We spent Christmas at the Sunset Jamaica Grande in Ocho Rios, Jamaica.
The package was through Air Canada Vacations and the flight and related staff were so bad that they truly deserve their own review, so I'll attend to that later.
The Sunset Jamaica Grande is billed as a 4-star. Just for clarification, most countries other than Canada & the US have a set rating system, so a resort achieves its star value based on certain criteria, such as having 24-hr room service, internet access, a spa, etc. Air Canada's rating of 4-star is subjective and certainly something that nearly everyone on our flight would contest.
The hotel rooms are in a serious state of disrepair, with black mold on just about everything (that hasn't been painted over - as opposed to cleaned!), cracks in the walls, rust water stains on the ceiling, and dampness in the room. Rooms that face the town do have an oceanview but are also subject to the very loud music from the town's bars & restaurants that are a stroll from the resort's entrance. Resort view rooms are more sheltered to the noise and have a great view of the bay & ocean.
The a la carte restaurants (3) all had very good food. Small portion sizes, so you can order an appetizer and meal and not feel stuffed. Not afraid to use spices here...nothing to spicy but actually full of flavor - a nice change from most resorts.
The buffet lacks originality. Basically the same 8 items with about 6 more items that change from day to day. Nothing exciting here and nothing with flavor.
There are quite a few pool areas, so it's always easy to find a lounger...the north side near the ever-popular volleyball area filled up the quickest, and the pool that the waterslide dumps into was also regularly busy with small children. The waterslide was a lot of fun and seemed to be used equally between kids and adults.
The beach area was disappointing. The watersports side was very rocky but lots of stuff to do if you can get past that. The quiet beach area was quite long and lots of loungers and less children but the water was full of seaweed and sea urchins. Not bad if the wind isn't blowing and you can see where you're stepping, but if it's windy, the waves stir up the sand and you're walking blind.
Drinks at the resort were pretty varied, with the obvious lean toward rum drinks. The Blue Mountain Coffee Cream drink seemed to be the most popular (mix 1/4 coffee liqueur & 3/4 Sangsters Rum Cream over ice - delish!).
Internet service was an exercise in frustration. Supposed to be high speed but was as slow as dial up and only worked intermittently. Very frustrating when I was reading reports here and there from CKNW that YVR was closed and that no Air Canada flights went out on Dec 24!
All in all, the resort would be good for someone looking for a cheap vacation in Jamaica. But, if you're looking for something cheap & cheerful anywhere else, there are a lot of other options out there in Cuba and Mexico where you'll spend a lot less and get a lot more.
Overall vote: thumbs down!
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