Review: Sandals Montego Bay

In January 2014, my husband and I went to Sandals Montego Bay for a long weekend. We chose this Sandals for a few reasons: 

1. It is very close to the airport. Since we were only going to be there for three nights, I didn't want most of our vacation to be spent in transferring to/from the resort.

2. I was excited about all the all-inclusive options for water sports. 

3.  All of the restaurants have views of the ocean - most have outdoor seating. 

Overall, I was very impressed with Sandals Montego Bay. Here are some of the highlights: 

Snorkeling - I liked that they offer several trips during the day. We had no problem securing the time we wanted. We just called when the Shop opened and put in our name. If you haven't snorkeled before, it is very important to take the snorkeling class. No one enters the water with you so it's important you are able to hold your own snorkeling. The reef was okay - I saw a lot of fish, a couple eels and several sea urchins. Be on the look out for jellyfish. They swim near the top of the water so if you are only looking down you may miss them. I was stung by a small jellyfish for that very reason. We had about 40 minutes in the water which was perfect. 

The beach - We found it easy to find shaded chairs on the beach. The water was beautiful and the beach was very nice. Since the resort is close to the airport, we did see planes flying overhead. I didn't find it to be too bothersome. The wait service on the beach was adequate. If you didn't want to wait for a server, the bar was just a few yards away. 

The Food - Overall I enjoyed the food. For breakfast, we went to the Bayside Restaurant for the omelet station and fresh fruit. They also offered smoothies. I enjoyed the Jamaican items on the buffet. We also went to Bayside for the French dinner menu. Our favorite thing to eat was the pizza. It was so good. Stewfish offered dining on the beach. Some people complained about getting bitten by bugs. We went shortly after the resort had sprayed so we  only had a couple bites. Bring insect repellent if you tend to get bitten. 

The Bayside Restaurant - Home of the Breakfast and Lunch buffets 

The one downside on the food front was getting reservations. We were only able to get reservations for Saturday night. It seems a lot of people arrive on Saturday and depart the following Saturday. I would recommend traveling Friday - Friday so you have an advantage to getting the dining reservations. We had a very nice meal in The Oleander Room and the service was terrific. 

The Oleander Room  - Reservation Only Jamaican 

Activities - Compared to a cruise, the resort has a lot less activities like trivia. However, we spent our days hanging out in the hot tub with a view of the ocean and enjoying our time with our new friends. Everyone was very friendly. It was so relaxing and so much fun. 

Sea Grapes Pool 

View from our room in the Sea Grapes Building 

Night Life - In the evenings, we would go to the show or evening activity. We had a blast in the Battle of the Sexes game. Then we go to the Cricketers' Pint. The bartenders were great. Late night, it turns into a dance club. The DJ was fantastic and really knew how to get everyone moving. 

I highly recommend the Sandals Montego Bay and look forward to visiting again in the near future. 

To book a visit to Sandals for yourself, email me at tripswithangie@Gmail.com