TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

Hi ALL my traveling friends - We spent Christmas 2025 in Jamaica at this hotel. The staff and service were just amazing, and we give many gold stars! We had a personal concierge; her name was Nadine!! She was always available for our request and everyday checked on our family to see how we were doing. It's like we knew her for years, very personable and again can't stress enough about always being available. The atmosphere was perfect and just what we were looking for in a Caribbean vacation. The hotel and pool areas were always very clean and inviting. The location so close to the beach, just breathe taking. We didn't have any noise complaints. We have traveled in many different locations of the Caribbean, and I have to tell you that I felt completely safe at this hotel. Not only were the staff super helpful but other visitors being just as friendly too! For the experience, food and hospitality hands down I felt the value was sooooo worth it and would go again. Now, I do have to tell you that I did have two things that I wasn't completely satisfied about. 1. Checking into our rooms, we requested two beds on the reservation (1 for my husband and myself, and 1 for my 11-yr old son) They only booked us for one kind bed and a pull-out bed. They did try to make the pull out comfortable for our son, but it was still hard and not very comfy. We were told that two bed request is only a request and not a guarantee which I was not happy about, after you pay all that money you want to sleep comfortable for 6/7 nights. This also happened to someone else traveling with us, two adult women only one Kind bed. The rooms were very nice, maid staff cleaned everyday and replaced towels etc but NO little surprises with the towels (hearts or swans). Mexico spoiled us hahah We made our bed issue work, and we were still happy with our stay but not about the bed situation but Christmas time and fully booked we just made it work. The other thing that I was not to thrilled about (again not a deal breaker) was at the pool area they played more of/mostly American pop music then Jamaican music which I was really look forward to such as Jamaican food, music, culture etc. I mean you are in the Caribbean - Jamaica, I wanted that feel that vibe and chill by the pool side, beach, etc. Food**** Buffet food was ok nothing to rave about but was ok. Now, the Christmas Buffet!!!! was soooo magical and the spread was beyond our expectations, the staff definitely brought the Christmas spirit and food spread (couldn't have ask for it to be any more perfect being away from home and tradition Christmas dinner) The restaurants that are included, they were beyond delicious and good way to try new things definitely recommend choosing one each night. Overall, we had a blast and would definitely go back if we had a chance. Family of nine that visited for Christmas, memories that will last forever. :)

The rooms were spacious and well maintained, and entertainment team did a great job keeping guests engaged. However food was Ok, with a very limited menu that was repeated throughout the stay. (Loved curry goat). The Christmas gala did not feel special, as they offered the same every day menu, forcing for a reservation. Unfortunately, the overall service was disappointing, with slow response times. Pushy sales at the concierge desk was not pleasant.

Location was quiet and had sandy beaches with a bit of seaweed. It's about an 18 min drive from the airport (expect $35-45 taxi) and 10 minutes by complimentary shuttle to town square where more shopping can be found (We did not actually have access to shuttle as it temporarily stopped running after hurricane). Atmosphere was amazing, especially around Christmas with pop-gingerbread house decor, Christmas trees and lights galore. Rooms were spacious with variable balcony sizes. There's a bit of humid/musty smell being so close to the ocean but otherwise rooms were in good condition with included minifridge supplies. Highlights of the trip were definitely the service: At registration, Shanavan took excellent care of us, answered all questions and checked in on us regularly throughout our stay. We understood later that each patron is assigned a concierge to answer resort questions and arrange services; unfortunately, we did not have one assigned (other less qualified sales staff tried to fill the void) but we did not feel we missed much due to Shanavan's attention to our stay. Count yourself blessed if you were taken care of by Paris and Shaneeka in Hibachi or DIanne and Shanna-Kaye at the Greek themed restaurant; these staff truly put visitors first and treat you like family. We enjoyed the wide variety of musical, poolside, and theatrical entertainment; Stretch and Fresh kept the mood hype. It was clear while we were there that the hurricane in Nov 2025 had hit Jamaica hard, yet we found the staff willing to help, quick to rebuild and eager to encourage tourism. The food variety was immense. We are pescatarian and enjoyed the fish and vegan options. One thing worth mentioning is food quality; as expected with most all-inclusives food quality is average in buffets, especially among baked goods. The one exception to this is the Christmas extravaganza dinner with chicken, whole pork roast, sushi, lobster, crap, oysters, clams. Specialty restaurants consistently had flavorful main courses. Staying in the Suites allows you access to the neighboring property's beach, pools and restaurants which we found fun to bounce between. Overall, we enjoyed our visit despite post hurricane superficial damage and would be be back, expecting the resort to be even better next time.

We had originally booked at sister hotel, Waves but due to recent hurricane it was not open so we were moved to Iberostar Selection next door. We had a good holiday. Room was OK. Some of the a la cartes were not open but we were ok with the buffet where there were lots of food choices. Beach was not the best as there were little rocks in the ocean. We upgraded for the beach section as the hurricane had damaged the palapas and the tops of palm trees. We felt this was totally worth it. We are not usually fond of Bali beds but they were comfy and I was able to get shade with the curtains. Best part of resort was the entertainment and it was the best in all the resorts in different Caribbean countries that we have visited. There was entertainment all day long, around the pool during the day which we didn't participate in, as we are beach lovers. The evening entertainment was the best with bingo, live shows and Karaoke most evenings. Thanks Nessa and the young man who was also in charge (sorry didn't get your name) you both made our holiday very enjoyable.

Initially I was not supposed to stay at Iberostar, but due to the hurricane I had to change my stay. I booked Wave Rose Hall and was upgraded when I got to the hotel because that property was closed, a pleasant surprise! The check in process was a bit annoying. The lines were very long and the rooms were not ready until check in time exactly. I was able to explore the property but was not given a towel card until the room was ready. However, they have a nice bathroom to change/shower if you don’t have access to a room. The conflicting communication at check-in was also a downfall. I was told I had no access to JOIA next door, but was not told that the resort next door was opening in the middle of my stay and I would have access to that property. I found it on my last day and I was disappointed I missed a few days over there! Additionally, I was told by one person I needed reservations for dinner and by someone else that no reservations are needed…I had to ask guests who had been there longer for help. The room was beautiful as was the entire property. It seems like every room has a beautiful view. Housekeeping came daily and kept the room immaculate. Unfortunately there was a lot of construction (nothing too loud) and limited shade due to damaged umbrellas, but that is as expected after a hurricane. They had decent entertainment. I saw another review saying only stay here if you like to party and I disagree. The entertainment was mostly kid friendly and lasted for a few hours at night. They also do bingo/trivia/other small events multiple times a day with prizes (T-Shirts or alcohol usually). There are 2 nights per week where they have an event outside - one at the pool and one at the beach. They both had live events that I was able to hear from my room, however they ended before midnight so it wasn’t a huge deal. The rest of the nights it is very quiet as soon as the pool closes. Most of the food was great and there were tons of options. There ends up being a lot of food with all the courses but you can always skip one, or go to the buffet if you aren’t too hungry. I enjoyed the food they had by the pool/beach so you dont have to go inside and eat for lunch! I heard complaints from someone how the restaurants were very slow and took over 2 hours, but I did not have that issue. All of the staff were very nice and friendly. I did not encounter a single rude/unpleasant employee during the week I was there. However, there are a few vendors on the beach that watch the entrance to the beach and will try and wave you over every time. Overall, the hotel was amazing but I don’t think i would stay again because of the beach. It wasn’t a very good beach - lots of seaweed, jellyfish, sea urchins. The vendors were also very pushy and one followed me while I was trying to swim asking me to go to his home with him. Most people stayed by the pool. I prefer Doctor’s Cave Beach for the reef/snorkeling there and no vendors.