We stayed at Pebbles from February 20th until March 3rd of 2005 (2 adults, 2 boys age 2 and 4). This was our second vacation in Jamaica. Last year, we spent 2 weeks at Beaches Bocobel. We have tried other Caribbean islands in the past.
FDR Pebbles feels a little aged but the grounds are well maintained. The rooms are surprisingly big. We had a beach suite which offered enough space for the four of us. It was a little dark but clean and in good working order. The wooden housing construction is not insulated so you are kind of "close" to your neighbors. I would rate the rooms/grounds as good Caribbean average.
We caught some bug bites, nothing spectacular and it got better when we started using bug spray and kept the doors closed. Bring stuff to keep the bugs away and treat the itching/swelling. Consider pjs with long sleves/legs.
The unique selling point for this resort is obviously the nanny concept. They try to keep the little ones busy with fishing, treasure hunt and stone painting. There is a kids center with some toys, video games and, most importantly, a tv set. Our nanny did a fine job. They all seemed very nice and experienced with kids.
Food quality is ok, variety average at best. Staff is polite. Things can take a while, get over it, you're in Jamaica. Again, the kids like the "Kid's Dining", which offers TV, pizza and chicken wings...
Adult entertainment is what you would expect. Some lame pool games, reggae music in the evening, kids fashion shows...
Sports activities are being provided but rarely used. 2 Tennis courts in good shape, a gym with treadmills, bikes and some weights, an improvised basketball court, a volleyball field..Pool is ok, beach sort of small, lot's of rocks and stones, bring shoes if you want to get into the water.
Scuba Diving staff is nice. The place is ok if you want to get certified. For the experienced diver, Jamaica has little to offer. The biggest fish I saw was about 2 pounds - everything bigger gets eaten immediately...
To my surprise, the place has free high-speed wireless internet which covers most of the resort. I had my laptop with me and answered emails from the beach. Very nice!
At times, you may get asked by some off-resort people if you "...wanna smoke the weed..." Again, get over it, after all we're in Jamaica.
We were looking for good weather and an opportunity to dump the kids for a while without worrying. Expectations were well met for us...would recommend the place!
Feel free to email me at temp01@nowicki.info with questions!

Most of the reviews about Pebbles are quite favorable, but 90% seem to be written by parents of YOUNG children. These parents are thrilled just to have a nanny take care of their kids, which I think taints the value of their reviews of this resort. As the parent of a teenager (14), I was a bit frustrated so little is written about Pebbles from their perspective. I also felt there was considerable void in information about the rooms at Pebbles… how they were laid out, size, etc. … and things like the actual size of the beach, what things cost, how much to tip the staff, etc.

I will endeavor to fill these voids with this review. Having recently returned from Pebbles, I feel a key to enjoying your stay there is to manage expectations. I thank previous reviewers for helping to manage our expectations… We had a wonderful time and would like to go back again someday.

The Rooms…

Lodging at Pebbles is comprised entirely of “Junior Suites”. 96 of them divided between 12 separate two-story buildings or “blocks”. Blocks 1, 7, 10 & 12 are ON the beach (7 & 10 are closest to the water). The other eight blocks are staggered just behind and to the side of those four blocks.

Before arriving at Pebbles we considered purchasing an additional (adjoining) suite, to give everyone more privacy. We were quoted a price of $100 extra per night for the extra room, but when called to book it we were told Pebbles was sold out. Turned out we really didn’t need the extra room, but if you have more than two kids you’ll need one.

Try to get an upstairs room. They’re quieter and you have a better view. We were assigned a corner room (221) in Block 6. We had an excellent view of the large pool, swim-up bar and just beyond that… the ocean. The balcony is accessed from the master bedroom, which is nice for parents while the kids are asleep.

We particularly enjoyed sitting on the balcony in the morning. Unfortunately there isn’t a coffee maker in the suite so if you’re the type who likes to hang out in your PJs a while before heading down to the breakfast buffet, bring your own (and maybe coffee, creamer, sugar, filters and mugs).

Each Junior Suite is made of hardwood cedar and measures 18’ x 30’ plus a spacious bathroom and an 18’ x 6’ balcony. The balcony has a small cast iron table w/ 2 cast iron chairs (so they won’t blow away). I believe you can see the ocean from nearly every balcony, though some have a fuller view than others.

The Suite is divided in half for semi-privacy, by a wall that comes up 5’ and a folding door next to that. The master king size bed uses the 5’ wall as a headboard. Pressed up against the other side of the 5’ wall is a long wicker desk & dresser. There are only six drawers in the dresser so a family of 3-4 will need to use a suitcase as an additional dresser (there’s a suitcase stand in the master bedroom). There is a tall spacious closet in the master bedroom that has about ten hangers. No iron (or board) in the room so bring your own if you are so inclined.

Mounted to the top of the 5’ wall are about 25 two-foot tall wood railings spaced in six-inch increments. The second floor rooms have vaulted ceilings, providing an airy feeling… particularly when lying in bed. My girlfriend and I initially had some privacy concerns, but the kids didn’t bother us. It would have been difficult for them to peek through the railings anyway since they would have had to climb on the wicker desk/dresser (not advisable) to get up that high. The king size bed is very solid and comfortable. I slept great on it, even though I often have trouble sleeping on mattresses other than my own.

The kids slept in the aforementioned desk/dresser part of the suite. There is a sofa/ daybed and if you have a second child, Pebbles sets up a cot prior to your arrival. Both of these beds were surprisingly solid and comfortable.

For us it was nice having the teenagers’ beds in the front “den” area, since they were often out until midnight or so (on the property) with the teen coordinator and other teen guests. When they finally came back to the room to sleep, they could do so without bothering us a great deal in the master bedroom half of the suite.

There is a 17” Zenith TV in the front (kids) part of the room that gets about 20 channels (all stateside variety), but only about half have sound or good quality picture. Still, you should be able to find something interest.

There is not a clock or a radio in the suite so bring your own.

Even though the bathroom towels are replaced daily, we never seemed to have enough of them. (When you stay at a resort that has a beach, pool and Jacuzzi, your family ends up taking a lot of showers.)

A number of Pebble reviewers commented the shower water never really gets “hot”. It doesn’t. But it does get pretty warm so we didn’t have a problem with it. And the water never cut off on us either, as some reviewers mentioned.

The suite has a small fridge in the front room that the nanny/maid stocks daily based on your preferences. Unfortunately choices for “complimentary” room snacks and beverages are pretty limited. You might want to bring your own chips.
Beverage choices are: sodas, Red Stripe beer, and milk. If you want bottled water you have to buy it from the gift shop for $1.50 each.
Complimentary snack choices are: a choice of 5 cold cereals, a plate of chopped cheese (about 10 small pieces), crackers, and I think you may also be able to get a small plate of chopped fruit.

There are no icemakers so if you want to keep ice in your room you’ll need to pack a small cooler and get it filled at one of the bars.

We didn’t have a mosquito problem that many reviewers commented on. Perhaps it was the time of year we went (January). We only saw one or two mosquitoes the entire six days we were there… and that was around the pool area. We did see a few ants around the pool one day (eating food kids drop), but no big deal.

The Pool…

Most guests opt to hang around the pool because that’s where the “action” is (people watching, music, games, wait staff, opportunities for socializing, etc.). You also get the best sun at the pool, but many of the lounge chairs were broken so try to find one that inclines and hang onto it.

The Pebbles staff organizes at least one pool game a day (unless the guests start playing one on their own, which happens often). Typically it’s water polo or full court basketball (yes, they have TWO backboards). My girlfriend and I did not participate, but our teen boys did and they had a blast. Each game involved about a dozen or so guests (ages 10 up to 40-something adults), and about two to four Pebbles staff. Be advised the pool is not heated and the water temperature during our January visit was a bit on the chilly side.

Also at the pool there are 2-3 contests in the afternoons around lunchtime. The contests change from day to day. Some of the ones I remember were “best sunglasses”, “palest guest” (funny one), “best swimsuit”, and ring toss. Prizes are typically a can of Jamaican coffee, a Pebbles T-shirt, a bottle of Tia Maria (Jamaican coffee liquor), a bottle of Jamaican rum, or a bottle of jerk sauce.

If you decide to lounge around the pool, the grill wait staff will come around periodically and see if you want anything (including cocktails, beer).

The Beach…

Much has been written about the small size of Pebble’s beachfront. It’s really not small from a “left to right” perspective (about 650 feet)… just not very wide from a “front to back” perspective (only 10-30 feet wide from the water to the buildings!).

Only a few people hangout on the resort’s beach due to its small size, windy conditions and late-day shadows cast by buildings.

The ocean temperature in January is a bit cool, but not as cool as the pool water. Many reviewers commented on the excessive “seaweed” and sharp stones/shells in the sand at Pebbles’ beach. There is quite a bit of seaweed in places, but you can swim around or over it. And the stones and shells aren’t that bad. A couple areas can be rocky, but for the most part the beach is comprised of very walkable sand. Nearly everyone was barefoot and didn’t seem to have problems with it.

There are about 5 hammocks and 30 lounge chairs on the beach, but during our stay we saw only 10-12 people out there at the most. The hammocks are grouped in one area and seemed to be more popular than the loungers. It was not uncommon to find parents reading or sleeping in the hammocks in the afternoons.

Near the hammock area is a six-person Jacuzzi. It’s probably not the cleanest water, but it feels good and I believe it’s open 24 hours.

Just inland from the hammock and Jacuzzi area is the playground. Blocks 8 through 11 surround the playground so if you have small kids you may want to request a room in one of those Blocks.

Just to the left of the Pebbles property (as you face the ocean) is what appears to be an abandoned beach resort, but is actually a somewhat rundown, but functioning bar & grill. We were told this is where parts of “How Stella Got Her Groove Back” was filmed. The beach there is not well maintained, but as you walk along the shore and around the bend you find yourself all alone.

It’s a wonderful respite from the more populated Pebbles beach, and the water is absolutely beautiful. You can walk out 100 yards and still be standing in hip-deep crystal clear water. And while walking along this “deserted” beach you will find lots of shells and even some live sea creatures in the shallow water. Watch out for those urchins!

Food & Drinks…

Pebbles serves breakfast, lunch and dinner in their semi-open air buffet room. There are about 40 tables, but typically only half or less are occupied. This is partly because the buffet is open for three hours every meal… Breakfast 7:30 – 10:30; Lunch 12:00 – 3:00; Dinner 6:00 – 9:00. (Also many people just opt to eat some or most of their meals at the pool grill.)

The buffet area is covered by a roof. Two walls have clear plastic hanging down to keep the wind from blowing things around to bad. Unfortunately the plastic also obstructs the view of the ocean. You can still see it somewhat, but you feel like you’re inside looking out rather than being right on the beach.

Much has been written in other reviews about the poor quality of food at Pebbles. The good news is, there are a variety of main dishes and side dishes. The bad news is, most of it isn’t that good. Not horrible, just not real good. You won’t go hungry, since you can always find something to appease your appetite. Unfortunately, the best tasting things are the desserts. I put on about 5 lbs during our week at Pebbles, partly due to all the desserts I ate. (I usually don’t eat desserts, but the main entrees weren’t that good so I made up the difference at the dessert table.)

The best meal they serve at the buffet is breakfast. Our absolute favorite was the French toast. It was delicious. In fact, it was the favorite thing I ate my entire time at Pebbles… (which doesn’t say much for the other meals). The breakfast omelets and fresh cut fruit are good too, especially the pineapple. They also had wide assortment of pastries. The hash browns and bacon were “okay” (we found small hairs in our hash browns). Didn’t try eating the sausage. The scrambled eggs were not that great. For beverages they serve coffee, orange, apple & pineapple juice, and whole milk.

We brought along some tall insulated mugs with lids, which worked great not just for making coffee runs in the morning, but also for having a longer lasting cocktail poolside. (The bartenders will fill whatever you give them.) The cocktail glasses at Pebbles are small so we also brought large thick-plastic colorful tumblers for evening drinks from the bar. Great for walking around the property and not having to worry about running out too soon. Other guests were quite envious and commented on how “tropical” our drinkware looked… asking us where we got them (99-cents apiece at Wal-Mart!).

The liquor most-often served at Pebbles tends to be the cheap Jamaican variety… mostly rums. The only top-shelf booze they had was Smirnoff Vodka.

The kids really like ordering fruit smoothies and food from the poolside grill. It’s open from about 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., and you can get hamburgers, hot dogs, grilled cheese, peanut butter & jelly, jerk chicken (chicken leg & thigh that’s been whacked a few times w/ a cleaver, served w/ spicy sauce on the side), nachos, and of course, French fries. And popcorn. The mustard at the pool grill tastes normal, but the ketchup can perhaps be best described as red sugar water. (Bring your own ketchup if you eat a lot of it… we did, after reading other reviews.)

There is also an adults-only “Italian” restaurant at Pebbles. It’s located on the beach and is only open a few nights a week (dinner only). Reservations are required and there are only about a dozen tables so it’s advisable you book shortly after you arrive. (We made our reservations in the Pebble’s lobby, but I think you can phone from your room too.) The food in the Italian restaurant tends to be a little better than the buffet, but not much. And the service is only so-so. What’s mostly nice about it is the ambiance. There are no children around and (unlike the buffet) you can actually see the water/beach when seated. Attire is up to you, but most men were wearing a golf or Hawaiian shirt and shorts. Women were mostly wearing sundresses.

The Grounds…

Jamaica gets its fair share of rain so the plant life at Pebbles is varied and lush. The grounds resemble a small rainforest. It’s very nice. When walking from your room to the pool or beach or restaurant, you feel like you’re in a maze… but in a nice way. It’s beautiful. And watch out for the little lizards/chameleons running about… and at night you’ll encounter occasional frogs on the pathways.

We did notice a septic odor in the area outside of our Block. It never fully went away during the week, but we got used to it after a while. I understand Pebbles recycles it’s wastewater by using it on the grounds. I guess that could have been the cause.

Pebbles offers informal “orientations” of the property usually twice a day… something like 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. This is not always made clear to guests at check-in so be sure to read the chalk board in the lobby (and boards elsewhere on the property since they provide info on daily events).

Orientation takes less than 30 minutes and will typically be just your family and maybe one other. A teen coordinator is often the guide. It’s highly recommended you take the time to do the orientation, as it will enhance your visit to Pebbles. Your guide will show and explain how the buildings are numbered and where to find everything like the tennis and basketball courts, petting animals (goats, etc.), fishpond, scuba training, Italian restaurant, Jacuzzi, water sports sign-up hut, gift shops, gym, etc.

During the orientation walk, your guide will also answer all your questions about Jamaica… including how much time to allow for certain activities, how much things cost, events coming up, etc. If your guide doesn’t know the answer, he’ll usually find out and get back to you later.

Fun Hangouts…

The kids really like the game rooms at Pebbles -- there are two. One is a fully enclosed 500 sq ft room called “The Cool Cat Club”. It’s located next to the pool and is geared more toward smaller children. Usually there are cartoon videos showing on the TVs and (Gamecube) video games, geared toward younger kids. There are also some arts & crafts for kids to do there. You will almost always find lots of nannies in the Cool Cat Club, particularly in the mornings... entertaining small kids while parents get ready for their day.

The other game room is much bigger, open air, and above the buffet area. There you will often find older kids and one or two parents and a teen coordinator playing ping pong (two tables), shooting pool (two tables), air hockey (two tables), or older-kid video games (PlayStation 2, Xbox, Gamecube) on one of the three TVs. Anyone can use either game room – you don’t have to be a certain age… or even a kid for that matter! One of our favorite activities at Pebbles was playing ping-pong in the evenings with the boys.

There is a 500 sq ft “disco” near the buffet area for kids to play in. The walls are brightly painted and there’s a disco ball hanging from the ceiling. This room doesn’t get used much, but kids are welcome to hangout in there if they want. Once or twice a week the teen coordinators use the disco for older kid sleep-outs when the beach is too windy (which is often). They do play music in the disco on occasion, though I suspect not a whole lot of dancing goes on.

Above the disco is the “gym”. As hotel/resort gyms go, I was a little disappointed with the quality/maintenance of the equipment, though I was happy they have something. The Pebbles gym consists of a 500 sq ft room with three treadmills, two steppers, some free weights & a bench, dumbbells, and four well-worn circuit machines for isolating body parts. There’s also a large projection TV, ceiling A/C unit, and a couple windows, but not much of a view.

Unfortunately there are no instructions available on how to use the circuit machines so unless you get lucky and a teen coordinator happens to be in the room to demonstrate, you’re on your own. I belong to a gym and workout weekly, but I couldn’t figure out some of the machines.

I guess I should have expected workout equipment in a “family” resort would be somewhat abused compared to a more adult facility. And several of the dumbbells were missing. They had the very light ones (1-3 lbs), and the 35-lb and over ones, but the 5, 10, 20, 25 & 30-lb dumbbells were gone.

There is a beauty shop at Pebbles that offers pedicures ($25) and massages ($35 half hour or $60 hour). My girlfriend really liked her pedicure and I thoroughly enjoyed my half hour massage… particularly since they perform it in a semi-private open-air booth on their small pier! It was so tranquil listening to the waves… I nearly dozed off a couple times.

If you want to use the Internet to check or send emails, there are two computers set up for this purpose in the lobby. Cost is 15-cents a minute and it’s a phone modem so it moves along slowly. Still, the few people I sent a brief email to were really tickled to get a note from Jamaica (and it’s cheaper and faster than a postcard).

Nightly Entertainment…

Despite what you might read elsewhere, there’s not really a “piano bar” at Pebbles. There used to be one where the gym is now, but I think it was seldom used so they moved the piano to the buffet area where it sits idle most of the time. There is nightly entertainment (8:30 p.m. – 11:30 p.m.) on the weekends in the buffet area, usually in the form of a Jamaican band and some Pebbles staff who double as dancers or singers. There’s also a talent “contest” (no prizes) which is interesting to watch… often includes guests playing instruments, dancing, magic tricks… and turns into a karaoke session after a while.

There are three bars at Pebbles where you can get cocktails and beer. One is the Pool Grill, which is open until 9 or so at night, and probably deals out more drinks throughout the day than the other two bars combined. The second bar feels more like an actual “bar” and is located next to the buffet area (and right next to the aforementioned piano). It’s opens until about midnight, I believe.

Not many guests know about the third bar. It’s the smallest (only about six stools) and is located on the beach, next to the Italian restaurant. It’s more romantic than the other two, but it’s only open when the Italian restaurant is open (few nights a week).

We were surprised how few adults hang out at the Pebbles’ bars at night. Especially considering the drinks are free! Typically there’s only about 6-8 people at each bar… kinda strange. Guess most are back in the rooms with their young children?

Shopping…

They have one “gift” shop at Pebbles, but it’s pretty small and basic. They also have a jewelry shop and cigar shop. Didn’t ask about the jewelry, but the cigar shop prices start at $5 apiece and go up (quickly) from there. The Pebbles gift shop prices aren’t that bad… not great, but not bad. You’ll see a much wider selection at the airport gift shops when you’re leaving Jamaica, but things cost a little more there.

Teen Coordinators and Nannies…

Kids LOVE Pebbles mainly because they are free to enjoy themselves in a tropical setting with everything paid for, and a teenage Jamaican “coordinator” at their beck and call (nannies provide this service for younger children). During our stay Jan 26-31, Pebbles was sold out and there were about a dozen other teenagers around for my teen to do things with.

I believe there are fewer than a half-dozen teen coordinators employed by Pebbles, whereas there are about 60 or so nannies! Not all work the same weeks; there is a rotation schedule. If you are returning to Pebbles you can make a special request (in advance) to have the same nanny or teen coordinator you had previously. In addition to caring for your kids during the day, nannies serve as your personal maid during your visit -- cleaning your room and stocking your fridge.

Our next-door neighbor at Pebbles told their nanny that her services weren’t required because they had older children. Three days later they were wondering why their suite was never cleaned and they never got new towels, toiletries, etc. We informed them the nanny is also the maid. They quickly contacted the front desk to request a nanny.

The nannies are also very willing and able to hang out with you, even off premises if you like. If you have older kids, they keep track of where they are and let you know when you’re looking for them. The nannies also are a great source of resort and local information.

Even though our two boys spent most of their time with their teen coordinator, our nanny still showed up every morning at 9 a.m. to take the boys to breakfast or wait for them by the pool if they weren’t ready yet. And on the rare occasions when the teen coordinator wasn’t available, it was nice to know our nanny was available to talk with the boys, answer questions, help out if something was lost, etc. The nannies are also the only ones who can take you to do the tie dying over by the playground. (Bring your own white T’s… the first two are free to dye… additional dying is $2 per shirt… they take at least 12 hours to dry so don’t wait until your last day to do it!).

The teen coordinators also have other duties at Pebbles other than just keeping the teens busy. Some help set-up the pool and activity areas, help out in the gym and adult activities, provide orientation tours, etc.

I can’t say enough good things about our teen coordinator, Frances. He made the trip fantastic for our teens. He was tireless, patient, polite, talented and very helpful. He has a magic touch when it comes to making fast friends with teens from all walks of life.

When we first arrived at Pebbles, Frances was waiting in the lobby for us. He struck up a conversation with the boys before we even knew who he was. He immediately made plans with them to go do stuff on the property. From that first afternoon until we left six days later, the boys couldn’t get enough of Frances. They thought he was the coolest!

Activities…

Activities the boys did with Frances included a sleep-out in the disco, kayaking, tubing (off premises, kids only… $35 per person…the boys loved it), dancing together on talent show night, pool basketball, ping pong and shooting pool, even floating around the pool late at night on lounge chair pads.

Weather permitting, Pebbles offers two glass bottom boat rides a day out to the better snorkeling area (about a 15-minute boat ride). The day we went it was pretty overcast, but we still enjoyed the scenery and snorkeling. You won’t see a ton of fish, but you do see some… and a LOT of urchins. I’ve snorkeled at several islands in the Caribbean, but I’ve never seen that many urchins. They seemed to be everywhere and some had foot-long spikes. Be careful!

Because it was overcast and windy, the sea was rocky and I got nauseous on the ride back to Pebbles. If you’re prone to seasickness, pack some tablets or those pressure wristband things. It’s windy a lot at Pebbles.

While the boys were playing basketball one day with the other teens, my girlfriend and I checked out the “intermediate” tennis lessons. We were the only ones who showed up so we got real personal attention from our Jamaican instructor. After the 30-min session, we were sweating quite a bit, but it was enjoyable and we learned a couple things. Pebbles also offers beginner and “kiddie” tennis lessons in the morning.

Next to the tennis courts there is a small stocked fishpond where nannies will take the smaller kids to catch and release fish. There’s also a pond next to that with about a dozen turtles for the small kids to look at and hold. On the other side of the resort is a small animal petting “farm” (be advised, the goats smell pretty bad).

Block 12 is closest to the dive shop, “Italian” restaurant, and the Bamboo Village, where Jamaicans hawk their wares. Pebbles (including the front entrance) is surrounded by a 12-foot tall chain link fence. To go off-property, such as to visit the aforementioned Bamboo Village, you have to pass by a Pebbles security guard. The guard is mainly there to keep overzealous merchants out rather than to keep you in, so feel free to come & go as you please during the daytime hours. However, it’s advisable to ask your nanny or teen coordinator to accompany you or your kids when you walk offsite, as they can deter problems with merchants and help you communicate with them. Our two teens went shopping in the Bamboo village twice, escorted by their teen coordinator. They loved it and were very proud of the “treasures” they purchased ($10 T-shirt, $5 necklaces, $3 bracelets, $5 small wood carvings).

Sightseeing…

Since Pebbles is an all-inclusive resort, we spent 90% of our Jamaican vacation on the property. To travel around by taxi is expensive and so were most of the off-premises activities. In the Pebbles lobby there is an excursion-planning desk with brochures and pricing. Most activities cost about $50-$150 PER PERSON (includes transportation), which was a bit steep for our family of four.

A lot of guests don’t realize you can hire a taxi on your own without going through the excursion desk. Though we didn’t do it, I understand this is often less expensive, particularly if you just want to hire a taxi to take you sightseeing for a day. Expect to pay about $100/day for the taxi who doubles as your tour guide.

We opted for only one off-site family excursion… to climb Dun’s River Falls, which was a “bargain” from the excursion desk, at just $30 per person.

Dun’s River Falls is located near Ocho Rios and is a lot of fun. I understand there are several waterfalls you can climb in Jamaica (due to the numerous rivers) and Dun’s River Falls is the most popular, not just with tourists but Jamaicans as well. When you arrive at Dun’s River you will need to either leave your personal belongings with your taxi driver (that’s what we did), or rent a locker inside the park surrounding the Falls.

Once inside you will be grouped with 20-30 other people at the bottom of the Falls, join hands (forming a long chain), and proceed up the falls with about five enthusiastic Jamaican guides shouting instructions to you along the way. The rocks on the Falls are scrubbed down regularly so they can’t grow moss and become slippery. The climb takes about 30 minutes or so, and along the way the Jamaican guides videotape your climb and photograph you.

Once at the top you will be compelled to tip the guides ($5-$10, depending on how generous you feel), and have the option to buy a video or DVD copy of your climb ($30), and/or a photo ($12). To get back to the parking lot you have to travel past a maze of street vendors who will chase you down trying to sell you Jamaican souvenirs, particularly if you have children. One gimmick they use is to allow your child to carry the item all the way to the parking lot, with the merchant lagging several feet behind. Then they try to guilt you into buying the item since they’ve walked “all that way”.

Having not seen much of the Jamaican countryside, I enjoyed the long drive to Dun’s River Falls almost as much as climbing the Falls. It was an enjoyable half-day trip. (We tipped our driver $10 for being so friendly and a good tour guide.)

Leaving Jamaica…

Checking out of Pebbles is painless. You will receive a note the day before you depart telling you when to have your packed bags outside your room for the hotel bellman to bring to the lobby. Your nanny will be with you as you prepare to depart, assisting as necessary. This is a good time to tip her.

Since our nanny was mostly our maid and tie-dye expert, (and occasional photographer and breakfast companion), we tipped her $20 for the five nights. Our teen coordinator worked closely with our boys throughout the trip, but especially the first few days/nights. We tipped him $50. I think most families visiting Pebbles stay for seven days and therefore might tip a little more. And if I had more children and/or small children, I would probably want to tip more (teenagers are fairly self-sufficient).

A van waiting outside the Pebbles lobby will load up your bags at the appointed time, and take you, and probably one or two other families, to the airport. Once there, you can tip your driver a couple bucks if you’d like and try to grab your bags before the baggage handlers do. We weren’t quite fast enough so a baggage handler gouged us out of $6 for wheeling our luggage 100 ft. into the terminal. Took him less than 5 minutes (and we easily could have done it ourselves). He argued that he wanted $10! The nerve!

Final remarks…

Pebbles is a nice resort if you come with the appropriate mindset… sort of like when you go camping. As all-inclusive resorts go, it’s a bit “blue collar”… but more family oriented than most. If you come expecting lots of good food and drinks, this isn’t the resort for you. If you come to enjoy a very kid-focused resort with lots of personal attention from the staff, you’ll likely enjoy Pebbles.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that the guests who stay at Pebbles are very open, warm and friendly compared to most other all-inclusive resorts. It’s a bit of an anomaly. I attribute this primarily to two things:
1.90% of Pebbles’ guests are parents of school-age children or younger, which provides a common thread/bond.
2.The property isn’t that big -- only 96 rooms -- and since it’s all-inclusive, everyone sees everyone else …a lot. After a couple days you feel like you’re all part of the same extended family, or at least neighbors. (I suspect this is even more the case if Pebbles isn’t sold out during the week you visit.)

We met several couples during our brief visit, and got to know a couple of them real well. We exchanged email addresses and phone numbers with one couple from Texas and are now discussing a possible visit. Several other guests at Pebbles enjoy their new friendships so much they immediately start making plans to come again at the same time. My teenage son exchanged email and IM addresses with the 10 or so other teens there and now communicates with them nightly. I understand this sort of thing is quite common at Pebbles, but not so much at other resorts. Go figure.


P.S. Our teenage boys stopped off at the other (older) FDR resort near Ocho Rios for lunch during the kid’s tubing trip. They said it wasn’t as nice as Pebbles.

Imagine the vacation where even Mom gets to put up her feet! This is the place for that...This all inclusive 3 star resort provides each family with their own nanny. We just got home yesterday and we're missing the place greatly (especially Shirnette, our nanny...she was the best by far!). While it's in need of some tlc, you soon forget the sometimes shabbiness of the place cuz you're so busy enjoying yourself and you're kids are busy doing the same. My husband and I have not had so much alone time in years! Our 1 and almost 4 year old kids had a great time. The place is small and intimate and the service in outstanding. They've got some bugs to work out, but in general the resort's nanny concept is unbeatable. Give it a try!

i cant beleive after almost a year of going there, i feel like it was yesterday. i miss it terribly.
i would go back in a heartbeat. my kids love the place, the food was okay, but, overall, it was totally awesome, so much for the kids to do. they keep them busy, enough for the adults to have their own vacation also.