Sandals Grande Ocho Rios - What you NEED to know!

Thinking of booking your vacation to the Sandals Grande Ocho Rios? There are some things you NEED to know before purchasing your trip and spending thousands!


The Sandals Grande Ocho Rios actually used to be 2 separate resorts and have been amalgumated into 1 huge property. There are 2 distinct sections - Manor and Riviera, which are separated by a public road. Both have definite advantages and disadvantages. Let's start with the Manor Section:


Advantages:

Main Lobby for the entire resort

Biggest gift shop

Offers most of the villa accommodation as well as most of the
concierge and butler room categories and also the Romeo
and Juliet Suites

Gym

Beauty Salon

Largest pool and largest swim up bar on the entire resort

Offers the lowest priced accommodation (in the Manor House)


Disadvantages:

Villa accommoations are up on a hill and far from everything
(ie need a shuttle)

There is no beach on this side of the resort (you need to take a
shuttle - about 5 min drive).

Has 3 of the 8 restaurants (again, you would need to take a
shuttle to the Riviera side to eat at 5 of the 8 restuarants).



And for the Riviera Section:


Advantages:

Close to the beach - including beach club and all the water sports

Has 5 of the 8 restaurants

Offers oceanview/oceanfront accommodation

Rooms are more updated than those on the Manor Side


Disadvantages:

Rooms are higher priced (due to proximity to beach)

Very few concierge and butler suites

Smaller gift shop


I have many a passenger come into my agency complaining that they booked online and didn't realize that if they wanted to go to the beach that it would take them 10 + min to get there! However, of course, if they had booked with an experienced travel agent, they would have known that (or if they had read this review).


So if you are thinking of booking your next holiday to the Sandals Grande Ocho Rios, take into consideration the good and bad points of each section before hitting that book button. It could make or break your vacation.