Montego Bay

We booked this resort as we wanted fun, relaxing and close to the airport. This resort delivered on all of that. Every person we encountered was friendly, helpful and made our week unforgettable.

Everything about the resort is great except the beach and entertainment. Food was fantastic, lots of variety, tasty, warm and fresh. Coffee was great Resort grounds were beautiful Drinks were potent!

Check in: Had to take the bags to the room ourselves after very hesitantly offered help from the check-in staff. Room: clean, no issues and lots of hangers in the closet. We used the app to request blankets and a firm pillow, said it was resolved, but had to ask again as it didn't get actually get resolved the first time. We were in the rooms above the restaurants, and the fire alarm went off 3 times during the week we were there! Twice this was at around 12.45am! It did get silenced relatively quickly. One of the back staircases reeked of sewage most of the time, but thankfully it stayed out of the room. Food: buffet is large and divided into themed sections at each meal time. Some gluten Free bread products available, and cakes at lunch/dinner. A dedicated gluten free toaster would be nice to have (at all meal services), as sometimes the bread was dry. Labeling of allergens in each item is good, but some are questionable, like gluten in the baked beans... They need to make more options gluten free by default (don't need to use flour to thicken sauces), don't have to use regular soy sauce in every Asian dish etc. They need to be faster at refilling the food that has run out at all of the buffet style serving areas. Fruit options were limited, likely due to the hurricane, and they need to ensure its fully ripe before putting it out! Another thing that needs to change is the timing- the main buffet has a very hard stop at 10.30am for the full breakfast to shut down. They do move a few dishes over to the restaurant opposite (until 11.30am), but there's limited selection, and they don't label the dishes, which is an issue when you have dietary needs. Since it's so large, they could easily keep one of the stations open for ‘all-day breakfast'. Love the app for booking the a la cartes- had no issues getting times that we wanted, and you can look at the menu ahead of time, toggling for all allergens. However, they can adapt as needed, such as putting the sauce on the side. They do encourage scanning the QR code in the restaurant to access the menu, rather than giving out hard copies. The Pepe's grill should be open longer in the afternoon (until 5pm), and offerings like fries, burgers, hot dogs, etc along with the jerk chicken would be great for when you just want a quick bite to eat for lunch, without going to the buffet, which has limited afternoon hours. Bars: too much ice was put in the drinks- often we'd ask for less ice so it's not so diluted. They should have water bottles available at all the bars so you can grab when you need them, or it needs restocking daily in the rooms. (Or use the 5 gallon water jugs in the rooms, much more environmentally friendly!) Pools: very cold- they need to be heated! The foam party would have been a much more fun time had the water been warmer! We were always able to get beds by the pool, no matter what time. Liked the roll away cabana tops too. Beach: plenty of sun loungers available, and a small bar on the beach. The main issue here was the seaweed that washed up quite badly after we had a storm, and it wasn't cleaned up at all whilst we were there. The washed up garbage is significant and unacceptable though. Significant effort needs to be put in to clean up the whole stretch of the beach, including around the rocky side near the water sports. Spa: it's crazy overpriced to the point of it being comical. The prices should be less than half of what they are, and then people might actually use it, and save the spa staff literally standing around all day doing nothing. Wet weather: although some board games were brought out, there wasn't a change in the usual routine on the day it rained for the majority of the time. Some scheduled activities could have been eaisily moved to the main Exodus area. Night club: the music is far too loud, deafeningly unhealthy levels It would be more enjoyable turned down from "maximum". There's also a really weird lull between the Exodus show ending, and the night club opening- it would be better if it opened at 10 or 10.30pm for more of a continuous flow. It is pretty close to the airport, which is great for a quick transfer. However, it means the planes fly DIRECTLY overhead at quite low altitude...so the plane noise can be notable in the afternoon. Suggestion: the beach area near the water sports, between the two resorts could be either topless optional, or clothing optional. It's very under-used, and this would seclude it from the main area.

Our recent trip to Jamaica was absolutely incredible! We stayed at the Hideaway at Royalton Blue Waters, and it was nothing short of amazing. The resort was stunning—very clean, elegant, and peaceful, with top-notch service and breathtaking ocean views. The adults-only atmosphere made it the perfect spot to relax and unwind. The food, the entertainment, and the amenities were all exceptional. Jamaica's natural beauty, friendly people, and vibrant culture made this trip one to remember. From relaxing by the beach to enjoying delicious local cuisine, every moment felt like paradise - Thank you!

We really enjoyed our stay here. Our room was beautiful with a stunning view. The staff were top notch especially Lady D and Alrick. The food was excellent. We were thoroughly entertained at the Japanese Kiniro Teppanyaki and would like to give 5 stars to Jerome and the Italian La Toscana. All the restaurants were great but this was our favourite. There was entertainment in the lobby and a show in the theatre or by the pool every night. The poolside bar, activities and entertainment were an added bonus. We would definitely recommend this resort.

This resort is the best! Close to the airport, wonderful walking beach, great food and the Jamaica Food Truck on the beach had the best jerk chicken. If you are looking for a great family resort, this is the one. I really can't say enough about how much we loved this resort. Sean at the front desk was the best! Christine from housekeeping was great. We never needed anything because everything was always bag on in the room. Great week!

I had a short 4 night stay at this beautiful resort with 10 friends. There are so many restaurants to choose from. The staff as amazing. The nightly entertainment is outstanding. My the stage to the piano bar, you will love it all. The beaches were fabulous. The pools are amazing. I can't wait to come back.

The staff are all so friendly The resort is clean Food is great and perfect portion sizes The entertainment was spectacular every night I tried a couple of new activities stand up paddle boarding and painting !

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.

Hotel is good. Can see that there are a lot of details that need to be addresses - poor painting, cables exposed, wires exposed. Lots of staff agrees with you just to shut you up. Some servers are great, while others are just slow and lazy.