Sandals Negril Beach Resort and Spa

It’s not my favorite Sandals but it was ok. The mattress was awful but we were able to request a topper which helped for the most part. Club Sandals staff were very helpful with our requests. The resort is large which was not an issue but it felt like everything was scattered. We found the staff throughout the resort to be hit or miss. Some staff made it seem like you are nothing but a bother to them and other staff treated you normally. Then there were staff that were exceptional. I felt like the male entertainment staff at the main pool, with the exception of the entertainment manager were partial to certain guests and it was very obvious. The female entertainment staff seemed to treat all guests equally. That being said, Ashli-Ann from the entertainment team was awesome. She made you feel welcomed to be there, socialized with guests, and even offered to get drinks for us. Then there is Olivia who works at Crema who was super sweet and willing to even make you something that was different from the listed coffee menu. There was an employee who I believe her name was Sheniae who works at bayside during breakfast who was also very welcoming and checked in often to make sure you had everything you needed. Lastly, Amanda Panda from Loyalty & Travel Services. We saw Amanda on Sunday who made multiple suggestions for our next booking and offered us a great next vacation opportunity. The other staff in the office that day were also wonderful and welcoming. We happened to stop back on Monday even though Amanda wasn’t there to ask a question and the staff were not pleasant or friendly. A maintenance man came by on our last day to inquire if there were any concerns that needed to be addressed which I thought was nice. The male staff member who picked up our luggage for departure was very kind and courteous and knocked on our door to let us know he was taking our luggage do that we knew that it was staff taking and not just anyone taking it. Read less

We arrived on April 19 and departed on April 26. Our check in process was fine. We stayed in the Sundowner Swim up Beachfront Butler Suite and had zero issues with our room. Maid service was prompt every morning, we had good water pressure and hot water. Our butlers Christopher and Shamoy were great. We had a nice snack waiting for us when we returned from the beach, even Sushi two days! We had the same spot on the beach and they made sure to pack our cooler with more beer and less water after the first day! Aaron at the Bayside buffet breakfast was a pleasure and is a fine young man. Also a shout out to my 76ers bartender buddy, Marlon at the piano bar. Alexcia serving drinks on the beach was a sweetheart. My only suggestion would be to separate the French and Italian restaurants and expand the menus a little. Pehaps keep the Italian at the Bayside and open up the Perla to serve the French for dinner. This was a fantastic trip! Read less

To begin, I need to say that for some people this would be paradise. We are not those people. If you want to be constantly drunk and like to whoop it up at the pool bar with obnoxious games, and need to eat non-stop, you will love it. The boredom set in quickly and the only way off the property is by paying their excursion fees. When we took just one step off, we were sent in a cab that took us to one restaurant, and picked us up there. We were told that we needed to abide by this, and that stopping in town was not possible. They also told us that Rick's Cafe was too far to walk from Ivan's, the restaurant, but it was across the street. So my bucket list of seeing the sunset from Rick's was not to happen. Dinner restaurants get a 4.5. Most had very good selections, and offered what the style of the menu expected. The service was decent if not at times oddly brusque. There appears to be an attitude among some of the staff. One bartender was so rude to me, I was shocked. Then he of course referred to my husband as "boss". This was a common theme. We had a Butler. Now this is described in such a way that makes it sound delightful. Let me clarify. First off, Butler? What is this, Gone with the Wind? They dress like Lawn jockeys. I felt like it was racist and we really wanted them to callus b our names, not Boss and Boss Lady. And they do things to make the experience nicer, but without asking. Like making reservations at restaurants without checking what we wanted. And bringing drinks we didn't ask for. I told them from the start that I don't like sugary frozen or otherwise crap. But it took three days to settle that score. And the one (you get two) butler was indignant that we didn't drink what he brought. I've never been fed so much cheese in my life. Cheese plates twice a day. Considering my lack of eating a lot of dairy, this was offensive. There are no dairy alternatives here. So if that matters, and they ask about food preferences, but that doesn't mean they will have them. I finally got some shrimp cocktail once I got it through to them that I really like shrimp. But then it wouldn't stop coming. We are convinced that the liquor in "premium bottles" was refilled with lesser quality. We know the difference. It is not only different but also watered down. Beach and Pools get a 4.5. The beach chairs were set up for us as promised and that was probably the best part of the "Butler" experience. The pools? The pool bar is for 20 year olds that want to scream and party. The middle pool is small and meh. The pool at the end of the resort, Lagoon I think it's called, was the most appealing with less people, and a good size to relax in. The ocean is warm, but I'd say not what I remember from years ago. St. John water beats it hands down. And there are small areas to swim in so it feels kind of restrictive. Water Sports are good, I do not partake but my husband did and the guys were outstanding, polite and very cool. Breakfast buffet? I give it a 2.5. Rude omelet station. No non-dairy options. Same old same old. Lots of bread and fillers. The fruit was oddly not exciting for a tropical island. Let's talk about tropical island...the entertainment was condescending to the American traveler. No original Reggae except the very cool guys on the beach playing for $$. We did meet two amazing guys, Joshua Stone and his brother, and as we got to know them they entertained us, hung out and of course we paid them, but hell, this country is so impoverished it was the least we could do was thank them for alleviating the USA homogenized drivel that they put out as nightly entertainment. I had dreams of dancing the night away to Bob Marley and Jimmy Cliff with my husband in the sand, barefoot and happy. That never happened. The nightly shows were sit down here and watch a steel drum band play Bon Jovi and Miley Cyrus. For goodness sake, how dumbed down? FYI, next door to the resort is Hedonism. We listened from the gate one night as they were all partying to a real reggae band, and having a blast. Jealousy. Wishing we had made a better choice for this expensive trip. Now, I mentioned two butlers. This is due to their scheduling. Understood. The first one ended up being indignant and making me very uncomfortable. The second was sweet, and tried hard to get us, which he quickly did. Once that happened, we were so thrilled when he was on duty and thus, took good care of him upon tipping time. We don't want to ever be treated like entitled American tourists. We took in the whole picture and realized from conversations that most staff were reluctant to discuss, that Jamaicans are still treated very poorly. So this and other similar resorts must be their only hope to make a living. I get it. So we contributed to the infrastructure of this island. And the weather was lovely. But I would never recommend this to people that have a "free will" mindset. It was akin to a cruise on land. The butlers want and expect you to be exactly on time for the reservations they make, and to boot, let them walk you to dinner. Now, the reason for this became clear. It is because they are overstepping the wait staff, to make sure you get a premium table, which they secure, start you off with drinks then leave. It is their job. But what if you decide to have a drink and relax before dinner? Or are late for some reason? They give you a little "bat phone" to stay in touch and they will find you! Follow the herd and shut up and like it. As VRBO people. I wanted a chance to let it all be taken care of for me. Not so sure that I believe this is a good thing any more. Now, Ritz Carlton type of ultra focused service is different. It is not based upon the resorts need to keep things moving like an assembly line. For the money, wish I'd spent less time but better spent money at a Ritz anywhere in the Caribbean, then the money we spent at Sandals. Let this be a word to those who are accustomed to luxury travel. There is a feeling of being trapped and fed an American diet of everything from drinks, food and entertainment. We went to the Caribbean to get away from home. Not to have it pushed back into our faces with what starts to feel like "walls closing in" after 3 days. The place is relatively clean, although the water in the bathrooms builds up during the day and is treacherous and nasty. While this all might be great for some, it really wasn't our style. For the money, look around and think hard about "your time" and how you want to spend your vacation. Read less