Resort Details
Customer ratings & reviews
TripAdvisor Traveler Rating
5287 reviews
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Mar 29, 2025Lovely Sans Souci
We spent a wonderful week at San Souci and would love to return again one day. Everything about it was great. Lovely spacious room expertly cleaned by Ivaney every day along with a hug if she saw us! Great food in all the restaurants and the service was exceptional. The lady who sang while she makes the omelettes in the morning was fabulous and made for a lovely start to the day. The staff put so much effort into arranging the Gala Night and Caribbean night which miraculously had been totally cleared by the morning! The grounds are immaculately maintained. All the staff were so friendly and helpful and seemed to enjoy their work. The evening entertainment was much better than we have experienced in other Caribbean hotels. Well placed for visiting attractions in the Ocho Rios area. Apart from the air con being a bit on the cold side at times, we really had no complaints.
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Mar 26, 2025Pretty good, potentially great
On arriving very late in the evening having requested a quiet room, high floor, ideally in Block D, we were shown a 2nd floor room in Block G, a little away from main reception but nevertheless overlooking one of the 2 main entertainment areas. Mercifully the full-volume singing in that area ceased at 11pm, unfortunately the problems didn't end there. The room, a superior ocean suite, was enormous, but somehow devoid of charm or character, with large his n hers showers and sinks and a large picture window with a fine view over the ocean. But damp, and smelly: the bedsheets were damp to the touch and the whole room (and the entrance stairwell; think stark 70's council block decor) smelled fusty and damp. We called reception to inform them of the smell/damp issue, were assured by the duty manager that alternative rooms were available and spent a restless first night (admittedly whilst smelly, the room was fairly quiet during the rest of the night), and in the morning phoned the room manager to follow up on our room change request. This lady was spectacularly disinterested, came up to the room and didn't admit to there being an issue, eventually showing us just 1 available room in the same category, smaller, next to a fairly busy thoroughfare/walkway in Block D, and on the ground floor, but without damp and with a passable sea view. Standard of this room was goodish - Door had a 3/4 inch gap at the bottom and was in need of some repairs, but comfortable bed (albeit the mattress topper was too small and didn't fit the mattress), plenty of hot water and towels/robes (albeit a tad scratchy), decent toiletries etc. Cleanliness was exceptional with little personal notes/folded towelling animals left by our charming maid. Minibar was restocked at your request, all drinks are generally good with top shelf spirits and OK house wines (more choice available at a cost). Overall standard of the hotel = faded colonial and in need of some more rigorous TLC. Chipped and rotting woodwork, tired beach loungers, ripped canopies but with plenty of charm to offset the slightly tired feel of the buildings. Gardens are spectacular, with a varied range of landscapes/zones, and well maintained. Food = nowhere near 5 star, more like 2 or 3 and was our main disappointment. Breakfast buffet is the highlight, 7 out of 10, the singing omelette lady's delicious offerings were my main sustenance. Lunch in the main buffet area was OK, 6 out of 10, sometimes a little samey. Delicious soups, without exception. The beach grill area (burgers, tacos, hot dogs) was disappointing, both in variety, quality and occasionally service. Evening? Err... buffet restaurant turns into a la carte, we had grilled lobster that promised a lot but arrived cold - probably £50 of crustacean, just not treated with respect. 4 out of 10 here. Casanova = formal dining that tripped itself up again and again, 3 out of 10. Chewy undercooked beef and lamb felt it had been microwaved and poached, crepe suzette somehow arrived stone cold ?? Vegetables bland and flaccid. Bella Vista = Asian themed, this gets 2 out of 10 and 1 of those points is for the poppadoms. If your chef doesn't do Asian food, just don't offer it. Woeful. Daytime = amazing beach, not a lot of palapas (and some serial early-morning chairnabbers making sure their 5am start got them the pick of the shade), but natural shade isn't hard to find and beds are plentiful - this main beach is lovely, sheltered and cleared of weed/debris regularly, with water toys, snorkelling (free) and boat trips available at a cost, we did a bespoke trip with the watersports team that was just incredible. Spa and mineral pool area has way less space but sufficient beds and umbrellas, and lovely and quiet. Main pool sounded lively and home to large groups of bar leaners and beer chuggers (mostly American, some Brits). We didn't spend time either there nor at the naturist beach on the other side of the headland. Entertainment = almost too much, but a hardworking and varied offering of singers, acrobats, karaoke, dancing and a Gala night that really felt like "forced fun" most of the way through it (but seems popular). Staff = at the coalface, they are the lifeblood of this hotel. Bar staff, restaurant servers, watersports, maids, gardeners and entertainment staff are a solid 10 out of 10. Helpful, funny, a little sass and genuine Jamaican warmth (it's a strictly no-tips hotel, so nobody's working you for dollars). Can't single anyone out for special praise because almost without exception they are outstanding. Office/upstairs staff a little less obliging, perhaps a little overworked. On the whole, we probably won't return because the food is so far below par for a hotel that costs this much. There seems to be a huge number of repeat guests, so they are doing something right (most of these repeaters would be first up to dance, wear a shamrock hat, sing karaoke, and whilst some of these veterans complained to us about standards of food and rooms dropping, the entertainment/vibe seems to be enough to keep them coming back for now), and for sure and the location and grounds are quite impressive. The owners are sat on a goldmine, but we couldn't help feeling they aren't spending enough on maintenance nor the food offering, and there's only so much you can under spend on keeping it in the Luxury category, relying instead on your evening entertainment programme, before it degenerates into Butlins Ocho Rios, reliant on booze and laughs.
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Mar 25, 2025
Amazing
Amazing resort! Great atmosphere, wonderful staff and lovely food! A huge thank you to all the staff who made our stay what it was… perfect! Ashley (who runs the entrainment) is a huge credit to the resort. She is just wonderful and made the effort to speak with everyone. Lloyd and Omar (trainee) bar staff were amazing! Always so friendly, always smiling and provided a great service whilst enjoying the pool bar. Nisam (I hope this is correct) our housekeeper was brilliant! Our room was kept immaculately clean and bed made every day which felt lovely getting into every evening! Probably the most comfiest bed we have stayed in whilst on holiday! Thank you! We will be back! X
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Mar 23, 2025
Exceptional
This place is seriously top notch and thoroughly recommend. The grounds are just paradisiacal, almost like a high polished rain forest. We were in G Block and we wouldn’t want to be anywhere else as you are high up with a sweeping view of the bay, a long balcony and right by the elevator taking you down towards the mineral pool. The room itself is newly renovated, excellent air con although it did omit a mouldy smell that was omnipresent, we weren’t in the room much so quickly got over it. Free mini bar, free bottles spirits etc. the room is large, lots of hanging hooks, double wardrobe, double sinks which are a few of the excellent features. Maybe slightly sterile and stark but it was up to modern standards by a large degree. Room service was all included, speedy and high quality….we had so many club sandwiches! Eating breakfast on the balcony was next level with the views. Short walk to reception, the coffee bar and Casanova. Talking of the coffee bar, which seems very much underused, they serve Blue Mountajn coffee and it really is exquisite, iced coffees and frappes in that heat go hand in hand. All restaurants are of a very high quality, we never had a bad meal. We preferred Casanova (the trousers policy is unnecessary) but it’s fine dining and you can order as much as you want. Dining under the stars was unforgettable. Palazzina was also amazing and a great view over the lawn. Breakfast is served there, great servers (ask for a cappuccino or espresso rather than the free pouring plain coffee) the selection can be a bit boring but there’s always something even if you just want a fresh juice made for you. The singing egg lady is iconic with her “welcome to breakfast” no matter how early. Lunch was best at Palazzina, the fajitas and Philly steak sandwiches were sublime. Lunch at the beach restaurant was ok, I was not mad keen in it but being inches away from baby blue and turquoise water was quite something. We loved dinner at Bella Visa, the chef is Indian and his Mekhanis were world class. We like to eat late, so took the 8:30pm slots…..by 9:30pm the staff were kinda looking like it was time for us to go……I get that as they just want to go home so we tried to hurry (but the food and atmosphere was so good it was hard!). Of course, all inclusive drinks and they are all premium brands….try the Bob Marley cocktail!! We loved the beach but shade is at a premium and this must be addressed IMHO. We did get some if you get up early and claim the shady areas. The sea is shallow and the sand super fine, even powder like. Snorkelling is disappointing. Water sports exceptional. The pool area is lovely and lots of activity going on at the bar. Whirlpool is far too hot!!! The mineral pool was divine but no where near enough sun beds!!! The veggie bar was good but some items always out of stock which got annoying. The let was the Jamaican and gala nights. It was impossible to get the same intimate atmosphere going compared to the restaurants, the food was an amazing quality but just got picked at a lot with entertainment not quite my style. I missed dining with my loved ones and was forced in to these events. We tried out the AN side and although it was very lovely and relaxing, it lacked the same high end nature compared to the textile side. Lunch was very underwhelming for example. There’s a lot of Americans grouping together and getting obliterated on booze. I did notice some of the guests bringing in that 80% ovenproof rum in, hiding their empty bottles not very well. That being said, it’s very private (perhaps not on the shoreline) and nice to have a dip in the pool and return back to the textile side for better creature comforts. We did hire a car and saw as much of Jamaica as we could, and would very much recommend! Overall our stay for 10 days were unforgettable, an impressive property and would go back in a heartbeat (even sooner if the airport drive was shorter!)
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Mar 18, 2025
Romantic, relaxing getaway with tennis!
There is a lot to stay about this resort, but I'll start with the summary. A romantic, luxurious, picturesque resort, with attentive staff and top notch amenities and daytime activities. You can craft your own vacation, choosing quiet and secluded, or attend the activities and enjoy the party vibes. I don't attend a lot of 5 Star resorts, in fact, this was my first. I attended the resort in August. We were walked to the room, the staff doesn't expect tips. The room was huge! Clean, no issues. Great private balcony view, which is standard for all rooms. I loved sitting on the balcony and looking through the trees. The shower and washroom were so spacious, I felt spoiled staying in the room. They provide umbrellas in the room in case it rains. Towels were always replenished in the room and I think they did turndown service twice on some days! The minibar was stocked every day, 2 red stripe, a couple of fruit juices (which were great) and some water. We ordered rum and gin from the app and we got a full bottle delivered to the room (free). We also got a champagne bottle and card because they knew it was my girlfriend's birthday. The Martini bar is a must try. So many options! Open from 5pm-9pm. Make a point of visiting. There is a mineral grotto where you can just sit and enjoy the cold water. Fish can come in that area. There is also a mineral pool which was my favourite place for the week. I loved that they have this and that I was free to enjoy it 24/7. Pools don't close, so I enjoyed the mineral pool at night, especially with the great view of the ocean. There is a nice Jacuzzi close to the mineral pool as well. Sitting there you could also watch the ocean, beautiful when there were thunderstorms in the distance. The beach was wonderful. I went when the water was so warm it was like bathwater. I loved the beach. They have a private bay which was gorgeous. I found myself swimming with fishes that jumped out of the water. It was awesome. I participated in some trivia by the main pool swim up bar, some rock painting, tie dye, rum tasting, all free and amazing activities. Ashley ran these and she was super. The free room service came in handy on multiple occasions, like when we were too late for breakfast, wanted to sit on the balcony, and when we had to catch our early shuttle home. No complaints at all, it was on time and complete, tasted fantastic. While eating at the restaurants, there was live music, piano players and a violinist. Small touches that went a long way to add to the luxury. One of the restaurants was under construction but the other two were great. We sat by the beach and the water was lapping gently less than a meter away. It was my most memorable dinner ever. I made some requests and the servers were able to accomodate immediately! The resort also had a walking nature tour which was led by Hopeton, who was so awesome! He knew all the trees and plants, and animals and plenty of other details. Both my girlfriend and I will never forget this part of the trip. I recommend it so that you can appreciate the location and the work the staff do to maintain the beautiful resort. This is very important. They have an in-house tennis pro (Zuki) who is next level. Not enough guests were making use of his top class teaching on the resort's 2 courts. It was very hot, but Zuki manages teaching with appropriate breaks and provides water and towels. He is amazing and when I choose to return, he will be the reason. He truly cares. He even maintains the courts every morning, and after every rain. They even bring in outside professionals to help with the tennis program which makes this resort an excellent choice for anyone interested in Tennis. Lastly, the GM of the resort Pierre actually attended the events and took the time to meet with us and treat us like family. You can tell he cares about the place and puts guests first. I may have missed a few details but I think this glowing review does justice to this amazing resort.