believe the hype! our second trip to ja...could not have had a better time....the staff, food, beach...all were excellent!

dont believe the bad reviews unless you are miserable anywhere you are!

We stayed at Couples Negril from June 14 to June 21/08.

Let me start off by saying that I have been to several places in the caribbean so I have lots to compare this to. I have been to Costa Rica, Cuba, Cancun Mexico and Europe.

The resort was a lot smaller than what we had expected and was rustic looking. We were expecting a more a extravagant looking resort and hotel for the price, and we thought this is what we were getting-wrong. Everything sort of looked a little worn, we prefer the spanish style looking hotel - Kinda like the Large Riu next door.
The overall feel was a little boring, really quiet and not a whole lot of anything going on. The nightly entertainment, left a lot to be desired. The resort itself seemed like a ghost town at times.

When I first walked into our room, I noticed urine on the toilet seat, this was a really bad first impression on the cleaning staff. Even though we didn't encounter any other problems with the room the remainder of our stay... it was to hard to erase this first impression. The fridge was well stock with drinks- this was a nice treat.

Food - The food was good, but it was lacking in variety. We were very disappointed as we thought that there was going to more seafood- no lobster, crab or shrimp- again for the price we paid, we expected that this would be included. The buffet overall just seemed kinda skimpy. I must say however, that the Lamb was excellent at the outdoor grill- supper was better than lunch. Otahete, also had excellent meals and really good rack of lamb.

Beach was excellent - the water was crystal clear and very calm, nice soft sand. We actually took a walk down to sandals to see what we missed out on and apparently not a whole lot. The water line seemed so shallow and the water was a little rougher (it's not located in the bay)

The catamaran is a must do, we also went snorkeling and took a trip to Ricks Cafe- which we enjoyed.

The staff for the most part seemed to be very friendly and helpful,but a few members weren't so hospitable. The girl at the photo desk actually rolled her eyes when we asked to re-review our wedding photos. Overall, I didn't feel the warm, fuzy feeling that I experienced in other parts of the caribbean. It was a little disappointing for both my husband who has never been to the caribbean and myself as this was our wedding/honeymoon. Which have to say did go over well. Giselle the wedding coordinator was very thorough and organized, however, the cake did not turn out as I had expected- but overall no complaints. It was just the two of us, so I didn't expect to have any mishaps that way. We used the wedding photographer and the pictures turned out good, so I'm grateful for that.

Overall, I have to say if your looking for a bit more to do with that more extravagant feel, I would book with the Riu next door, it's the exact same beach and has beautiful grounds and it's like half the cost! Our resort did include a few sports activities and the catamaran, but in the end it still doesn't make up the difference in price- not even close. The red flag service on the beach was nice, but we certainly weren't being served with a smile. I would prefer to get my own drink at the bar and have a nice warm friendly greeting from someone who enjoys their job and is happy to be serving people.

Great resort. Brilliant friendly staff. Lived like a King for two weeks. I defy anyone not to come away from this holiday with a big happy smile on their face.

My new bride and I came to Couples Negril for our honeymoon-- 8 days, 7 nights. I can't encourage anyone reading this enough to book your trip here without a second thought. We had a wonderful time -- words cannot express it.

We arrived in Montego Bay where a storm welcomed us. No problem, however-- the Couples lounge at the airport was perfect-- Red Stripe on tap, smiles all around, and we were on the bus within 10 minutes. One of the bus guys ran across the street to the gas station to get Red Stripe bottles so we could keep the momentum going for the ride to the resort. The ride isn't bad at all-- 70 minutes there, and only 60 minutes on a Sunday morning when we returned. Negril is definitely the nicer side of the island-- real white sand beaches rather than man-made in Montego Bay.

We were greeted with champagne and taken to our room under umbrella since it was raining. We stayed in the basic garden room-- just as other reviewers have said, we weren't in our room much at all so it didn't make sense to spend the extra money. I will say that some of the suites had hammocks on the verandas which did look rather inviting. The room was very nice-- maybe we got an udpated one because the bathroom was great-- very clean and new. The bed was very comfortable and the flat screen HDTV was a plus. Turn-down service at night was also great. We tended to take naps after lunch and if housekeeping didn't make it before we crashed, they'd have it done as soon as we left the room again.

The food was nothing short of amazing. This was my first all-inclusive so I didn't know what to expect. I would go as far as to say that the food was gourmet. Even the buffets were just out of this world. Make sure to get your reservations for Otaheite, the fine dining restaurant. We wish we would have gone more than once. My wife declared the duck her best meal ever-- which is saying a lot coming from her-- she's sort of a food snob. :)

The bars were excellent-- drinks are NOT watered down and they have top shelf liquor in every variety. The red flag service on the beach is pure heaven-- just stick your flag in the sand and someone appears out of nowhere to take your order.

The catamaran cruise is a must-- the caves they take you to are breathtaking and one of the most memorable experiences of my life-- swimming in the turquoise-blue water in and out of the caves-- just amazing.

If you are trying to decide where to stay in Jamaica I cannot recommend Couples Negril enough-- you will not be sorry! Our vacation was absolutely perfect in every way, thanks to the outstanding staff and beautiful resort.