Lauren
Google
Our trip was planned for a few weeks after Hurricane Melissa, so we weren’t sure what to expect. We were so happy we didn’t cancel, because it met and even exceeded our expectations.
The beach was beyond perfect. Beautiful soft sand, warm water with gentle waves, and cool fish everywhere if you bring goggles and take a moment to look. Breathtaking photo ops everywhere. We loved the water activities like snorkeling and kayaking (included).
The food was overall great. The largest space, and the one that is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, is the Patio Restaurant, which is a buffet. The food is fresh and good and varies day to day. There are four smaller restaurants as well as a coffee shop and the “Veggie Bar” (juice, smoothies, and healthy bites). As vegans, we were a bit worried about getting our money’s worth and having fun options, but we were assured that we would be accommodated. Everyone from the front desk to the management/chefs assured us that if the offerings didn’t meet our needs, they would make something custom for us. At first, it was nice to get special attention, but it became a little frustrating to repeatedly explain to different staff (hosts, servers, chefs) what we needed. There was definitely some confusion about the distinction between veganism and vegetarianism. The staff were so kind and went out of their way for us, but we ultimately felt like a burden. We would have preferred if their menus/buffet signs just had a few vegan options that were clearly labeled, the way they did for gluten-free items. We were constantly wondering whether many items such as cornmeal porridge, callaloo rice, ital stew, and baked potatoes were vegan or not. We were most excited about the Veggie Bar, since we love health food, but we were disappointed that the options were sparse - basically limited to hummus, carrots/beets, and one kind of juice per day. We ended up having most of our meals at the buffet, and in the end, we did not go hungry (far from it). We especially loved the food at the theme nights (every Wednesday and Saturday). And the coffee deserves a special mention - Blue Mountain coffee served in abundance from morning to night.
Now, the hospitality. Their catch phrase is “Welcome Home,” and we truly felt like we were treated like family. Very special and will keep us coming back.