Royal
Introduction: Brian and I have been traveling to
Sunday, July 6th
We arrived at
When we arrived at RP around
Accommodations:
We were shown to suite 311which is a lovely, lovely, premium suite in the East
wing. We were greeted with a lovely note from management welcoming us,
and a huge fruit and cheese platter! Our suite had a fantastic view of
the ocean and the beautiful grounds. We were very impressed with the privacy of
this wing and the beauty not only facing the sea, but also the immaculate
grounds surrounding the corridor to the East wing rooms as well.
Just walking out your door was a feast for your eyes each day! The room was
very well appointed with a king sized bed, two bedside nightstands, a cushioned
bench, TV. armoire with VCR, cd clock radio, two
comfy oversized chairs, a small dinner table which opened up to accommodate a
meal(s), well stocked bar and refrigerator, and an enormous walk in
closet. I have to admit that the French balcony took some getting used
to. That was the only "downer" in the trip for me.
I like the heat and could care less about air conditioning, but Brian likes the
air conditioning on "arctic" and I had no where to escape while we
were in the room. We are used to a huge (and I mean huge) balcony at SMB
so I always had somewhere to go to warm up. Brian was not comfortable
with keeping the French balcony open while the air was on since it was not
energy efficient, so that was not an option.
As I approached the bathroom I was hoping for and foundŠLemongrass
products! I was thrilled, but even more thrilled when our products were
replaced when they were low! The bathroom was nice in size with two sinks
and a separate area for the tub/shower. The shower diverter was a little
difficult to use at times and took some manipulating.
We changed into our swimsuits and went down to the beach. It was
We dined that evening at the Bayside. Only three other couples were
dining at this time. The service was excellent. Our server was Kenroy. I had the shrimp cocktail, gazpacho soup,
market salad with balsamic vinaigrette, and the coconut encrusted
chicken. Brian had the smoked salmon wraps, soup of the day, and market
salad with Mango dressing and the ostrich steaks. No dessert tonightŠ. that just seems wrong
doesn't it!! We retired to the porch and sat and listened to the
evening's entertainment.
Monday, July 7th
Today started out a little overcast but no rain! By mid morning the sun
was shining brightly! I started out on the east beach and had the entire
beach to myself. Water sports staffer Craig, insisted on walking all the
way over to the west beach to bring me an extra towel when the east beach
didn't have any yet. I found that the chairs on the pier, and the few
under the trees before you get to the east beach, were my personal places to
lounge. My understanding is that all the lounge chairs at RP are being
replaced with new and different chairs that do not have the Beaches logo.
They expected the chairs soon. Not to change the subject, but since they
were changing over so many items from the Beaches Logo to the Royal Plantation
logo I got a great deal on a room robe at the gift shop! (Rhonda, we can be
twins!)
As we explored our surroundings we ran into one of the resort photographers
Linton. He took many pictures of us during the course of our week!
He always came back the next morning with the proofs if you were interested in
buying them for $8.00. We went to the front desk to drop off the school
supplies that we had brought and inquired about the rooms that had a
balcony. Since the resort was not at full
capacity (we were told about 50%) Migel at the front
desk took the time to give us a tour of the honeymoon ocean front luxury rooms
and the honeymoon plantation one-bedroom roomsŠwow is
all I can say! Both had a balcony that I longed for but were very
pricey! Maybe some dayŠ
We had lunch at the Royal Café again today. Orville was our server.
I had the chicken fajita and Brian had the infamous lobster BLT! Very
good!! Dinner was the beach party. I remember hearing that the
buffet for this evening was no ordinary buffetŠis
that ever true! I loved the way they set up the beach with beautiful tables
with linen tablecloths. We chose a table right at the edge of the
water. I like the idea of setting the tables up so one or two other
couples join you, which is a great way to meet new friends. We put our
champagne glasses down at our table and then went to the feast. Wow, what
an incredible spread of delicious foods. We dined on roasted pig, beef,
seafood, and an array of the most wonderful salads and desserts. I pretty
much sampled most of the desserts and they were all wonderful! When we got
back to our table we met the couple that had joined usŠ
it was Rhonda and Mike!! It was wonderful meeting them after talking to
them on TTO for so long! They are truly delightful, and we chatted well
into the night. In fact, we were the last, and I mean the last, table to be put
away at the end of the night! We got the hint when they were starting to
rake the beach and we the only table left! We then took our places at the
Appleton Bar and chatted with Sibone for a
while. Sibone showed us many of his "brain
teasing puzzles" and talked about his life in
Tuesday, July 8th
Woke to glorious sunshine! We dropped off the school supplies we had brought at
the front desk and headed for breakfast! Cordice was
our breakfast server. We had an assortment of toasts, fruits and those
delicious chocolate croissants! I have to admit, I wasn't too impressed
with the croissants until I had them delivered for room service and they were
warm! I was totally hooked then! We spent the day lounging on the
beautiful beach. Tashia and Sophia came around
offering fresh fruit often. I really liked the way Sophia would see you
somewhere on the property and remember what you were drinking and bring it to
you!! For lunch we had jerk chicken, linguini, Caesar salad, and white
chocolate cheesecake!
At teatime we spoke with another couple that was having their portrait drawn in
the evening. We were intrigued with this idea. This couple was so
thrilled with their portrait that we decided to do it too. I highly
recommend this by an artist named Stanley Graham, who draws you with just a
pencil! It was outstanding! We sat on the porch outside the
Appleton Bar while he sketched. We started our sketch at
Dinner: Kenroy was again our wonderful
server! We dined on crab wraps, smoked salmon, broiled beef filet, and
grilled mahi mahi. We
had to skip dessert because
Wednesday, July 9th
Tropical storm Claudette was looming just south of the island today. As
it passed us by it gave us an entire day of rain, rain, rain. We were
relieved that rain was the only thing the island endured. We ate French toast
and scrambled eggs and a variety of breads and fruit for breakfast. After
breakfast we decided to make the best of it and went to visit the Sandals Ocho Rios. Even though it was raining we decided that
we would walk over instead of waiting for the shuttle. As we left the
property we were offered a very large umbrella! We started our walk to
SOR and had to laugh at how silly we must have looked walking
in the pouring rain. When we entered the resort it was totally packed
with guests trying to stay dry so the lobby area was swarming with
people. It was way too packed for us to stay so we decided to head back
to RP. By the time we made the decision to start back the rain had completely
flooded the driveway and we had to wade through calf deep water to make our way
back. It was not a pleasant experience, however,
we made the best of it! When we returned to RP we cleaned up and went to
lunch. We dined on the basil and feta baguette, calamari, lamb cutlets,
and plantation burgers. Ruel was our
server. He told us all kinds of interesting hurricane facts. It was
during lunch that I made this profound statement: "I'm so full, but
I CAN'T wait for the dessert menu!" For dessert we had the ice cream
coup and the tropical fruit salad. After lunch we went up to the drawing
room and curled up with books. Management from Turks and Caicos
were visiting and Mario was showing them around the resort. The rain was
pounding so hard it was hard to hear what anyone was saying. Since it
only rained one day it was quite enjoyable to sit on the various porches and
watch the rain! Had it rained more than one day it would not have been
quite as enjoyable!! Before we knew it we were heading back to the room
to get ready for the returning guest dinner.
Returning guest dinner:
Wow!! What an experience! We have attended many returning guest dinners
but none compare to this one!! It was truly an intimate, personal and
elegant evening! We met in the drawing room and were introduced to the
other couples. Six couples including us were in attendance. Mario
and his wife Fiona, and Sandy Mckoy completed the
group. We were given beautiful orchids, RP t-shirts, and a Jamaican spice
basket. Only the orchid was given to us in the drawing room, the other
items were left for us in our room the day before. We joined Rhonda and Mike on
the couch and chatted for a while. Soon, Mario led us out and to the
Bayside (inside) where a long table had been elegantly set for us. The
intimacy of this dinner is unsurpassed by any other returning guest dinner I
have attended. Usually at SMB we are a group of 150+ people and it has a
completely different feel. I like them both for different reasons.
SMB makes a huge production out of the dinner. The GM uses a microphone
and gives a speech and introduces every single couple there. Daddy Stone
goes around and gives each lady a kiss and it's very cute. Many staff
members join the dinner to mingle with the guests, which is necessary since we
are such a large group. Both are wonderful for different reasons, but I
have to admit I really enjoyed the intimacy of our table of 15. I
especially like the group picture that was taken and given to us as a gift the
next day! We had the opportunity to talk with everyone including Mario
and Fiona. By the way, on the way to dinner Mario pointed out that the
statues on the landing were used in the movie
Appetizer: Roasted lobster tail with tarragon sauce
Soup: Spicy pumpkin chowder
Entrée: Mignons of veal with port and wild mushrooms & seasonal
vegetable and potatoes.
Dessert: White chocolate crème Brule.
We were offered two different wines, one red and one white plus
champagne. I tasted them all. I really liked the white wine but I
can't remember its name!! After dinner we retired to the adjoining room
where we nibbled on a variety of delicious fruits dipped in chocolate and
little tiny cakes. The entertainment was wonderful. I especially
enjoyed the Hatfield Community Group. After all the entertainment we
moved on to the Appleton Bar and Sibone continued to
delight us with his stories!
Thursday, July 10th
The glorious sun was out after an entire day of rain! We got up extra
early to grab the sunshine and made our way to the Bayside for breakfast.
Condice was our server. We had blueberry
pancakes, ham, ackee and saltfish.
After breakfast we took a walk to the pool and watched as they were setting up
for a wedding on the pier. I spoke with two couples that had booked SRC
and were at RP by mistake! Apparently when they arrived at Sangster and checked in with the Sandals desk they had no
record of them at SRC. They showed the representatives their documents
and it clearly said SRC and the dates were correct. Again, the were told they did not have a reservation for them at
SRC and that the resort was completely booked so they would not be able to go
there no matter what. However, when they dug a bit deeper they found out
that they had them booked at RP! Now, these fine
ladies had not even heard of RP so who knows what happened! They were
quite distressed when they found out that two of their five days would be spent
traveling to Ocho Rios. They said that their TA
suggested SRC because they were only staying four nights and it would be closer
to the airport so they would get the most out of their time in JamaicaŠsounds right to me. So, they were resigned to
the fact that they had no other choice than to get on the bus and come to
RP. Little did they know at the time that they were getting a fantastic
upgrade! They had booked the second from lowest category at SRC so coming
to RP was quite a deal for them. They were funny as they were telling the
story. They kept referring to the Lavern and Shirley episode when then
end up at some rink a dink resort. They were so worried because when they
looked through the Beaches book on the way to RP they couldn't find RP in the
book! So, they just assumed they were being sent to a hole in the wallŠSURPRISE!!
Later in the morning I had the opportunity to talk with Mario. He sat
down with me on the porch outside the Appleton lounge. We had a very nice
talk. He told me that he's hoping to have the Returning guest dinner at
his house soon. He lives in the villa behind the west wing. He was
just waiting on some repairs and as soon as they are completed he will move the
entire event over there and he will be doing the cooking! It will be
worth coming back to RP just for that in my opinion!! We discussed the
pros and cons of the various resorts I have visited and mentioned that the only
"downer" at RP for me was the French balcony. As I mentioned
earlier, Brian likes the room "cold" and I had no where to
escape. Mario acknowledged that he understood the problem and said that
only having a small percent of rooms with a balcony made it difficult to
upgrade. I completely understood the dilemma but told him that the cost
of having a balcony at RP was hefty considering that you have to book a
honeymoon grade luxe oceanfront suite to get a
balcony. It's also curious about how the resort does their
upgrades. For example, I was pleased to get my one category upgrade as a
SSG member. I booked deluxe and received premium. I realize that
most people who book deluxe will get premium so it wasn't really a big deal
being a SSG member for that upgrade. I probably should have booked
premium and hoped for luxury. I did however, speak with another couple
who were upgraded to the honeymoon grade luxe
oceanfront suite and this was their first trip to a Sandals or Beaches resort,
so who knows how it works! It's a mystery to me! It was now time for
lunch! Calamari and mixed seafood grill for me, Caesar salad and wiener snitzel for Brian. At
teatime Rhonda, Mike and I sat and chatted with a group of guests from England
as we enjoyed tasting all the goodies they put out. Our personal favorite
was the cucumber sandwiches!
Dinner: Our server was our beloved Kenroy
again! Risotto, market salad, veil tenderloins, and
sorbet for Brian, shrimp cocktail, tenderloin steak, and strawberry and cream
soufflé for me.
After dinner we walked the grounds and we were amazed at how perfect the
evening was.
Friday, July 11th
We started the day with breakfast in the room. We ordered a variety of
breads, pastry, and fruit. We went down to the beach and hung out. Rhonda
and Mike came down to the beach to say good-by and we were really glad they
took the time to find us! Around 12:00 we started to get ready for our
trip to Dunn's River Falls. I bought a water camera and water shoes
conveniently at the gift shop and off we went. You need to get your
complimentary tickets at the gift shop. Another couple from RP went the
day before and didn't have their tickets when they arrived at Dunn's
River. Luckily, the awesome RP staffer who drove the van that day was
able to get them in without tickets. I really enjoyed the falls and was glad I
had the camera. I wasn't too sure at first if I'd use it that much but
our guide held it and took a lot of pictures of the two of us at various
spots. That was money well spent. It's funny isn't it, you get
complimentary admission tickets to climb the falls but by the time you buy the
water shoes, the camera, the video, the professional picture, tip your guide
and tip your video man it's a costly trip! In February we want to try the
tubing! We hear that is a blast!
We returned to RP around 2:30, showered and changed then headed down to the
Royal Café for lunch. I had hummus and veggies and a plantation
burger. Brian had frog legs and a friendship ice cream sundae.
Around 4:00 an interesting group of people arrived and they were quite the
entertainment for the other guests. I don't mean that in a
"complimentary way" either. We will call them the "Clampetts." They were clearly at the wrong resort for
the kind of activities that they had in mind. One gal in the group (who
had way too much to drink) had decided to go in the water and take her bathing
suit top off and scream "Girls Gone Wild on Padre Island!!" while
shaking her assets. (Do you think she didn't realize she was in
Jamaica???) As she was entertaining her group another gal from her
party was videotaping. (Maybe they were making a documentary of "How
NOT to act at a 5 star resort?) The men got involved and encouraged this
behavior, as they shouted for her to shake her stuff and it was quite a scene
to watch. She finally proceeded to pass out on the sand until someone was
able to wake her up. One gentleman from their group walked around the
resort spitting. I'm sorry, but that is not appropriate and completely
disgusting. He actually spat at the Royal Café on the deck where the
tables are!!!! I could go on and on about their antics, but I think
you get the general idea. Now, I'm all for a good time and having fun,
but Royal Plantation is not the kind of atmosphere for this behavior. We
talked with several guests that evening and everyone seemed upset with their
manners.
Tonight we dined in the French restaurant! I was very excited, as I had
heard so many good things all week about the food and service! I was not
disappointed! Winston and Derrick were our servers! We both started with
the orange and grapefruit cocktail with champagne, then
we had the organic greens salad and the tomato and heart of palm salad,
followed by the extremely delicious cream of onion soup, then the most
incredible surf and turf for me and venison for Brian. Brian originally
ordered the quail but they were out so the substitution was venison, an
excellent choice. We completed our meal with crème Brule for
dessert. We were the only guests dining on the terrace this evening and
the service, the view and the smells were unbelievable! Next time we will
dine here more than once!
Saturday, July 12th
Another glorious day in paradise! We had blueberry pancakes, eggs, and
bacon for breakfast and then headed out to our favorite chairs under the trees
between the east and west beach. It was starting to sink in that we were
leaving the next day. We wanted to get as much sunshine in as possible so
we spent the entire day on the beach. We took a break and had lunch with
another couple we had met at the returning guest dinner. We ate at the
Bayside. We had the calamari (again, it is so good) the bruchetta, gazpacho soup, seafood crepe and chicken Monte Zuma. I wasn't thrilled with the chicken, but all the
other selections were terrific. We then headed back to the beach and shared
a banana split and friendship coupe from the Royal Café. We ate it on the
beach. At
Sunday, July 13th
We ordered room service early since the car taking us to Boscobel was leaving
at
Conclusion:
Without a doubt Royal Plantation was the most indulgent vacation we have
ever taken thus far. We have now been bitten by the RP bug and will
definitely return. It's quiet elegance; impeccable
service, and exquisite cuisine will keep us yearning to go back "home."