  We did not go to the nude beach, but there didnt seem to be anyone there either.  We did not see a single topless woman all week, something to consider if this is something you are looking for.  Unlike our experience at other resorts, there were always plenty of chairs and floats at both the beach and the pool.  You didnt need to get up at the crack of dawn to reserve a good spot; in fact you could stroll out at 11am and still have your pick.  We felt as though our personal items were safe when left for periods of time, though we kept our camera with us.  There were people walking up and down the beach selling ganja and hair braiding, but they werent pushy and didnt bother us at all.  There is also a gentleman who walks the beach and will take your picture (his name is Smoky).  He does not wear a resort shirt, but works for a company that contracts with the resort.  There is no obligation to buy the photo, he simply takes it and then it will be displayed among others at the Photo Hut the next day for you to purchase if you so desire.  We heard one woman be very rude to him, not believing that he worked for the resort.  Hes actually very nice and polite, and will show you how to catch BIG sand crabs once you start talking to him.  

ACTIVITIES

Overall, the resort was pretty quiet.  There were no boisterous entertainment people dragging you to the pool for a game of volleyball.  Most of the activities never even happened because people didnt show up.  If you do participate in an activity, you get fake money to spend at the auction where you can purchase Tia Maria, t-shirts, etc.  We did play bingo a couple of times because it rained in the afternoon.  My husband took advantage of the tennis lessons and feels as though his game greatly improved under the direction of Devon and the visiting pro.  He also tried the water skiing, which was great because the water is very calm.  We both took out the hobie cats, kayaks, and paddleboats.  Feeding the goldfish in the ponds by the spa was a nice calming activity there are so many of them, its kind of fun to watch.  We did go on the catamaran cruise, which we just thought was okay, but it was cut short because of a thunderstorm.  We took the snorkeling trip, which was fun, but the snorkeling is not as good as other places we have been.  Bring a bagel with you to feed the fish.  We went to the Piano Bar one night but no one was there and the piano player did not show up.  The bare foot beach party on Monday nights is pretty fun, with lots of corny games that you otherwise would never find yourself playing.  Most nights, we were in bed by 9pm.  We still cannot get over how quiet the resort was.  Some mornings we would walk out around 8am for breakfast and it was like a ghost town.  However, contrary to other reports, there was music throughout the day, and the areas around the bars could get kind of rowdy.  We brought our own travel games and would set up at either the beach or pool bar to sit out the thunderstorms.  They have a game room with a t.v. card tables, ping pong table, and pool table but it was always so smoky, we avoided it.  The fitness area is top notch, which we did take advantage of.  We did not use the spa services and regret it.  By the time we got around to making an appointment for our massage, we could not get an appointment.  We did not go on the shopping trip or to Ricks Caf.  My husband did go on the golfing trip, which ended up being very expensive.  The resort covers the transfer and the green fees, but a caddy is mandatory, club rentals were $18 and then you also must buy your own balls ($1 each) and tees.  There are no water fountains on the course so you are expected to buy water for yourself and the caddy.  My husband spent close to $60 by the end of the day.  

DEPARTING

The night before your departure, you will receive a flight confirmation and the time that you should meet the bus.  You leave your luggage outside your room 1-hour before the bus leaves.  Checkout went quickly and all our bags were on the bus by the time we arrived to leave.  Once again, things at the airport went quickly, though it is an interesting set-up.  You wait for your flight to be called before you go to your gate, so everyone is in the same waiting area.  We walked all the way to our gate and then were escorted back by security.  

Overall, we had a wonderful vacation.  If you have any questions or want any details, please feel free to email me at k_weiderman@mindspring.com  

Kelly Weiderman