Jamaica's No. 2 tourist spot, Ocho Rios, used to be a small fishing and banana port. Tourism has since gained ground as the city's leading industry, evident in the large number of hotels and resorts, many of them all inclusive. With all-inclusive resorts, you pay one price for your accommodations, meals, beverages and certain activities, and put away your wallet for the remainder of your vacation.
Part of a 12-resort chain, Sandals Grande Ocho Rios earned one star from Frommer's Travel Guide, meaning it's "highly recommended." The resort opened in 2004 and features 524 rooms, including 93 villas. The property also boasts seven outdoor pools and five hot tubs, along with six tennis courts, two steam rooms and two saunas.
Visitors can choose from one of Sandals Grande's 11 restaurants. The selection ranges from Valentino's, which features Tuscan cuisine, to the Tex-Mex style of Arizona restaurant. After that, work off the meals with one of the included activities, such as tennis, a 30-foot climbing tower or beach volleyball.
The resort is adult couples-only. For singles or those with families, Sandals directs you to its family resort, Beaches.
Sandals Grande Ocho Rios
P.O. Box 771, Main Street
Ocho Rios St. Ann, Jamaica, W.I.
(876) 974-5691
sandals.com/main/ochorios/or-home.cfm
As the name indicated, Couple Tower Isle is a couples-only property, part of a four-resort chain in Jamaica. The resort recently underwent a $30 million renovation and was ranked No. 8 of the Top 25 resorts in the Caribbean, Bermuda and Bahamas in "Travel + Leisure"'s World's Best awards.
The resort features seven room categories, ranging from a deluxe garden room to an ocean-view suite. All the rooms include a king-size bed, flat-screen TV and iPod/MP3 player docking station, while some also feature a deluxe walk-in shower and Jacuzzi tub. The one-bedroom ocean suites, the highest room category, also include a mini refrigerator stocked with beer, wine and champagne.
The property boasts six restaurants, including one that caters to vegetarians called Veggie Bar. There are also four bars, including a piano bar. The all-inclusive price includes horseback riding, watersports, scuba, glass-bottom boat tours, a Dunn's River Falls tour and catamaran cruises. Couple Tower Isle also owns its own private island, where sunbathers can spend time au natural.
Couples Tower Isle
P.O. Box 330 Tower Isle
Ocho Rios, Jamaica, W.I.
(888) 782-9722
couples.com
To go all-inclusive or not to go all-inclusive---the choice is yours at Royal Plantation Ocho Rios, which offers an all-in-one "royal plan." The plan includes all meals---including the traditional afernoon tea---all beverages, championship golf, water sports, beach butler services, nightly entertainment and cigar-rolling classes. It also includes the hotel's "pillow menu," a choice of five types of pillows to enhance your sleep.
The resort-inn hybrid was built in the 1950s and offers 74 suites with views of the ocean. The property boasts two private cove beaches, which are staffed with butlers to serve you ice-cold drinks, as well as a freshwater pool and two whirlpools.
For those looking for luxury, Royal Plantation also features Jamaica's own caviar and champagne bar, as well as a well-stocked wine cellar that features wines selected by the resort's sommelier.
Royal Plantation Spa & Golf Resort
P.O. Box 2
Ocho Rios, St. Ann Jamaica, W.I.
(876) 974-5601
royalplantation.com
