Royal Plantation Ocho
Rios, by Debbie Hoffren, 04/18 - 04/25/2009 and
beyond...
Trip to the Resort and Arrival
This was my 14th stay at the resort, and it is the first time I
stayed alone for the entire length of my stay. I wasn't alone much since the
managers are friends and I met other guests, as well. I was looking forward to
the trip, and Todd took me to the airport in Houston early in the morning. I
arrived there at 7:55 after we had breakfast.
Weather in Houston was just fine, but it was not long before I found out
that the flight was delayed. Eventually, I found out it was due to bad weather
in Austin. Well, time went on, and the bad weather moved to Houston, and one
thing led to another. We were sent around to 6 different gates in the evening
by Continental. We could not leave our
gate area before 3 pm, and nobody brought out water or anything. It was 7:40 pm
when we finally left from the 7th gate assignment. They had to fly around the
bad weather, and we got to Jamaica at 11:15 pm on the non-stop flight. I had notified Marcia a number of times of my
delay, but I had no way of knowing how long it would be and just asked her to
watch it. I felt bad that a driver must be wasting a lot of time on me. Marcia asked if I would need dinner, and I
just knew I didn't want to ask for anything hot since I had no idea when I
would be there. Peter Fraser, the General Manager stayed up and had the driver
call me in the car in Montego Bay and also checked on what I'd like to eat on
arrival.
I arrived at the resort at 1:10 a.m.,
and I was still greeted by two guys that handled things with a cool towel and a
swift check-in. They made a valiant effort to try to come up with a welcome
drink, but I'd had a stocked car and was tired anyway.
They took me to room 357, the Prime
Minister suite. It was my second time in that room, we'd booked it a few years
ago before the colors were brightened.
Waiting were welcome fruits and cheeses and wine, and my bags and room
service order of a feta salad and papaya arrived before I hardly sat down. Both
were exactly what I needed, and I felt so special.
Breakfast
Most days, I went down to the terrace
and got bacon and fruit from the buffet and ordered grapefruit juice and
sometimes eggs. I was very disappointed the breakfast wraps were gone, but one
day they made one for me. One day, I indulged in a really great cinnamon
pastry. A couple of days or at least once, I ordered breakfast in the room. My
boiled egg did pass the boiled egg test this time, though it was soft vs. hard
boiled. I'm not sure why it is so difficult to boil an egg at a luxury hotel,
but this is definitely not the only place I have had a boiled egg arrive not
boiled. It is more common that not around the globe.
I really enjoyed all of the delicious
tropical fruits. I like watermelon,
cantaloupe, pineapple, papaya and mango. They also have Jamaican apples and naseberries grown right on the resort grounds. There was
always at least one or two local dishes, too. One day, I tried the liver.
Lunch
Most days, I had lunch up at the
terrace. I enjoy the delicious pureed soups like pumpkin and other vegetables the
most and also gazpacho, and I will almost always order soup. I ordered the spa
snapper dish one day. I ordered wiener schnitzel another day. I love this, but
it is usually too heavy for me since I like several courses. One day, I ordered
the snapper sandwich from the beach.
On the day I went to the beach grill,
I counted 60 people around the tables and beach, and most were getting drinks
or food. I have never seen so many people in one spot at RP before. I ordered
the snapper sandwich (I like it without the sauce) and soup. It did take a
while, but the delay wasn't unreasonable. They do need to work a bit on the
beach service when occupancy is high. I
just try to dine down there at least once but really prefer being up at the
top. Anyway, I have commented the last two stays on the gazpacho not being as
hot as it used to be. I have been told some guests thought it was too hot, but I
loved the spiciness of it (watch for my recipe coming soon!). When I ordered it
upstairs, they offered to make it the old way, but I said to just bring me
scotch bonnet peppers. They did, and I
put 9 thin slices in! It was DELICIOUS.
I had it that way 3 more times (thanks to Collette, Kingsley, and Yannis and their excellent service).
Another thing I like is the various
fruit sorbets, and I had a number of those. I also like the fresh salads.
Often, I never order an entree. There are so many fresh things to eat, and I
like to make sure I am ready for dinner (though I would eat anyway).
Kingsley and Collette were a great
team upstairs in February, but they are even more refined now. They remember
personal tastes and often think of things before the guests.
Returning Guest Dinner
The cocktails were at 7 pm in the
drawing room. Four couples and I attended, along with Peter, Suzanne, Shawn,
and Christine (though she missed the photo). One couple did not join for dinner
since they only had a few nights away from their 4 children.
There was a seared ahi
tuna appetizer. I ordered something else instead, though I should have tried it. Those that did
loved it. I had a fresh tomato salad. It was very refreshing. They had mushroom
soup or seafood chowder. I had the chowder. It was more like a fish stew, which
was good because it was lighter. There was also a blueberry salad that I really
liked. The entree was a tasty veal shank dish, though I did not eat the cabbage
under it. Instead of tiramisu, I shared some fresh fruits with Suzanne.
The dinner was on the terrace, so we
got to hear Patrick Reid. He also performed on Thursday. He has been playing on
Friday, Saturday, and Sunday for a long time at Boscobel, and I just love him.
There are several of us that have been trying to get him to do a CD. I don't
think he is doing that well financially to afford it, and he doesn't know how
good he is. If you see a big guy that likes to dance around, that is Patrick. I
got to see him 5 times at Boscobel, also.
I had a wonderful time visiting with
everyone. I remembered two of the couples from other stays, and then I was
sitting with Shawn, Suzanne, and Christine, and we had fun. We also talked to a
couple that we had watched get married that day or the day before. They were
just so clearly in love.
Royal Grill
For the first time, the Royal Grill
opened for dinner during my stay. I had dinner down there with Shawn, the Guest
Services manager. There were only a few people there that night. The Jamaican
night was going on upstairs. The weather was perfect, and we decided to order a
lot of courses, and we were the last to leave after a photo session down there.
You listen to the waves, and it is a different type of setting. There is low
lighting, and I enjoyed the food presentation, taste and service.
I sampled the spring roll - the wrap
was the best spring roll I have tasted, I am not sure about fish for a spring
roll, but the sauce was incredible, too. The Thai crab claw was nice. The salad
was refreshing. For minestrone, the soup was very good, but I thought it was
not the right soup for that menu or setting. Yannis,
the Food and Beverage Manager said that is not usual, and we could have had the
soup from upstairs. I tried the rib eye. The choices were béarnaise sauce or a
red wine sauce, and you could choose rice or potatoes. They also offered 4
desserts. Men can wear shorts here if they like and even slippers. Some got more
casual than I felt was appropriate or necessary.
The Terrace
I like the dinners on the terrace. They
are still doing table d hoite. Durrant
is back, and he or Yannis were around to check on
guests, as were Peter and Suzanne. I enjoyed having a table timed just right
for the evening show. I generally went for 7:30 or 7:45. One night, they fixed my favorite veal dish
for me, and it took a long time between the salad and entree. Anyway, I
appreciated the dish and ended up having it sent to my room.
La Terrace restaurant had some
interesting presentations. One night, I saw lamb chops wrapped in phyllo dough
that looked lovely. The evenings were magical, and sometimes stars lit up the
sky.
There are two theme nights at La
Terrace. One is the Monday night elegant buffet, and then another night, there
is the Jamaica night, but this is a la carte and not a buffet. On that night,
they have the entertainment such as the fire dancers and bamboo and limbo
dancers.
Le Papillon
During this stay, Le Papillon was opening as early as 6:30, including on Monday
night. One night, I had dinner here with Shawn, and another night, I had dinner
with TTO members John and Linda. Both
times, I had the sea bass, my favorite entree up there currently. Both times,
the taste and presentation were superb. I had maybe 4 courses each time - soup
and salad the first time and an appetizer. They also do amuse bouche and sorbet palate cleanser. I know the second time, I had the crab cakes
and crème Brule for dessert.
The only observation I would make is
that the drink service was a bit slow with filling water and such on the first
visit and also, when Shawn and I dined, they put all the tables very close
together even though the room was 1/3 full, so people were a bit close for
conversation. I thought this was a bit evident when one couple clearly wanted
privacy and were seated next to a table for four where the waiters were playing
little fun tricks with them. It was just the smallest thing, but I did watch
the couples' faces, and my voice carries, and we were trying very hard not to
disturb anyone or be disturbed, either. I just love Le Papillon,
and the pianist was playing the first time, and it was so relaxing and festive
at the same time.
Spa
I used the spa on 3 occasions, and the
girls are very classy and service-oriented over there. They did not say
anything, but I asked, and though the resort was full, their bookings were a
tad down, and they were having to come in whether they had bookings or not
since a lot of people like me are spontaneous sometimes. I did try to book in
advance at least during the stay but did not book before arrival. I asked for 3
different girls to spread things around a little and because I like everyone.
My first experience was the Pedi on
the Rocks at the beauty salon with Marva. I did this
on my first full day there. I love this treatment because it is so pampering
and includes a scrub, mask, and paraffin. They use Creative Nails products, and
the pedicures last such a long time.
I also had a botanical facial. I
enjoyed this, and I got a reflexology with that, too. I came out looking
relaxed, and my skin felt wonderful.
I had the first scrub I had in a long
time. I often avoid these because I don't want to get into a cold shower. It
wasn't like that at all. It was very nice and pampering, and I was glad I
selected this treatment. I had the exfoliation/massage combo. In this
treatment, you pick your scrub, and I selected the sweet ortanique.
I love the orange scent.
Entertainment
They had a wine and cheese event with
a saxophonist when I first arrived. I missed this due to my late arrival on the
first night and due to the fact that I went to Portland on the next day. On Mondays, they do the manager's cocktail
party with the mento band and then the buffet.
On Thursday night is the Jamaica night with an a la carte menu and a
Jamaican show. On Fridays, there is the martini moments before dinner. There is
a show during dinner every night on the terrace, and the pianist plays during
tea and was also playing after dinner in the Appleton lounge most nights. That
was a nice touch, and you could go in and out without hearing the other
entertainer over the one you had gone to see. I was impressed. My favorite
shows were Roger on Monday and Patrick on Tuesday and Thursday. Suzanne indicated that the entertainment
scores have been going up, and I can see why.
There are other activities like a
cooking demo on the beach one day, coffee making, cigar rolling, yoga, etc. All
are very low-key.
The Catamaran
Right now, Royal Plantation is
advertising a free sailing with each stay. During my stay, they were offering a
sunset cruise for any stay, but they are switching this to allowing any of the
Sandals Grande Ocho Rios boat rides, as long as they
are offered, and guests must stay 6 nights or longer.
Currently, Sandals Grande Ocho Rios offers 3 catamaran rides: A Dunns
River party cruise, a sunset party cruise, or a luau (Thursday nights). Those Royal
Plantation guests that decide to go should sign up at the tour desk at
the gift shop. They will be escorted over to SGOR by a Royal Plantation staff
member. It was on foot via the beach when I went.
On Saturday (I had already transferred
to Sandals Grande Ocho Rios), Shawn and I went on the
sunset cruise, as did 3 couples from Royal Plantation. The cruise went up to
Boscobel and down to Sunset Jamaica Grande. There is ample time for photos. It
is advertised by Sandals as a white glove service, but we found it more of a
come and get it type service. They have an open bar throughout the cruise, but
they either pass drinks through the window, or you go get them, and
occasionally, someone comes around and offers drinks. They had wine (Pinot Grigio and Cabernet Savignon) and
mixed drinks, nothing frozen, I am not sure about blended. During the cruise,
they stopped for some time down by Sunset Jamaica Grande. This would have been
a good time for them to do the dancing. They did that on the way back, however.
They also did not make the food available until the end when it was almost
dinner time (the cruise was from 4:30 to 7:30), so most of it did not get eaten
since there was not enough time for this.
We did get a little seasick, as the water was quite rough. One poor guy proposed to his girlfriend, as
she said no in front of us all. had a dinner reservation so only had a few minutes to change and go
back to San Genarro.
On the next Thursday, I went on the
luau. This was on the same catamaran, owned by Sandals. During the cruise
portion, it was a similar ride, but we did not go toward Boscobel, only west,
and we stopped at Laughing Waters. We
saw the beginning of the sunset on the water and the remainder on the beach.
The Laughing Waters are nice waterfalls, and there were ample opportunities for
great photos. Guests were not told that the boat would park out in the water
and that we would get wet up to our waist. I wore a bathing suit and cover-up,
as did a few other women, but most did not.
We were given a welcome fruit punch in a bamboo glass, and they had some
group games, including a passing of the rock where everyone got down low and
passed rocks around a circle as fast as possible. There were some reggae dance
lessons. It was similar to a beach party except there were less food choices,
and everyone dined on individual (couple) picnic blankets on the ground. For
drinks, they had rum, beer, soda and water only. A highlight was an enormous,
impressive bonfire. I found this event
to be better than the other, except that I
had no companion, and this one was even longer at 4 hours. I think that
Phil, the food and beverage manager and the managers at SGOR should consider at
least getting wine and champagne over there and should upscale the food a bit
more, as this is $95 pp. We got back at
8:30 .
In general, I would ask guests to note
these are something that RP currently is offering, subject to change or
disappear at any time, and they are geared to the Sandals guest.
The Villa
I had an appointment with Jason, the
villa's butler. He does a great job with guests, and our group in November
spoke highly of his service. He was
ready for me with cold towels, refreshing drinks, and a lovely snack of ackee and
saltfish fritters. We chatted about all of the
different kind of events that he can do and some of the places he has driven
guests as part of his service. I updated photos, including those of the 3rd
bedroom, and they are in the gallery whose link is at the end of this report.
Royal Plantation Dragon Bay and
Portland
I get to Jamaica often, and I try to
see many areas of the island. Many close themselves off to just the resort
areas and are really missing a lot of culture and natural beauty. One place I
had never been is to the parish of Portland. I have been waiting for a long time
for the road to be finished. Well, the road is finished to the town of Port
Antonio, but east of the town, the road is still filled with potholes, and
travel in these areas is quite slow. This is the area where there is a lot to
see.
The two area attractions I missed but would gladly return to see are Somerset
Falls and Reach Falls. What I did see was Blue Lagoon, Dragon Bay, Boston Jerk
Centre, and Boston Bay Beach.
On the way to Dragon Bay from Ocho Rios, you first go through Oracabessa,
where Beaches Boscobel is located. Beyond the resort toward Port Antonio, there
are some areas with waves, and you can see the Blue Mountain vistas. I was
along with a friend, and we had a small picnic at one of these areas where we
stopped for photos.
After driving past Port Antonio, we happened
along the Blue Lagoon area (near here is the entrance to Somerset Falls) and
found a local guide that took us through the lagoon on a bamboo raft. There was
formerly a restaurant here, but it had hurricane damage, and Butch Stewart has
a home in the area.
Adjacent to the Blue Lagoon is Dragon
Bay where Royal Plantation is going to be located. There is a stunning little
bay in a cove here, and some of the rooms are atop a hill. There are beautiful
rocks with water that crashes over them.
Further east is the Boston Jerk
Centre. On standard offer is jerk pork, chicken and fish in a number of stalls.
Samples are given out of the chicken and pork, and they sell a lot of fresh
juice mixtures by the bottle. They also sell sodas and beer, and in fact have a
full bar and even bathrooms, but none of this is obvious. There is actually a
whole row of stalls that goes back a ways, and beyond those is Great Huts, some
tree house style accommodations above the water. Everything was sold by the
pound, and they were even doing jerk lobster "on order", though it
was out of season.
East of the jerk centre is the Boston
Bay Beach, and this is another little area where you can just park the car and
could easily have a little picnic. East of this is Reach Falls, but it was
getting dark. We did get a little lost in Port Antonio in the dark with all of
the one ways and round-abouts, but we were able to
get our way and get back.
Suite
I was in the Prime Minister Suite,
number 357. This room has a dining area inside and one on one of the two
balconies. It has two large screen TVs and an iPod docking station. It has a
DVD player and a VHS player. There is a powder room and a full living area. The
bedroom has a chaise lounge and desk, and there is a clover leaf jet tub. The
bathroom has a bidet, also and a walk-in shower. There is a double-sink vanity.
One balcony is off the living room, and it has a glass table outside, along
with a couch and a telescope. Off the bedroom, there is a balcony with a huge
lounger for two, and they have now added an end table, which was needed. I think there is some other furniture there,
too. There is a sink at the bar, also. You could see the beach from both
balconies, and you could also hear the nightly entertainment from here.
A new feature in this suite and on
trial in 20 suites is the new online system. Internet guy, Steven has done a
nice job of setting up the viewing of your bill online, along with local news
snippets. Along with that, there is pay per view movies, though currently,
there are just samples loaded. This is a service from Lime, and will likely be
released soon around the resort. The wifi worked very
well this trip. I think it went down one time, but Steven had it back up in moments.
It is still $38.99 for a week.
My royal club preferences are down to
a science now, and everything was perfect. I had plenty of snacks like nuts and
plantations.
Photo Shop and Guest Services/ Soon
Come Back
The new photo shop is located near the
restrooms off of the Appleton lounge. Here, guests can view digital versions of
their photos and request prints or CDs of anything they like. In the same
little building, the Guest Services/Loyalty desk is located.
Dinner With The Chef
One night, while I was at Sandals, I
was invited back over to Royal Plantation to a "Chef's Table" dinner.
In the past, when we have had Chef's Table, it was a 7 course dinner with wine
pairings. This is the type of thing I was expecting, and I wore the type of
shoes and outfit for this. What I really was invited to was dinner in the
kitchen with the chef while I watched the dinners being plated and then I
watched the chef cook my entree. While this was very interesting, it was not at
all what I was expecting, and I would have liked to have been in the right
shoes to stand so long and in something more casual since it was so hot. Also,
Shawn sent away my driver thinking I was going to stay later, and then there
was no other ride, and he ended up walking me down the road in those shoes in a
slightly rainy situation over to the Riviera side of Sandals Grande Ocho Rios to catch the shuttle. It was an interesting
ending to an interesting adventure.
Before dinner, I came an hour early so
that nobody would panic about the timing. I talked to John and Linda and Ross
and Jane and did a good job of interrupting the start of their dinner before I
was escorted into the kitchen.
I had a ring-side seat of the cooking
and plating being done by the souse chef and the other cooks and of Yannis doing his job letting everyone know what special
things needed to be done. It was quite interesting. I do wish the chef had
asked me my tastes besides the entree or that someone had enlightened him.
After 14 stays, people should know I don't eat olives or cream cheese or butter
and things like that. The first course
was sort of a bread thing full of an olive paste on top of cream cheese. I
didn't know what to do with it. Chef Christian lapped his right up. I ate the
other sauces and things on the plate. He did get me one without cream cheese,
but still there was all that olive paste, etc. I am sure a lot of people would
have loved it, and the presentation was beautiful.
We had an ackee dish of some sort and
a minestrone soup, different from the one I'd had at the beach. We had a mango
sorbet. There was a good salad. For the entree, the chef cooked veal marsala
without mushrooms (the way I like it), which is a favorite of mine (that is
widely known at the resort). I stood there step by step as he prepared it. His
sweet potato gnocchi should be added as a signature dish. I am not a gnocchi
fan at all, and this stuff was incredibly delicious. He also prepared fresh
callalou and baby tomatoes. The chef did not plan a dessert, so I just asked
for berries and received strawberries and plum slices in a nice serving dish.
Staff
We have a great relationship with the
managers: Peter Fraser, Suzanne Millwood, Shawn Moses, Christine Moore, Yannis Paravalos, Marcia Wilmot,
and others. They work wonders for us on a daily basis, and I don't thank them
enough. I hope when I cry when I get in that car that they know what they mean
to me.
There are others that I wanted to
mention - Kingsley and Collette, Natalie, the two female cooks in the kitchen
whose names I don't know, Steven, the entire spa team (the new ones are
catching up with the long-time ones), Leon in watersports,
Nakemo and Jason in concierge, one pleasant gardener
whose name I wish I knew, Gladstone (though I didn't get to see him much),
Barbara, Anisette. I always enjoy seeing Vivian, the lady that does all the
flowers. There are others. Special shout out to Leonard Livermore! I am doing
my best, Livermore! Cleon at the beach continues to do a great job.
Others work so hard behind the scenes
like Kelly-Anne and Trudane working miracles every
day. I appreciate that the housekeeping staff seemed to be OK that I was in the
room so much.
Trip Home
I came back to the resort on my
departure day (Mother's Day) to say goodbye and to try to take more pictures.
It was a beautiful day for pictures, one of the prettiest days that I was in
Jamaica (always the way). I rode from Boscobel with a nice family, and they
went on to the airport.
I rode back to the airport with a
couple. It was my first time to go back with others that were not in my family.
I can't say I liked this type of transportation when comparing it to the
private transfers we are used to, and some may want to do the private transfers
to end the trip on a more luxurious note. We did get to the airport in about 85
minutes.
Upcoming Event
One thing I started planning while at
the resort is our upcoming Escape in Luxury Event. We are going to have a meal
with the chef on the beach with some surprises and also an offsite group lunch
at Evitas with our compliments featuring her
award-winning dishes. We will also have welcome wine and chocolates. This event
is in November, and Peter, Cyndi, and I have since been working on this and are
excited about it. Email travelcenter@tropictravelonline.com for more info.
Not responsible for errors and
omissions.
My pictures can be found at http://www.tropictravelonline.com/cgi-bin/gallery/gallery.cgi?Category=101504.
There is a lot more general
information at my "Royal Plantation, My Personal Paradise" report
from 2/2009 at http://www.tropictravelonline.com/debbie_royalplantationochorios_022009.htm.