Spent three nights at GoldenEye over Labor Day weekend as a birthday trip with my husband. I’d been wanting to stay here for years and was delighted that, not only did it meet our expectations – it exceeded them! We’re already planning our return!
Arrival:
Trevor was waiting for us in arrivals, right on time. I think the $330 charged for RT from/to MBJ is very reasonable given how far of a drive it is. We were honestly nervous about the drive. Our first time in Jamaica, in Jan.’25, driving along the A1 we literally thought we wouldn’t make it - The driver was crazy and we were terrified. Trevor, however, was AMAZING! We felt safe and comfortable and he was a pleasure to talk with. He’ll gladly accommodate any stops you wish to make along the way. With Friday afternoon traffic and one pit-stop it took about 2.5 hours. (We requested Trevor for the return on Monday morning and it took just about 2 hours with one stop along the way.)
Upon arrival at the resort, we were warmly greeting by Tamara and offered cold towels and welcome drinks as we checked in. The view from the lobby is stunning, photos don’t do it justice. In fact, no photos of the resort prepare you for quite how magical it is in-person.
Room:
We booked a lagoon cottage. Simple but beautiful. Quality furnishings, linens, and the dreamiest mattress. We got such good sleep!!! The mosquito net around the bed adds to the dreamy experience. However, it was too hot during our stay to leave the shutters open at night. Fortunately the AC worked well.
The view is stunning – looking out over the turquoise water, and watching the birds over on the island, and the sea turtles swimming by. Magical! Having a private dock & kayak is such a treat. The freedom of just going out when you want, where you want, without the oversight & rules that come with larger resorts is great.
There was complimentary fruit (with most delicious mangoes we ever ate), plenty of bottled water, tea and coffee. There are other snacks and drinks provided for additional charge. They also provide restaurant menus, a map of the property and a schedule of events.
Property:
We felt a bit lost at first and had to refer to the map a lot, but after a couple loops around the property getting to and from each bar/pool/beach, etc became second nature. The property overall is stunning. Very natural vegetation and paths, with clean beaches.
There were mosquitos but they weren’t a major issue for me. I’m a mosquito magnet and while I did get some bites, considering we spent the majority of our time outside, I was very impressed to have not been bitten more. Only one evening were they persistent enough that I had to spray my legs with repellent (they provide it in the rooms and at the restaurants). I appreciate that they don’t spray the property itself for bugs.
Food:
Mostly 10/10. I was a little nervous going in low-season based on some other reviews about restaurant closures – but for our three nights, we found the options were varied enough. Prices honestly seemed reasonable compared to other luxury resorts ($14 cocktails, lunch for the 2 of us usually came in around $75 with tips for two meals plus sides, dinner about $175). Most importantly, the food was fresh and delicious.
Breakfast at Bizot was really good. The first morning breakfast came complimentary. (Was it for my bday? Does everyone get 1 complimentary breakfast? IDK but we appreciated it) The other two mornings we had the breakfast specials which were delicious as was the fresh juice.
Lunch was available as Bamboo Bar every day and very enjoyable. During our stay we tried the jerk chicken, chicken sandwich, cod fritters, grilled shrimp, grilled fish, and different side salads. The grilled shrimp were some of the best we’d ever eaten but there were only 7 average size shrimp and wish we got more of them. The first time we got the cod fritters we were blown away by how good they were (and how much you got for the price). Chris Blackwell and his family were also at Bamboo that day having lunch. We ordered the fritters again the next day because we enjoyed them so much, but they were totally different (still good flavor but flat and small and not as plentiful). So was day 1 the anomaly because Mr. Blackwell was there? Or was day 2 the anomaly? Regardless, still good.
Dinner was at Bizot night 1 and 2 and the Gazebo was open on night 3. We tried the surf & turf special at Bizot (mashed potatoes = A+, veg side = A+, grilled shrimp = A, steak = C? Flavor was good but not a great cut of meat. That was the biggest flop of the dining experience). Gazebo was good. Small menu but unique and delicious offerings plus good cocktails.
Service:
Hands down 10/10. All of the staff are superstars! I’m having a hard time remembering everyone’s name – but from the restaurant servers, to bartenders, housekeeping, groundskeeping, etc. – everyone was so wonderful! WhatsApp is used to contact the concierge or order room service. It was a seamless experience for us and all needs were met / questions answered promptly. Each morning they send a schedule of activities & restaurant openings.
Shoutout to the watasports team. Each morning around 7:30 either Roberto or Omar would come by, sweep the deck and get the chairs setup. They were both very pleasant to talk to. If you want to swap your kayak with a different type, just ask and they’ll accommodate. They came back in the evening to gather the towels and store the chair pads for the night. Snorkeled for the first time -- Omario was very patient with me and a great teacher.
An insulated bucket of ice is left for you on the mini bar during daytime housekeeping. Turndown service was provided each evening while we were off at dinner. No little treats or gifts at turndown, which is fine with me, but I realize some people wonder about that.
Other Notable Mentions:
Having traveled to GoldenEye right as hurricane season was ramping up, we figured it would be quiet, but wow… at times we felt like the only 2 people on the property. We learned there were a total of 24 guests during our stay (out of a potential max 140).
Friday night at Shabeen was fun! There were drummers, complimentary snacks and a choice of 3 complimentary cocktails. Cool to have all the guests come together for the experience.
From the lagoon, you DO hear road noise & music from Oracabessa, but I can’t say that it bothered us. We were there in the days leading up to the election, and there was one truck that would drive back and forth blasting the campaign song in the evenings. Served as a nice reminder of the vibrant community beyond the gates. It’s become the soundtrack to our vacation and we still keep singing it.
We had wanted to go explore the community and eat at Chris’s but it was just too damn hot for us to desire making the 20 minute walk into town. I figured it was just us not being used to that level of heat, but the staff admitted it was even hot for them. I’m looking forward to going back in the winter.
GoldenEye is an absolute oasis. Highly recommend treating yourself to a stay if you have the opportunity.
