Riu Palace Tropical Bay

[karilynn]

Anyone stayed here? We are leaving in 9 days (YIPPEE!!) and would like to know if anyone has any room/building suggestions, restaurant reservation tips, or anything else to share. We are so excited!!! First timers to Jamaica!

[rocknrollfarmer]

Hey karilynn....How exciting, your a first timer to Negril! We are 11 timers! We stayed here once, we don't do AI anymore, just took us a while to learn. You have full access to the other Riu club hotel. If you go over there, please say Hi to Paul Sundal the singing bartender {in the lobby bar} from Todd & Deb. I don't know if they've changed the dinner reservation process, but yeah you have to get up early, get in line and wait. If you choose not to do this, of course the huge buffets have something for everyone. Food was great!Have the jerk chicken on the beach. Wear lots of sunscreen. You can ask for extra booze in your drinks. Do a sunset catamaran cruise. Ask the front desk to line you up on Lenbert's one love bus pub crawl {then you'll start to see the real Jamaica!}Tell Lenbert , Rock n roll farmer sent ya! Walk the entire Bloody Bay beach often. sneek a peek at all the Playboy models in the nude section at Couples Negril. grin. There are lots of beach vendors just waiting to show you sumting. Take a look mon' I have de best mon'! haggle on price etc. Geez, there's a lot more I could share, but have an open mind, be careful, hold hands walking across the beach road, say thank you, smile!! The Jamaican people are de best! Have fun! Don't step on a black sea urchin. Drink Hummingbirds, dirty bananas, pina coladas, rum punch. Evryting IRIE! Respect. One Love. No problem mon' Hope dis helps. Walk good. Cool runnings!

[Muzikdoc]

I stayed there the first year they upgraded to the Palace..Your going in slow season so ask for an upgrade when you check in..When I was there I asked and got an Ocean front suite at no extra cost! Never hurts to ask!..That was my last stay at a large AI..It is a beautiful property the food was very good!..Be sure and walk down the beach towards the other Riu Like Rocknrollfarmer says and stop at the 2nd (original) office of nature..They will cook you up a great local meal on the spot. (Try the grilled breadfruit)..Bloody Bay is a beautiful quiet bay..In the evening hundreds of small starfish navigate towards the shore..really cool! and, yes be sure and to the One Love Bus Crawl..great way to see the west end!! Have Fun!!!!

[lathomas]

Karilynn:
Have a great vacation. Please give us a update regarding the construction project going on toward the far right of the Riu. The location area of the Office of Nature.

[Big_frank]

Hope you have the best vacation ever. What the farmer said! Try to get off the resort and explore a little. Hire a taxi to drive you through town, maybe stop at the Sunshine Shopping Plaza. See the souvenir stores and by all means the famous Hi-Lo grocery...just to compare it with home.
One of the best things to do is a Saturday night buffet and reggae band performance at Seastar Inn. They'll come and pick you up for free. Actually, you don't have to have the buffet. You can choose to order from the menu or just have a few drinks. Check their website.

[Melody]

Hope you have the best vacation ever. What the farmer said! Try to get off the resort and explore a little. Hire a taxi to drive you through town, maybe stop at the Sunshine Shopping Plaza. See the souvenir stores and by all means the famous Hi-Lo grocery...just to compare it with home.
One of the best things to do is a Saturday night buffet and reggae band performance at Seastar Inn. They'll come and pick you up for free. Actually, you don't have to have the buffet. You can choose to order from the menu or just have a few drinks. Check their website.

They also return you to your hotel for free, just tip the driver. I think entrance to the show is $5 pp if you don't eat (you could go after an early dinner).