Sandals Grande Ocho Rios Beach & Villa Resort

By All-Caribbean User from ohio • Stay away from Sandels

Overall Rating: 2    • Service [2]

We are doing our honeymoon through Sandels and have had nothing but problems that have essentially ruined our honeymoon. We began by calling for information from their agents before deciding to book there. We were given details on their resorts, price quotes, discount quotes (for military discount), and wedding information. We were pleased. THEN it all went bad. When we called back to book, we wer... [more]e put off for days by agents who told us they could not book our trip because we needed to talk to special travel agents to arrange the military discount. During this time, we were told by a supervisor that because of the delay, he would hold a room under our name until an agent was in the office to book us. Finally the next week we were able to get someone on the phone to help us, but he informed us that as of that day the military discount had been lowered drastically and on top of that, he also told us that there was no record of the room being held. After 3 hours on the phone we were told again to call the next day to talk to a supervisor. Surprise, surprise though, that didn't help and we had to cut down our trip 3 full days to compensate for the drop in the discount. Then, when I called to book the complimentary wedding package we had been promised by 3 seperate agents, we were told that there was a $200 fee associated with the ceremony since we would not be doing paperwork through the resort, something no one else had told us. With my non-returnable wedding dress already purchased, we couldn't afford the extra $200 and would have no ceremony. When I spoke to a supervisor on this matter she told me that I should calm down because brides have a tendency to get so upset over little things. She also suggested that I should just be glad I was getting married at all and that my fiance and I should have a pretend ceremony on the beach with just the two of us and then have a guest take a picture of it. Can you believe that?
Thanks Sandels for ruining my honeymoon. [less]
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By latinacowgirl1 from California • They Ruined our Honeymoon

Overall Rating: 4   Location [8] • Room [6] • Service [2] • Value [6]

We reserved the romeo and juliet suite paid in full before we arvived and then were told it was not available. They bounced us around for 3 days before we actually got in the right room. Butler service was terrible. They never did any of the things they are required to do which included packing and unpacking our bags. they never even offerd this service. The didnt pick us up from our room to catch... [more] the bus home. Oh and they say no tipping but they make sure there is a letter saying they expect you to tip your buttler since they provide a better service. customer service was terible also. We were promised 3 days credited back to our credit card for the mistake in rooms and now they wont honor that letter. Customer service just keeps hanging up on me. Very dissatisfied customer. [less]
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By redbarons97 from Winston-Salem, NC • The Best Honeymoon

Overall Rating: 10   Location [10] • Room [8] • Service [10] • Value [10]

The Sandals Grande was an awsome place for my wife an I to have our honeymoon. First of all the bus ride. Other reviews say it is horrible hot and long. Well it is long and a little bumpy but not that bad. It actually has beautiful things to see along the way as well as the way they live in Jamaica. It will give you appreciation of where you live. You will stop along the way so enjoy the rid... [more]e. First the food, we ate at all the restaurants but Orchids was the best with Valentinos a close second. The Arizona was not that good because it rained the night we ate there. The service was great and the staff there were nice. We stayed on the Rivera side which was great for us because it was close to the water. The Bamboo Grove was a pretty good building to stay at. The only night we went to the Manor side was to eat at Orchids and Nicoles Night Club. Nicoles was a great club but there were not that many couples there. We still danced and had a great time. If you go make sure you go to Nicoles. We had a good time on the resort and was worth the trip alone but doing activities off the resort such as shopping and the Dunns River Falls will made it the best. Only shop at the gift shop if necessary. Go on the shopping tour. Its only 20 bucks per couple and you can get items a lot cheaper and getting off the resort is worth it. Another negetive is the return trip to the airport. You leave like 5 hours before your flight leaves so when you get to the airport you end up spending about 2 hours there before your flight leaves. But I guess its better than being late for your flight. Some reviews are negetive and I don't know why. Don't let the negetive reviews keep you from trying the Sandals Grande. It is a great place to vacation for couples and well worth the trip. I would recommend any one to go there and look forward to returning myself with in the next year or two. I will let you know if you are single or going with a group of friends this in not the place for you. This is for couples and catered to that. It is fine if you and your partner go with friends that are couples but not individuals. Thats about it hope you choose this resort you will not be disappointed. [less]
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