TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

We enjoyed our stay, property was beautiful but not much shade to be found. We had no problem getting loungers at one of the beaches around 9am but we had to leave by 2pm as no more shade to be found.. we had beach service or the illusion of beach service... the waiter came around 2 times between 9 and 2 ... we didn't even try for pool loungers as they were all covered with towels.. not many people just towels... people save loungers but hardly use them... food was ok... didn't like that no dinner buffet was available for a quick dinner.. had to wait to be served... which is ok but not every night.. went to French restaurant and by the time we got fed we had lost our appetite and only had a couple bites.. it was 9pm by the time we had a table... disappointing... the seafood restaurant was our favorite.. service was great and getting a table was faster ... we found all the staff on resort very friendly and nice... entertainment... no where to sit and watch it as not enough seating available so can't really comment on that... disappointing... our room... loved the location.. garden view.. we were located behind beach grill... we left are patio door unlocked and used it as our enter n exit point all week... occasionally we had to use the door as the maid or turn down service would lock patio... room was very nice but detailed cleaning could be better... like baseboards ... corners... no big deal for us but it will only get worse... like I tell my staff .. if you always wipe it .. you won't have to scrub it.. on our last day we were walking all the beaches... got pretty grossed out when by the boats for water sports.... counted 12 dirty diapers floating in the water and washing up on beach... gross.... people swimming in that water made me gag.... bars... not enough easy access bars... the beach grill would be a great spot to put one.... cappuccino.. I drink cappuccino all day and night... unfortunately the only place to get one is the Cafe.. cant get at any restaurant or bar.... disappointing... would we return? Yes if the price was good!

Having been to other all inclusives Secrets St James was disappointing. The resort is in serious need of repair. Our room had issues including a toilet that didn’t flush, a sink that didn’t drain and the handle/lock on the patio door was broke. The buildings have peeling paint and shingles missing on roof in places. The pool ladders were loose and one was missing a step. The pool filtration system was not working very well as a large area of scum and debris collected by pool steps daily. Breakfast buffet was ok. The lunch buffet was not good. Dinner restaurants were frustrating at times. It took up to an hour for food to arrive after ordered. All in all food was mediocre at best. Bar service was extremely slow but not fault of bartenders. The Piano Bar at night served hundreds of people with one to two bartenders. Staff for the most part were never rude but did not go out of their way to interact or smile. Entertainment was hit or miss. There are much better resorts to stay at.

Nice resort in Montego Bay. Beach was a little small, but grounds were large and clean. Many restaurants but in the evening for dinner I found it hard to get a table quickly. The buffet for breakfast and lunch was great, and so was the beach grill, although the service was a little slow. The beef patties were delicious. The rooms were nice and clean and the staff was great. Overall, it's a nice resort. It has a preferred side which has other perks like butler service and private beach as well.

This hotel is not all it seems, the rooms are in need of work, the cleaning of them is really poor, the turn down service starts at 6pm and goes to 10pm, we would often be in bed and they arrive to do the turn down!! The food is okay but they cater for the American pallet !! The reception staff we found to be most unhelpful at every interaction. Be warned, if you just book st james and not any of the “preferred club” you will only be able to use the one pool that has music banging most days, it’s cramped and far from 5 star, however if you want to upgrade at £150 A DAY !!!! You can sit around a quiet pool, it’s a total rip off. So our holiday would of cost us an extra £2k plus. I would not recommend this place , they offer Corporate events to the USA who come for a few days at a time, you can’t move, it’s loud and they just take over. Fancy a bottle of wine? A pedicure? Your need to secure that against your home!!! A bottle of wine starts at 68us and goes in to the hundreds, the pedicure is 25 mins for 98us dollars, it’s offensive how the hotel try’s to cash in on a captive audience. Not to be repeated.

We just returned from a great vacation at this property. I will say, my review is heavily influenced by having preferred /VIP service, specifically with our Butler Dane! He was fantastic--from booking beach chairs with water coolers, bringing us snacks, driving us around in a golf cart and making dinner reservations. I can't sing his praises enough. Outside of this, the property was ok. The staff was friendly, the restaurants were just ok for us. There are water sport rentals on site which were a lot of fun but the highlight is the beach itself. The property is also VERY secure. They don't play around with safety. You do have access to all of the Secrets properties including Breathless and Wild Orchid. Breathless was a little more lively in the evening and their rooftop restaurant is a must do for dinner. The entertainment options could have been more varied, as we didn't find much that we wanted to do which is the only things keeping this from 5. I would go again but only if we had our same butler!