Secrets Wild Orchid Montego Bay

I read a lot of reviews before we went to Secrets Wild Orchid and since we've been back and I wanted to write as comprehensive a review as possible for future visitors.
BACKGROUND: Went on a couple's trip from Feb 10-17 2024 (during Super Bowl and Valentine's Day). We booked a Preferred Club King Swim Out that had butler service included.
CHECK-IN: The check-in process was a breeze. We arrived around 4:00pm and we were in our room about 30 minutes later. The Preferred Club check-in was nice and relaxed. We were pushed a bit to join a breakfast and sales promotion during our stay. I read about this in advance and simply said no. There was a little more effort to get us to agree, but when I simply said “I don't want to but thanks”, they stopped and that was it. I read reviews of people getting really pestered and pressured during check-in, but this wasn't the case with me. We then met one of our butlers who took us to our room and showed us around a bit.
THE ROOM: The room was excellent. Spacious and very clean. Yes, there are some signs of wear and tear (some scratches in the wood closet, an area rug with some worn spots) but nothing that screamed to me that this place was neglected. The bed was firm and comfortable, all the linens, towels, robes, etc. were clean. I requested a bottle of champagne and it was there, chilling on ice. The view was stunning and everything worked.
I've read other reviews about how cold the room is and yes, it was quite cold and felt even colder when coming in from the Jamaican heat outside. We were able to adjust the thermostat to get the temperature up slightly. Now saying all of this, I can understand how difficult it must be to maintain a consistent temperature in these suites. I can truly say that we both got used to the cool room temperature and, in fact, welcomed it after being outside all day in the heat. Overall, the room was exactly what I expected.
THE BUTLERS: Our butlers were Kenroy and Duran and these two gentlemen were the best. Every day, we had our spot on the beach reserved for us with a cooler full of beer and water and later on a bottle of champagne and a coconut delivered without asking. Every night we had our dinner reservations taken care of which meant that we never had to wait around for dinner. If we needed anything (more drinks, lunch, snorkeling arrangements, a golf cart lift to the other side of the property) all we would have to do is call and they would show up with a smile.
I understand that this is a perk that we paid for and that a lot of people complain about lack of beach or pool chairs, waiting for dinner reservations, etc. which are all valid. But if you have the means to do so, I highly recommend the butler service as it takes your vacation to another level.
THE PROPERTY: The property was excellent. All three resorts (Wild Orchid, St. James and Breathless) were clean and with beautiful landscaping. I heard some complain about the lack of bottled water on the property, but there are barrels full of iced bottle water throughout the beach. The beach itself was gorgeous. The pool was clean and every night we saw multiple staff ensuring that it would be pristine again first thing in the morning.
The fitness centre, although small, had a wide array of machines and some free weights. It can feel cramped in there when there's more than 5 people working out at the same time though.
THE FOOD: We tried the Mexican (Il Patio), Italian (Portofino), French (Bordeaux), Jamaican (Blue Mountain), Fusion (Altitudes – Rooftop @ Breathless) and Seafood (Oceana). We skipped the hibachi place as it's not our thing. The food was what you'd expect from a resort: average portion size that is done in a catering fashion. I read reviews of some people complaining that the food was lukewarm and yes, sometimes we did get food that could've been hotter, but this didn't happen regularly. The portions can be on the small side if you're a big eater. But in that case, order more food. It's an all-inclusive. We saw it happen.
We ate our breakfasts every day at the World Café buffet, although we had the option of the Preferred Club breakfast buffet (good selection for a small buffet) and a la carte at Bordeaux.
We also sampled the jerk chicken from the cart (AMAZING!) and the jerk chicken and pork and patties from the Barefoot Grill (also AMAZING!) for lunch.
We also had some snacks from the Preferred Club from time-to-time and they were quite good too.
I'd give the food an 8/10.
ACTIVITIES: We didn't do much. We mostly stuck to our usual spot relaxing on the Preferred Club beach or at our swim out. We stopped in at the Super Bowl party (which was a great setup on the beach with tons of food and drink) and we went to a couple of the shows (good bands playing reggae music and some standard resort type entertainment). We did get a private snorkel from Floyd the lifeguard which was a highlight of the trip! Highly recommend.
THE SERVICE: The service was so friendly. Kenroy and Duran were amazing butlers. Sean and Mathew were fantastic bellmen who were always smiling and joking. The staff that ran the Preferred Club bar and buffet were always happy to see you and get you whatever you needed. The café staff were top notch and efficient and made the best lattes and americanos. Rodney at the rum shop was not only friendly, but very knowledgeable and happy to let us try multiple rums. The lifeguard Floyd was amazing taking us out on a private snorkel where we saw some amazing fish, including an eagle ray. Dowaine and Alona at the Barracuda bar were engaging and awesome. Overall, this was the best service I've ever received on a vacation and I've been to Sandals, Excellence and Barcelo properties before.
SUMMARY: This is a great place. If you're the kind of person that can afford a little more to add the Preferred Club butler service to your vacation, I would do it and I would specifically ask for Kenroy and Duran. This made the whole vacation more relaxing and enjoyable. If you're expecting a room that looks like you're the first person ever staying in it… if you're expecting Michelin-star rated meals prepared by world-renowned executive chefs on a daily basis… if you're expecting drinks like Dom Perignon, Clas Azul or Louis XIII cognac… then I'm afraid this place is not going to cut it for you. However, if you want to be treated like royalty, eat well, drink well and stay in a clean, comfortable and well-appointed room, in a beautiful paradise surrounded by friendly people, then book your vacation here. [Details]

Amazing time! will definitely go back! [Details]

It was our second trip to Secrets Wild Orchid. We had an amazing time. Erika made our piano visits more enjoyable. Sheri at the grill made my favourite chips and Lady love with the entertainment team was unforgettable. She's an amazing person loves her job and very unique. Staff at the beach were incredible. Food was good. We enjoyed our second visit and was sad to leave. It's a must visit. Piano Bar very entertaining. [Details]

We enjoyed our stay but there were a few things that would have made it better. We found there were too many a la carte restaurants and would have liked at least one buffet dinner option. Also, our room did not have robes in our closet as promoted by the hotel. The bathroom door did not close as it was off its track (at the time we checked in) and we were surprised when alcohol was on the room service menu, yet we could not get a bottle of non-premium vodka sent over as we were told "we were in the wrong building". The room mini-fridge/bar only had 2 cans of Jamaican beer and shockingly, ordering a bottle of Absolute vodka would cost $93 USD. Quite often our room service meals came differently to what we had actually ordered and in some cases the food quality was not great. Also wanted to mention we found the pool water a bit cold. Overall, we did enjoy our stay but thought the hotel 5-star rating was actually closer to a 4-star as compared to other resorts we have visited. [Details]

The first thing we noticed upon arrival was the incredibly beautiful, well manicured buildings and lush plants. We were greeted at the main entrance, escorted to our Preferred Building, then taken care of from then on.

Our room was beautiful, overlooking the ocean. We had a tub on our balcony (thought jacuzzi prior, but tub was fine. Jacuzzi in the room anyway.

Staff all over the hotel were great, friendly, helpful, and fun.

There is a lot t do. Several pools, several bars, nightclub, and about 9 restaurants on site.

We spent most of our time relaxing. It was paradise for 7 days.

Remember, it's an adult resort, so if you have kids, this is not available to a family. I love travelling with kids sometimes, but every now and then, we need to get away on our own, to act like it's a honeymoon ;) [Details]

My husband and I really enjoy our experience at the Secret Wild Orchid. It was our fourth visit and it feels like home. [Details]

One week well spent. Great restaurants. Tipping staff goes a long way in adding to the experience. Half of the staff we met were great while the others seemed indifferent to providing good service. Preferred club is a nice exclusive area for those liking more quiet. [Details]

Food was lacking in quality, not enough fresh fish, fruits etc..
Room, grounds and service was great (no attitude from staff- all very friendly). The resort has a great layout, all rooms face the beach or lush grounds, all restaurants at night have beach and mountain views. All amenities are in minutes walking distance. [Details]

Secrets Wild Orchid is a beautiful resort however despite of its beauty it lacks the much needed atmosphere that allows guests to let loose and have a truly fantastic time. We paid extra to stay in the preferred club side (not really worth the money) which offered us a room with a beautiful view, soaking tub on the balcony, free internet and access to premium liquor. That is about it. Each and every guest has access to all of the restaurants which are all located near the Preferred Area of the Wild Orchid side. The swim-up bar pool area is where most of the guests flock to however it lacks that party vibe most all inclusive hotels have, no preferred access needed. Not many planned activities during the day. The staff (mainly the ladies) are super friendly and extremely attentive bringing us drinks just in time for a refill. Food is fresh and quite good for the most part. The beach is clean and well kept. The water is clear and mainly with a sand bottom. Some areas do have a little bit of rock. Overall it is not a bad resort however as we do travel quite a bit our stay at Secrets Wild Orchid is not one that will be talked about a great deal. [Details]

This was our 2nd trip to Montego Bay and both times we stayed at Secrets Wild Orchid (1st time in Preferred, 2nd time in the regular building since Preferred was sold out when we booked). If we were impressed the first time, the 2nd time blew it away. Upon our arrival we were greeted with the usual "Welcome Home", and they really made an effort to make us feel like we were at home. Everything about this hotel is top notch in my opinion and i will definitely look for Secrets in any destination i travel to.
Staff - incredible!!! whether it's an "act" or genuine, they make your stay unforgettable. They are extremely polite, helpful and funny. Kevin at check in was awesome. Coco makes coffee's at the breakfast buffet, just looking at his face in the morning makes you smile, he's hilarious. Leonard at the preferred beach is full of energy and keeps the drinks flowing. These are the names i remember, but everyone from the bell hops to the waiters at the restaurants to the guys who cut the grass, all friendly, helpful and always smiling.
Rooms; You get what you see in the picture. It's good size, comfortable, and all the rooms have a view of water (not all of the open ocean though). Really we were only in the rooms to sleep, to wash, and to get ready for dinner, so even less would have been sufficient. Who spends a lot of time in their room when you're on vacation in Jamaica anyways?
Beach; Obviously the picture on the website is photoshopped. It really is beautiful, but as per other reviews, it is rocky (especially at the regular beach, preferred beach is much better). I'm a beach person, i didnt go in the pool not even once. Water is clear and not too deep. It's perfect for cooling off, swimming, and snorkeling.
Restaurants; I found the food to be excellent (obviously not comparing it to restaurants in Toronto, but to other tropical destinations). Secrets has 9 restaurants (inc. Italian, French, Mexican, Japanese, Caribean)to choose from where the food is all good with a selection for everyone. The restaurants at the pool are great for lunch, and the buffet has a really good breakfast. Friday night is Surf & Turf dinner at the buffet, also really good. Then there's the Jerk Cart that comes out at the beach for lunch, which is awesome. The only improvement I would make is to the 24 hr room service menu. Its ok for a snack in the room or for the late night munchies, but the selection is not great.
All in all I would recommend this hotel to everyone. I would put it in the same category as a Sandals, but a few hundred dollars less expensive. I read some reviews of people complaining, but if you're looking for perfection stay home, or spend a few thousand more. For the $2K price range, i think this place lives up to the billing.
Preferred Club; The preferred club costs about $50/night/person on top of the booking price. With it, you get;
-room in the preferred building. This building has the best location since it is close to the restaurants and the piano bar where the evening entertainment is. They also have an area in the lobby where there is food out all day and bottles of alcohol if you're in the mood for a shot. I didnt touch any of this food because it's kind of left out there unattended most of the day, but the people i was with ate it and didnt mind it.
-Preferred beach. I think it's worth the upgrade just for this. The beach on the preferred side isn't as busy as in the regular side so there's no problem finding a seat, its less rocky, and a lot quieter.
-Complimentary Wi-Fi throughout the resort. I LOVE this feature. It allowed me to keep my Iphone on Wi-fi for the whole week and it worked everywhere. I was able to go online, check email, send Imessage & whatsapp messages without having to use my phones data package and incur roaming and data expenses.
For the extra $350 I would definitely go Preferred. [Details]

Beautiful resort. You feel like you are in a small town instead of a resort. Every detail thought of such as slushie and fresh fruit carts, movie in the court yard, coffee bars and bands you can dance to all night. Rooms were perfect and staff are very friendly and attentive. We will return. Just perfect! [Details]

We really enjoyed our stay at the Secrets Wild Orchid. If your debating between Wild Orchid or St. James they are basically the same, the Wild Orchid is a little bit closer to the restaurants and night entertainment. We upgraded to the Oceanview rooms, i don't think that was necessary, if you are on floor 3 or higher you will have an ocean view. Food and drinks were excellent. The pool was a little to cold for my liking. I was in Jamaica 5 weeks earlier and the pools at that time were much warmer. Not sure why this would be in such a short time. The staff in this resort are awesome. A highlight for my husband was the blackjack and poker game. They could have this everyday. Taxi's to the hip strip are expensive....60.00 US for approx. 3 hours. My one complaint would be internet access, i wish this would be included in all the room categories. The only way to have this included is to go "Preferred". [Details]

Highlights:
- nice property, modern, relatively new, well cared-for, good facilities
- spa services and massages were very good
- 24 hour room service was nice-to-have
- the romantic turn-down service was a nice surprise

Lessons learned:
1. We paid around $800 extra for Preferred Club; it was nice to have a tub on the balacony but we only used it once, and the other benefits are insignificant. You generally have the same access as everyone else. Avoid Preferred Club.
2. Airport transfer felt disorganized and uncomfortable.
3. House wine is "no-name" red and white. Any other wine costs money and you must buy it by the bottle, starting at $29USD.
4. Tips are "expected" for better service at the bar, coffee shop, etc. where you will be a repeat customer.
5. Beaches are man-made, small, and rocky.

Recommendation:
We had a relaxing 7 days at this resort. People were generally nice, the food was okay, the room was nice. If you can get it at a good price then go for it.

Personally, we will not return because we feel we can probably get similar/better experience for a better price. [Details]

Great resort, service outstanding, excellent food at all restaurants. Swim-up rooms are NOT worth the extra money. There is absolutely no privacy as it faces a main pool and they are not very wide so little room to swim in. [Details]

it was first time in Montego Bay, we loved the resort, beach and food was Excellent, definitely i would go back again [Details]

GREAT HOTEL, GREAT STAFF, GREAT FOOD, WOULD RECOMMEND THIS HOTEL FOR COUPLES IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A BEAUTIFUL RELAXING VACATION... [Details]

Best resort we've stayed at yet. Very friendly staff, excellent service, great restaurants, always found room to sit by the pool or beach but had to claim a chair early if there was a specific spot you wanted. Drink service on the beach and pool side was great!

The Jerk Chicken on the beach was excellent as were most of the restaurants (3 for lunch and 7 for supper).

Evening entertainment was a bit lacking, highlight was break dancers 1 night with a steal drum band. [Details]

First time in jamiaca, and first time at an adults only 5 star, and I will never go lower again. Stayed 1 week at the Wild Orchid, Preferred Club.
Location-15/20 minute drive from the airport. Fairly secluded on a tip of the island that looks exactly like the picture.
Resort- set up is perfect. Restaurants, piano bar and evening entertainment all set up along a strip, makes it feel like you're in a village instead of stuck on a resort. We had the preferred package (well worth the $350 in my opinion). The building is in the best location, the private beach is the nicest of the 3 on the resort, least amount of rocks on the beach and in the water, and an abundance of chairs and beds. Plus the included wifi allowed me to never have to use the data on my iphone and it worked throughout the resort.
Food-I've been to Cuba (terrible), Dominical (ok), Mexico (ok), but this was by far the best food i've had in the carribean. choice of restaurants, italian (i'm italian and was worried to eat here, but it was a lot better than i thought it would be), mexican (have the Quasidillia as the appetizer), french (best one), Jamaican (didn't try it), Japanese (alright), plus the buffet. All in all food was good. First time i came back from caribbean having gained weight.
Staff - Friendly, always smiling, will do pretty much whatever you require to ensure that you're taken care of.
Entertainment - Check out the piano bar if you like to get drunk and sing to 80's tunes with a bunch of strangers having a good time. Every night they had different show on the main stage. they were ok, finished pretty early.
Rooms - top notch rooms, exactly like in the pictures. some people complain about the privacy in the washroom, i didnt find it to be a problem, plus i was sharing the room with someone i'm very comfortable with. My only complaint is about the pillows. Didn't find one that I liked out of the 6 that were on the bed. If you like to go to sleep early, make sure you get a room on the ocean side it's a lot quieter at night. The swim out rooms looked cool in the pictures, but no one really used them. Plus they're on the main floor so you have no privacy as they look out onto the pool.
Pool - The main pool looked average, didnt go in it. The pool in the Wild orchid preferred side was tiny, but it was big enough for the small number of people who were using it.
OVERALL - great experience, i'd go back for sure. in my opinion worth the $2K it cost to go there. I'd suggest the Preferred Club package if you like a quieter, more relaxed vacation.
**Single people, groups of single guys especially.. DO NOT GO TO THIS HOTEL!!! you will be bored out of your minds!! This is a 100% couples resort. [Details]

Secrets Resort was more than what we expected! It is very well maintained inside and out and the staff were always more than willing to help out in any way you needed. It was so nice to be able to easily find privacy when we wanted to and to keep busy with activities at other times as well.The layout of the resort itself was absolutely perfectly designed. It never felt crowded in the least and was always very romantic. [Details]

This resort is worth checking out. The service is fantastic, the rooms are very nice and the food is excellent. I don't think the preferred side is worth the money. [Details]

Exellent staff, good food and great weather. Nothing to complain about. [Details]

As an experienced traveler I was thoroughly amazed by this resort. You will not be disappointed. [Details]

The resort was very nice and modern and the staff were some of the most friendly people I have ever seen at any all inclusive I have been...and I have been to many. Secrets is basically associated to dreams resorts however Dreams seems to have a bit better food especially for breakfast and lunch..maybe this was because the dreams resort i had been before was in mexico where the all inclusive market is much more competitive....I'm not sure....however the dinners were quite delicious. [Details]

From the moment we arrived this hotel provided everything we had expected and more. Room was beautiful, food at the restaurants we attended was delicious and grounds were very clean and well kept. We would definitely return to this hotel. [Details]

Couldnt ask for more. It was amazing! [Details]

We had a wonderful time. The resort was very top notch and excellent food as well as rooms and service by all the staff. [Details]

This resort was beautiful. We went for our anniversary and had an amazing time. There's so much to do, lots of activities during the day and at night, even movies outside in the courtyard! We had the chance to see a few other resorts while picking up guests for an excursion and Secrets Wild Orchid definietly looked like one of the nicests resorts in Montego Bay. Staff is great, especially the entertainment team, always making sure everyone is having a good time. I'd go back in a second! [Details]

Hotel was nice - very lowkey, entertainment started late, very little Jamaician music, they played alot of '70's. no one motivating the crowd or keeping things lively. This is the first trip ever where we were bored out of our minds, The food was good, but a very small selection. [Details]

Fantastic resort! Great service, beautiful suites, awesome food, etc.. [Details]

Nice Place for vacation for adults, couples nad seniors. Very freindly staff and crew. Jamaican people are really tourist friendly and happy people to be around. good location, good beaches, not much sport activity.
Relaxing for a sun and sand vacation! [Details]