Grammy’s in town for the summer, which means it’s time for Mr. FamTrav and my annual getaway. This year we selected Sandals Ochi in Jamaica. Here’s a recap of our fabulous weekend.
Sandals Ochi in Ocho Rios, Jamaica is a lush, sprawling property. On the Sandals’ website, it’s described as a true Garden of Eden in the heart of Jamaica, and I could not agree more.
There are several unique features about this property, one of which is that it is divided into two sides – Hillside and Riviera – and there is a major road running between them. Amenities are divided pretty evenly over the two sides, and each even has its own spa. The Hop runs every 10 minutes between 7:00 am – 2:00 am making getting around a breeze. Due to the size of the property, you never feel overcrowded, which is a major benefit during high season.
We stayed in a Garden Cottage on the Riviera side. Riviera = closest to the beach. This is a Club Level category, which means in addition to access to the Concierge Team and Concierge Lounge, we also had room service. This is such a treat on holiday!
Here’s a walkthrough with more details.
Adjacent to Riviera is the Beach Club. The beach area here is tiny, but is equipped nicely with seating, games, and photo props. The Beach Club is also where you’ll find Kelly’s Dockside, Soy, and Kimonos, which are some of the more popular dining options.
And speaking of dining, the food at Sandals resorts is not your average all-inclusive cuisine. It is definitely elevated, with top shelf liquor to boot.
What the property lacks in beach, it makes up for in pools. There are multiple pools on each side. We preferred a quiet pool behind the cottages on the Riviera side, but the Main Pool is where you’ll find most people during the daytime. Here’s a shot of it in the evening.
Another unique item is the bi-level, password-protected speakeasy named The Rabbit Hole. While hidden in plain sight, it’s not easy to find. In truth, you don’t have to work too hard to secure a password, but being asked for it to gain entry is fun nevertheless. 😉 The night we visited, there was a sax player. The lineup also includes a DJ and other live entertainment. Super cool!
Really make it a night to remember donned in your best flapper attire!
Up on the Hillside is the Great House and Butler Village. Hillside = built into the hill. I slipped away for a couple of hours for a tour of some of the updated villas. Where the Garden Cottage’s decor is very traditional with dark wood, the updated villas are light and airy. How gorgeous are these with their private plunge pools?!
On a FCFS basis, guests of Sandals Ochi are able to sign up for an evening at the all new Sandals Dunn’s River Resort. I highly recommend! We hopped over, and after a little exploration, enjoyed first dinner at Edessa – the Mediterranean restaurant. Absolutely delicious!
Second dinner was at the Jerk Shack. At Sandals Dunn’s River, the super casual Jerk Shack is open for dinner by reservation only, and serves an entirely different menu. In fact, jerk isn’t even on the dinner menu. HA! Served very humbly in a coconut shell and cast iron pan, we shared curried goat, braised oxtail, and rice ‘n peas. This is undoubtedly the best Jamaican meal we’ve ever had, and we’ve eaten plenty over the years! We got to speak with the extremely young and talented chef who shared he was raised by his grandmother and these are her recipes. How special!
We wrapped up our time at Dunn’s River with a sample of the evening entertainment. Such a fun outing!
More recaps about Jamaica to come!
Jamaican Me Crazy {Sandals Ochi} / Mystic Mountain / Club MoBay
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