Sandals Grande Ocho Rios, a romantic treasure of the Caribbean Riviera

All-inclusive Sandals Grande Ocho Rios spans a luxurious stretch of Jamaican coastline in an area dubbed The Caribbean Riviera, a richly vegetated property of streams, gardens and white sandy beaches. In addition to the usual offerings, the resort has also opened Ciboney Villa Suites, with butler service, set amid the beauty of the St. Ann Mountains and featuring nearly 100 villa pools at suites custom made for just the two of you.

There are two components of housing here, at the main resort and the newer Ciboney Villa Suites. The latter is built with romance in mind, designed for two people in an adults-only resort.

At the main resort there are luxury rooms, a Sandals basic with the usual amenities, king beds and other essentials. Also here is the concierge category, a Sandals signature for its concierge-level rooms and suites, which includes all that the luxury rooms have plus mahogany four-poster beds, sitting areas, fully stocked in-room bar, his and her robes, and a dedicated concierge providing personalized attention. In the butler category, butlers do it all, from unpacking luggage, serving breakfast in bed, booking island tours or arranging champagne dinners in a beach gazebo.

At Ciboney Villa Suites is the utmost in privacy and seclusion, with suites hidden and surrounded by paw paw trees and other lush vegetation. Each suite comes with private or semi-private pools and separate bedroom and living areas with sprawling outdoor decks.

A myriad of dining options is available here, from traditional Jamaican jerk to Italian to Western American, 11 places to choose from in all:

Bayside Restaurant, international cuisines for all meals in the open air above the ocean and the Grand Promenade pier or inside; Valentino’s Resturant, Italian fare with views of the ocean; Arizona Restaurant,  waterfront dining on the Grande Promenade pier directly over the ocean serving Tex Mex specialties; Reef Terrace Restaurant, Caribbean fare in a courtyard setting; Market Place Restaurant, all meals within view of the main pool and surrounding mountains; Orchids, Asian fare;  Manor, featuring Caribbean cuisine; San Gennaro, directly over the sand at the Riviera Beach Club, serving pizza and other Italian favorites; Manor House Grill, serving jerk pork and chicken, sandwiches, fruits and salads; Barefoot Bistro and Sandtrap, both casual beachfront eateries serving snacks and grilled items.

You can do as little or as much as you’d like, with water activities that include canoes, kayaks, windsurfing, six pools, five whirlpools, sailing, hydrobiking, a pair of swim-up bars, snorkeling, and Hobie cats.

Land activities include ping pong, shuffleboards, day and night tennis, a fitness center, beach volleyball, billiards and for extra cost, a visit to the Red Lane Spa.

Golf here is included, minutes away at one of the island’s most challenging courses, the Sandals Golf & Country Club, a trip that includes transfer back and forth. In June 1992, Sandals Resorts International purchased the Upton Golf Club and transformed it into one of the most elite courses in Jamaica, with greens rebuilt with Tifdwarf Bermuda grass and fairways resurfaced with Bermuda grass. Golf Digest ranked the course with four stars for places to play on vacation.

Scuba is also included in Sandals packages; certified divers get up to two free dives a day, and there is a comprehensive resort course for those who’ve not done it before, a course that starts in the pool but does get you into the ocean as well.

Sandals Grand Ocho Rios
Main Street
St. Ann, Jamaica
Phone: 876-974-5691
Website: http://www.sandals.com/main/ochorios/or-home.cfm
Rates from $211