Jewel Paradise Cove Resort And Spa

I chose this resort based on the numerous positive reviews, but my experience was quite different. It seems many five-star ratings come from guests who prioritize drinking over overall vacation quality, as this resort did not meet my expectations.

From what I gathered, this property was formerly a Sandals resort, and it appears that maintenance has significantly declined since the switch to Jewel. Upon arrival, I immediately noticed the lack of upkeep; the area felt run-down and uninviting. I hesitated to leave the resort for meals, as the surrounding area seemed unsafe, with non-guests loitering near the gates.

We arrived early and decided to have lunch while we waited. To our dismay, the buffet appeared closed, with minimal lighting and limited food options. Other guests warned us that food quality had been a common complaint during their stay, which we found to be accurate. After an hour, I checked with the front desk, where a staff member informed me that our room was actually ready—there had simply been a miscommunication.

The room itself was not what I had hoped for. While it wasn't terrible, the outdated decor made it feel more like a bed and breakfast than a resort. I quickly realized the shower design was problematic, resulting in water spilling across the bathroom floor.

When we visited the beach, it was surprisingly empty, likely due to the murky water from poor weather during hurricane season. However, the beach was also littered with garbage. The cleaning crew focused on seaweed removal but neglected other debris, making the area less than appealing. I recommend bringing water shoes, as there were rusted chairs and other hazards.

There is only one buffet, which wouldn't be a major issue if it were organized better. Unfortunately, it also doubled as the entertainment venue, leading to overcrowding and limited seating. Many guests, including ourselves, had to eat in our rooms due to the lack of available chairs, compounded by repetitive food options and mislabeling—so be cautious if you have allergies.

On our last day, I encountered an issue when a private event was taking place. I was told that the guests of that event would be served first, which was shocking as a paying customer. Although I later learned this information was incorrect, the management did not seem concerned about my complaint and prioritized keeping it quiet rather than addressing my concerns.

Based on my experience, I will not be returning to this resort. I plan to leave a detailed review on Google, as I've seen others who share similar frustrations. [Details]

The hotel was a bit dated, but quite comfortable. The overall service was very good. The check in process was a bit long, the beach was not very big but it never felt crowded, there were lots of chairs available for use. The servers at the swim up bar near the Coral Cafe seemed a bit grouchy did not smile much during servicing drinks. The grounds were well kept and maintained, the beach was cleaned of seaweed on a daily basis, the water was not very deep and quite enjoyable. [Details]

Our stay was great, All the staff we encountered were exceptional. The food was good and lots of it. Would recommend it, and go back again. [Details]

We had amazing week at the jewel. Everything was great. Janice is so amazing at swim up bar between the buildings she made it so fun. Wish there was shows though one or 2 nights week other then that everything was great thank u cheers . [Details]

Everything was incredible!! Food delicious, cleanliness of resort, friendliness of staff would definitely recommend. One small suggestion, open second coffee hut as waiting in line at 6am for that first morning coffee tiresome. Planning on returning next week. [Details]

We had a wonderful stay, the spa was amazing and food good. The demographic was not what we were expecting, most guests were 50 . The rooms need updating and they are behind on some maintenance but overall everything was very clean. I find this resort needs to pick what demographic it wants to market to a bit better. It could be a nice small romantic resort for couples (all rooms are max 2ppl occupancy) but activities, table settings, etc are more geared towards groups. Activities run at odd times and no one really had details on them. No staff taking drink orders at small beach sucked and buffet is sit down only. [Details]

This was our 5th time to this resort and what we were told last year by the manger Barbara never happened. From new games to renovations (sorely needed). Last year we sent an email to the Barbara as returning guests with our pro's and con's to basically have absolutely nothing updated. Still have & even more now of broken tiles on the main pool deck and even now in the main pool where tiles are either broken or missing.
Service in the pool deck (we are not beach people) was just as bad as last year with minimal improvement. They just walk past us without even asking. It's like they don't staff enough over the holidays.
To make things worse, they gave us the same terrible room as last year and I made sure they moved us to another room. Broken chair, and still no table since last year.
For guests being there 5 times they did absolutely nothing for us. WE WILL NEVER GO BACK! [Details]

We visited in March 2023, with several other couples and we had a fabulous week. Its a smaller resort, but they have everything you need for amenities. Resort and rooms were clean, comfortable, and inviting. Older but well maintained. Would go back! [Details]

Quant small resort to stay..loved the pools, loved the meals, loved the entertainment ♥️, friendly atmosphere and friendly staff. [Details]

Staff is excellent, very friendly [Details]

Small enough to care and big enough to deliver. We picked this resort due to the smaller size and that it was not near public beaches. The staff that we encountered were very friendly, accommodating and strived to make our stay wonderful. I can not say enough about everyone from the front desk to the maintenance man. As a mother/daughter combo traveling alone I appreciated the fact that when coming and going from excursions Security noted your room number and where you were going. Upon return they noted that you returned safely. I'm sure some people would not like this but with all the issues people are encountering in other tourist areas/destinations it gave us a sense of security. The only thing I did not realize when booking is that there are no elevators. If walking up two or three flights of stairs are not your thing ask for a room on the first floor. [Details]

Great hotel rooms, but very slow to make up the rooms. After a day in the sun, we wanted to take a break from the sun around 3pm and our room was still not made up. Beach is very private. Great entertainment staff. Great bar service and they really serve you from the heart. Great value for price but would not pay more. [Details]

Stayed at this resort from December 18-25th and loved it.
Arriving at the resort it was exciting to see that the resort was charming, the grounds picturesque, definitely a paradise. The grounds keeping staff kept the property immaculate. Both Handy and Odean could be found working hard at trimming, planting, and weeding the gardens daily. They were always happy to talk to you about the different trees, plants, and flowers growing around the grounds.

The 9 low rise buildings of rooms were arranged near the beach, around the pools, or among gardens with abundant foliage, bright flowers and large palm trees. I had the pleasure of viewing a variety of room choices (deluxe to ocean view suite with butlers) on a requested tour with Sharon Purser (Executive Housekeeping Manager). All the rooms appeared bright and spacious, exceptionally clean, and some rooms offered special options for those physically challenged. A special hello to the wonderful hardworking Evette for keeping our room clean and for making our stay very comfortable, TJ who kept our bar fridge stocked, and 3 wonderful butlers –Patrick, Orlando, and Twayne – IRIE!

With 3 pools, a waterslide, watersports, and several other activities there was always something to do. Staff cleaned the fresh water pools routinely; they were kept cool and refreshing. The beach surrounded 2 coves – one was excellent for swimming, the other for snorkeling. The water was warm, clear and around 6 foot deep in most areas. You can see several beautiful fish while snorkeling, along with other exotic salt-water creatures. Look for entertainment staff Joe and Tracey to keep you busy with fun suggestions and activities

There were 4 restaurants (Italian, Caribbean, Japanese, Sushi Bar) plus the buffet, wood oven pizza parlor, BBQ shack, Jerk Hut, and a specialty coffee shop open daily. There was always plenty of variety and choices. Staff was always polite and happy to suggest some of the local cuisine and fruits being served. No long wait for tables and you could visit the specialty restaurants as many times as you desired. The Japanese restaurant required reservations. A big shout out to restaurant staff; Kenesia, Simoy, and Travan.

There were 6 bars – 3 pool, disco, piano lounge, and sunset lounge. Both top-shelve and local liquors were available. Bartenders on the beach took drink orders, and there was a smoothie hut serving mocktails. Try a frozen Bob Marley drink! Great bartenders include; Donovan, Seon, Ronaldo, Ryon, and Ryan.

This resort has fantastic managers and friendly staff that are gracious; it is very much a classy resort.

This resort should definitely be on everyone's bucket list, as it's worth visiting over and over again…………

REMEMBER:
Your first visit to Jamaica the locals say “Welcome”.
Your second visit to Jamaica the locals say “Welcome back”.
3 or more visits to Jamaica the locals say “Welcome home”.
*I was welcomed home. [Details]

Staff were friendly, helpful and went out of there way to ensure we had a great time. Rooms were clean and comfortable. My husband broke his foot on an excursion, staff quickly moved us from a 3rd floor walk up to ground level, ensured he had a wheelchair and constantly checked on him to see if he needed any further assistance. Hotel nurse checked on him every couple of days. Food fantastic, we ate in the Platinum restaurant 4 times, the Italian twice and Japanese twice, sushi twice, all were great.
The non motorized sports phenomenal. [Details]

It is a smaller property with wonderful staff, who do their best to make your stay enjoyable. Loved the "adults only" experience. [Details]

Rooms were clean and well appointed. The lay out of the resort was very nice and easy to find your way around. The public washrooms were very clean and never ran out of paper. The staff were very nice and accommodating. [Details]

First off the staff at this resort was bar none the best we have ever had on a vacation. Our Daughter had just had her cast off from breaking her ankle so she was still on crutches and when we got there George suggested we ask for a wheel chair to make it easier to get around and what a blessing that turned out to be. We then met Richard ( aka Big D to me) and we were instant friends. As the week went on we met more and more of the staff that were so nice and always had smiles on their faces. Denardo, Marvin, Orville, Marvin, Tamique, Yonique, Sean, Kevin, Champagne, TJ, Kimali and Kerry the Maintenance guy who repaired my daughters crutches after one of them broke all went over and above on making our vacation awesome. This resort should be so proud of their staff. Food was very good, pools were awesome but the beach while nice was not very good for swimming. The rest of the resort made up for the so so beach. The beach party for Halloween night was put together so well and was very enjoyable. [Details]

We stayed at the Jewel paradise cove April 10-17.Our check-in was easy but once we got to our room we weren't impressed so they upgraded us to an ocean view room which was An amazing view but still the room was old and outdated. We liked the size of the resort and the grounds were up kept. The food was ok, I have had better in Jamaica. Same variety except for the dinner under the stars night and the beach supper. The staff was very friendly and night entertainment crew works very hard! Overall it was a nice honeymoon but we would probably prefer the secrets st.james resort. [Details]

The resort was everything we expected.
No surprises, which is always good.
The food, staff and rooms were great.
The beaches and entertainment were a disappointment.
If you want a beach resort, not the best.
If you want a nice facility, a great place. [Details]

The hotel was very clean and the rooms very comfortable. I loved where my room was situated and thankgoodness there was no stairs if I am ever to go back to Jamauca I will stay at a hilton [Details]

The hotel and grounds are impeccably maintained, clean and beautiful even in the stormy weather. The staff are knowledgeable about everything. We loved learning about the pirate jail and the fort history which the resort is built on. The coffee cabana had fabulous coffees, lattes and teas all day and night. The restaurants were clean and the food delicious. So many options at any time of day or night!! Lanea was a perfect host providing us with the best seating every time! Trecia with her vast knowledge of dining etiquette and food options kept us from looking like little kids at the grownup table. Jephtha was congenial and pleasant with every encounter. Our most favourite experience was the jade samurai, Patrick our table chef was delightful as was the food. Sylvia our hskp was amazing our room was spotless and turndown was always special with fresh flowers on the bed. The pools were massive and it was easy to find someplace to swim and drink as there are 3 swim up bars. Ann Marie was by far the highlight of our day, she made the best piña colada ever! By day we hung out wherever she was just because she was friendly, funny and so easy to chat with and by night we hung out with Patrick for the same reason! It may have been the shared birthdays that made them more enjoyable but I doubt it, both were just wonderful people. If you are going to hang out on the beach though, we did once the sun came out, find Mario. He is the best beach service worker fast and always gets it right! Nightlife was fantastic, we loved the steel drum band and karaoke. But above all else, we loved Solomon the piano man. Sing along with Solomon he knows all the best songs and is witty and fun!
Make sure to do the free excursion to konoko falls. It is fun and beautiful.
We would come back in a heartbeat. It was the best vacation we have had. [Details]

Nice, small resort, however could use some updating.
Staff was very nice and helpful.
Rooms were nice.
If you are looking for a party place, it is not here.
Dinner under the stars was fantastic and very well organized.
Shows were good, but were not the dancing and glitzy costumes you may expect.
Only 2 designated areas for the smokers (that's a good thing)
Pools were OK. [Details]

Wonderful and relaxing vacation. You can be busy everyday or just kick back and enjoy the beauty of the land and water. [Details]

Beautiful hotel and beautiful gounds. Extremely clean including bathrooms near beach and lobby.We were disappointed with the beach and ocean. We had searched for beach pictures on the internet and thought it wasn't too bad. It's very deceiving once you actually see it. It's max 30 feet long before you reach seaweed, and it's isolated so you cannot walk the beach and encounter other hotels. Overall, if you are a beach lover, it's best to avoid staying here. We also had a hard time sleeping as the crickets and hummingbirds sang throughout the night for the first 3 nights. They seemed to calm down around the 4th night. [Details]

Fantastic resort with great food
The biggest surprise was the staff absolutely everyone went out of there way to take care of our needs. The restaurant staff, ground maintenance, house cleaning, and people working at the pool [Details]

i had a very enjoyable week [Details]

My wife and I just returned from a great 2 week vacation with friends at Jewel Paradise Cove. As return customers we were spoiled by the staff with free gifts, special cocktail parties, and special dinner parties. The food at this resort is absolutely amazing, and the staff is even better.
I would recommend this resort for anyone looking to have fun with friends and let their hair down. The small resort is well laid out and easy to navigate.
The beach is a little disappointing if you like swimming, but the 3 pools on the property give you space to float around.
The only problem can be some of the large wedding groups. Management will sometimes "turn a blind eye" to the loud obnoxious behaviour and other guests have to move rooms to avoid them. Overall, it was a great 2 week vacation and we will be returning again someday. [Details]

2 weeks here & have never been treated so well all the time by all. The People are so happy, friendly, caring and RESPECTFUL The Food was amazing, every dish, every day. Beaches smaller but never an issue.
I wish we could keep this place a secret just for us. hee hee [Details]

This was by far the best resort we have stayed at! The entire experience from check in to out was fantastic! We will be returning in November for a second set visit! [Details]

The resort and staff at this hotel are the best we have encountered in our last 10 Caribbean vacations. The food was also the best we have experienced. The staff remembers your name from day 1 and always greets you and were very friendly and made sure you were well taken care of. It is a small resort which was nice. The beach was ok and better than I expected given some of the trip adviser reviews I had read. The rooms were clean and well appointed. I would definitely recommend and plan to return. [Details]