Trip Report Aug 29 thru Sept 5, 1012

I enjoy and learn so many things from everyone’s trip reports I thought I’d put one together from our trip.

Our plans were 3 days in Ocho Rios at the RIU for a wedding and then 5 nights in Negril for some me and the wife time. We arrived in Jamaica a day or so after Hurricane Isaac had left the area. The weather was excellent the entire trip though this time of year (Aug/Sept) it is very hot and humid. Immigration and Customs went very smoothly, in and out in about 20 minutes after a Wednesday noon arrival time. I had prearranged a transfer from the airport with Clive’s. They were waiting and ready to go within 15 minutes. We were lucky enough to have Clive himself as our driver and the trip couldn’t have gone any better. We made a stop at Scotchies outside the airport for lunch and a beer. Yes, we had finally arrived both physically and mentally!

First up, Riu Ocho Rios. We have experience with all-inclusives, Riu Negril in particular. Check in went quickly and we were informed that we had been upgraded without asking! It turns out that our reservations had been messed up but the bride of the wedding had it straightened out by the time we arrived which probably accounts for the upgrade. The RIU is a very large resort but occupancy was low this time of year. We were surprised at the number of Jamaicans staying there but this was the last week of summer vacation for the kids and it was kind of nice to actually stay and mingle with them instead of just being served by them. Since there are so many reviews of this resort I will not go into the details. The things we liked about Riu Ocho Rios; the beach with plenty of loungers and shade, the room was very nice and well cleaned, most of the employees were very kind and helpful. We did not feel pressured to tip. The things we did not like about Riu Ocho Rios relate solely to staying at an all-inclusive. The food choices were good and the food good also but nothing was exceptional. The jerk chicken on the beach is probably the best dish there but it is a stretch to call it jerk chicken in terms of being authentic. Though there were minor issues involved with the wedding and reservations most all of them had to do with the administrative staff, not the service, buildings or amenities. I can confirm that the elevators are not air conditioned. As I was riding one the first day I remembered complaints in several reviews about this. Really people, this is something I would never even think to complain of so if this really bothers you maybe you should just stay home. After a successful wedding and 3 days of mass consumption we were off to Negril.

We once again used Clive’s for our transfer from Ochi to Negril. Our driver was about 30 minutes late due to a car issue but once on the road all went well. Our driver was from Lucea so we asked him to stop there for a bite to eat at wherever he eats. I don’t recall the name of the place but it was a roadside fish shack on a side road in downtown Lucea. The wife and I both (and driver) had king fish. After a tasty meal and redstripe ($30 US for 3) we were once again on our way. This would be our 5th trip to Negril but first stay on the cliffs. We were fortunate to get a room at Catcha Falling Star for an excellent rate, half price due to construction. The construction presented a few difficulties with maneuvering around them but it was also interesting to watch and listen to the construction workers. The first day and a half also included a jack hammer which wasn’t very pleasant but it did not start until 9:00 am at which time we were ready to get down to the water anyway. All in all, any concerns about the construction went away fairly quickly.

Again, there are so many reviews of Catcha that I will not go into details with this resort either. We found the rooms to be comfortable and clean. This resort is not a 5 star luxury type facility. The rooms do show some signs of age and use and the towels/linens could maybe be improved but in the end it all worked well for us. The wife was a little perturbed about the existence of a few ants in the kitchen area and bathroom but there were few and we knew enough not to leave food out so they were gone fairly quickly. Part of the attraction for the room we reserved was having air conditioning in the bedroom. The A/C worked very well and I would frankly not go this time of year without at least A/C in the bedroom. My one suggestion for our room relates to the shower curtain. Get one of those shower curtain rods that extend out away from the tub. Nobody likes the feeling of the shower curtain or wall while showering. I don’t think Catcha was at full capacity so we basically had our choice of seating when enjoying the cliffs and Ivan’s. The location at Catcha can’t be beat as we really enjoyed swimming, jumping and snorkeling right at the resort. The lounger pads, chairs and lighting fixtures in this area could all use a bit of refreshing but this would be a suggestion, not a complaint. The onsite restaurant, Ivan’s truly deserves their fine reputation. Absolutely every meal we had there was exceptional, even the hamburgers! Complimentary coffee in the morning was an excellent way to start the day.

As usual we had many plans to see this, go there or do that. I’ve come to realize even before we leave that we will not get everything in and don’t need to. We did walk 7 mile one day. This has become one of our favorite days while in Negril. We always see something new, meet interesting people, eat and drink well. We started our activity at Kuyaba after a breakfast of patties across the street from them. Out to the beach, turn right and we are on our way. Whatever efforts that are being made to curb the haggling and/or harassment of tourists appears to be working. Yes, we were approached many times but most of them accepted no thanks graciously. The number of hagglers also seemed to be down but that may be because of the slow season. We did encounter one beggar who insisted I buy him a beer. I told him no, even lost him once but he caught back up to us. I tried to ignore him as we continued our walk but it got to the point that I finally gave him a couple dollars to go away. I didn’t want to and even now regret it but I was getting irritated, there weren’t many people around and I really didn’t want to have to punch him.

During our day long walk we noticed how slow things really are this time of year. Just enough tourists to not feel alone yet not enough to have to wait for a place to sit or stand at the bars and restaurants. We ate lunch at the bar on the beach at The Palms resort. Started with conch soup then braised oxtail. I am now a big fan of both.
During the rest of our stay we visited with other guests at Catcha (Hi Guys!), went to the LTU Pub several times and made our usual trip to 3 Dives for Lobster and chicken. We also ate our last meal of the trip in the treehouse at Kuyaba. This was my first try of curried goat but will not be the last.
We mostly used route taxis to get around. There was no problem getting the cliff route driver to take us to the beach or vice versa. We did have an interesting encounter with a driver, not a route driver, who basically tried to rip us off and give us wrong rate information. It didn’t work as we know better. We also walked the cliff road some but the only time at night was from Catcha to LTU and back.

All in all we had an absolutely wonderful time. The wife and I have agreed that due to financial constraints we would not be going back to Negril again next year. So here I am back at work thinking of sitting at Catcha with a sub and redstripe, the sun setting, the music emanating from the band at Rick’s, the boats slowly rocking in the ocean. Time to take another look at the checkbook and calendar!

Well done.....any pics?

Thanks for sharing NegrilSalute. Sounds like you had a great trip. Sounds like it is time to get an irie box going to speed up the savings for your return :)

Thanks for a nice read. It seems almost each time I go, that I tell myself I won't be going back next year, but somehow it seems I always do.

Nice write up NegrilSalute. My guess is you will be back next year as you will fiend for some good times all Negril.

nice report - i enjoyed it!

Thanks. I enjoyed the read.

Thanks for sharing your report NegrilSalute.We will be at Catcha in about 64 days and can't wait to enjoy Ivans as well as everything else the cliffs has to offer.Hope you make it back to Negril next year,it is very hard to miss a year!!