From start to finish

[tickytocky2]

I am in Jamaica,I only have 2 minutes of internet time left!I will be home on sunday so I will fill you all in better then!
Upto now I have stayed with family in the countryside and rhodes hall resort which was nice but the restaurant is a rip off and made my belly poorly!and now I am at samsara

[Bizzy]

Re: From start to finish

not sure how long u been there but continue enjoyin urself

[QK13]

Re: From start to finish

Tease...

[Magician]

Re: From start to finish

bragadosha!

[tickytocky2]

Re: From start to finish

I just got back today and you are not going to be impressed because I have no pictures I bought a new camera and could not find the lead anywhere on the morning of departure and we did not go to the hotel until the second week and it is an unusual lead so too much hassle and they were charging silly amounts like 30usd for a 5 dollar throw away camera!
So no pictures from this trip but I still have a hundred or so I have to develop from last trip so soon come

I stayed at 2 hotels this time,both in negril .
Inbetween I stayed with family and attended a family funeral,
The first hotel was Rhodes hall resort 5 minutes out of negril.
On arrival I was very happy,we had a nice room and I think it had the best spot it was called orange block and our room faced the swimming pool and the beach.The bedroom had aircon/ nice bathroom and fully equipped kitchen with table and chairs and everything you need.There is a restaurant on site too which is advertised as having a speciality head chef who cooks delicious food.All posted on the board for special of the day for 350j!
We were given a mobile phone too but that is where the niggles started,there was no credit and nobody on site sold credit so to use the phone you had to go into town,The taxi driver on site wanted over a 1000j to go get 100 credit,then the electrics kept going down and the back up was slow to start but everything was still fine,nice peaceful place,there were peacocks and other birds strutting around and there were a lot of fruit trees there.We realised if you hae the light on at night the thin cotton window cover does not hide you from people walking past so if you like your privacy bear that in mind.
The restaurant is up a steep hill and is unsuitable for those with walking difficulties,they do room service for 10usd a time,they hire snorkel masks out for 400j a time,do garden tours for 15-20usdpp horseriding 60usd upwards I think and a crocodile trail.The rate I paid was supposed to be bed and breakfast mainly just tea and toast but I was not offered it and just kept getting the menu given to me everyday witha bill.The first day I had to wait 4 1/2 hrs for breakfast as there were no eggs,the egg man kept saying he was on his way,we had planned to go out in the morning but we stayed and waited for our breakfast and it was raw so I asked for it to be fried longer it was like water so the chef did me a fresh one this 4 and a half hour wait consisted of me walking up the steep hill 5 or 6 times to check what was happening.After the rotten eggs which I finally got around 12-30-1pm I had an upset stomach for a day and a half afterwards.They forgot my toast and also the french toast I had ordered,forgotten my sons fruit and my husband threw his meal in the bin.We thought maybe they were having a bad day but the service and prices were inconsistent dailY and one time I ordered 2 special meals which were priced at 450 I think that day and I ordered it but the chef said he had to wait until the rain had finished to cook it because of problems with the generator AGAIN,so we waited and waited and my husband walked up to the restaurant in the pouring rain a few times because he did not want the baby to fall asleep having not eaten,so on the final walk up the hill in the rain a member of hotel staff stopped him and said the chef would bring it down,as it happened- my husband reached the dining room at the same time the chef was about to come to the room ,so they both walked back together and of course charged me an extra 10usd for the pleasure,which we knew nothing about and there was about another 1000j discrepency on the bill,They forget cutlery water ,ice,the only thing they do not forget is to overcharge,the meals advertised at 450 cost me about 3000 in the end.Basically it is a nice place but I would definately take your own food if staying there,the actual meals we had were very overspiced and fries were dripping in fat,Could not recommend it at all.It is just not worth the drama.
The family that run it are nice and there is a nice groundsman there and also a guy called delroy all nice people but definately give the restaurant a miss it just is not worth the hassle.We enjoyed the peacefulness there and a small section of private beach which was nice but one night time the electrics cut out again and all of our sockets blew so my husband had to walk around about midnight looking for somebody to fix everything,which I am sure they expected paying for but I had had enough by then.
Nice place just take everything you need with you and if you are staying bed and breakfast you will not see the breakfast.

[tickytocky2]

Re: From start to finish

The second hotel I stayed at was Samsara on the cliffs,Legends sister property,I went there with very low expectations as I have stayed at legends before but as this trip was all very last minute we just took the cheapest deal.
We got an excellent rate from website hotelopia and got 6 nights bed and breakfast for 140gbp for 2 adults and one infant.
I was pleasantly suprised with samsara ,the room was nice,facing the pool and sea the breakfast was full buffet breakfast eat as much as you like,a bit of something for everyone,for the price you really cannot moan,to get towles you had to take your dirty ones to reception every day to get them changed which became a pain.They should just let the maids do it while they are doing the room much easier.Nothing much going on at the hotel at all really and drinks and food are overpriced compared to other places nearby,But for a base on the cliffs with breakfast included and a free shuttle there and back to legends on the beach everday it is well worth checking out.
There is a beauty therapist on site but again overpriced in comparison with other places nearby.internet is charged at 380j for 15 minutes and air con is charged at 1500j per night so no thankyou from us for the aircon,we managed without but maybe wold have been better with because the ceiling fans do not have remotes so you are up and down all night with that.There is a minimarket 2 minutes to the left and a restaurant/cafe called jennys which does delicious meals for under 400jreally reasonable in there,you are also near chicken lavish that I ate a meal at and took some guests and we all enjoyed the food there too.

[Marilyn]

Re: From start to finish

Thanks for the report...personally I have nailed Negril down to 3 properties and I stick with what works, deal or no deal.

[tickytocky2]

Re: From start to finish

which hotels are the three you find you like the best?

[loops]

Re: From start to finish

i'll guess her three for you just for the helluvait.

barb b barn
for real
catcha falling star

of those three...i've done catcha...which is very nice.

with all massive respect to Miss M....there are others she needs to try out.

like kuyaba, idle awhile, country country, blue cave castle...all great digs.

[tickytocky2]

Re: From start to finish

kuyaba is a lovely little place and blue cave castle is very unusual,both have no swimmig pools but kuyaba is on the beach front,kuyaba has some of the best food,never stayed at catcha.

[Laurel]

Re: From start to finish

Rhodes Hall is a very lovely property ... really too bad you had such issues with the restaurant!! being so far from other options - they should have been more on top of things!

[tickytocky2]

Re: From start to finish

Rhodes hall was lovely and peaceful ,I would go again but I would not deal with the restaurant and probably not go there for longer than a week