My wife and I stayed at CSS 1/20-1/27. While we have stayed at Couples (now Couples Tower Isle) several times in the 80’s, this was our first time to a Couples Resort since then. It really was like coming home, beginning with the Couples lounge at the airport. As other reviewers have noted, CSS is scattered over more than 37 acres with a variety of buildings and settings. It reminded us a lot of the Mediterranean. It probably also resembles traditional Jamaica rather than transplanted resorts from elsewhere. No seven miles of beach, but a couple of coves with beaches nestled in between cliffs. An advantage is staying at a resort with plenty of lush vegetation and lots of space to be by yourself, if you so desire. We enjoyed the hot tub near the fresh fruit bar and spa. There are a lot of steps. CSS will provide a van from the upper level to the beach if desired. We stayed in G block which is on the upper level. Our suite was spacious (as in huge) with a gorgeous view of the beach from our verandah. It also had two flat screens and two sets of air conditioning controls. We enjoyed a wonderful breakfast on the verandah. The refrigerator was well stocked, including Red Stripe and promptly restocked as requested. You might want to bring a night light for the bathroom as the light switch is on the outside of the bathroom. This causes a lot of the light in the bedroom when the switch is turned on at night. We saw no signs of insects. The room is a bit dated, but management announced they will be doing a lot of sprucing up this summer, as the economy has improved. They will not be adding any more rooms. Free wifi was available wherever we needed it. The “textile” beach was fine. No need for water shoes. It is shallow so if major league swimming is important then another resort may be in order. We had no problem finding beach chairs. The bars were well stocked with “call liquor”. The staff is amazing! We could not have asked for more, wherever we went. We really enjoyed the food; with the Casanova being a bit better than the Belle Vista; but why quibble. We will definitely come home again.

We had spent 8 marvellous nights in the Blue Mountains and this was a step back into today's real world. Amazing food - loved all the restaurants; and friendly staff. Lots of steps and hidden places. Great bedroom and excellent wifi. We especially enjoyed the Tuesday night beach party where all guests eat together from a buffet on the beach and excellent diverse entertainment is provided - a really good night.
We were unlucky to hit a rainy, stormy period so most of the watersports were unavailable.
We did, however, have 2 days playing 18 holes of golf - wonderful course, great caddies, good clubs and excellent fun.
This is a good resort with excellent facilities and amazing food.

To date, out of all the destinations my wife and I have visited in our three years of marriage, Ocho Rios Jamaica is by far our favorite destination. One of the reasons we loved Jamaica so much is due to the quality of the beaches and the water itself.


To us what set Jamaica apart was three main things:
First, the clarity of the water was amazing.
Second, the calmness of the water was something that we had not experienced at any other beach destinations we have visited. After being on the island for a few days we asked one of the locals why the water was always so calm….. For those of you who do not already know the answer, here it is. The entire island of Jamaica is surrounded by a barrier reef, which in addition to providing some great diving and snorkeling opportunities, also serves as a breaking point for the waves several yards away from shore. This break, helps to create the amazingly calm water and pristine beaches that can be found all across Jamaica.


Third, You may be saying to yourself, “This all sounds great but I have heard that Jamaica is dangerous and even if I do decide to visit, where should I stay?
During our week in Jamaica we stayed at the Couples Sans Souci all inclusive resort located in Ocho Rios, Jamaica. This hotel is a bit off the beaten path, about a two hour bus ride from the Montego Bay airport, however it is worth it! First I will start with the negative. Some may consider the two hour bus ride to the hotel to be a drawback, especially after you have probably just experienced a long plane ride to reach Jamaica in the first place. I can understand this and to be honest I was a little leery of this myself before we departed from our home in Oklahoma Don’t let this bother you!! The shuttle bus that we arranged through the resort was very clean, comfortable and we felt very safe. In addition, about half way through the trip we stopped at a small local restaurant where we drank Red Stripe and ate Jamaican meat pies. At the first mention of a “Jamaican Meat Pie” I was more than a little hesitant to actually eat this food, however I must admit this is one of the best things about Jamaica! These things are awesome. As we came to find out later in our trip, these are a local favorite and served all over the island.

Upon arrival at the resort we were promptly greeted with cold drinks and soon were take to our room. Upon first glance, the only negative we saw was that the resort itself and the rooms looked to be slightly outdated and could use some updated furnishings, paint and similar items. This being said, these items really did nothing to influence the quality of our trip. The rooms were clean, very spacious and our particular room had a huge deck with a small table and several chairs to lounge in while staring out at the sea.
The natural beauty of the island takes over after a very short time and any updates that may be needed to the furnishings or resort itself are quickly forgotten. The entire hotel staff was not only attentive to our requests or any needs that we had during our stay but they were also a lot of fun! we have stayed at some resorts where the games, nightly entertainment, etc. were anything but entertaining however this was not one of them. The staff at the hotel always seemed to work extremely hard to make sure that all of the guests are happy, whether that is lounging by the pool with a drink or playing an organized game with hotel staff and other guests. The staff alone, at Couples Sans Souci would be reason enough for my wife and I too return. The nightly shows were very entertaining and included everything from a marching band too a small event one night in the main bar with a piano player. I would like to mention that this small event with the piano player was one of the best events of the entire week. He would take requests and knew every song that he was asked to play. He also encourage audience participation and allowed many guests to come sit on the piano bench with him while he played their song.

If you plan on visiting Ocho Rios in the future, or any part of the island, I would highly recommend staying at one of the couples resorts located on the island. I believe there are four total resorts.

First arriving in Montego Bay airport there was a welcome center for Couples resorts. You can start by having a cold Red Stripe. They will lead you to the bus that's takes you to the resort. We arranged for private transport. Someone was waiting for us....we did not have a wait at all. The drive to Sans Souci was 1.5 -2 hours. Arriving at the resort we went right to our room after check in. The rooms are in need of updating but it did not decrease the enjoyment of our stay. Everything was in working order and comfortable. We stayed in the B building on the ground floor. This building was the best for couples that may have difficulty getting up and down hills or steps. The beaches, pools and most of the bars and restaurants are on this level. To get to the lobby, media center, Casa Nova restaurant and the ballon bar you have quite a hike up a lot of steps. The fitness center and spa are also accessed by several sets of steps. For my husband and I it was no big deal. We enjoyed all of the stairways and paths.....beautiful scenery and landscape. The food was by far the best in the Caribbean we have experienced. Our favorite lunch was at the Bella Vista on the beach....great jerk chicken, salads, burgers and pizzas. We enjoyed every supper, but it was very special to have our private dinner on one of the gazebos....so romantic. We never had a problem getting a chair at the pool or beach. We did not use the au natural beach which is on the other side of the resort. It is completely separate from the other pools and beach. The most excursions were included. We did Dunn's River Falls...it was beautiful. Again, if you have small children or are elderly and have trouble climbing or with balance use caution. You can snorkel and several other things right from the resort. We did not go shopping outside of the resort. We did shop at the resort shop which had a nice selection of toiletries and gifts downstairs. The staff is extraordinary! From the waiters, bartenders, grounds keepers....all so friendly! I would recommend this resort to anyone who does not have trouble getting up and down steps. Our favorite beach vacation we have taken by far. Every staff member went above and beyond. Could use a some renovations but not in bad shape. Beds were comfortable and rooms are air-conditioned.