February 15-22, 2002
We had never been to an all-inclusive resort because we
imagined it to be like an all day fraternity party, with people out
control from too much alcohol. It wasn’t until I met Penny, my on-line
travel agent, that we even thought about Jamaica. The moment I saw
pictures of Beaches Royal Plantation, however, I knew that's where we
would be going on vacation.
After arriving at the airport, we were quickly greeted by
some members of the Beaches staff. We had the option to board an Air
Jamaican Express flight to Ocho Rios and chose to do so. The flight takes
about 15 minutes, whereas the bus ride takes two hours.
When our van pulled up to the hotel, we were at a loss for
words. It was more gorgeous than the pictures in the brochure. The
concierge opened the door to our van and said, "Welcome to Beaches Royal
Plantation". It was like something out of a movie. The lobby is an
"open-air" building, and when you look inside, you’re looking directly at
the ocean. The landscaping was beautiful as well. We were lead into the
receiving area and given cool scented cloths as well as a glass of
champagne. It was even more beautiful than I imagined, and Beaches Royal
Plantation exceeded our expectations.
Our accommodations included a large bedroom with a
canopied bed; the bathroom was just as big as the bedroom and had a
Jacuzzi tub, an open shower, and even a bidet. This unique suite came with
a balcony with reclining chairs, a table for eating, and a wet bar stocked
with coffee, soda, water, beer and various bottles of liquor.
After going to the beach and picking out a chair, you were
given a yellow flag. Whenever you wanted a drink, you simply stuck the
flag in the sand, and the "beach butler" would come over and take your
order.
We ate dinner every night at the Bayside Restaurant ~ the
menu is extensive, and the food is excellent. Chef Hugo walked through the
restaurant to ask how you were enjoying the meal. They had a trio playing
live music, usually playing jazz or pop standards. We always enjoyed our
meals and never ran out of things to order. The shrimp cocktail and
oysters were both fabulous and the lobster in herb butter and beef
tenderloin was especially good. We never got around to trying the French
restaurant. Although we considered going to one of the other hotels to try
their restaurants for dinner, we were so satisfied with the Bayside
Restaurant we never bothered to leave.
On Monday night, the resort hosts a beach party. Tables
and chairs are set up on the beach, surrounded by flaming torches sticking
in the sand. Long buffet tables are set up on the Royal Café patio, and I
don't think I have ever seen such an extensive display of food. One table
had various types of salad, another table provided appetizers, there was a
large grilling area with any kind of grilled meat or seafood you could
want, and of course the dessert table offered lots of choices. The food
was really good.
For entertainment, there was a Steel Drum Band, as well as
three local musicians who stopped by each table and played a couple of
Reggae songs.
Several months before leaving on our trip, our travel
agent mentioned that Beaches Royal Plantation provides assistance and
donations to a local elementary school. I'm a teacher, so I wanted to be
involved in this endeavor. We brought a lot of school supplies in two
small suitcases and personally delivered them. The teachers and the
principal were grateful, and it felt good to be able to give back
something to Jamaica.
If you are flying Air Jamaica, you have the luxury of
being able to pre-check in on the day you leave. This is done early in the
morning, but it’s worth it. The Air Jamaica staff checks your bags,
prepares your boarding pass and transfers your luggage to the airport. Our
flight didn't leave until later in the day, so we were able to enjoy one
last day at the beach. Even though we had checked out at 11am, we were
allowed to enjoy the all-inclusive benefits. The hotel offers several
public bathrooms that you can use to freshen up in before heading to the
airport. If you have been at the beach all day, it’s a nice luxury.
When I look back on this experience, I think what made our
vacation extra special were the people who worked at Beaches Royal
Plantation. Everyone went above and beyond to make sure we were having a
good time, and we had a fantastic time. We can’t wait to go back.
Stacey Place ~ Providence, RI
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couple of wedding pictures for your viewing pleasure. You are welcome to post them on your web site (however, if you start to profit from my good looks, I want a percentage). I am the one with the short hair. Nicole and I had an absolute fairytale honeymoon. Beaches Royal Plantation scored a perfect 10 in every category! The service was remarkable! Let me reiterate: The service was REMARKABLE! The facility was beautiful: gorgeous ocean view room, fully stocked bar (all top-shelf liquors) within the room, 24-hour room service, elaborate decorum, and fantastic cleaning service. Our diets consisted of smoked marlin, pheasant, rabbit, escargot, jerked baby back ribs, and smoked salmon to name a few. The landscaping and beach frontage were beautiful.
make decisions. Never once did I feel pressured into booking a vacation through you. That is remarkable considering how damn deliberating and anal I am. I can't wait to call upon your services again. Be on the look-out for bulk airfare for 4 adults to Montego Bay (remember Nicole and I are returning with my parents) IMPORTANT: Several of my friends are getting married soon and I have recommended you as the travel agent of choice. Jason will likely be the first to contact you. If your able to accommodate his budget, two more will likely follow, John and Hal. Call me!