My husband and I have just returned from a week at Shaw Park hotel and Spa in Ocho Rios Jamaica (Dec 30- Jan 06, 2013). Before we left our travel agent informed us that she had never been there but knew that this small resort was "the place to go" in the 70's and that it was a 3 star resort. She would be interested in our opinions she said. We went without expectations having never been to Jamaica nor stayed in a 3 star resort. We loved the resort - it is old that is true - but many glimpses of it's elegant past are evident. The beautiful lobby and the wood work in the bathrooms are just 2 examples. We had a 2nd floor superior / deluxe room- all rooms face the sea and have beautiful views. It is not perfect- our water pressure was low and fuses blew if I used a hair dryer at the same time as my neighbor (we quickly made the adjustment). The room was very clean and not a bug in sight!! Staff are not swift but then they are mostly elderly and it is hot and besides- is there a rush to have your bed made?? We found breakfast not great but lunch and dinner were delicious and filled with wonderful Carribean flavors. Staff were fantastic especially Royalston (sp??) slip them a few dollars and you get a reserved table every night. They did run out of red wine one night and the cola is pathetic (?watered down?- really affects the rum!!) Over all we thought the food was better than 5 star resorts we have visited in Cuba and staff are far more friendly. This resort was perfect for us- small but nice beach that is cleaned every morning; no fighting over the loungers here and lots of sun or shade under the many palm trees. Relax!! relax!! quiet and peaceful- not for people who want to party all night!! We tend to not repeat at any one resort (too many places to visit) but if we were to go back to Jamaica we would not hesitate to return to Shaw Park. We thought it was more a 3.5-4 star resort

The beach here is excellent, but the food is just ok. The hotel is dated, and various parts show their age and lack of repair, but our rooms were cleaned spotlessly every day, and the staff is friendly (although not speedy.) Our family of 6 plus one other couple were the ONLY people staying at the resort for the first 5 days of our holiday. Lunches were a bit busier, as the hotel is part of a cruise package, and there were cruise ships coming into Ocho every day the week we were there (Dec. 16-23).

If you are expecting a hotel with evening entertainment and lots on the go, this place is not for you. If, however, you want to enjoy the surf, relax on the loungers, read, and spend time with your immediate party, this definitely is the place for you. We loved the location and had a great week of sun and sea. There's just one bar and the bar tenders vary in rules and consistency - generally drinks were handed out in small cups, but we did get our mugs filled a few times (they also ran out of beer on 2 of the days!)

Our group used the pool table daily, but nobody showed up to dance at the disco night. The pool is lovely too, but we definitely made more use of the ocean. The kayaks are seaworthy and available for independent use, or you can go do some snorkelling out on the nearby reef (tips expected). We felt safe and comfortable the whole week, although our sons (18 and 20) were offered drugs on a daily basis. We left the resort for two half day and one full day excursions. It was a great week.

We just returned from a very pleasant stay at Shaw Park, December 24th-31st.
We had booked a "deluxe" room and were in 215. It's dated but we had loads of hot water and it was cleaned extremely well every day. Great 2nd floor verandah with a table and chairs and a fantastic view of the sea.
A very nice lobby with free wi-fi, which we took advantage of.
They were really working on the beach and it was looking much better by the end of our week.
Swimming was great for us. Sandy bottom, with a bit up a dip to get in but not a problem.
Super friendly staff ( hi Miss Rose and Smilie ). Outdoor dining for all meals was a plus we certainly enjoyed.
We found the food to be very good. A very real Jamaican tone.
So all in all we found Shaw Park to be a very enjoyable stay and if the price was right would certainly return.
The only recommendation we would have is, if you are planning an excursion do it on a day they have cruise ship guests. The one day, there were a few hundred people showed up for a beach/lunch few hours. The hotel handled the masses just fine( thanks to Miss Rose). We did make a suggestion that perhaps on that day they should set aside a few tables for the staying guests which would solve the majority of complaints we heard about the resort.
So in our opinion if you choose Shaw Park and have 3 star expectations you should be pleasantly surprised.

This hotel is a joke!

for $200 per night, they don't even provide shampoo and conditioner, just a couple of really small soaps. The bathroom is so tiny and you can hardly fit 2 people in there.

this $200 includes "All-inclusive", but the food was way below average, the selection of food was so limited that I don't think you can call it a "buffet". The coconut juice was diluted with water, no taste at all. This "resort" offers nothing other than a simple little beach that was not even clean, how can you expect people to stay on this resort for a whole day? Of course we had to go outside of the property during the day for other entertainments, so naturally we miss lunch during the day.

The worst of all, we discovered blood stains on the sheets. We did not examine closely at night and just crawled into bed, the next morning after we lifted the blankets, we saw those distinct blood stains, it was so gross. I went to tell the front desk, the receptionist was "okay", that's it, no apologies, no offering of refund or anything.