Jamaica
Jamaica Travel Recap
I’m Maxie Callaghan and I’m one of the travel advisors here at TH Travel Designs! One of my favorite parts of traveling the world is getting to share my experiences with everyone. My hope is that you will learn more about the destinations I visit and get inspired to plan your dream vacation. Keep reading to learn more about a recent trip of mine to the beautiful country of Jamaica.
It has taken me over a month after getting back from Jamaica to will away the post-vacation blues and finally share all of the details from this incredibly special place. I visited Falmouth, Jamaica (about 40 minutes from Montego Bay) for 6 nights and stayed at Excellence Oyster Bay. I’m spilling all of the resort tea below, honest thoughts on Jamaica, other resorts I’m dying to try in Jamaica, and who this destination is perfect for. Spoiler: If you like beautiful sunsets, the nicest staff EVER, stronggg rum punch, and to feel like you are on your own private Caribbean island, I’ve got the perfect spot 😉
Where We Stayed:
Excellence Oyster Bay. This resort is a 40-minute drive from the Montego Bay airport and situated on a private gated peninsula. This resort is an adults-only all-inclusive resort. Yes, that means unlimited rum punch 🍹. The overall vibe of this resort is modern luxury meets Caribbean minimalism. The aesthetic is quite complimentary to Jamaica’s natural beauty.
Room Type:
This property has 315 suites with a variation of room types. We opted to stay in the Excellence Club Ocean View Beach House. These beach houses are stand alone houses separated from the main building that houses all other suites (in exception to the Beach Villas). Each beach house has four suites with the top rooms having direct ocean view and the bottom rooms having direct beach access. (Our friends stayed in the bottom floor beach access rooms and I can confirm they are both great!) The rooms were spacious, clean, cozy and romantic.
Excellence Club Level:
The room category we stayed in was an ‘Excellence Club’ level room and I would 100% recommend club level at this resort. Below are just a few of the amenities you get at club level at this resort and it was worth every extra penny.
Private check-in/out. You are immediately transferred via golf cart (champagne in hand) to the club level concierge where you have an expedited experience designed only for club guests.
Upgraded in-room food/drink menu. You get an upgraded mini bar with premium liquors, upgraded room service menu available 24/7, nightly petit fours, a bottle of champagne upon arrival, & more.
Access to two private pools. With a club-level room, you get access to two additional pools that are in an exclusive part of the resort. FYI - these were our favorite pools.
Access to two additional restaurants. The Magna & Zenith restaurants are exclusive to club guests and were delicious. For this alone, I would upgrade your room to Excellence Club!
Private Beach Areas. There are specific areas of the beach only Excellence Club guests are allowed. These areas have private beach service and provide a quiet and relaxing atmosphere away from the lively pools.
Hydrotherapy session at Miile Spa. This might be my favorite club-level amenity! You get a free hydrotherapy session at the spa where you are guided through various stations of aqua therapy. We did this with our friends we traveled with and it was SO fun. We all paired it with a couples massage after and this was my favorite way to start the day. Highly recommend - even if you don’t select a club-level room.
Resort Highlights:
Food/Drink - Excellence Oyster Bay has over 10 restaurants on property and 7 bars & lounges. Our favorite place for breakfast was Magna (club level restaurant), lunch was poolside jerk chicken & nachos, and dinner is a tie between Spice (Asian inspired) and Zenith (club-level international cuisine). For an all-inclusive resort, I was impressed by all of the food quality & service we received. Jamaica seriously has the nicest people who are happy to serve you. Of all of the Caribbean islands I’ve visited so far, Jamaicans are by far the sweetest and most joyful people!
Pools/Beach: There are 5 pools on property and two of the 5 are exclusive to Excellence Club guests. There are two large pools in the resort center with one swim up bar & this is the place to be if you want to take part in pool games, rum tastings, and meet other travelers. There is an infinity pool overlooking the beach that is open to all guests and I recommend visiting at sunset for incredible views. The two club-level pools are the perfect oasis for guests wanting a quiet & relaxing pool day and the pool service in these areas is elevated.
As for the beach, this property lies steps away from the ocean. If you stay in the beach houses, you will have direct access to the beach with dozens of beach cabanas, hammocks, and chairs spread out across the extended beach area. If you like a smaller and more intimate beach experience, this property is perfect for you.
In fact, every day at sunset we ordered a bottle of champagne from concierge and watched the sun set in our private beach area. It felt like we were the only people at the resort & we all agreed this was our favorite part of each day.
Nearby Excursions & Activities:
If you want to plan activities/excursions during your vacation, these are my recommendations.
Luminous Lagoon - In this excursion, you visit a nearby lagoon that is home to millions of dinoflagellates. At night, the lagoon sparkles and glistens when disturbed, as these microscopic organisms produce an glow, reflecting the outlines of fish and other objects in the water. We heard from SO many guests at the resort that this was their favorite excursion and worth every penny. There is a boat on property that takes Excellence Oyster Bay guests directly to the lagoon and the excursion is under 2 hours.
Dunn’s River Falls - This is the most popular tourist attraction in Jamaica and is located in Ocho Rios (1.5 hours from Montego Bay). This excursion allows guests the opportunity to view or climb breathtaking waterfalls. And for the thrill seekers - you can even jump from these waterfalls.
Who is this resort for?
This adults-only resort is perfect for couples looking for a relaxing Caribbean vacation or for friend groups looking to reunite in paradise. This resort offers the perfect balance of relaxation and daily entertainment. If you are traveling for a romantic vacation, definitely go for a club-level room so you can escape to the quiet parts of the resort whenever you please. If you are traveling with a group, download the Excellence app and you will get access to all of the nightly shows, pool games, rum classes & more that are perfect entertainment for larger groups. If you are planning on visiting for your honeymoon, I recommend booking the Beach Villas which are individual houses completely separate from the rest of the resort. These villas are in the Excellence Club portion of the resort and have their own private pools, butler service, and beach area. These are extremely private on property and other guests can’t access these villas. (FYI - these are different than the beach houses)
Honest Thoughts on Jamaica:
You have to get Club Mobay (expedited airport service) otherwise you run the risk of waiting for hours in line at customs to enter Jamaica. Trust me, it’s worth every. single. penny!!
While Jamaica is beautiful & the people are the nicest, I highly recommend booking with a travel advisor who can help get you a nice and safe resort. There are parts of Jamaica (just like anywhere in the world) you don’t want to visit or go to alone. What you see online (especially with certain resort brands) isn’t always what you get. Consult with a travel professional who has visited these resorts or has on the ground contacts to make sure your entire trip is safe & seamless. You don’t want to go out on a limb and start exploring parts of Jamaica that you don’t have lots of trusted information on.
Excellence Oyster Bay was lovely but I would highly recommend going for a club level room. The service we realized was better in the Excellence Club areas and the amenities outweigh the extra cost of choosing club level. For an all-inclusive, we thought the food was great! We did experience extended wait times at some of the restaurants (not sure if it was a staffing issue) and if you want to eat at Spice, we be sure to make reservations in advance. There was construction being done on a portion of the resort during our stay which wasn’t a big deal but we did hear some construction noise and didn’t have access to a lounging section of the pool. Overall, very minor things that all resorts experience from time to time.
If you are thinking of making a trip to the Caribbean and are wanting a quick flight (~2.5 hours from Atlanta) and stick to a moderate budget, I highly recommend Jamaica!
Other Jamaica Resorts:
While I would go back and stay at Excellence Oyster Bay any time, there are a few other properties that caught my eye in Jamaica.
Jamaica Inn - This resort is a small luxury hotel perfect for travelers who seek an intimate Jamaican escape With only 48 suites and cottages, adorned in crisp white and blue, set against a backdrop of glistening blue seas.
Half Moon Jamaica - This destination is set on 400 acres of manicured grounds with two miles of beachfront. Guests can enjoy the extensive facilities of one of the Caribbean’s most iconic destinations, which include the largest award-winning spa oasis in Jamaica, the Fern Tree Spa, an 18-hole par-72 championship golf course, equestrian centre with 28 horses and the Sugar Mill, awarded as Jamaica’s best restaurant. The accommodation at Half Moon has been designed with comfort and privacy in mind.
If you are interested in visiting Jamaica, reach out at maxie@thetravelinghomebodyal.com for more information & to start planning your next trip!
Written by: Maxie Callaghan
