RP TRIP REPORT – NOVEMBER 14 – 29 2008

We had a wonderful and relaxing 2 weeks at RP in November. This was my fourth trip to Jamaica and my second to Ocho Rios (first time being to SGOR in 1999).

Flights & transportation

We arrived at Sangster airport following a 8.5 hour flight from London with Virgin Atlantic. We flew premium economy which on the Virgin transatlantic fleet is an exclusive cabin on the top deck of Boeing 747. The flight was very comfortable, the crew very attentive, and I would wholeheartedly recommend the upgrade to anyone considering it! On arrival, immigration was slow and slightly chaotic, but once we were through we were able to spend a few minutes freshening up (and enjoying refreshment) in the Sandals lounge before being escorted to our private transfer. Our driver was very courteous, offering us cold drinks from the chiller, and providing a commentary of points of interest along the way. Even though it was pouring with rain the journey passed comfortably and smoothly.

Check-in

We were greeted in the usual style with a glass of bubbly and cool towels. Otherwise a bit of a blur as we were so tired from travelling, but safe to say we had no complaints!

Suite

We were in room 155 – Honeymoon Grande Luxe Suite (since re-named the Honeymoon Grande Luxe Verandah Oceanfront Suite). This is one of the suites with the huge balcony. Initially we were somewhat disappointed with the bedroom. Whilst there was nothing intrinsically wrong with it, it was not as we had expected. It was rather dark with very little natural light, and with energy saving bulbs in the lamps it always felt like it was evening in there. It was not at all like the photos of other rooms I had seen, which had appeared light and airy (a big selling point for me). Some of the furniture was chipped and scratched, and overall the room felt rather faded and in need of a freshen up.

The walk-out balcony was great, and this was to be where we spent most of our time. Almost as big as the bedroom itself, there was plenty of space to accommodate the two loungers, a table and chairs, and well stocked bar. Again, we were a little disappointed with the view. As we were on the ground floor our main view was of the Royal Grill or upwards to La Terrace, albeit surrounded by very attractive dense tropical foliage. Towards the front or the balcony we did have a partial view of the beach and the ocean, but it wasn’t as we had hoped or expected.

We were absolutely delighted with the bathroom, which was huge (again, almost as big as the bedroom). Two separate vanities, great walk in shower, Jacuzzi tub, and separate toilet area with bidet. Plenty of room for us both to get ready for dinner without getting under each other’s feet! Off the bathroom was a separate walk in closet area with more than enough room for all our clothes, suitcases, etc.

On balance I think we would have been much happier with this room if we’d been on a higher floor (more natural light, better view). As we were staying for two weeks I asked reception if we could move to a room on a higher floor when one became available. We were assured that this would be possible, however in spite of repeating this request three times during our first week and receiving the same assurances each time we heard nothing further. In the end we decided it wasn’t worth pursing as it was not such a big deal, but I was a bit surprised and disappointed given the reputation RP has for its customer service.

Food & drink

The food at RP was excellent. We did not have one bad meal the whole time. Food is my hobby – I love cooking, and have had the privilege of dining in some of Europe’s finest restaurants. I do not go to the Caribbean expecting a gourmet experience, but it is always nice to be pleasantly surprised. Dinner at le Papillon was excellent - if you picked it up and dropped it in London we would happily become regulars! Highlights for us were the delicious crab cakes, a tasty coquille of lobster and shrimp, world class soups, the tenderest possible fillet steak cooked exactly as requested, and the best melt in the middle chocolate fondant pudding (I’m not much of a dessert lover but I had this every time!) Great service from Darnell in particular made dining there a highlight of our trip.

We only go to eat at the Royal Grill once on our stay – it was closed most of the time due to bad weather so we were only really able to lunch there as the Royal Café. I was disappointed the conch fritters were permanently off menu (out of season) and the famous lobster BLT was no more (although Ed told me it was available on special request)! Typical lunch fare (burgers, jerk, Caesar salad) were all very good.

The food at La Terrace was also excellent. The dinner menu changed daily which we liked, and Ainsley took good care of us every time.

A couple more points to mention. The Jamaican buffet lunch was outstanding – this only happened once the whole time we were there, and was not to be missed. I’m sure we can’t be alone in thinking it would be great to see some more authentic Jamaican specials on the dinner menus as well as the international classics. As it was, on a daily basis the traditional Jamaican food was mostly limited to breakfast (very very good indeed and well worth a try).

Shawn Moses noticed my gold sandals and invited us to the returning guests dinner even though this was our first trip to RP – a nice gesture. It was good to meet other people from the board who were there for Thanksgiving. The food at the dinner was truly exceptional, and we later found out (as reported elsewhere on the board) that it was the chef’s last night. Apparently he’s been poached (no pun intended!) by the Iberostar in MoBay, who will be paying him considerably more than RP. This is a great shame, he will be a great loss to RP, and I don’t know whether his talent might be wasted at a mega resort.

Service

Excellent. Initially we found the level of attentiveness slightly embarrassing (I wasn’t even allowed to carry my own drinks from the bar to the pool!) but once we relaxed into it it made our vacation. We got the impression the staff were doing things because they honestly wanted us to relax and enjoy ourselves, not because they had to (although I’m sure they do – Mr Fraser and the rest of the management team run a tight ship and are quick to reprimand if they see standards slipping!) Everywhere we went it was the most courteous service with a genuine smile. I was unfortunate to need medical attention twice during our trip (not in any way caused by RP I hasten to add!) and they were able to arrange a doctor very quickly (one of the team even escorted me in a cab to see the doctor at SGOR). Every time I saw Mr Fraser he asked how I was, and they even put flowers in our room. It’s difficult to single out any of the staff for special praise as they were all warm, friendly, and attentive. We were very impressed.

Activities

We were somewhat limited by the weather, which was pretty rotten most of the time we were there. Of the two weeks we probably only got two or three full days in the sun or by the pool, so we didn’t get to enjoy the beach service that others have raved over and which seems to set RP aside from other resorts. When the weather was fit we preferred the quieter east beach (by the watersports) which was deserted most of the time so it was like having our own private cove. One of the watersports guys took us out on a boat trip one afternoon which was fun and we got to see some of the neighbouring resorts. We enjoyed the traditional afternoon tea on the terrace (which I must say I’d been a bit dubious of before) and I tried my hand at flower arranging (I was able to keep my arrangement).

Because of the weather we decided not to do any excursions, other than a couple of shopping trips into Ochi. We took a stroll along the beach next door to SGOR one day. It was almost unrecognisable from when I stayed there in 1999 – personally I feel it has got too big and loud, and we couldn’t wait to get back to RP! We also took the Sandals bus to SDR. On arrival the heavens opened and we had some of the heaviest and most prolonged rain I’ve ever experienced in Jamaica, so we probably didn’t experience it at its best. All the same we preferred it over SGOR.

So how did we fill two weeks you may ask? Well this is where that amazing balcony came into its own! When the weather was bad we were lucky to be able to lay out on our loungers, reading our books, listening to the sound of the waves crash and feeling the warm breeze breathing through the foliage. It was very “back to nature”!! When the weather improved we enjoyed cocktails in the hot tub and when the sun came out we hit the beach!

I had a great massage at the spa, although it was a lot more expensive than I would generally pay at a top spa at home, and the soft sell technique was sufficiently hard to take the edge off what was otherwise supposed to be a relaxing experience. Also, having arrived 20 minutes early for a late afternoon appointment (deliberately, so I could use the sauna) I was disappointed to find the sauna was off. All things considered I didn’t go back.

There is not a great deal to do in the evenings at RP. Friday night they have a dance /acrobatics / fire eating show which was great fun (isn’t that so Ed?!) and during the week they have some great singers and bands. We prefer our entertainment pretty low key, but after a week or so we would probably have welcomed a little more in the way of variety.

Summary

We had a wonderful relaxing time at RP. It is very much to the resort’s credit that the inclement weather didn’t in any way spoil this trip for a sun-worshipper like me. We would definitely return for the location, the food, the service, and the sheer relaxation. Would I book the same room category – maybe – but I’d definitely request a higher floor! Since returning home I’ve recommended RP to several friends, and we wouldn’t hesitate to return. Loved it!