I booked a holiday at Sandcastles as a last minute thing so that I could join my partner for a week whilst he helped his father with some business in Ocho Rios. I read so many really terrible reviews of this hotel after making that booking that I had become really worried and had almost resigned myself to checking into another hotel as I arrived. To say that I was pleasantly surprised is an understatement. The hotel is was lovely. Beautifull, tranquill gardens, a gate that leads right to the beach ( you could see the cruise ships each day) and a complimentary rum punch on arrival! What more can you want? Five star luxury it may not have been but it was comfortable, friendly and right in the heart of Ocho Rios. Our family members were able to visit us here quite freely and without being made to feel uncomfortable. They could drink with us, use the pool and even came onto the beach with us at no extra charge after a wink at the beach security! All the staff were very helpfull and friendly and were very positive about any requests for anything. As a selfcatering accomodation it is far superior to what you would expect in Europe. I was surprised that it was categorised 2*. A 3* in Europe would not offer you the same level of service. Our room was lovely (it was actually a hundred times better than the hotel room I had to stay in at Manchester airport before I flew to Jamaica which must have breached a few European laws but thats another review). It had a huge bed, a sofa, kitchenette which had all essentials, a bathroom with a huge shower and a cosy little balcony which was perfect for two to sit out on for a night cap. The room was cleaned every day, sheets and towels changed EVERY DAY. A request for anything like an extra cup or an ash tray were dealt with on the same day (very good by Jamaican standards!!) We had a few tiny insects in the bathroom around the wash basin sometimes but hey, it is the carribean after all! The swimming pool was really clean and they have a lifeguard there all day. I would recommend this hotel to anyone who wants self catering accommodation in Ochi and will be staying there again without a doubt.
Annie - West Midlands

Very disappointing indeed. The food was very expensive and a limited variety on offer. There was no Hot water at all for baths or showers. Its a self catering resort but kitchen facilities are old and dirty. the grounds are beautiful but the rooms a very basic. Not the place to go to if you want a nice resort. The environment is very quiet and there is no atmosphere. The back rooms overlook the beach but its only just visable. This is a great place to stay if you only want a bed for the night and you are planning on spending your days outside of the hotel.

I vacationed at this resort from February 25 to March 4, 2007 with my cousin and my son who is 23 months old. I read a lot of bad reviews on the resort so I was prepared to expect the worst. My mom lives in Jamaica for part of the year so I had her check the resort out before we went and she said it seemed fine so we decided to take our chances. Compared to what I've read I was quite happy with the place. The property is nice and has nice landscaping. We swam in the pool everyday and enjoyed it. There was a small shallow area for my son to splash around in and he enjoyed the slide (although I did not because it was concrete and not slippery enough). There were other families/children there but no activities for them. They did have a band and karaoke night 3 times per week. The pool side grill served good food however we never ate in the hotel's restaurant because we choose the european plan (not all inclusive) and found it to be a little expensive (I think its $18 U.S. per person for the buffet). There are a lot of restaurants and supermarkets closeby so we ate out and cooked ourselves. Sandcastles is located right next to Rooms on the Beach and Sunset Grande Hotel so you still can walk along the beach and check out their hotel and watch the cruise ships port. The studio room we stayed in was ok... there were no insects other than a few microscopic ants if you left food out on the counter. There was a small leak under the bathroom sink so they left a towel on the floor so it would not be slippery. The room has a stove, fridge, sink, some dishes, cookware, utensils, phone and sattelite TV. We were able to make due with the cookware in the room. It felt a little like upscale camping but it was decent enough and the maids cleaned the room everyday (we stayed in Block C... I believe I was told that Block B is the nicest because its been refurbished). The staff was pleasant to us. The beach is very close and we were given bracelets to wear so you can use the public beach without paying. This resort was one of the best deals we could find considering the time of year we were going (we paid about $880 Cdn per adult for airfare, taxes and hotel combined for 1 week). Overall I had no major issues with this resort, it is basic and a little run down but if you're on a budget then I recommend it. We still had a great time!