Sandals Royal Plantation Beach & Villa Golf Resort reviews
3799 TripAdvisor reviews
Absolutely the best
Golfwriter (Danvers, Massachusetts) on Mar 21, 2024
We haven't been to Royal Plantation for seven years so we were very interested if it has held up well. Indeed it has. We have stayed at all the Sandals in Jamaica with the exception of the new Beaches. Royal, in our opinion, is the best. That being said, it is important to note that it is quiet, peaceful and relaxed. If one is seeking activity, Sandals Ochi is literally two minutes away and offers all the excitement one could want. It's really the best of both worlds. The facility is "islandy" with an older charm. The rooms aren't huge but they are comfortable and well equipped. Royal is a full butler resort and these trained folks are attentive and responsive to your needs. The beach is small but beautful and the water is chrystal clear. And, like all Sandals, water activities and golf are included. As with any older facility it needs some nips and tucks. The gym is functional but inadequate and definitely requires an expansion and update. The staff is terrific and lead by an active, involved GM. Frequently, we saw him working around the facility. Resetting chairs, picking up odds and ends, just being seen by both the guests and the staff. Leading by example. Keep on keeping on, Royal.
Sandals Royal Plantation
29MichaelD138 on Mar 18, 2024
First time in Jamaica certainly not the last! Peoples are friendly, always happy and ready to help you. The resort is old but well maintained and clean. The foods is good but the menu is a bit redundant but hey when it's good not too much of a problem. The beach is beautiful and cozy maybe not the place if you want to take long walk on the beach.
A True Gem
micheladK6568JF on Mar 15, 2024
We just returned from our 11th stay at Sandals Royal Plantation, and once again it will lure us back. We had an incredible week. The personalized service here is exceptional, and with many devoted returning guests it’s a place to reconnect with familiar faces (staff as well as guests.) By way of example: my husband forgot to order his orange juice one morning, and Stephnie simply brought it for him. Marvin has been our butler for most of our stays, and he is exceptional. It makes our stay so much nicer to have someone who understands our likes and goes out of his way to advocate for the things that mean a lot to us. Our other butler Bebeato responded quickly to a problem we had with the air conditioner this year, and the issue was fixed very fast. Adrian (Biggs) is such an asset to this place: most people know him from the beach, and he takes the time to greet people personally. His sense of humour is infectious. Orane, who arranged our return trips for the next two years, was top notch. He can muti-task while making you feel that he’s all there for you, which is a rare feat when so many people are booking to return. The entertainment team did a great job. The Lady Nitaki works super hard (she also does killer tie dye!) and has an incredible voice. Alex led some great pool fitness classes and was very friendly. We so appreciated having a couple of Jamaica’s best performers: the Lady Gem Myers, a recognized reggae singer, was incredible, and Nico Mystic (with fabulous band) made Jamaica night come alive. There is a nice “refresh” taking place at the resort, first to the east room blocks and later other rooms and common spaces. We were really impressed with the newly renovated and expanded outdoor balcony at Le Papillon: beautifully redesigned in keeping with the old colonial style. The seating area below it was also redone. Guests were appreciating the extra-large comfy seating on the terrace as well. We enjoyed going stand up paddleboarding in the mornings. Recommend going early, before the wind gets up. We had the opportunity to visit the new Dunn's River resort 15 minutes away. If you want to go, you need to organize this early in your stay through your butler. There are limited spaces on the free shuttle (about 3 couples from RP, and several from Ochi.) The shuttle goes at 5:25 SHARP and returns at 9. Our butler reserved at the restaurant of our choice, but they ask that you eat early (close to 6 pm), which actually allowed us time to tour the resort and get to the amazing rum bar. It’s a gorgeous place, with a really unique menu (e.g. oxtail sliders and chocolate tart to die for). You could choose from flights of rum and unique cocktails. We ate at the Greek restaurant, and the lamb chops were amazing; they also bring pita bread with little bowls of hummus, olive tapenade and tzatziki, which was a bonus appetizer. Other guests reported that the Asian Fusion restaurant was terrific. We really appreciated having this opportunity. We hear the same refrain from people who had been to Dunn’s: “it’s new, it’s beautiful, and the food is great. But we come back to RP for the peace and quiet, the amazing staff and for the friendly personalized service." RP is a gem.
12 th Time to Paradise
Go729252 on Mar 09, 2024
Another wonderful stay in our home away from home Met up with several old friends and made some new ones in this serene part of the Carribean Property had suffered some damage from a once in a generation wind event but staff and contractors were performing repairs quickly Only upkeep is being done at this time so I think any expansion isnt in the plans which is ideal as at 74 rooms it is Sandals most intimate offering Special thanks to Marvin Boyd who pre trip informed me of the availability of non alcoholic beer via email,much appreciated Our butlers Gladstone and Duwaiyne were professionalism personified,making my wife feel like the royalty she is For those who cant go without the joe a 24 hour coffee station is located by the Terrace Cafe Spa and Gym were in 4 star shape as the steam room and sauna were down but otherwise clean and functional condition WiFi was okay but there was an upgraded package we didnt get Advise you buy some hammock floats on Amazon and pack them ,beach conditions are ideal for that gear Was told the snorkeling was excellent,our beach neighbor came back with some excellent conch shells Ochi should become more accesible as American has begun flights into OCJ Booked onsite for next year,with military discount it comes out to about a thousand a day,well worth it If youre looking for a break from the hustle and bustle of daily life you need look no further,highly recommended Cheers to all
First Sandals experience
Flatlanderoriginal (Amherstburg, Canada) on Mar 09, 2024
This was our first Sandals stay and we selected Royal Plantation based on its intimate, small size and reviews. We would sum up our time as fantastic! From the moment we arrived at the airport to the moment we were dropped back off, the Royal Plantation staff exceeded our expectations. Our Butlers were Marvin and Bebeato - they were outstanding! The Beach Butlers - top notch in every way! Our room, like the reviews indicate are dated but very clean and well-attended. The food was great, well-portioned and a la carte which is preferred for us….no lines or difficulty getting reservations with ample choices. We did go to Ochi one night to Kimonos - not recommended. The food was bland and no entertainment like one would expect for a Japanese cooktop. We couldn’t wait to get back to our resort. The beach may be small but it is well-maintained and no vendors. A perfect place to sit, read a book and relax or chat with other travellers. The friendliness and attentiveness of all employees sets this resort apart from others. Special mention to Nigel who is participating in the hospitality training program - he is super sweet and embodies the true essence of customer service. We were amazed at the sheer number of couples who continue to come back to Royal Plantation year after year but after one week, we totally understood. Thank you Royal Plantation for an incredible resort experience and vacation.