From the moment we stepped off the plane everything was taken care of. The Sandals employees whisked everyone to the proper transportation to their respective resorts.

Upon arrival to Royal Plantation we were greeted by friendly Sandals employees and offered drinks. Our room wasn't ready, but we waited for only 45 minutes in the Wobbly Peacock pub and munched on a delicious cheese pizza. After that it was smooth sailing (well, swimming and snorkeling).

The rooms are fantastic and look like the pictures. Big, comfy bed, windows that open to let in warm and sunshine, huge closet, nice TV (who needs it though?), mini bar with all the trappings and bathroom with "his & her's" sinks. Daily maid service and evening turndown service work to complete the feeling of total relaxation in the room.

Our butlers, Marvin and Jermaine, were great. They were warm, friendly and simply could not do enough for us. I felt like our butlers, along with all the resort staff, truly cared that my boyfriend and I had a great time.

The beach, while on the smaller side, is quiet, clean and has plenty of chairs and umbrellas. Make sure to chat with Adrian, the bartender. He is friendly and makes fabulous drinks. Also, all of the drinks are handmade. Nothing neon comes out of a slurpee machine at this resort.

This brings me to food. I highly recommend the jerk chicken or fish dishes. Also, anything that has fruits and vegetables is amazing as the veggies and fruits and are ripe, fresh and the best I have had in a long time.

The evening entertainment was great. To be honest I was worried the music would be cheesy. Not.at.all. The music was lively and set the mood for fantastic evenings.

I highly recommend this resort for a week vacation of relaxation, sunshine and warm weather.

If you are still reading here are some quick pointers:

Royal Plantation is not for those seeking a huge party or lively nightlife. It is a relaxation resport.

This resort is unlike other Sandals resorts due to its smaller size (70 rooms).

The food, while very good, is not the best I have ever had. However, it is still very good.

The people who come here seem very laid-back and relaxed.

I don't believe you can find a better resort in Jamaice for this price.

If you haven't already, book your vacation here!

My wife and I spent a wonderful week at Sandals Royal Plantation in Ocho Rios. The resort was beautiful, the people were very well-trained and courteous, and the service was fantastic. Our room was very comfortable, with flat-screen TV, and a free mini bar. This resort is all inclusive, and they didn't "cheap out" on the brands. We drank Beringer wines, Grey Goose Vodka and Baileys. Our butler(s) were terrific - there was nothing that we asked that they didn't positively respond to.

The only things that I would refer to as "negative" at the resort were:
(1) There was a charge for wi-fi. This day and age, that's almost insulting. Increase the cost by $40.00, and include the wi-fi.
(2) The golf course was barely adequate. This is not a resort that avid golfers would want to go to. It was OK, but just that.

Realizing it is hit or miss with butlers, ours were horrible. We did all of our reservations. They never did anything. When we asked for food or snacks in the room, thy just told us to call room service. On the beach we were told to talk to the beach butler.

Aside from that, this resort is tiny to say the least. Pool is maybe 30ft long. Beaches are maybe 40yrds each. They only had activities open four days a week. When we tried to get reservations at the Rivera next door, part of the package, we were told no, they were not allowing us usage of the property accept to golf.

We realize others liked it, but there are certain realities. If you are looking for somewhere to layout and drink, this is your place. If you want to do anything else, go somewhere else. The Rivera offers butler service for $50 less a night and you get more than one place to eat for the week.

Age issue. We were there for a fiftieth birthday. Three of the days we were the youngest on the property. No big deal accept that to accommodate that age group, everything shuts down at 10pm. The bar is open, but it's not big enough to do anything but drink.

Over all, if we go back to Jamaica we will look into Negril. Beach to walk on and a better night life. We met several from other resorts that were going to Negril nightly, a three hour drive, to find something to do.

Food for thought.

The RP is beyond anything we have ever experienced. It truly approaches perfection. Everything is done better than you thought it could be. The food is spectacular. And the service! Oh the service! These people are absolutely top notch, professional but personable. But be warned: if you stay here once, how will you ever stay at any other all-inclusive?