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Beaches Grande Sport 05/04/02
Reviewers Rating:  Excellent
My boyfriend and I stayed at Beaches Grande Sport from April 3-10 this year, and found the resort to be excellent. Knowing that Beaches had recently acquired the Ciboney to make this resort, and after reading some ranting reviews about the property, we were a bit nervous as to what to expect prior to our arrival. However, from the moment we stepped off the bus at the Great House to the moment we were picked up for the trip back to the airport, we had an incomparable time! First of all, I would like to point out that the residential part of the resort is NOT directly on the beach (Beaches' web site is not exactly clear on this matter). However, the resort DOES have its own private beach that, although a bit small, is absolutely top-notch. The Great House and the hotel and villas are actually on the side of the mountains in Ocho Rios, on 50 acres of lush, tropical land. From the Great House, it's about a six-minute, downhill walk to the beach. Or if you don't feel like walking, the beach shuttle leaves every ten minutes or so from 8:00 AM until at least 10:00 PM. So the distance to the beach is not at all a problem unless you feel that your room must be beachfront; if that's the case, then this probably isn't the resort for you. I found it charming and fun. There are many different room categories at BGS, but from what I've seen and heard, I would have to recommend you go with at least a Deluxe Villa Room. We were originally booked in that category, but upon check-in we were upgraded to a Luxury One-bedroom Villa Suite. Keep in mind that this resort was one of the first built in Jamaica; so don't expect accomodations that look brand-new. However, do expect extremely comfortable accomodations that allow for lots of privacy. Our suite was terrific! Each "villa" is comprised of four suites, so essentially you have three "neighbors." And among the four suites, you have a small pool to share. Our villa-neighbors never used the pool, so essentially we had it all to ourselves for a week, which was romantic and relaxing for us! The rooms have satellite TV (which may not be a good thing for those of you with couch-potato partners), and the suites have (in addition to the bedroom area) a living area with couches, TV, and coffee table, and a kitchenette with refrigerator stocked with soda, coffee maker, utensils and such - although I'm not sure why anyone would ever be cooking in their villa, but it is a nice touch. And of course you have either a patio (downstairs) or balcony (upstairs) overlooking the semi-private pool. The pool is surrounded by lush plants, creating an exotic and private atmosphere. Once you leave your room and head back to the main part of the resort, there are more activities available than anyone could possibly perform, which is great for those of you who want to do more than sunbathe. Outside the Great House is the main pool, complete with large hot tub, a slide down to the smaller pool elow, and swim-up bar. Additionally, there is a grill that is open from late morning until early morning, shutting down only for dinner. It's a great place to grab a snack and watch the action in the pool or over the rest of the grounds. The lawn beyond the Great House is gorgeous, and it is surrounded by 3 or 4 large tennis courts, the rock-climbing wall, shuffleboard, and an enormous chess board complete with life-size pieces! The Manor bar in the Great House is a relaxing place where people tend to mingle off and on all day. Ask for the "Young, Fresh, and Green," which is an awesome tropical drink that is the special of one of the male bartenders - unfortunately, I didn't catch his name. In the evening, the resident pianist plays in this bar, and it was very low-key and lulling to sit with a drink and listen. The fitness center and water-based spa activities are located downstairs in the Great House, although we personally never made it down there to check out the facilities. The beach area is really action-packed for those of you who love watersports. They offer a free scuba certification course every day except Sunday, in a special scuba-only pool at the back of the beach, and there are several scuba excursions each day. There are of course non-motorized sports such as sea kayaking, snorkeling, hobie cats, etc., available at your disposal all day. There are plenty of lounge chairs all over the beach, so you don't have to rush there in the morning to claim a chair, and you can sit as close to the crowd or as far away as you like. There is also another large pool with hot tub and swim-up bar on the beach, and there is always a volleyball game going on in the pool. The ocean water is warm and inviting, and there is a floating trampoline that is a lot of fun, but in real need of repair (it could be a little dangerous in its current condition). Though I've heard some bad things about the dining at all-inclusive resorts in general, the food at all the restaurants was especially delicious. I'm not much of a buffet fan, so we only did that at the MarketPlace restaurant during breakfast and lunch. For dinner, Orchids (Asian cuisine) was my favorite. The vegetable soba is to die for! The Manor restaurant served Caribbean fair and was also excellent. All three of these restaurants are located in the Grea House and do not require reservations. Orchids, however, does observe a dress code, which I personally prefer. There is also an Italian restaurant located on the beach that requires reservations, and the food there was also exquisite. Service at the three sit-down restaurants is top-notch. I can't say one negative thing about the dining at all! I could go on and on about the fun we had at Beaches Grande Sport, but honestly I think you must "see it to believe it." I can't compare it to any of the other luxury resorts in Ocho Rios simply because this was only my second time here (my first time, 2 years ago, I stayed at Club Jamaica (?) which was simply horrendous). However, if you are looking for a fabulous adults-only vacation with an extremely wide variety of activities available, I would definitely recommend this resort! A final note: some people whine and complain about the bus ride to Ocho Rios from Sangster airport in MoBay, but I think it's terrific -- you get to see how the people really live, and soak up a little bit of culture before you cloak yourself in the fantasy world of your resort. Feel free to e-mail me with any specific questions. Brandi
Brandi
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