Our Dream Honeymoon in Jamaica!
My Advice on Honeymoons: If you can afford to take one right away, do it, splurge on it, and enjoy every minute of it!! It felt so increible to relax for a week after over a year of wedding planning! I wouldnt trade that feeling for the world but if you have to wait to take one due to work, money, etc. remember even if its in 6 months, a year, 5 years down the road, it still counts as a honeymoon when its with the one you love!!
We went to Couples Tower Isle in Ocho Rios, Jamaica. We were there for 8 days and 7 nights, Monday July 11-Monday July 18, 2011. It was the absolutely perfect way to relax and unwind after a year of wedding planning. We got to the airport around 2:30, got our luggage, went through customs and got to the couples lounge around 3:00, much quicker than I expected, got our red stripes and waited for our bus to leave, it left about 20 minutes after we got there. The bus ride was kinda scary only because they drive on the opposite side of the road and they drive kinda wild, but just enjoy the scenery and relax and know you'll be home soon. It took about two hours to get to the resort, we arrived to cool towels and rum punch, check in was kinda crazy, but that is no fault of the resort it was only because two full buses arrived at the exact same time. It went really quickly though, we went up to our room, #4510 by the way, and our luggage arrived about 10 minutes later. We got ready and went down to the beach party, SO MUCH FUN!! Great buffet, steel drum band, it was amazing! We went back up to the room at about 8:00, and about 15 minutes later there was a knock on the door, and when we opened it, there was one of the staff with a bucket of champagne, two champagne flutes, and a platter of fruit and cookies! So romantic! Tuesday we just relaxed, ate breakfast, layed on the beach, went swimming in the beautiful sea, then ate lunch, back to the beach and the sea, and then had an amazing dinner at 8 Rivers, definitely make your reservations for that as soon as you arrive!! Wednesday we went to Dunns River Falls, which was fun, not as scary as its made out to be, but fun, super touristy, but I expected that, the guides are great, they stop along the way and take all the couples pictures. The only thing I didnt like was the shopping you walk through at the end, they are very pushy and guilt trip you if you dont buy anything, even though they say no pressure. Later that afternoon after lunch and lounging on the beach we went on the catamaran cruise, which was so fun! They serve rum punch and play reggae music and tell you about the area. They also stop and let everyone jump off and go for a swim. The water is so crystal clear you can see the sand 15 feet below you! Its incredible, definitely a must do in my eyes! Wednesday night we had dinner at the Verandah, they dont require reservations, but have equally amazing food choices! Thursday we went horseback riding in the morning which was so much fun, its not on the beach, but up through the plantation (Prospect Plantation) and there is two spots where they stop and take pictures of the couples on the horses overlooking the ocean. And also a spot where a man climbs a palm tree and gets down a fresh coconut and then shucks it and cuts it up for everyone to try. Super fun! We relaxed that afternoon, had some amazing mixed drinks and fresh fruit smoothies and sweet potato chips from the veggie bar (amazing, must try them!) and then had dinner at Bayside that night. Bayside serves asian cuisine and it sits right over the water, great food and incredibly romantic, just make sure to make reservations when you arrive. Friday and Saturday morning we went snorkeling, they took us to a spot to the right of the resort, where the water was almost 20 feet deep at spots in the reef and 50 feet deep with a sunken ship, if you go and they ask what side you want to go to say the right or the side with the ship. We spent friday and saturday afternoon relaxing on the beach and playing in the sea, and then went to dinner at the Patio, friday night it was semi buffet, basically you ordered your entree and got your soup salad and dessert from the buffet, saturday night was full buffet with a wide selection of international options! Sunday morning we woke up, and had room service deliver breakfast for us, we got danishes, crossaints, fresh fruit, fruit juice and coffee, and ate on our balcony before we went and got massages at the Oasis Spa, which were complementary due to us being honeymooners. I had never had a massage before so I didnt know what to expect, they were incredible, I'm not sure I'd ever been so relaxed in my life. We just relaxed the whole rest of the day and enjoyed dinner at the Verandah knowing that we had to go home the following day =( I never wanted to leave. They made our honeymoon absolutely perfect. I could have stayed there forever! I truly couldnt have imagined a better resort to spend our first week as husband and wife at! All of the staff is so nice, every single person you pass, from the housekeeping staff to the maitenance crew to the front desk, asks you how your day is going, what you have planned that day, how you are enjoying your stay, they are incredible, they truly need to teach classes in the US about customer service! The staff at the bar and the restaurants were truly incredible, they truly catered to your every whim, if you wanted a drink they brought it, if you wanted a picture taken at dinner they took it, and the food all came super quickly, as soon as you were finishing your appetizer, your soup was arriving, as soon as you were finished with the soup your salad was arriving, as soon as you were finished with your salad your entree was there. Eat slowly and enjoy every single minute of it!
Weather wise it was absolutely perfect! All week long, highs were in the mid 80's, there was absolutely no humidity. Coming from the midwest in the middle of July it was so refreshing to arrive to cooler temperatures and no humidity while being in paradise. We only dealt with rain, or as they call it in Jamaica, liquid sunshine, two days out of the eight we were there, Friday and Saturday, and both were only for about an hour and a half, and were around 3:00 in the afternoon, perfect time to grab a drink, and head back up to the room for a little while before dinner. By that point in the afternoon, you need a little time out of the sunshine anyway. That is one warning I will give, the sun is MUCH more intense then here in the midwest. If you dont reapply sunscreen every hour you will feel it by the end of the first day!
We went to Couples Tower Isle in Ocho Rios, Jamaica. We were there for 8 days and 7 nights, Monday July 11-Monday July 18, 2011. It was the absolutely perfect way to relax and unwind after a year of wedding planning. We got to the airport around 2:30, got our luggage, went through customs and got to the couples lounge around 3:00, much quicker than I expected, got our red stripes and waited for our bus to leave, it left about 20 minutes after we got there. The bus ride was kinda scary only because they drive on the opposite side of the road and they drive kinda wild, but just enjoy the scenery and relax and know you'll be home soon. It took about two hours to get to the resort, we arrived to cool towels and rum punch, check in was kinda crazy, but that is no fault of the resort it was only because two full buses arrived at the exact same time. It went really quickly though, we went up to our room, #4510 by the way, and our luggage arrived about 10 minutes later. We got ready and went down to the beach party, SO MUCH FUN!! Great buffet, steel drum band, it was amazing! We went back up to the room at about 8:00, and about 15 minutes later there was a knock on the door, and when we opened it, there was one of the staff with a bucket of champagne, two champagne flutes, and a platter of fruit and cookies! So romantic! Tuesday we just relaxed, ate breakfast, layed on the beach, went swimming in the beautiful sea, then ate lunch, back to the beach and the sea, and then had an amazing dinner at 8 Rivers, definitely make your reservations for that as soon as you arrive!! Wednesday we went to Dunns River Falls, which was fun, not as scary as its made out to be, but fun, super touristy, but I expected that, the guides are great, they stop along the way and take all the couples pictures. The only thing I didnt like was the shopping you walk through at the end, they are very pushy and guilt trip you if you dont buy anything, even though they say no pressure. Later that afternoon after lunch and lounging on the beach we went on the catamaran cruise, which was so fun! They serve rum punch and play reggae music and tell you about the area. They also stop and let everyone jump off and go for a swim. The water is so crystal clear you can see the sand 15 feet below you! Its incredible, definitely a must do in my eyes! Wednesday night we had dinner at the Verandah, they dont require reservations, but have equally amazing food choices! Thursday we went horseback riding in the morning which was so much fun, its not on the beach, but up through the plantation (Prospect Plantation) and there is two spots where they stop and take pictures of the couples on the horses overlooking the ocean. And also a spot where a man climbs a palm tree and gets down a fresh coconut and then shucks it and cuts it up for everyone to try. Super fun! We relaxed that afternoon, had some amazing mixed drinks and fresh fruit smoothies and sweet potato chips from the veggie bar (amazing, must try them!) and then had dinner at Bayside that night. Bayside serves asian cuisine and it sits right over the water, great food and incredibly romantic, just make sure to make reservations when you arrive. Friday and Saturday morning we went snorkeling, they took us to a spot to the right of the resort, where the water was almost 20 feet deep at spots in the reef and 50 feet deep with a sunken ship, if you go and they ask what side you want to go to say the right or the side with the ship. We spent friday and saturday afternoon relaxing on the beach and playing in the sea, and then went to dinner at the Patio, friday night it was semi buffet, basically you ordered your entree and got your soup salad and dessert from the buffet, saturday night was full buffet with a wide selection of international options! Sunday morning we woke up, and had room service deliver breakfast for us, we got danishes, crossaints, fresh fruit, fruit juice and coffee, and ate on our balcony before we went and got massages at the Oasis Spa, which were complementary due to us being honeymooners. I had never had a massage before so I didnt know what to expect, they were incredible, I'm not sure I'd ever been so relaxed in my life. We just relaxed the whole rest of the day and enjoyed dinner at the Verandah knowing that we had to go home the following day =( I never wanted to leave. They made our honeymoon absolutely perfect. I could have stayed there forever! I truly couldnt have imagined a better resort to spend our first week as husband and wife at! All of the staff is so nice, every single person you pass, from the housekeeping staff to the maitenance crew to the front desk, asks you how your day is going, what you have planned that day, how you are enjoying your stay, they are incredible, they truly need to teach classes in the US about customer service! The staff at the bar and the restaurants were truly incredible, they truly catered to your every whim, if you wanted a drink they brought it, if you wanted a picture taken at dinner they took it, and the food all came super quickly, as soon as you were finishing your appetizer, your soup was arriving, as soon as you were finished with the soup your salad was arriving, as soon as you were finished with your salad your entree was there. Eat slowly and enjoy every single minute of it!
Weather wise it was absolutely perfect! All week long, highs were in the mid 80's, there was absolutely no humidity. Coming from the midwest in the middle of July it was so refreshing to arrive to cooler temperatures and no humidity while being in paradise. We only dealt with rain, or as they call it in Jamaica, liquid sunshine, two days out of the eight we were there, Friday and Saturday, and both were only for about an hour and a half, and were around 3:00 in the afternoon, perfect time to grab a drink, and head back up to the room for a little while before dinner. By that point in the afternoon, you need a little time out of the sunshine anyway. That is one warning I will give, the sun is MUCH more intense then here in the midwest. If you dont reapply sunscreen every hour you will feel it by the end of the first day!