Bruce’s Vacation Review Of A New Resort In Jamaica [Pictures]

The first time I traveled to Jamaica about ten years ago the customs official asked to see my passport. I've been to Jamaica so many times since then the customs officials know me by my first name. Needless to say, Jamaica is my Jam. I think they should use that slogan for their marketing.

Our most recent Jamaican adventure took place just a few weeks ago. We slid into the island right as Hurricane Nate was passing by. The storm did very little to affect the island. It did create some nice photo opportunities for a beach bum weather geek like me.

We stayed at Negril's newest resort, the Royalton Negril. The resort is all inclusive so your food and drinks and just about all of your entertainment are covered with your reservation. The Royalton Negril is the former location of the Grand Lido. The Grand Lido was demolished and the new resort was constructed.

It opened in January of this year and still has that new resort smell. The rooms are lovely and the rainfall double shower with a bench beneath the falling water may have been my favorite amenity of the property.

If you like good food and a wide variety of choices I think you'll like the Royalton Negril. The resort boasts a hibachi/sushi restaurant, a Tex-Mex place, a killer Italian place, a wonderful steakhouse, and a buffet that would make a cruise ship jealous.

There is also a sports bar that was basically a dining room with TVs. They showed too much soccer for my tastes but at least one screen was dedicated to sports Americans understand.

I think my favorite food stop was the Carribean themed eatery with what I would describe as down-home Jamaican soul food. The fried plantains and jerk chicken are to die for.

The rooms were spacious, elegant, and ours even had a swim out patio. Yep, I could walk out of my room and into the pool at any time day or night and I did. Did I mention the shower was how I would imagine showers in heaven must be like?

The service around the resort was absolutely spot on. This wasn't your typical Jamaica slow like many resorts offer. This service was prompt and polite but still full of the "No Problem Mon" I had come to expect.

My only negative comment was the Vacation Club high-pressure pitch. We were not tricked into attending but let's just say we were misled. If you love having three people gang up on you to buy something you don't want or need, by all means, take the tour. Otherwise, it will still be making you mad two weeks after it happened.

Here are some of my pictures from our trip to the Capital of Casual. Thanks for traveling with me on my journey to Jamaica.