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couples negril 10/03/01
Reviewers Rating:  Excellent
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We went to Couples Negril in mid September, 2001 through Air Jamaica from Los Angeles. After taking the red eye, we arrived early in the morning and flew on Air Jamaica Express for another 55 per person one way. Got to Couples by 9 am! And the bright sunshine greeted us warmly.
My wife and I were told our rooms would be ready later on. We got some breakfast, the usual buffet faire, made to order omellettes and fresh, fruit shakes. The main restaurant was opened air and you could see the pool and to the ocean beyond while eating your meals.
After breakfast, we went back to the lobby to change into swimwear, but was told our rooms were already available!
The room was very comfortable and clean, with a nice balcony to drink coffee on. Imagine a nice hotel room, though no narrow hallways, and complete privacy, even when on the balcony, b/c the buildings were surrounded by lush coconut and banana trees, as well as palms of all sorts. Housecleaning always cleaned the room nicely, and replaced our pitcher with fresh, cold water. Occassionally we ordered the continental breakfast and ate it on the balcony. Coffee, juice, cereal, breads, and fresh fruit were delivered promptly and deliciously. This was a great perk.
The food overall was good, from jerk chicken to rack of lamb. But after getting stranded there for over a week, we didn't get tired of the food necessarily, but you can only eat so much jerk chicken. The menus were different each day, but also quite similar in the type of food. Essentially, its buffet food. Though their fancy restaraunt was quite nice, even with a couple of jamaicans playing string instruments. We went their twice, sitting on beautiful, comfortable couches for two, pampered with champagne (not the 4.99 stuff either!) and a 5 course meal. The soups were especially good, being poured directly onto your bowl and the main courses, filet mignon, seafood pasta, etc were all excellent and flavorful. But besides the food, the ambiance created an ideal mood for couples and honeymooners. Another positive.
One negative may not be for some, but it was for us. We went their expecting to relax and just swim, eat, sleep, and lay on the beautiful beach and all our expectations were met, so how could that be a negative?? Well, after a few days, we realized that at night there was nothing to do. My wife and I are not boring people, so we found ways to have fun, but we had to find our own entertainment b/c couples didn't have much entertaining entertainment. The same band played the same american pop songs every night, and strangely, couples placed a big palm right in front of the stage so you couldn't see the lead singer. And you go to Jamaica, you want to hear reggae, but they didn't play reggae. Oh well. Other forms of entertainment were ok, ie newlywed game, casino night, etc but they were very unprofesstional and poorly organized. One thing we really enjoyed was the piano bar where an old guy sang and played wonderfully, but we heard him only once, always coming into the bar, as he left.
At other nights, we swam in the pool or in the ocean after dinner, soaking in the hot tub and having a nice coctail, and everyone you meet are very nice. One couple got totally drunk and were very entertaining in the jacuzzi, and everyone were enjoying themselves that night, but the next morning the very drunk, very appropriately behaved, entertaining couple actually came up to us and apologized for their loud behaviour the night before. We told them there was nothing to apologize for! Are you kidding!! But that was the quiet atmosphere of Couples.
The drinks are great and plentiful, The red flag service, (stick a red flag in the sand and a waitress eventually comes by and gets your drink) a nice perk, and Red stripe, then later on Miller Lite were always great. Don't get me wrong, Couples is great and we had a fantastic time there but the tragedy in US complicated things a bit for us. The tragedy happened on the day we were to leave Couples, and we were "stranded" in Negril. Its nice being stranded. But Couples weren't very accomodating and we had to pay from our own pockets. Travel insurance!!
Service at Couples was fine, no problems, but no problem doesn't necessary mean yes, it just means whatever! Jamaicans are a fine people, with confidence and pride, and they are friendly as well. I especially enjoyed the many conversations with the various staff. The only negative was when we were checking out and on our bill (bigger than normal because we overstayed b/c of tragedy in US), had phone charges. I didn't use the phone.
Are you sure you didn't use the phone?
Yes.
Are you sure?
Yes.
You didn't make any calls to the US?
no.
How about calls here?
no.
To family?
no.
How about your wife, did she make any calls.
No, no, no.
It was only for 6 dollars and we were already late for our express flight, so I felt like screw this, I don't need the interrogation for just a lousy 6 dollars but then I felt like I was already paying for the extra nights when no one else was coming to Couples...ok ok so it was just a little problem.
I really didn't use the phone!!!
The best part about Couples? The beach. And the sunsets. One night, my wife and I waded in the calm, warm, and clear water just a minute from our room and floated on the surface, watching the brilliant red sun go into the horizon, then seeing the cloud marked sky turning into glowing shades of violet.
Fish, rays, jelly fish (even got stung by one),and other wild life could be seen right from the beach. The waters are shallow, so you just look where you're walking. We also went snorkeling and saw even more fish.
But better than anything was little bloody bay. Couples is on Bloody Bay. Very beautiful. To one side is Grand Lido (what's so grand about it??) and to the other side is Riu. Next to Riu is just pristine beach, which bends to a point about a mile away. If you stay at any of the three, you are in Bloody Bay, just gorgeous.
One day, I took a catamaran around that point and appeared before me a much smaller version of bloody bay. Only a few hundred yards wide, it was a half moon shaped, and on one side, very, very shallow coral covered the far side of the bay. The middle of the bay was more sandy, and the only spot you could take the catamaran to shore. Green foliage came upto the water but for about 10 feet of absolutely brilliant white sand. Shade from the trees covered the white sandy beach. And nobody there! Absolutely no presence of man. Pristine. And I mean it.
The next day, I went back there to explore it more fully, taking my wife and a kayak. From the proximity of the kayak, we saw even more pristine beauty and picnicked on the sand. Under water we snorkeled, while purple, green, and pink coral flashed its color against the dancing background of small pastel colored fish.
This bay is only about 20 minute paddle on a kayak from Couples, yet no one seemed to know about it. I just found it by accident. Maybe, I should leave this part out, but then if you go to Bloody Bay, look for yourself, but please, don't damage the coral and don't leave any trash. This place is beautiful because its not overrun by people like you and I.
Later, I talked to a local, Mudslide, and he even told me about an old pirate's hangout amongst the overgrown trees, it turned out to be a cave, the opening of it bricked up by large blocks except for a small, door like opening. The entrance was very overgrown and while standing near the entrance, the pirate’s cave appeared to be an excellent hiding spot, for you could see whatever approached you, but not be seen.
Little bloody bay reminds me of a deserted island I once visited in the Indian Ocean. To come back from that island took me 4days, mostly by boat, ferry, bus, then plane X3. To go to the bay took me 5 hours from LA. The bay was as pristine, as beautiful.
Inside Couples, and even Negril itself, you don't see the real Jamaica. We wanted to see Jamaica, and even went to church on Sunday. The church was full of tourist. So I asked around and found that a nearby town, Sav La Mar had a Friday, Sat morning market. We hired a taxi and took the 30 minute wild ride, straight out of a James Bond movie, exciting yet a little nerve racking as well. Jamaica the beautiful, Jamaica the poor. But everyone we met at the market weren't miserable. America has riches galore, but plentiful misery, Jamaica has plentiful proverty but not misery. Or that's what I saw. Sav La Mar was also on the sea, and we got to see an old Spanish fort, turned prison, now just some eroding walls and buildings. The entrance was only 5 or 6 feet. I was told the Spanish were short back in the 1500's.
The weather in September meant an hour of welcomed showers in the late afternoon, rainbows and clouds,but enough sun to go through a whole tube of sunscreen!
Overall, our vacation was very relaxing, Couples is great, Negril is great. Just don't come here when crazy people decide to bomb our country.
kc
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