Our wonderful delayed honeymoon at Couples Sans Souci took place the week over Thanksgiving (Nov 16-24, 2012.) We loved everything about the resort – from the moment we landed at CSS to the very second we had to leave. My husband had a temporary difficulty with walking, we had booked a beachfront suite and the front desk staff had a first floor/walkout all set for us, no stairs and right in the middle of the action. They were so fantastic with our room assignment! It was perfect for what we needed!

We went to CSS with a goal of romance plus some complete rest and relaxation and we really got it all. It was nice to have so few decisions to make for a whole week. Beach or Pool? Mimosa or Bloody Mary with breakfast? And later, Pina Colada or Dirty Banana? Nap on the super comfortable beach loungers or in our bed? Seriously, it was such a laid back and terrific week for us. The staff seemed to be able to read their guests well. Some guests wanted to visit and so the staff did, some like us just wanted to be there and chill, so the staff members were friendly and helpful, but not overly intrusive.

The grounds are gorgeous, we were there three weeks after Hurricane Sandy and you really couldn’t tell there had been any damage except for the roof that was being replaced on one of the buildings and the pile of debris that you really had to go to the edge of the property to find. Seeing that pile really made it hit home how much damage there must have been, but you couldn’t tell it when we were there. Kudos to the staff on their clean up job!

Regarding the food, my husband and I have come to lower our expectations in this area because it seems time and time again this is the first area resorts/cruises cut to try to balance their books. So we were hopeful for good food, but prepared for so-so dining. Boy were we wrong to have lowered our expectations! I am now concerned that any other vacation we may take or other property we visit will never live up to the wonderful food and service we received in all the restaurants. Seriously, even the room service food was very good, hot and fresh! Our Casanova meals were truly 5 star experiences. Even the beach grill which is casual dining without reservations was just great. Smoked marlin and fresh custom smoothies at breakfast? Seriously yummy! The Friday Gala and Tuesday Beach Party were dining highlights – very well run affairs. I really don’t know how we can go elsewhere again!

Drinks were poured well, we hardly ever waited for anything. Friendly and fast service. Loved Channing at the beach bar. And yes, at the time we were there Carib was the beer in the mini bar and Red Stripe was an upcharge, but now that is not the case and we look forward to returning and enjoying that. Our mini bar was always refreshed within ten minutes of calling, it’s a great system to guarantee you are getting what you want/need. FYI Ice for your mini bar is ordered from room service.

Our beachfront suite in building B was fantastic. The housekeeping staff did a great job twice a day tidying up after us. We got to know one of the team members (Elizabeth) and she was a pure joy to meet! We enjoyed the in-room hot tub almost every day. Our tv remote stopped working after the first day and they were there within 15 minutes of calling with a new one. WiFi service was great throughout the areas we used it. It was a trip shopping for online Black Friday deals from my beach lounger!!!

We didn’t partake in one excursion or any of the watersports. My husband’s difficulty walking made it become a non-priority, though many of our fellow guests took part and looked like they had a wonderful time. The tennis courts looked nice, and I enjoyed walking the trail around the pond/courts in the early mornings. The beach is naturally private, with rock outcroppings on either side so we never had to worry about beach walkers/vendors bothering us. It’s just the right length for everyone to have their own “spot” on the beach.

I also really liked spending time with wildlife at the resort. We visited with Crackers the parrot a few times, and I loved all the creatures in and around the pond. The wild birds were so beautiful. Hummingbirds were constantly dining from the gorgeous flowers in front of our suite. I also totally loved the cats that live on the resort. I had a momma kitty with three probably 5 week old kittens nursing on my patio the first morning. Momma and the babies were living in the planter in front of our room and it was so much fun to watch them every day. They were feral, tolerant to humans but no touching allowed for this family. Another juvenile cat came by every day for scratches, snuggles and attention. She would sit next to me on the patio every morning while I read. I volunteer at our local shelter plus I have pets which I miss so much while we go on vacation, they were a nice temporary substitute. Plus I am sure they are beneficial to the resort – not one rodent was seen all week!

We totally loved every second we spent at the resort. If there was one drawback, it was the drive from the airport. Our driver on our way there was friendly enough, but he spent quite a bit of time on his cell phone and the bus is so small everyone can hear his conversations. And he seemed a bit inattentive with his driving due to his phone distractions. The roads are curvy and hilly – you must pay attention at all times. The trip back to the airport was uneventful which is how I like it!

One other suggestion has been repeated by many other reviewers – the furniture needs some serious updating. I have seen the response by management to other reviewers that this is slowly taking place. Good! Our room sorely needed it. It did not diminish our trip because the furniture does not make or break our good time together, but it won’t take much more wear and tear to be a serious detriment to many. For the money spent, the furnishings shouldn’t be so worn. Not a deal breaker for our review however.

Overall, our experience at CSS was so phenomenal that we booked a return trip there for next year the same time within two weeks of us getting back from our honeymoon. We RARELY repeat as we like to see new places when we travel. But this was an exceptionally wonderful place, with equally wonderful people. We cannot wait to “come home” to CSS next fall!

There are some things less than perfect at this resort, but if you can’t relax and be happy here, I’m not sure what your daily life must be like. All the good things you read here on TA are true, so I’ll focus on some of the items that concerned me before we made our trip. Some of the negative comments had me concerned to the point of almost not booking here, and those concerns turned out to be totally unfounded.

Here’s a few things I’ve read complaints about that I’d like to address.

1) Too many stairs. From the beach level, to the very top of the resort is 82 steps. There is also a back path that is a slower incline and virtually no steps if that may be easier. The resort will absolutely pick you up and drive you if that is what you require. Unless you have a mobility problem, the steps are not a big deal.

2) Sea grass. Maybe this is a summer problem. Very little in December and certainly nothing to keep anyone out of the water.

3) Dated rooms. Bathroom fixtures are older and tarnished however everything in the room works well. Water pressure was outstanding and hot water was always available. The bed was comfortable and the layout of the room (Beachfront suite) was very functional. It’s a beach resort and not the Ritz-Carton in Manhattan so set your expectations accordingly and you’ll be fine. Rooms were kept very clean.

4) Repetitive menus. We spent 11 nights here and never ate the same thing twice. The restaurants change menus regularly, but not every night. You need to take the time to make reservations (which can be done over the phone) at Casanova and Pallizino to avoid eating at Bella Vista every night and having a repetitive dinner menu. The lunch at Pallizino offers different choices every day. The beach grill is pretty standard with the same six of seven items for lunch. Breakfast items are varied at Pallizino, the in room dinning breakfast menu does not change.

5) Top shelf booze. OK, there was always top shelf drinks available.. All you needed to do was ask. I assume some of the complaints may be from folks who didn't have their particular brand available. I always saw Dewer's, Johny Walker black, Jack Daniels, Tanqueray, Stoly, Crown Royal, Canadian Club, Appleton VX, and several liquers. I don't drink Brandy or Conac so didn't notice what they did or didn't have. Tequila maybe something that is lacking as the only brand I saw was Montezuma, but again it's something I don;t drink so something else may have been available.

The best part of this resort is the staff members who are truly concerned for your happiness on vacation. Even when we saw guests who were rude (and in one case even abusive), the staff never responded with anything but a positive attitude. We will be back again, in fact we're already booked.

Dates of visit: Mid-to-late December 2012

Reviewer Profile: Mid 30s couple. Our vacationing experience includes 1 prior trip to CSS, a family-style all-inclusive resort in, Mexico, a Caribbean cruise, and self-guided treks to inland Mexico and south east Asia. This was our second trip to CSS in 3 years.

Why we chose CSS:
CSS has been our favorite all-inclusive experience thus far. The top 3 reasons include the food, and the staff and the AN beach. The quality of all were head and shoulders above any other of our other experiences. We made a point to book a longer stay this time with high expectations for a relaxing vacation with “sans souci” (French for “no worries!”).

On arrival:
Once clearing immigration at MBJ airport, Couples has a lounge that offers a comfortable place to wait until the shuttle is ready to depart. The staff were, of course, very friendly, and the lounge is well equipped with seating, restrooms, and free beer. Once we were loaded up, the recommended tip for the bag handlers is $1-2/bag. The trip to CSS is just under 2 hours, including one stop about halfway through where guests can have a bathroom break. Upon arriving at CSS, we were cordially greeted with the friendliest of staff and champagne in a spacious yet comfortable lobby, that was warm with Christmas decorations.

The Room:
Our room was a suite in the G building and had a balcony and gorgeous view overlooking the water and the mineral pool. While it wasn’t the most modern, the room was spacious, generally comfortable, and had all of the amenities one would need, including two air conditioner units, two flat screen TVs with cable, mini bar, and in-room safe. The bed could have been a little more comfortable, but it was ok for us for the week. We weren’t visiting Jamaica to stay in the room anyway.
There were a few mosquitos in the room, but nothing a little insect repellent couldn’t handle.

The Resort Landscape:
The grounds at CSS are impeccable. The resort straddles 3 coves along the shore of Ocho Rios, two of which have beaches. The third cove has a pool and tower that overlook the horizon. There are a lot of nooks and crannies to explore as the resort construction has a lot of stone and stairways. There are a lot of tropical trees and flowers that are exquisitely maintained. The resort layout includes many stairs, which we in fact enjoyed because it helped burn off the calories from the yummy food!)

The Beaches:
There are two beaches, one is traditional, and the other is Au Naturel (<5 min walk from the main beach). The AN beach one of the main reasons we returned to CSS. On our last trip we were a little intimidated as it was our first time in this setting, but after the first 30 minutes, we were completely comfortable and spent almost the entire time on that side. The main beach has the activities (snorkeling, scuba, etc.) The AN beach is secluded from the main beach by one of the coves. There are chairs and covers, a pool with swim-up bar, hot tub, grille, and restrooms. It is also adjacent to the White River which runs into the ocean and as a result, the AN water is a few degrees colder and has a much lower salinity level than the main beach. The staff were the absolute best, and the food at the grill was essentially the same as the Palazzina restaurant, but you could also get burgers, fries, and of course, jerk chicken. The best part of the AN beach are the guests. We found the guests on the AN side to be friendlier than the main beach. On this trip, however, there was one couple who complained to the staff and security a lot for various reasons (e.g., not following AN beach etiquette “to the T,” using eReaders with cameras [what eReader doesn’t have a camera these days?!]). But just from chatting with other guests, it quickly became apparent that this couple had one complaint or another about many of the other guests also, so we tried not to pay any attention to them, and we still very much enjoyed our stay. Although the AN beach is secluded, there was the occasional fishing boat, seedoo, or Sandals boat tour that passed by with passengers with lingering gazes and the obvious snickering. Don’t worry though – they don’t get close enough to see who you are. And they don’t care anyway. It’s just slightly amusing for both parties.

The Food:
Everything that CSS offers as far as cuisine goes was tasty, fresh, and served by a genuinely friendly staff that goes out of their way to make sure everything is just perfect. You will not even get through 10 sips of beverage before the staff offers to refill! While there are two restaurants that require reservations for dinner, all of the dining facilities have wonderful food. We ate everywhere and were never disappointed. The beach grilles (main and AN) have amazing jerk chicken and fries almost all day and night. The buffet breakfast and lunch have a wide selection of hot and cold dishes, fruits, salads, appetizers, juices, pastries, etc. You will not be disappointed (unless you have some pretty significant dietary restrictions).

Tips:
On this trip we stayed in the G building. While the room was comfortable, it’s proximity to the lobby and Casanova restaurant means that the nightly live entertainment can be rather loud, and those guests who prefer to turn in early may have a difficult time getting to sleep before midnight. It’s also on the opposite side of the resort from both beaches, so if that’s where you expect to spend most of your time, be prepared for a 5-10 min hike. It’s a lovely hike though!

Couples offers the opportunity to experience one of their nearby resorts for the day at no additional charge. We decided to spend a day at CTI. We spent about 3 hours there before deciding to return to CSS because we just liked CSS so much better. The resort is more like a large hotel overlooking the beach. The beach seemed reasonable to us, with lots of space for sunbathing and beach games. The island, however, is literally 50 m from the shore. It is also nowhere near as secluded at the AN beach at CSS. The island itself had no real beach to speak of. It is covered in a wooden platform upon which sit all of the chairs. The pool is about ¼ the size of the CSS AN pool. And there is no hottub.

Return Guests:
Couples goes a long way to make their return guests feel appreciated. Since this was our 2nd trip, we were invited to attend a return guests’ dinner that was fabulous! The early part of the meal was served, and the main courses and dessert were buffet, but not just any buffet – the best buffet mean I’ve ever had. Many of the managers and team leaders were present, and we enjoyed getting to know the background of the Couples resorts from the staff that know it best. It was also nice meeting couples who have returned as many as 28 times!

Conclusion:
We enjoyed every minute. While the resort may not be the most modern, it is extremely comfortable, exotic, and the staff add warmth made our stay far better than any other 5-star facility we’ve visited.

We arrived a little later than we had hoped owing to huge queues at the Airport. Maybe it was the Christmas rush, but immigration was so slow, and after a long flight, not the best start. However, we were welcomed like celebrities and shown to our penthouse room in G Block. Couldn't see much of the view at this stage, but next morning was a glorious surprise. A beach buffet had been organised for Christmas Eve and as we were tired and didn't know the way, we were given a lift by one of the staff. The food was set out with a huge choice of dishes to try and the wine flowed. The staff sang their Christmas carols to us and then the heavens opened and everyone dashed for the umbrellas. We thought that we had chosen the wrong time to visit, but the next day was glorious. The weather was exceptional for the rest of our holiday. We found the restaurants were a high standard and the food fantastic despite neither of us being fond of spicey food. Sometimes service was a bit slow, but that's the Jamaican style and we soon settled to the easy pace. We were amazed by the friendliness of all the staff who seemed so pleased to help and provide everything they could. Our only complaint was about our Tour company when they failed to provide the trip to Dunns river etc which we had booked 6 weeks before we travelled. The rep only advised us at 4.00pm on the day before and told us to contact the company to get a refund. He did, however, arrange for us to travel with the Hotel to Dunns river the following day and that cost us nothing! Lesson here is don't book trips in advance, but see what is available in the hotel! Our room was perfectly set out and we devised a solution to the problem of cold showers, by switching the water over to hot 15 mins before we wanted to shower and letting it run. Not exactly environmently acceptable, but cold showers are no fun! The staff were only too pleased to help resolve the problem, but after the 3rd visit during the evening to check if we were ok, we were convinced that this was something that we had to handle as best we could. We'd got back just for the courtesy and pleasant attitude of everyone we met, but the resort is really in a wonderful spot and so quiet. Different entertainment every night and the enjoyable experience of watching the hard work that went into preparing for the New Year Gale dinner. Pity we didn't see it, but maybe next year?