Overall, full marks for a wonderful stay. Almost everything was perfect and we will be back. So many things were amazing, which far outweighs any minor negatives. Accommodation Superbly furnished, amazingly comfortable bed and luxurious bathroom. Lovely balcony and view. The housekeeping team made sure our rooms was spotlessly clean every day. Annakay was especially good. Minor downsides - no 240v socket (outlet) as advertised and as is the case at other Sandals and one air conditioning unit would not go very cold even after maintenance had a look at it. Location Stunning, especially the beachfront at sunset. Immaculately well maintained throughout although some areas are showing their age and a refurb is needed. Food/drinks Mostly top quality and faultless. Sundowner (Caribbean) was our favourite restaurant overall. Breakfasts were good but occasionally, there were some items that were not replenished quickly enough. Lunchtime service was quite slow, albeit very friendly. More restaurant options would be welcome in the evenings, especially as we were there for two weeks. Maybe a beach BBQ would be good. We were very disappointed that the dress-code was not enforced in the evenings and guests were wearing beach shorts, sandals and t-shirts at dinner. Drinks are as you would expect at Sandals with top-shelf brands - a nice addition here was having Appleton 15-year-old. Only downside was regularly having to wait far too long to be served as there were never enough servers for the number of guests. The pool bar was understaffed, but a big shout out to Terence whose service was first class – he managed to get through plenty of orders to keep waiting times to a minimum whenever possible. Staff A real asset to the hotel - virtually everyone was amazing in every department. Our butlers (Delroy and Roy) were incredible in every way and nothing was ever too much trouble – we felt like royalty. Everything we asked for was delivered promptly and with impeccable attention to detail and elegant service. The staff in the photo office never seem interested sadly - it seems a bit too much effort for them to help you choose memorable pictures. The wedding office staff were very good overall, but do not actually listen to requests - if they cannot tick a box on their form, they do not know how to do it. Pools The pools and surrounding areas were great overall. But the main pool was a bit cold and far too noisy too often. Some music playing is great, but at times it was so loud that sitting next to each other, we had to shout and even then we could not hear each other. Starting the music up at 7am is a bit early, too. They also had a really tacky staff introduction "show" by the pool on Mondays, which featured strip-club-esque twerking. Not what you want from staff at a 5* hotel – it was embarrassing and the lowest point of our holiday. Wedding Our wedding was absolutely perfect. Massive thanks to the entire Sandals’ team for making our day so memorable. The location, ceremony and food were stunning. A very special thank you and high praise to Andrew, our wedding photographer who was quite simply flawless. Our wedding coordinator, Crystal, was very helpful throughout. Only minor criticisms...our ceremony started late (100% down to Sandals, not us) and thereafter, some of the event was hurried along as they were trying to make up the time that they lost (we carried on at our own pace though). They started serving food while we were still making our speeches and Darrien (wedding organiser) was flustered and hassling us about when we should be doing our first dance. Later on, he relaxed and became a good host. Some things were not included in our “free” wedding including lighting for our meal. We spent around $8,000 overall on extras. These are only very minor issues and they did not detract from a fabulous day. For the first week, our wifi was excellent, one of the best signals and speeds I have encountered at Sandals. But on day nine, it kept dropping and from then onwards it was really poor. I believe Sandals themselves had an internal issue sadly. The “extra” activities are generally a waste of time. For example, the wine tasting session…All they did was pour the same all-inclusive wines you drink each day for lunch or dinner and ask you to taste them. Maybe try offering some different wines. Any negatives comments are very minor though, as overall the hotel and everything that went with it was amazing and is highly recommended. We have re-booked for a return visit! I would recommend booking a private airport transfer as ours took 2h30m during rush hour. The Toyota minibuses in use are devoid of suspension on some very dodgy/bumpy roads. Also, instead of using the hotel tour desk, book a local taxi who are all guides and will take you where you want and when, so you can set your own itinerary/pace. Their prices are pretty decent too compared to the official tours.

The staff at this resort are so warm and friendly, David Latchimy GM has an amazing team, we feel welcome and valued so we return regularly. We have been vacationing at Sandals Resorts four or five times a year on average for many years, we prefer the top suites which makes it expensive but so worth it. This resort is our second favourite, we have been to all the Sandals Resorts many times over so we speak from experience. The location is superb so we spend our days on the beach overlooking the ocean, occasionally visiting Chris the lovely barman at the Sundowner Beach Bar (piano bar) for a drink and a discussion on premiership soccer! Breakfast is usually in the Bayside where we have a chat with our lovely friend Jamie. Our vacation would not be complete without a visit to the Loyalty manager Kerri-Ann who is so welcoming and makes us feel like visiting Royalty. We also meet David (GM) on a regular basis as he is always out checking on the resort and his guests, one of the reasons we return here. Our Butlers on each occasion are Myron and Neisha, they are amazing and always ensure we have a great experience. We do not enjoy our dining experience at Sandals, food is very subjective so no point discussing our preferences at length. The same menu at each of the restaurants is standard at all Sandals resorts and changes very infrequently, a problem for guests like ourselves who visit every few months. So due personal preferences and food allergies I have had the same meal at the French restaurant (Bayside dinner) on arrival at the resorts for the past decade! We would like to see innovative executive chefs like Delroy have some autonomy to produce their own menus and showcase their talents. It would mean abolishing the bulk buying of the same commodities and shipping them from the USA on a regular basis for a decade to something a little more exciting. We are finding it difficult to express enthusiasm for the boring chicken leg served to us five times a year at the diamond lunch and applauding like it was a wonderful invention or surprise. The food supplies would need to be a little more tailored to the executive chef's requirements but change should be embraced, it would make each resort more individual and welcomed by regular visitors like us. Every member of staff at this resort is amazing, so cheerful and welcoming, you are the reason we keep returning here. See you all soon.

Our trip was planned last October, before Covid 19. A week or so before our trip, we booked Club Mobay to help get us through the Covid medical evaluations quicker at the airport. It was definitely worth the extra $50 per person as it probably got us on our way to the resort a hour or two earlier. Once we were at the resort, it was absolutely wonderful. This was our third trip to Jamaica, each at a different Sandals resort. We love Jamaica and the people there. We were told that there have been zero Covid cases in Hanover Parrish where Negril is located, and they are serious about keeping it that way. All employees wear masks. All guests must sanitize before entering a restaurant, though guests were not required to wear masks at the resort. All restaurants required night time reservations except for one to maintain social distancing. There were no buffets as in the past; everything is ordered from a menu. The resort was probably booked at only 35 - 45% capacity when we were there. The nightly entertainment was very good, especially their Broadway show. Janine in Loyalty was one of the highlights of our trip with her friendliness. The Island Routes Catamaran Cruise was part of our booking, and it took us to some really scenic cliff areas of Negril. We booked one of the least expensive rooms, and it was beyond spacious. The Sandals beds and pillows are always so comfortable. We look forward to future trips to Sandals resorts.