Sandals Royal Plantation Ocho Rios

We recently took our 15th anniversary trip to Jamaica to visit Sandals Royal Plantation and then Sandals Dunns River. For reference, we are 43 and 41 years old, and have been visiting Sandals since 2010 for our honeymoon. We are currently Diamond Level guests and have been every year (sometimes mulitple) except for 2020 (covid). Royal Plantation: we stayed for 3 days. What an experience! We've seen the resort from Ochi on our 6 previous trips, but only ever got to go there for a dinner one night. This time for this occasion, we decided to give it a try. What an impressive small resort! There were so few people you felt like everyone was there FOR YOU! Our first night at dinner, 3 hours off the plane, Omar the GM walked to our table to greet us and called us by name. Even if he "cheated" and saw it on a book somewhere, it was extremely impressive and we havent ever received this type of personal greet other than being taken to our rooms or at VIP lunches/dinners. Omar had a great personality, as well as a strong work ethic. Its clear his staff feed off his energy, they were phenomenal; friendly and very personable. The people make this resort what it is. I see why guests return here over and over again. Quiet, relaxing, and personable. Exactly what we were looking for in our 3 days. Night life was very calm, so if you want to have fun after dark? NO PROBLEM! Take the bus over to OCHI! First night we did just that. Walked into the manor house looking for our favorite person SHADINE who booked our very first return trip! She wasnt there as we were really late so we walked towards the piano and bar area (we found her the next day, and she was amazing as ever!). An employee was walking towards us and both of us stopped and looked at each other like the batman/robin meme. We knew each other, just couldnt place it. Then we figured it out, he was Jason in entertainment. THE SAME JASON that made my 5 year old sons day at Beaches OCHI in October 24! He was great with the kids, and since Beaches has closed he transferred to Sandals. What a great surprise, we were excited to see and talk to him. Met up every night for all the entertainment and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Great guy, great work ethic, and a wonderful asset for Sandals. Food was phenomenal. There were only 3 dinner restaurants on property, but it worked great for our stay. We really enjoyed La Papillion for French cuisine. Of all our Sandals stays (20 total trips) this was the best creme brulee I had ever had. Shout out to the entire culinary team, they are a cut above the rest. The Jamaica night Buffet on our last night wasnt your average buffet. Lots of flat grills and custom cuisines were prepared right in front of you. Lets call it a gourmet buffet. Our butlers were Safiya and Orayne. Great for us, not overbearing and left us to ourselves unless we contacted them. Took care of us bringing food, decorating our room for our anniversary, and keeping our fridge and bar stocked. Two words, coconut lobster! Ask for it, its phenomenal. Rooms were perfect for our needs. Seems like they had converted the balcony into an in room area, which was great for adding space. Typical old school feel mahogany beds and furniture, but new paint brightened up the room. Large closet, usual amenities like fridge, coffee maker, etc. This is a vintage feel Sandals resort, and it fits the vibe of the property well. Room service was standard and a great add on as we ordered breakfast every day to arrive following our morning gym routine. West beach had activities every day, but we stayed on east beach the whole time. Quiet, easy going. Most we ever had with us was 5 other couples on the entire beach on one day. Most days we were the only ones until after 1PM. This beach is nicknamed "smokers beach" because smoking is allowed, but it was extremely rare and you rarely ever noticed. Easy tradeoff for our peace and quiet. 3 days was short, but perfect for Royal Plantation for us. As we were leaving to head to Sandals Dunns River, Omar personally bid us farewell. I made a joke to him, making sure he knew where the gym was on property. The guy had arms so big Im surprised the Jamaican government doesnt make him register them as weapons. Great stay, great experience. Id definitely do this resort again, likely as a split stay so I can enjoy 2 resorts in the same trip. I sincerely thank everyone we met during our stay and hope this review gets the mentioned team members the recognition they deserve. Read less

We have been coming to this resort for over 10 years and it gets better every trip. Omar has added a new level of service as general manager. He knows everyone on the resort by name and is always walking around making us feel welcome and appreciated. We can't say enough how wonderful Gladstone and Sherrill are as our butlers. The beach butlers Romaine, Trevardo and Daniello remember our drink preferences year after year. I went scuba diving next door at Ochi and the dive masters took great care of me. Kemar, WInston and Dennis and all the dive crew are fabulous. I did a night dive that was spectacular. My husband golfed everyday and the staff over there are fantastic. Janoi at the front desk remembered us and made us feel welcome and appreciated. The level of service from housekeeping, restaurants, butler service, bars, and the water sports is excellent! Even if you don't ask for help, they ask what they can do for you. I feel so spoiled and special here. It's our home away from home. Read less

This Sandals is a hidden gem! This is our 2nd time staying here and we are already booked again! The service is exceptional at every level and the staff really enjoys building relationships with their guests! We had the best butlers Andre and Johovan that went above and beyond our expectations and made us feel special. Omar Robinson, the General manager, has created a such amazing resort environment at this beautiful resort! Read less

From the moment we arrived at Sandals Royal Plantation, we knew we were in for something special—but what we experienced far exceeded anything we could have imagined. This stunning, intimate resort offered more than just ocean views and luxurious accommodations; it provided exceptional service at every level, making our 25th wedding anniversary celebration unforgettable. Every single team member at this resort—from the groundskeepers to the wait staff, from spa attendants to housekeeping, and most especially the phenomenal butler service—was outstanding. Their warmth, professionalism, and attention to detail created an atmosphere of effortless luxury and genuine care. We were privileged to have Biggs and Alrick as our butlers, and they truly went above and beyond. They not only catered to our every need but also orchestrated daily special lunches for our group of eight that were thoughtfully curated and beautifully presented. A standout moment was when Biggs arranged a private jerk chicken lunch, a taste of Jamaica that we’ll never forget. Meanwhile, Alrick worked closely with Chef Lorenzo to recreate the tapas menu from Sandals Ochi—a personal and delicious surprise that touched us deeply. Meeting Chef Lorenzo in person to thank him was a highlight we’ll always remember. And the lobster Thermidor they organized and served to us? Hands-down the best any of us have ever had. Our experiences in the Wobbly Peacock Pub were made even better by Tricel, who was absolutely incredible. On day one, when we all craved pub bites, she simply smiled and said, “Let me bring you a mixed platter of everything.” And what a delicious spread it was! Every night, she took care of our group with a perfect blend of speed, efficiency, and humor—always making sure our drinks were topped off and that we were well taken care of. Breakfast was a daily joy, thanks to the amazing trio of Vanya, Staci-Ann, and Andre. Their cheerful greetings, attentiveness, and playful energy set the perfect tone for each day. Despite managing a table of eight, they never missed a beat and made us feel truly seen and valued. At the Royal Grill, we were met with friendly smiles and top-tier service from Stephne, Venessa, Wilton, and Sherika. Their warm personalities made our poolside lunches fun and relaxing. Over at The Terrace, Giovanni was another standout—efficient, personable, and always ready with a smile. The beach butlers kept us cool and refreshed, never letting our glasses go empty, and always checking in without being intrusive. The beachside service was seamless and truly enhanced our days in the sun. A special thank-you goes to Yaneike, our housekeeper, who kept our room pristine, fully stocked, and always ready for us to relax after a day of sun and sand. Having a spotless room with a perfect ocean view every day was an absolute dream. One of the most memorable parts of our trip was our Retie the Knot ceremony, celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary. The entire wedding planning team was outstanding, and Kelly Ann in particular made the experience magical. She blended professionalism with fun and brought such joy and calm to the day that we couldn’t have imagined a better celebration. Omar, the general manager, is the heart of the resort. He is present, approachable, and genuinely invested in each guest’s experience. He greets returning guests by name and leads by example—whether it’s clearing plates, adjusting cushions, or simply sharing a kind word. His leadership is reflected in the warmth and camaraderie of the entire staff. The food at Sandals Royal Plantation was simply some of the best we’ve ever had at any Sandals property—and we've been to several. We also dined twice at Sandals Dunn’s River, and both times the meals were fantastic. In short, Sandals Royal Plantation is a gem. It’s peaceful, elegant, and run by a team of people who genuinely care. It felt like being welcomed into a big, extended family where everyone looks out for each other and treats guests with the utmost respect and warmth. We left with full hearts and already can't wait to return. Thank you, Sandals Royal Plantation, for making our anniversary so special. We’ll be back! Read less