The sunshine, the vivid blue water, the vibrant flowers… I am having withdrawal from my most recent visit to Montego Bay already. For those who know me, you know that Montego Bay is not a new discovery for me. My family on both my maternal and paternal sides are from Jamaica and I have family that lives in Montego Bay. But I have to say, this recent trip I took on June 19-27 was unlike the many other times that I have visited. I want to share with you guys my hotel experiences, local restaurant recommendations, beach experiences, and all. Oh and let’s not forget some of my vacation-wear.
I should start by saying that the main reason for this exceptional trip was to witness my cousin and his fiance’s nuptials that first weekend. The remaining days were for some much needed heat and sun that was lacking from New York’s lingering chilly spring forecast. On this trip I stayed at the luxurious Hyatt Ziva Rosehall resort, Riu Montego Bay resort, and my grandmother’s home on a hill overlooking the ocean.
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The first stop on this trip was to the BEAUTIFUL Hyatt Ziva, which is one of the nicest all-inclusive beach front resorts I’ve been too. This property used to be the Ritz-Carlton a few years ago and has a sister resort right next door called the Hyatt Zilara (which I did manage to sneak off to for a bit as well). The main difference between the two is that the Zilara is adults only and Ziva is more family friendly. The staff were extremely friendly and the customer service was top notch. I was very pleased with my stay!
On the first night there, Friday, my family and I had a welcome dinner at a Villa that was off the premises. I wish I had taken better photos of the inside of the villa because it was STUNNING. I have stayed at the Tryall Villas in Jamaica a few years back and it was gorgeous, but it did not have as much of a home-like feel as the one where we had the welcome dinner. The high ceilings, the updated kitchen, the chandelier over the semi winding double staircases, it was simply gorgeous. The catered food was finger licking good. Even something as simple as pumpkin soup was so good that I had to snag myself a second bowl. The property had a large yard with an infinity pool near the side of a hill.
The following Saturday afternoon was the wedding on a rooftop venue that overlooked the ocean. The view was breathtaking. We even got to see the sunset over the water as the couple exchanged “I Dos”. Jamaica has been getting a LOT of rain these days and we had a chance of rain in the forecast that day. Before the ceremony, while sitting on the rooftop taking pictures, I did feel a drop or 2 fall and we all got nervous since there were no awning or covering over us. But the bride and groom had luck on their side because it did not rain! Thank God. We then had a cocktail hour on a large porch-like space near the beach, and the reception in a huge air-conditioned hall. We ate, laughed, drank and danced the night away. It was the most fun I’ve ever had at a wedding.
[Dress] [Dress- tall size] [Metal Bag] [Rose Gold Heels]
Now that the wedding was over, I was officially on vacation mode and ready to have some fun. I stayed at the Hyatt Ziva for a third night and I got the chance to check out the entertainment by the pool in the day and the nightlife by night. The pool games and entertainers were fun, but they were lacking in the entertainment department after sunset. There was a rumored karaoke night but when I went to the stage it was dark and empty. We sat by the fire pits and looked at the stars for the remainder of the night. This was a great atmosphere for chitchat and jokes with my cousins. In the day, we enjoyed the jerk hut on the beach. It was not as spicy as I would like, but it was still delicious.
[Swimsuit] [Kimono-similar] [Kimono-similar]
[Swimsuit] [Wrap Skirt]
I cannot tell you guys how happy I was to find these simple, yet cute swimsuits! If you happen to be a lady with a little extra junk in the trunk, you might have noticed that some one pieces don’t have enough coverage in the butt area which can be so annoying when you want to strut your stuff around without mooning the world. These two have more than enough coverage on the back so you do not have to worry about it riding up after every few steps you take and NO CHEEK SLIPS!
When Monday came around, I checked out of the beautiful Hyatt and went to stay by my grandmother’s house a few minutes away. I stayed for 2 nights and it was the most relaxing time while there. I napped in the day, which never happens for me back home. It felt so good to just lay around and do nothing, no matter how much my sweet granny tried to keep me awake. She does not have an AC so the naps also acted as a brief relief from the humid heat. On one of the days with her we went to a restaurant on the beach named “Island Paradise” and it was perfect. The water was so calm and blue, the sand was warm and the dining benches were perfectly shaded under broad leafed trees. There I had lobster, curried shrimp, rice & peas and festival. Every. Bite. Was. Perfect. Here is a shot of the lobster (I scarfed down the rest of the food too quickly to get a photo, oops).
This was the largest and most flavorful lobster that I’ve ever had. For the first time, one single lobster tail felt like a full meal. I shared the curried shrimp, rice and festival with my granny. After all that food, I needed another nap! Luckily for me, the beach had covered cabanas and I quickly rented one on the furthest end. The staff brought out a mattress, fresh linens and pillows.
I lied there and just watched the pelicans dive for fish and the children splash around. The beach only had a few bathers so it was quiet and serene. Of course I took a dip or 2 while there, I mean who could resist!
While at granny’s, I visited the local super markets and good ol’ Scotchie’s Jerk Pit. When in Montego Bay, Scotchie’s is a must!
On Wednesday I checked in to the Riu Montego Bay, and let me tell you, it was a completely different experience that the Hyatt. The customer service was not as good, it was a lot more crowded and the rooms were nowhere near as nice. This resort had 2 other hotels on property next door. It is not easy to go from a somewhat luxury hotel to a normal crowded resort, but after the first day you learn to adjust. They had a show every evening and it seemed as if the entire resort came out to see them. They were entertaining and the actors mingled with the crowd for hours after each show. This shocked me since they were singing and dancing for so long in the warm Jamaica air AND worked as resort entertainers earlier in the days as well. During the later hours of the night, they had a club on site with a bar. It was truly the livest resort disco I have ever been to. Each night that I went, it was packed with people and had music that I liked to hear. I was pleasantly surprised at the nightlife on this resort, and would recommend it for girls and guys trips with people who rather not leave the resort at night.
One of the nights I did leave the compound and went to a club on a pier near by called “Pier One”. I have been there once or twice in past but forgot how large it was. It is literally on a pier and is a restaurant in the day time. The indoor and outdoor space was huge and had a great view of the night time ocean and mountains with lights in the near distance. It had a healthy mix of locals and tourists. The DJ did his thing! Music was on point. I do recommend that you visit if you are into reggae, hip hop and strong drinks. Once it lets out, there are rows of people selling soup and jerk chicken on the roadside. Roadside jerk chicken is the best jerk chicken, hands down.
Another activity I recommend is getting a juta taxi and heading to a destination that is an hour or 2 away. Then on the way, ask your driver to stop at a tourist friendly, yet authentic, restaurant and take the scenic route. Most of the time, my juta taxi drivers are so personable and friendly. We often use the same for the entire visit. The taxis are relatively inexpensive and you can see more than just what is immediately outside your resort. I also just enjoy looking out the window at the scenery. I love to ride through the different neighborhoods to see how they are all a little different and hearing some history about the area from the driver (if they are nice enough). It is customary to tip them, as it is with most things, and they wait for you as you enjoy your distentions. It is a round trip ordeal so you do not have to worry about finding a taxi in the middle of nowhere to get back to your hotel. Taking a long drive while staring out the window for an hour or 2 is usually my favorite part of my visits.
Leaving Jamaica this trip was bitter sweat. I did develop some heat rash (yuck!) so I was relieved to be getting back to a cool, drier climate but I was going to miss all of my fresh mangoes, authentic jerk chicken and the perfect blue water. My trip was for 8 days but I could have used another 3 weeks of paradise.
These are just some of the experiences I had during this trip and my little island has so much more to offer than what was said here. Each parish offers something unique and it would be a great idea to visit the sunny island of Jamaica multiple times to experience its many facets.
I know this first post was super long, but sometimes it is needed. Please let me know if you have enjoyed it and let me know where in the Caribbeaan you have visited! Leave me a comment & I will talk to you all soon. Smooches!
With love,
CoCo