Saturday, December 15, 2012

Couples Negril - Jamaica

Couples Negril - Jamaica



Ah... my first visit to an all-inclusive adults only resort and I've got nothing to say but good things. This place was paradise and near perfect for any type of escape from the realities of life.

As we first landed in Jamaica from fly WestJet (our preferred airline here in Canada), the warm sea salt air was a welcomed invasion of humidity from the dry flight. Stepping into the Montego Bay Airport, it was a surprisingly well developed terminal with all the modern amenities that you would expect. We made our way through customs and headed over to the Couples Resorts waiting area where we were greeted by friendly staff and most importantly... an ice cold Jamaican Red Stripe beer.

While we checked in, staff took care of our luggage and we had a chance to refresh while we waited for the shuttle bus to come get us. This was a fantastic perk with Couples Resorts as other resorts that don't have private shuttles could be a pricey trip from the airport.

The ride was an uneventful one (which is great), but the driver was friendly and we made our roughly one hour trip to the resort soaking in the views of the ocean and the sites of local small towns.

Arriving at the resort, our bags were taken care of and the driver was appreciative of the $2 USD tip. They don't actually work for the resort and so are not part of the "all-inclusive" gratuity package. We were immediately greeted with glasses of champagne and seated on comfortable couches while we filled out the check-in paperwork.

Following our host, we were guided to our room where we quickly settled in and took in the views from the balcony. Our luggage arrived promptly and I immediately felt the rush of relaxation and the worry-free attitude come over me that Jamaica is so well known for.


We gave ourselves a quick tour of the resort, ignoring the guided tour that the resort offered. I'm sure it would have been helpful, but we just didn't feel like waiting the extra couple hours before the tour started. The resort was wonderful and intimate. It wasn't huge, which is a great plus in my books as it didn't take much walking to get to any specific area.





The pool was clean and the pool bar always had good service. Tons of beach chairs are readily available and it was never an issue getting one with a great view and lots of sun.



The food was excellent and the staff as friendly as they come. The all day grill was great and we definitely enjoyed the chicken. Evening meals could be had either at the buffet (Casava Terrace), the asian restaurant (Lychee), fine dining (Otaheite), or at the beach bar/grill. I'd recommend Casava Terrace and Otaheite the most. Be sure to make reservations at least 24 hours in advance for Otaheite as it's a fine dining experience and there's a dress code in effect. Although Lychee was tasty, my palette was a bit too sophisticated for the asian tastes that they could produce; it just wasn't up to par for asian food, but I observed many other people enjoying their meals.

The included water sports worked out great. The SCUBA diving staff was phenomenal and I'd give them all a kudos. They were amazing. Sugar, the SCUBA manager, was amazing and is definitely an asset that Couples should never lose. His instructional skills and patience in teaching newbie SCUBA divers was great. My fiancĂ©e had a blast and became a SCUBA Open Water diver under his tutelage.


Overall, the experience was amazing and I truly do hope to return to this little piece of paradise in Jamaica. It was simply amazing.

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