Firstly, we have a very special history here. Many (many, many) years ago, way before Sandals bought this property, this was our very first trip out of the country, and…AND, we got married here!!
I mean look at all the tulle and hair! OMG! Ha! Ha!
The name of the resort at the time was Ciboney, and, for a big anniversary celebration, we recently went back to visit. And, it is now Sandals Ochi, in Ocho Rios, Jamaica.
On our original trip (at Ciboney), we stayed in a private villa with a private pool and butler. Not because we were rolling in it, in our 20’s, but they FRIGGIN upgraded us!! Gah! We thought we were such ballers, ya’ll! Ha ha!
The Great House (that’s what they called it then too), is still there. The private villas and very large pool (although drastically different now) is still there. You still need to jitney over to the the beach if you are in the Great House or villas, but this place has a special place in my heart, because this is literally, LITERALLY, where he put a ring on it!
Let me give you the scoop:
Arrival:
It is a LONG drive (2 hours) to the property from Montego Bay airport (MBJ), Sandals does have roundt-trip transfers – just make sure that after you book your resort, you provide them with your flight information. There is also a Sandals lounge to enjoy at the airport. Also, Club Mobay will coast you through the airport lines! It is touted as VIP Meet and Greet Arrival Service, and it is well worth the cost of $50 per person, should those airport lines get backed up.
Once you do arrive at the resort, it is like you have entered a tropical paradise! It is not as well manicured as some of the Dominican Republic or Mexico properties that we have stayed at. The Jamaica resorts that we have stayed at, all have the same wild, more unkept, but equally beautiful flora. And, if you are a Sandals aficionado, this resort is on the lower end of the Sandals properties. Wildly beautiful, but definitely not the same caliber as most Sandals properties.
Sandals all-inclusive:
Sandals all-inclusive, is different from other AI’s, mainly because they include scuba (you have to be PADI certified but you can get this at the resort for a fee), snorkeling trips, and transfers between the airport and resort(s). THESE benefits alone are HUGE, and on top of that, the service, food, drinks, rooms, etc., are usually incredible!
Rooms:
We opted for an oceanfront view this time, instead of a private villa, and that view, ya’ll! WORTH IT! There were times we would just lay on the bed with the doors open and listen to the surf. The room is dated, with dark wood, but it was a good bed, TV worked, fridge stocked and did I mention the beautiful view?
You just need to decide if you want a Hillside room (villa’s, butler village, etc.) or a Beachside room. Both are accessible to each other by golf carts and jitneys.
Service:
The service was half and half. Half the time it was outstanding, with the most awesome personalities engaging with us, and half the time we felt ignored or forgotten. We were on island-time, this is just different than other Sandals properties and other resorts that we have stayed at.
Food and Drink:
Very enjoyable! The food! The drinks! Endless… and allll goooood! Make sure you try jerk chicken (of course), meat patties, lamb chops, rum cream (try it in your morning coffee) and the ketchup. Ketchup? Yep, Jamaican ketchup uses real sugar and just hits differently. So good.
Beach:
THIS is why you come to Jamaica. This. Beach. Ya’ll! If you are a beach person, do not bother reading my other blogs (except Hawaii) if you are trying to decide which beach you want to vacation on, because THIS. IS. IT. We LIVED on this beach……regardless of how amazing the resorts and the pools are, this beach, with its beautiful turquoise water is HARD to pass up.
They also have Hobie-cats, kayaks, water-bikes, a glass-bottomed boat (you can snorkel off of this too!) and literally tons of things to do on the beach.
Adults Only:
You know you always get a 10 from me, right….about….here! LOL
Pools:
The pools were also fantastic, our favorite was on the village side. It was FANCY, ya’ll!
We fell into a happy, little ground-hog day here, and wound up doing the same thing every day.
- Breakfast and coffee
- Stumble out to the beach and find a nice spot
- Sleep/read while listening to surf
- Play in ocean
- Lunch
- Room stop in (housekeeping has been here! Fawn over towel animals, soooo cute!)
- Do you want to do something different? No? Back to beach, grabbing a drink on way
- Stumble out and find a nice spot
- Sleep/read while listening to surf
- Play in ocean
- Have 2 or 7 beach drinks
- Watch the most gorgeous sunset
- Back to room to get ready for dinner
- Dinner
- Show (if there is one)
- Walk on the beach – one last time
- Bedtime
- Rinse and repeat
Travel Tipsy:
The property is sort of on a hill/cliff, and to access many of the restaurants, beach etc., there are a lot of steps. If you have mobility issues, this may not be your resort.
Overall opinion:
Remember, I have a very personal connection to this location/property. So, trying to be objective – for the money, to stay at a Sandals property, this is totally worth it. It is usually the cheapest in the list of Sandals properties, and if you are a newbie to Sandals properties, this is a great way to dip your toe in the Sandals resorts water (Ha ha! See what I did there!).
If you are a Sandals aficionado, then just be aware, this is not your traditional Sandals visit. It IS a beautiful resort, it is large, lots of steps/stairs, the grounds have a wilder (still beautiful) feel to them, you will be offered drugs, probably from a real rastafarian (Jamaica mon), rooms are a bit dated, etc.
Overall Rating:
Arrival: 7 (that drive though….)
Sandals All-Inclusive: 10
Rooms: 9
Service:7
Food and Drink: 9
Beach: 10
Adults Only: 10
Pools: 8
And, final question: Would we go again?
Yes, oh yes. With a discount though, for sure. Book yours here, and invite me, mon!
