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Destination Reviews:

Diane Roberts from Superior Travel Service, Fenton just returned from Jamaica and had the opportunity to visit a number of Sandals properties. Here are her observations:

Grand Pineapple-This was formerly Negril Gardens
-65 rooms split up on 2 sides of the road. Very basic rooms most do not have any balcony. Some do have shared balcony. The pool is on the side across the street from the beach
-The rooms beach side were smaller than the rooms across the street
-I thought the bathrooms needed some repair. Stained porceline in sinks and tubs.
-Staff very friendly

Beaches Sandy Bay
-128 rooms
-This has been updated since I was there. Now has all the features of Beaches Negril, but on a smaller scale.
-I thought the rooms still looked the same and seemed a little more basic than Beaches Negril. Older bedding, mismatched woodwork, etc.

Beaches Negril
-210 rooms
-This resort was very nice! It was busy, and had lots of activities for everyone. In addition to the beach activities had XBox 360 Game room with family games, even KNEX. Pirates Island Water Theme Park, Kids Kamp and Nusery as well as the Teen Program. They have and theater with nightly entertainment.
-One thing I did observe was that the bar service was very slow. It seemed like there was not enough bar staff to handle the people. Hard to tell if it was normal, or if there was a staffing issue. We noticed this at Sandals Negril also.

Sandals Negril
-222 room including a new block on Crystal Lagoon which are super nice rooms!
-Rooms were very nice and updated with flat screen tv's (which they are doing at all properties but not completed)
-Remember no room service in categories less than Concierge so good selling feature to people who like rooms service.
-Loved the mahogany furniture, and everything was in great shape

Sandals Carlisle
-52 rooms
-family atmosphere. Guest and staff interact like they were old friends
-very impressed with the rooms. I thought they would be older and run down. They are kept up just like Sandals Negril and Sandals Montego.
-Nice pool and garden area, just could hear traffic in the background.
-Great location for someone who wanted to be on the 'hip strip'

Sandals Royal Caribbean
-197 rooms
-LOVED this property! Same mahogany furniture as Sandals Negril. Same flat screen tv's, also has new Crystal Lagoon Block rooms.
-Watch out for Premium category located in the Arundel Building. I thought it was set way off by itself and the opposite direction of the beach from check in.
-Loved the off shore island for sunning, and dining

Sandals Montego Bay-we stayed here
-251 rooms
-Another spot where staff and guests were like old friends
-very active and festive
-Amazing that theater and bars have music going then when you turn the corner to rooms blocks you cannot hear it. Our room was fairly close, but really quiet.

In General and common to all Sandals/Beaches properties

-They are putting a big emphasis on Island Routes for their excursions because Sandals owns this. You will not see any other companies tours onsite. If you customers want something other that what is offered but Island Routes, they will want to book it prior to travel

-For the restaurants requiring reservations, you can make them all as soon as you arrive. You do not have to do one day at a time. I would suggest making some as soon as possible. I went the morning after we arrived. Also, the dine around program is restricted to a certain number of reservations. We could not dine at Royal Caribbean the whole time we were there as Montego Bay said all their 'slots' were taken.

-All properties had spas. All were different sizes, but all offered the same treatments. They all looked very chic and like a nice spa here in the states.

-We used the shuttle buses to get between the Montego Bay properties and they are very prompt

-Security was very good at all resorts requiring sign in of non property guests.

-WE HAD A GREAT DRIVER WE HIRED TO TAKE US TO NEGRIL FOR THE DAY. HE ALSO ARRANGES TOURS AND TRANSPORTATION IN NEGRIL. HE HAS A CAR AND 20 PASSENGER BUS. HE IS A MEMBER OF JUTA, I HAVE HIS CONTACT INFO IF ANYONE NEEDS IT.

Please contact Diane Roberts/Superior Travel Service for more great details @ 810.629.4270 or diane@superiortrvl.com

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