
SUNSETS
OVER
JAMAICA
Pool and main
dining
terrace at Sunset Jamaica Grande Resort & Spa.
Some of the best value
packages for singles, families and
couples can be found at Sunset Resorts' three properties in Jamaica.
Jamaican-owned
Sunset
Resorts can always be counted on to offer the latest in fun for
families,
romance for couples,
and practical amenities…at rates that are solid
value.
Sunset
Beach Resort
& Spa's major renovation gives a fresh new
look to
this lively spot minutes from Montego Bay airport, just beyond the
cruise
port. A
host
of
all-inclusive dining options include a new
Caribbean Fusion restaurant, the
super-casual pizza/burger counter, or indoor elegance at the
Italian
restaurant. A new swim-up bar plus a large seaside deck and pool add to
the
more spacious look of public areas. Both little ones and those
hard-to-please
teens are catered to in their own clubs. Kids, teens and the biggest
‘kids’ (their
parents) flock to Pirate’s Paradise Water Park, one of the most
complete of its
kind in Jamaica on hotel grounds.
At the
property's quieter western end, weddings take place on an expanse of
green lawn
or in the seaside gazebo.
On a personal note, one of the best hot stone
massages I’ve had took place at this resort’s first-class spa.
Treatments are
extra, but after all the freebies enjoyed here, a splurge is worth it.
Sunset at
the Palms defines
‘hideaway’ at its jungle-like well-landscaped location on the main
highway in Negril.
Weatherboard cottages on stilts hide among the treetops, affording
privacy both
inside and outside the rooms, decorated in Thai silks and cotton
curtains that
flow in the breeze. A large balcony with its sunbed lounge adds more
space to the standard size. Bathrooms boast an ultra-modern shower
system
that
comes at you from all angles, much like a Swiss Needle Shower…very
invigorating.
Nestled
among the
trees and wooden buildings are three
restaurants, three bars including the lobby Martini Bar, spa and
fitness
center, tennis courts and paths for nature walks. The free-form pool
has a
swim-up bar, accessed by a curved wooden bridge on the 'dry' side.
Across
the street, the beach is equipped with bar and grill, picnic tables,
showers,
changing rooms, and a variety of water toys.
Sunset
Jamaica
Grande Resort & Spa, the flagship
property, occupies a long stretch of beach at the entrance to the
cruiseport harbor
in Ocho Rios. The resort has its own impressive dock for sport fishing
vessels,
visiting yachts and water excursions.
On the beach side, a winding river blends
into
waterfalls, Jacuzzis and ponds while passing through plunge pools and
hot tubs in
a lazy
stream. Overseeing all this is the
gigantic new
Lighthouse Waterslide (pictured here), architecturally designed to
resemble a
traditional structure complete with beacon. From its top reaches,
adventurers plunge
down 340-foot covered and 330-foot open water slides that twist, turn
and dip
their way around the lighthouse in a dizzying descent...finally
entering the
pool with a mighty splash. Inside the lower level is
an air-conditioned
arcade featuring a variety of video games.
Among
730 rooms in two towers,
the
Grande refurbished twelve suites...each combining two
regular rooms into a
bedroom and
living room with a foyer entrance...plus double baths, closets,
balconies,
televisions and telephones. The sofa opens to a bed, making this room
category an
ideal choice for families.
Club
Mongoose supervises younger guests indoors and out,
including climbing toys, a splash pool and water jets. The
all-important tweens
are served at Jamstone, where
pool tables, foosball and video games
preside.
Older teens have their own hangout over the cabaret theater, and the
disco
“Jamaican Me Crazy” throbs into the night. All-inclusive
dining
at all Sunset properties means access
to a la carte specialty
restaurants with no limitations. Aside from these five venues, a huge
roofed buffet
restaurant at poolside,
a self-serve coffee bar and a café serving Jamaican fare are
also available.
For the
ultimate
romantic experience, opt for a candlelight
dinner on the beach. Just prior to sunset, waiters rake the
sand at
water’s edge
and set up a table for two under a framework of gauzy drapes.
Although
three or four couples may be taking advantage of this intimate option
at the same time, ‘cabanas’ are set
apart
for privacy, and each has its own attentive waiter. The
supplement to capture this romantic moment is minimal, and I noticed
from my
balcony that
couples stayed at their tables for several hours into the late
evening. It
appeared to be quality time well worth that little extra. www.sunsetresortsjamaica.com
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