In July of this year we spent 5 days at the Iberostar Rose Hall Suites in Rose Hall, Jamaica. It was sort of a last minute trip; we were itching for a quick getaway and realized that my in laws (hubby’s parents and sister’s family) were going to be in Jamaica during the last week of July and spending a few days at the resort. We had some miles with JetBlue and decided to join them in Jamaica. Since we moved to Florida, time with our family is relegated to once, maybe twice a year when either my in-laws or we decide to make the trek from MD to FL (or vice cersa). The prospect of spending time with family on vacation was too good to miss out on.
We flew into Montego BayAirport and after an annoyingly lengthy customs procedure we easily caught a taxi to the resort which was only about 15 minutes from the hotel. We checked in around noon and had to wait for the room to be ready so we connected with our family (we surprised the girls by not telling them beforehand they would be seeing their grandparents and newest baby cousin). We then all head directly to the buffet for lunch.
The Miranda Hill Buffet is the main buffet restaurant on the property, open for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner. The food was superb. Our families are both of Caribbean descent so we have an obvious deep love and appreciation of authentic Caribbean food. At each meal the Miranda Hill buffet offered a balanced variety of both traditional, western meal options and caribbean staples. Each night of the week there was a different culinary theme (Italian options on night, Asian options the next night, etc) but there was always a pasta bar, grill and salad bar included for some regularity along with the Jamaican specialties for the night. There were a few other dining options on the property but it was difficult to secure reservations for any of the specialty restaurants. There is a mexican restaurant, a mediterranean restaurant, a “gourmet” restaurant and a steakhouse (the beach buffet turned into the steak house in the evening).
Courtesy of Iberostar Hotels and Suites
The rooms were lovely and spacious. We had a huge balcony that overlooked the central promenade of the resort with views of the lazy river, infiniti pool and the beach. Marble floors and a huge, classy bathroom gave the suite an upscale feel. The kids were tucked away on the sofa bed each night which was located in a small sunken sitting area separated from the main room by a half wall. The layout made it easy to put them to sleep at night and still be able to watch TV or read in our bed. It think the rooms were laid out well for families.
Courtesy of Iberostar Hotels and Suites
Iberostar offered many activities for the whole family. There were the standard beach activities (snorkeling, kayaking, Banana boat rides, volley ball, etc) available and an abundance of palapas and beach recliners. We never had trouble finding an area to sit and relax on the beach, no matter what time we came down to the beach. The best part for us a as a family was the kids splash park. Located next to the kids club, there was a surprisingly large splash area for the kids with several water slides, fountains, and even large padded water animals for climbing and playing on. The girls spent most of their time here and some evenings in the kids club. The Kids Club offered generous hours during the day, breaking for two hours for lunch and around dinner time. A few days per week they hosted dinner for the kids (prior sign up required) and also had a pajama party night. It is important to note that the official ages allowed are 4 and up; we weren’t clear on the rules and the staff made a point to let us know after the girls had spent some time there that our youngest was below the required age.
Courtesy of Iberostar Hotels and Suites
The property was well managed and the staff were generally friendly. The grounds were always clean and everything seemed to be in working order and running smoothly during our entire time there. The pool areas were well maintained and spacious with plenty of chairs and umbrellas. The lazy river was fun but had a very weak current in many areas; it was relaxing nonetheless. We also saw several weddings happening on the property over the 5 days we were there. There seemed to be a beachfront wedding happening almost every afternoon. It was really fun to watch the different wedding parties and families gather throughout the afternoon and proceed from the hotel to the idyllic beach setting.
Courtesy of Iberostar Hotels and Resorts
We visited the spa twice just for the water therapy rooms which were complimentary. We loved the relaxing atmosphere, the hot and cold baths and the incredible heated loungers. The entire experience and atmosphere there was soothing and restorative and we were sorry we didn’t have time to schedule an actual spa treatment.
At the end of our 5 days in paradise we were rejuvenated and felt as though it was a well spent vacation. We wouldn’t hesitate to recommend the Iberostar Rose Hall Suites to anyone who is looking for an all-inclusive vacation in Jamaica.
No Comments