We had a stop over our first and last nights in Montego Bay. I only booked our first night at Grandiosa not knowing what it was going to be like and giving us an option for our last night.
We arrived and was greated by Marcia who can not be any more gracious. She directed us when we ask where to go to eat where the "locals" eat. We went for a walk about 30 min or so down hill (you can cab it but NEGOTIATE!) We went to Fishbones and it was definatly where the locals stop to eat from cabdrivers to women in business clothes. I would recomend the fish soup it was very good. They only serve fish and do not have a menu. It was about 30 us for lunch with a drink.
We also ate at the hotel which was fine. If you have the money for a taxi you may want to venture off property. The room was large and clean with AC, Refridge and American TV! It is not super fancy, it is on the main road and by the airport, but the view is spectacular! We also walked down to the Hip Strip. The walk down is about 45 min, I may have that wrong but it is down hill and easy. On the way back we wanted to take a taxi, well 15 bucks! NO, we walked away and was chased down by car and negotiated 5bucks for the 3 min ride up the hill.
There are many choice for hotels down off hip strip if your into chaos and being constantly badgered by the locals :( That is when we decided that we would stay our last night at Grandiosa. Sometimes you have to weigh out the good and the bad. For us the privacy, view and the attitude of the front desk staff won us over. Our final night we had to ask to move, Grace at the front desk was gracious and went out of her way to thank me for asking to be moved. Her attitiude was if there was something wrong they want to fix it and if they dont know how can they. She said without the guests she has no job and was quick to smile and make it right.

This Christmas will be our twenth annual visit to Montego Bay. The Grandiosa could not be better. The staff are wonderfully friendly and the rooms are perfect. We are both over seventy and enjoy the safe restful location. We could not ask for anything better.

We stayed one nite at this hotel and I woke up with PAIN in my back. to start off, it is located in the back of everything, not close to anything to eat and to top it all off they will provide you with numbers of eatery places however they do not have menu's for you to look at to attempt to rpice items or what you mite want. When you want to make a call you have to continuously call the front desk to have them connect you to the phone card line. The beds where HARD and very uncomfortable. the HOT water never got HOT or WARM. Took a shower with cool water coming from the HOT temp faucet.

I would suggest this for business, work/missions teams, and a night layover before departing to nearby airport. The location is wonderful and central to the airport and many area's of the Mo-Bay area. The food was excellent and so was the steel-drum entertainment (once a week, on Sunday nights, I believe). Nice pool area with beautiful sunset views on the ocean. The beach is not near the hotel, so you'll need to catch a shuttle or get a taxi. The hotel and area's are pretty basic, and be prepared to be persistent if you need something from the staff (towels, toiletries, AC maintenance, laundry services.)