The Grand Palladium Jamaica Resort & Spa is a beautiful property with stunning ocean views, gorgeous pools, and well-maintained grounds. Overall, we had a good time, especially because we were traveling as a group, but there were several service and maintenance issues that kept this from being a five-star experience.
The pool was a lot of fun, and both the adults and kids had an amazing time. The food overall was decent, but there were a few standouts. We celebrated a birthday at El Dorado, and the lamb chops were delicious. Ricardo, our chef in the hibachi section of Sumptuori, made our dinner memorable with his personality, jokes, and songs. He truly made the experience special.
A huge shout-out also goes to Omar and "Scottie" (last name Scott) at the Infinity Bar. They were friendly, entertaining, and kept everyone laughing throughout our stay. Their customer service was exceptional and definitely one of the highlights of our vacation.
Unfortunately, we also experienced several disappointing issues. Our dinner reservation was mishandled, resulting in one group in our party not being able to eat. While making our reservations at Guest Relations, Twain Grizzle was rude, taking calls and talking to our guest. After the mistake was made, there was no apology, acknowledgment, or attempt to make the situation right, which was very disappointing.
We also requested bell service twice—once by phone and again in person—an hour before checkout because there were no elevators and we had five pieces of luggage to carry down the stairs. No one ever came to assist us.
There were also maintenance concerns that should be addressed. The door to our room was cracked, raising security concerns. Our room had a strong sewer odor throughout our stay. On Saturday evening, our television stopped working and wasn't fixed until the next day when we were checking out. One night, the bathroom water stopped working completely, leaving us unable to use the toilet. We had to walk to the lobby in the middle of the night, and when we called the front desk, the response was essentially, "Yes, we know," with no urgency or solution offered.
Finally, our experience at Xaymaica, the Jamaican restaurant, was the biggest disappointment. Despite the restaurant being nearly empty, the service was slow, and the food was by far the worst meal we had during our stay.
The resort itself has so much potential. The beautiful scenery, fun atmosphere, and a handful of outstanding employees made our vacation enjoyable. However, the inconsistent customer service, communication issues, and maintenance problems significantly impacted our experience. With better attention to guest concerns and improved service recovery, this resort could truly live up to its beautiful setting.
