We stayed at Couples Swept Away for two weeks on our honeymoon, booking from the UK through TUI with flights included. Writing this from a British perspective, this definitely isn’t a cheap holiday, so expectations were understandably high before arriving.
Thankfully, from the moment we landed in Jamaica, the experience started brilliantly.
The airport process was surprisingly smooth and efficient in our case. Immigration, baggage reclaim and customs were all seamless, and as soon as you exit customs you’re greeted by the Couples lounge which immediately gives you that relaxed Caribbean feeling. We were offered drinks and snacks while waiting for the transfer. We just grabbed some water after the flight, but beers and light refreshments were available too.
Your luggage is handled for you, and then comes the transfer to Negril which took around an hour and a half for us. One thing worth mentioning is there are a couple of fairly heavily implied opportunities to “show appreciation” to the driver and baggage handlers. Not a complaint necessarily, just something UK travellers may want to be aware of as it can feel a little awkward if you’re not expecting it.
Arrival at the resort itself was fantastic. You’re welcomed with a cold towel and a glass of champagne which immediately sets the tone. Check-in was quick and easy, with your card stored for any incidental charges, and within minutes we were being shown to our room.
We stayed in one of the “lowest tier” rooms, a Garden View Suite, and honestly we were extremely impressed. The room felt spacious and well maintained, with a huge walk-in shower, very comfortable super king bed, large TV, stocked all-inclusive mini bar, and a lovely balcony area complete with the iconic rocking chair hammock. Even the entry-level rooms here feel premium.
WiFi across the resort is probably best described as “fine”. In communal areas it was good enough for browsing, messaging and the occasional call home, but in the rooms and on the beach it could be patchy. Streaming reliably wasn’t really possible in our experience, although to be fair we didn’t come to Jamaica to sit watching Netflix.
The weather during our stay (23 April to 7 May) was excellent overall, sitting around 28-31°C most days. Towards May it became a little more overcast at times, but rain was minimal and usually passed within 20-30 minutes before the sun returned. The sea was generally calm in the mornings and perfect for swimming or water sports, although the wind did tend to pick up later in the afternoon making the water slightly rougher.
Food throughout the resort was consistently very good. The buffet offered a huge variety every day, including fresh fish, steaks, chicken, Caribbean dishes, made-to-order options and an excellent dessert selection.
Patios became one of our dinner spots, especially for the stone-fired pizzas, and the banana stuffed French toast at breakfast was genuinely excellent.
The two reservation restaurants, Lemongrass and Feathers, were both excellent as well. Lemongrass offers Asian fusion dishes while Feathers is more fine dining. Reservations can be made 24 hours in advance through guest services and we never had any issues getting bookings during our stay.
What genuinely sets Couples Swept Away apart though is how “properly” all-inclusive it is.
So many resorts advertise all inclusive and then charge extra for half the activities once you arrive. Here, an incredible amount is genuinely included.
There are snorkelling trips three times daily, paddleboarding, kayaking, sailing, windsurfing, glass bottom boat trips and even an evening catamaran cruise.
The standout for me personally was the scuba diving. Qualified divers can do up to two dives per day, every day, with full equipment hire included. Honestly, this alone is an unbelievable value considering what diving normally costs elsewhere.
There’s also an amazing sports complex which we admittedly underused, but it included tennis, pickleball, squash courts, a lap pool, gym facilities and classes like yoga and pilates, all included within the stay.
Service throughout the resort was excellent. Staff were consistently warm, friendly and attentive without ever feeling overbearing. Water glasses are constantly topped up during meals, plates cleared quickly, and there’s a really relaxed atmosphere throughout the resort.
On the beach there’s a flag system for drinks service near certain areas, but even without using it much, staff regularly came around with cold towels, fresh fruit and drinks anyway.
The beach vendors are frequent along Seven Mile Beach, but importantly they were never pushy in our experience. A polite “no thank you” was always respected.
As part of our honeymoon package we also received a complimentary 25-minute couples massage at the spa which was fantastic. The spa facilities themselves were beautiful and the staff there were excellent.
The overall atmosphere at the resort was very relaxed and definitely leaned towards a slightly older crowd during our stay, probably 30+ on average. We’d estimate around 90% of guests were American, who were perhaps a little louder socially than us Brits, but everyone was friendly and it created a fun atmosphere overall.
It’s also worth noting that this isn’t really a nightlife resort. Most evenings were fairly quiet and during our stay many people seemed to head to bed before 9pm. For us on a honeymoon that suited us perfectly, but it’s worth knowing if you’re expecting lively late-night entertainment.
One thing we noticed throughout our stay was how many returning guests there were. We met couples who had visited 10, 20, even 30+ times, which probably tells you everything you need to know about the place. Returning guests also seem genuinely well looked after by the staff, and there’s clearly a loyal community feel around the resort.
Overall, we had an amazing time at Couples Swept Away and completely understand why so many guests return year after year. We would happily return ourselves.
This is definitely more of a beach-focused resort than a pool-focused one. The pools are relatively small and not really the centrepiece of the property. But honestly, that doesn’t matter when you have access to the stunning Seven Mile Beach right on your doorstep. The beach here absolutely steals the show and is genuinely one of the nicest we’ve ever seen.
Biggest tip for new arrivals: do the orientation tour on your first or second day (usually around 10am or 5pm). The resort is much larger than it first appears and it’s really useful for getting your bearings and discovering everything included in your stay.
We left genuinely sad to be going home, which probably says everything.
