Sandals Ochi

I have just returned from 9 days at the fabulous Sandals Ocho Rios, Jamaica.

We arrived at the Radisson Heathrow, Bath Road the day before we were due to fly, and we enjoyed the facilities the hotel had to offer. Swimming pool, Gym, Sauna, and Steam room. The hotel has a tempting breakfast menu, a restaurant serving authentic Italian Cuisine, and a bar serving a huge selection of drinks with some sharing platters and deli plates. We left the car in the hotel car park (noted the mileage) and took a taxi to the airport at 8 am, to Terminal 3 Our flight was due to leave at 12.30 pm, giving us time to check-in without rushing.

Check-in was super as usual with Virgin, We had a DJ playing live in the terminal, the vibe was electric, and customers and staff singing and swaying to the music. The staff are very attentive and always look after us. Security was on the slow side, so we had a quick look in Duty-Free and headed to the Club Aspire Lounge, this is our way to relax before we fly. Once in the lounge, we enjoyed free Wi-Fi, a comprehensive and complimentary food and drink menu, and digital newspapers and magazines. The lounge also had a dedicated business area and rest zone. This is the perfect start to our holiday. We booked Premium Economy seats with Virgin. London Heathrow to Montego Bay is a 9hr 45min flight so comfort is key for me. Premium economy gave us Premium check-in, Priority boarding, 10kg hand luggage, and 2 x 23kg checked bags per person. We also had an extra-large leather seat, with a seat pitch up to 38 inches, Virgin has also recently introduced a new food option, you can select a dedicated meal 7 days and 24 hours before your flight (premium and upper class only).

Pre-orders is available for confirmed bookings on all UK outbound flights, US inbound flights (excluding Tampa and Austin) and select Caribbean inbound flights where applicable*. Pre-orders are not available for group bookings and are not suitable for customers with dietary requirements. Any customers with dietary requirements should order a Special Meal. My food choices were Mini chicken and leek pie with spring onion mash, chervil cream, and kale or Spinach and ricotta tortellini with sage butter sauce, roasted pumpkin, and caper panko crumb. My husband has allergies and is therefore not really able to eat plain food. The Virgin special assistance team allocated him an extra 5kg for hand luggage so he could take his own food. His preference is a Bombay Bad Boy pot noodle and a meal deal from the Airport. (At least this means he does eat on board). The Virgin crew also allowed my husband to board the plane first so he could clear down his designated seat area with anti-bac wipes to ensure he is as comfortable for the flight and to ensure that all the necessary precautions were in place. Our flight was good, we had some turbulence, and the seat belt signs were on, however, customers continued to walk around the plane, this was actually quite unnerving for me, the crew was not allowed to force customers to sit.

On arrival at Montego Bay we had to go through passport control, a process which has improved a lot due to the new visa process. You now process your visa online before you fly. (those who have been to Jamaica, know what I mean by the long queues in arrivals). We collected our baggage and headed straight to the Sandals dedicated arrival lounge, this is where we offloaded our cases to the Sandals team and got to enjoy our first glass of Red Stripe beer.

We were transported from the Airport to the resort via Minivan with a few other customers. The transfer to the resort is approximately 1.5 hours. Upon arrival at the resort, we were greeted by the Sandals team and taken to the hotel room for check-in. The resort is split into two halves. One half is located on the beach, the other half is located on a 100-acre estate. We chose to stay beachside this time as we have previously stayed on the Estate.

Our room was category GC – Honeymoon Hideaway Luxury Club Level Garden Cottage. Our wifi was included throughout the resorts, we also had an in-room stocked bar. We were spoilt with a choice of 16 restaurants– Seafood, Italian, Sushi, Caribbean. American Southern, Mediterranean, Grilled Meat and Seafood, Seaside Grill, International Tapas, Neapolitan Pizza, Japanese Teppanyaki, French. Robert Mondavi wines, Premium liquors, and Jamaica Blue Mountain Blend Coffee. We also had the luxury of 11 bars to choose from. Water sports - Kayaks, Snorkelling, Sailboats, Scuba Diving, Kneeboarding and many more. Land activities – Tennis, Shuffleboard, Lawn chess, Beach Volleyball, and more including a state-of-the-art fitness center. Red Lane Spa for those relaxing treatments – Massage, facials, body polish, Manicure and Pedicure Chocolate buffet, Talent night, Live bands and shows, plus the Caribbean‘s first speakeasy. Play golf at the Upton Estate Golf and Country Club. Sandals also offers a loyalty program. As we have stayed previously we were invited to a members appreciation dinner for returning guests, and a 20% discount on the Spa, photo, and gift shop. The more you stay the higher loyalty level you achieve. We are currently a few nights away from obtaining our 2nd free week. A great incentive for loyal customers.