My wife and I had quite a decision to make when coming to Negril this time. We were curious to try an all inclusive. I looked at all the big ones, but noticed many of the resort restaurants had clothing rules. I like dressing up, but not in the caribbean. The most formal thing I've worn on any trip to Jamaica is a Hawaiian Shirt I wore to my birthday! And that includes a friends wedding at Blue Cave Castle. As for the resorts themselves, many looked like apartment or condo complexes. The rooms, a football field away from the beach. My wife's family own 2 timeshare condo's and I find they are usually in a bad location, have long walks to the beach, and up to a 1000 other people looking for a little privacy.
We chose The Grande Pineapple for several reasons. I was familier with the property (Negril Gardens) and knew the amount of other guests was limited. I liked the Jamaican colours they had used to paint the buildings. The fact that Alfred's was next door was also a plus. It was as good of a fit for my wife and I as we could find.
We discovered that although nice, it was not our way of travel. Within 2 days we noticed the pack movement. Each day the same. Morning came and people came to the beach slowly. When the breakfast buffet opened up, they moved there, then back to the bar and beach. Lunch came, the same movement. Dinner again brought much the same, broken up by another beautiful sunset.
The G.P. is a great combination of Jamaican travel and an all inclusive. You do have a funky feel here, I liked that they let me smoke herb on property (on the porch of my room). The food was good (buffet style, but well prepared), and the staff was very nice. They went out of their way to help me get a pineapple upside down cake for my birthday. Even though my birthday dinner was elsewhere. I really loved the tree's next to the beach. I slept under them several times. The property is really a cool place, but just not what we like. The only complaint's I have are the lack of local food on a regular basis. They did serve some, but it was only available for certain meals. For most of our stay, there was only a couple of other guests that spoke english. Lots of Russians, Germans and French. Like most Americans, I speak only english. They would also stay in groups of language. It did make it interesting for the Beach Sellers. If you didn't answer their questions, they assumed you didn't speak english and left you alone. But these were minor and for those who like the all inclusive way of life, it's a cool place.