THE AIRPORT & TRANSPORTATION TIPS
Arriving in the Montego Bay airport was a unique experience. We were greeted by Jamaicans in traditional dress singing a welcome song. The heat is a bit oppressive after being on an air conditioned plane. Going through customs was not a big deal, just a bit of a wait in line. Beware, as soon as you are on the ground level you will be approached by plenty of Jamaican men offering their assistance. They expect to be paid for their answers/help and don't seem to take NO for an answer. Just keep walking and ignore them.
We decided in advance not to take the 2 hour bus ride to Ocho Rios, opting instead for Air Jamaica's 30 minute flight between "MoBay" and "Ochie". From what we heard from people who had rode the bus, that was a wise decision. When we arrived at the airport near Ocho Rios all we had to do was ask the desk clerk to call Couples and they sent a bus to pick us up. Overall, we found the Jamaican people to be very friendly and helpful. You will be approached many times with offers of "a little smoke" but they seem to accept it if you tell them you aren't interested.
SOME WORDS OF CAUTION
One thing to note, Jamaican bus drivers seem to be reckless and they drive VERY fast. It is a good idea not to sit near the front of the bus. Especially since Jamaicans drive on the left side of the road and it makes it seem like they are driving on the wrong side, especially coupled with their wild driving skills.
COUPLES OCHO RIOS...A TROPICAL PARADISE
Upon arriving at Couples we were escorted into the open air lobby and offered champagne and a cool cloth. It was a luxurious touch that we appreciated. We were given paperwork to fill out for check in and a comfortable couch to wait on until there was a desk clerk available. Originally we had booked a deluxe gardenview room. When I approached the desk with our paperwork I told the clerk that we were getting married at the resort and could we possibly have a room upgrade. She gave us a 2 category upgrade to a deluxe oceanview room! We were more than pleased, only expecting a single category upgrade. The room was fabulous and the view was even better.
There was almost always a cool ocean breeze drifting through the resort so we never felt the oppressive heat like there was at the airport...at least not at Couples Ocho Rios. Most nights we left our patio doors open so we could hear the waves and enjoy the cooling breeze.
THINGS TO DO AT COUPLES OCHO RIOS
We went horseback riding, snorkeling, on a plantation tour, shopping, on a sunset cruise, and climbed Dunn's River Falls. All of these activities were included in the cost of our all-inclusive stay. (As a side note, our wedding was also included free of charge since we were staying for more than 6 nights.) There were more activities but we didn't participate in them. I don't think you could ever run out of things to do. We spent quite a bit of time in the evenings enjoying ourselves in one of the many hot tubs that are scattered around the property. Our favorite was the one almost directly under our room because you couldn't see it if you didn't know it was there. They also have a few more private one located in the gardens. The garden hot tubs are sized for 2, while the other ones are larger.
The food was fantastic and there was plenty of it. I highly recommend the banana-strawberry daquiris, they are totally yummy! All food and drinks are included during your stay at Couples. The Beach Grill Terrace is one of the best places to hang out and eat "jerk" pork. You can also get nachos, hamburgers, french fries, soda, and a few other food items almost all day long. You have to walk upstairs to the bar if you want an alcoholic beverage but the food is well worth the extra walk. We suggest getting your drinks before you go down to the beach grill. Most meals are served buffet-style but there are also a few specialty restaurants, such as Le Gourmet (a French restaurant) and the Bayside, which serves Italian cuisine. These restaurants have a dress code and the French restaurant requires reservations.
We honestly can't say enough about Couples Ocho Rios. We highly recommend this resort to everyone thinking about going to Jamaica.
COUPLES NEGRIL...BEAUTIFUL BEACH BUT NOT MUCH ELSE
As you can tell, we were not impressed with the Couples Resort in Negril. The employees and management lacked the basic friendliness and courtesy of the staff at Ocho Rios. There were no elevators so you had to walk the stairs to your room. None of the rooms were truly oceanview...the best you could hope for was to crane your neck off the balcony and look toward the water. The sand was blazing hot and the sun was blinding. You couldn't even think of walking barefoot anywhere at the resort. There was no cool ocean breeze like at Ocho Rios. We spent most of the little time we were at Negril in our room with the air conditioning turned up high. Another turn-off for us was that there was only 2 large hot tubs, located at either end of the main pool. We did not find any of the smaller private ones like at Ocho Rios.
From speaking with the management at Couples Ocho Rios, and other people who have been to both resorts, we can say that we are not the only guests who have been unhappy with Couples Negril and asked to return to Ocho Rios for the remainder of our stay. That is not to say that people have not been happy at Couples Negril, but many of those who have enjoyed Negril have not stayed previously at Couple Ocho Rios.
Again, this is only our opinion of the two resorts. Your experiences may vary.
If you would like more information about Couples or Jamaica in general, please do not hesitate to contact us. You can e-mail Lynnette at NyssaLynne@buckeye-express.com.
