Royal Plantation - In a Class All it's Own

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In December 2009 I had the pleasure of visiting the exclusive Royal Plantation resort in Ocho Rios, Jamaica. This is a resort for those who are looking for outstanding and impecable service, along with a quiet, relaxing atmosphere.

The first thing you notice upon arrival is the beautiful, colonial style of the resort, with wide porches with large cushioned chairs where you can enjoy afternoon tea, or just pass by the hours looking at the waves. The resort is quite old (built in the 1950's) but it has been well kept, and it's age just adds to it's charm. When sitting on the porch over looking the ocean, you could be in 2009 or 1959.

Upon arrival at the resort (via private transfer) you are checked in privately by the concierge and served a Mangosa - champagne with mango juice - very refreshing! Once checked in you are free to explore the resort - the bell boy will take your bags to your room. The rooms are quite large with lovely, comfortable beds with immaculate white linens. The bathrooms offer double sinks (very convenient for couples) with complimentary toiletries, including: shampoo, conditioner, skin lotion, body wash and aloe. All rooms come with a flat screen tv with satellite and include a number of US channels. Since room service is included in the Royal Dining Plan, all rooms have a small table with chairs so the staff can set up your formal table setting.

One of the highlights of a stay at the Royal Plantation is the cuisine. Although there are only 3 restaurants, there is a wide variety of amazing culinary options to choose from. Even more decadent food items, such as steak, lobster, escargot, etc are all included with the Royal Plan at no extra cost. And if it happens that there is nothing on the menu that's to your liking, you can request special dishes from the chef. This makes the Royal Plantation a great option for choosy eaters or those with food allergies. Out of the three restaurants, I would most highly recommend Le Papillon (French Cuisine).

One of the main reasons people travel to the Caribbean is the beaches. The Royal Plantation is on a small, but wide patch of sandy beach. There is a large roped off swimming area with a floating dock for sunning. The resort offers many mohangany beach chairs to lounge on - in fact, when you arrive to the beach, the staff will prepare your area for you with padding for the chairs along with towels, a mohagany table and they will even position the chairs as per your preference (ie facing the sun). One of the highlights of a stay at the Royal Plantation is the beach butler service. Everyone is provided with a flag that you can raise when you would like something from the beach butler: drink, food, misting with lavender water, your chair re-positioned, etc. It is a great touch that truely makes your day relaxing and worry-free.

Royal Plantation is a unique resort, and recommend for those looking for amazing service, outstanding food and a quiet, relaxing atmosphere in a tropical paradise.