newbie ...excited,worried and in need of advice

:cool:hi to everyone i am new to all this and am in need of any help you can give.i have booked for october 2012 staying in sunset at the palms,my husband and i have gone through an awful year and after i had major surgery i thought that i would treat us both as jamaica has always been his life long dream so i booked it.my main concern is that everywere is closed for the season,were both in our mid fiftys and im afraid my disco diva days are well and truly over,but we adore reggae music and would really be happy with a good few drinks and good music so any advice would truly be appreciated .and has any one been to the satp it looks really nice so fingers crossed i have not made a boo boo .many many thanks regards annemarie:

Congratulations annemarie for making this dream of your husbands a reality and for your speedy recovery from major surgery. I have been confined (mostly) to a wheelchair for the past couple of years and have only been walking again for the past 4 months or so. It is my love of Jamaica that got me motivated enough to accomplish a grueling rehab program and, I too, will be returning.

You have picked a lovely property for your visit and the "vibe" should be such that us "older folks" will not be too distressed by the vibrant culture :p.

Don't be too concerned about the "off season" dates of your vacation. Jamaica doesn't go to sleep during the off-season it just takes a likkle break! In fact, one could argue, that there are some benefits derived from the lack of competition from other tourists (like the pricing, availability, etc.). Do your homework and have a general gameplan but don't plan too much as the dreaded "sand gravity" has a tendency to make the best plans into a "take it as it comes" vacation.

Good Luck and have a Great Trip!

Peace and Guidance.

That is one of the good things in the off season, its not busy in the restaurants or bars, so less waiting or crowds and service is good.

thanks so much for the reply,good luck with your recovery it is good to have something that you can motivate yourself for.take care.... annemarie

thanks,that sounds good as my husband hates queues so that should keep him happy,what about entertaiment at the beach bars and is it safe to walk along to different bars? sorry to be a pain .thanks annemarie

I understand you're feelings about it being slow this time of year...but most of the beach bars are open during the day & you can walk for hours trying the different spots....very popular thing to do in Negril.

To help get a real idea of what it's like at this time...check out the live webcasts on realnegril.com...you'll see a great variety of Negril establishments that are open during this time of year. And, while you are here... you can join one or more of the webcasts to meet other boardies or just hang out at one of these fun locations.

Sunset at the Palms looks a lovely place I have seen it but never slept there.Places are still open do not worry just fewer tourists.It sometimes rains a bit in october but it is warm rain and there is still glorious sunshine in between
You have made a nice choice and will have a great time.I suggest you meet up with other people at the webcasts like bnewb said go to realnegril.com and you can watch some places live.You will find nice people to hang with at the webcasts and can get on the ground information of whats happening where.I see you are in England and we are 5 sometimes 6 hours ahead of Jamaica so unless you stay up late you will not be able to view some of the webcasts.
Until the clocks change these are the times you will be able to watch LIVE from England.
sun-11PM
tues-11PM
wed-9PM
thurs- 11PM
fri -6PM
You can chat to other people from this board live on there too.
The beach is safe to walk down to the many bars and restaurants
but at the night it is not lit
so you may need a torch or a taxi or someone to show you the way!

Annemarie, I am also in my fifties and I found that the joy of Negril is in letting things flow naturally. Walking the beach, and following the sounds and smells to little gems of restaurants and bars, was our favorite past-time. (As a Brit you will enjoy the curries. Not spicy hot but sweeter than the UK). Planning was thrown out the window. I love the reference to "sand gravity"! Don't forget that you are always a cheap taxi ride away from your hotel if you tire. One of our favorite cliff adventures was Xtabi. We spent a full day there. They are very hospitable if you have lunch there. The snorkelling and caves are great fun! This site is an encyclopedia of Negril. Everything you need to know is here somewhere. Enjoy Negril!!

During our stay at Treehouse last winter we walked up and down 7 mile beach stopping at random places for a drink or just to check it out and there were quite a few of them.
SATP unless I am mistaken is at the north end of 7 mile beach. I did not walk all the way up there to check that area out.
Does that section of Negril and Bloody Bay have the same type of places?

Steve

Hi Annemarie,
You are going to love Sunset at the Palms. I stayed there in January. The location is on Bloody Bay and the beach is one of the nicest in the area it does tend to be fairly quiet in the sense of foot traffic. There are two RIU's one on each side... but they are very far away and you even feel like you are close to them. There are always entertainers that stroll the beach to play music for you (tips are encouraged). I bought a cd from one of the trios and LOVE it! The resort does have entertainment in the evenings (although I'm not sure what is being offered in October). In the area you can walk up and down the beach and find people selling all sorts of things (Louis Louis was right next to our part of the beach. Also next to us on the beach is a place called the Office of Nature ... good food! I love going to the webcasts.... try to catch a couple. Also, getting a driver or taxi to Rick's Cafe is always fun. The have live music (closer to sunset).... you can watch the divers and the sunsets are to die for. There is an awesome bartender there named Damion... he'll take good care of you.. super nice guy! You are going to have a great time!

thanks so much im really excited now walking the beach and letting the sounds and smells sounds absolutley wonderful!!! many many thanks.annemarie

thanks so much for the reply,every ones really put my mind at ease,thanks for the great tips ,one member has kindly given me the times of the web casts so i will give that a try also.thanks once again .annemarie

thanks for replying,i think thats what im most looking forward to is those long beach walks.take care many thanks.annemarie

thats brilliant! thanks for taking the time to send the days and times of the webcasts i will be checking them out.many thanks annemarie

Your going to have a WONDERFUL Vacation!!! Take LOADS of pictuires! Have FUN~~

Hi Annemarie
I have been to SATP and must say it's was my least favorite vacation. I read the glowing and wonderful reviews and was ready for a nice relaxing vacation. I got absolutely boring with very little entertainment. The resort is lovely, the food fantastic, and the staff wonderful but the vibe ghostly. I did not care for the beach being across the street since I like to stroll the beach at late evening or at night. Vendors and solicitation are not what I seek for a lovely beach which was there as well. I prefer a more quiet setting on the beach not the resort. I was there in early July so I don't know how this would compare to October.

Annemarie: I think SATP will be fine for a first time visit--and a good home base. That said if you want to catch some reggae shows, etc--consider taking a cab to seven mile beach--or if you end up walking the beach check for signs about entertainment. There are reggae shows at different venues in Negril different nights of the week. Since you mentioned you are not going till 2012-- Seastar Saturday nights may be happening (they are closed for renovation now). That would be a totally chill way to enjoy some reggae--and not make a super late night of it. They offer a great buffet dinner and show for something like 15 or 20 dollars, and the show includes nice roots reggae and some classics by local musicians, and a really fantastic drumming and dance show. This is also one of the webcasts that is on realnegril.com when it is happening. Definitely don't miss out on checking some of the local culture and music away from the resort. Stay tuned to this board for ideas on other things you want to do while there so you don't get too restless at SATP. I am sure your trip will be totally rejuvenating.

thanks so much for taking the time to reply,i suppose i will get the hang of it when we have been there a couple of days,thanks once again,

hi,i thought at the time that we are going that it might be quiet on the entertainment and i dont mind having to explore to find some good music,thanks so much for your feedback.

Hi AnneMarie - you are going to love Negril. For some local live reggae, check out Alfred's Ocean Palace located on the Negril Beach. Live reggae shows on Tuesday, Friday and Sunday nights (show time 10:00 pm to 2:00 am). Great food and bar, reasonable prices, admission to the show is about $500 JA each. Attached is video of Polkadot who usually is the MC and the opening act. There are a number of other videos on youtube (just search for Alfreds Negril).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fsXXa63X9s


Enjoy your stay!