As Told By Nella: Road Trip Jamaica: Hidden Gem

Hey everyone,

It seem like recently I've been neglecting my Road Trip JA posts. When I first started the series I was so excited and rejuvenated that I released posts weekly and then blah no more posts or features. Wa wa waaaaaaaaaa. I'm sorry that this has been the case and I promise to do my best to try t make it up to you. No posts won't be weekly like before but I hope to do monthly Road Trip JA posts to entertain and inform you all about the beautiful places located around the lovely island of Jamaica. Hopefully I can start doing little videos reflecting my trip too. Just wait big things are coming in my future.

This time my family and I ventured to the beautiful parish of St. Ann to locate a hidden gem by the name of Jewel Runaway Bay Hotel. It was a much needed holiday escape in the cooler months of December 2012 when my family and I made the 2 and a half hour journey to Runaway Bay. The best thing about spending time in a hotel is the ability to escape the mundane repetition of your daily life and indulge in those activities that you wouldn't dare to do on a regular basis and that's exactly what I did. A love of aquatic activities I participated in kayaking and sailing, both a first for me and both items completed from my bucket list. Check out my adventure below and see what I had to say about my overall experience.

Accommodations:

My family and I were treated to a dual bed suite which was almost beach front. It was nice little room which had 2 beds, a bathroom, television with cable and a small desk and chair. Despite the room being a tad bit small I never actually felt cramped or like I was tripping over my father and sisters in the room. The older of us each had our own room keys and so had a level of freedom to come and go as we please and still find time to enjoy each other's company. I have a little badmind for the people who got mini-pools attached to the front of their room section.

All in all I would give the accommodations a 3.5/5.

Surroundings:

The ground were vast, spacious and immaculate. It was safe and a great number of spots available for relaxing, entertaining and just enjoying the moment. With hammocks located at different spots across the property and golf cars available to carry extensive distances, although rarely needed. I was pretty impressed with the general surrounding and atmosphere of the hotel. It truly was beautiful!!!

Overall Impression: 4/5

Food:

The food was variable and palatable for all taste buds and preferences. From all you can eat buffet open at certain times during the day to grill stand. Not to mention Italian, Japanese, Mediterranean and of course Jamaican restaurants and bars located on the vast estate. In my opinion the best food was from the grill where I had my fill of grilled chicken sandwich, wraps, fries, burgers, hotdogs, basically a made to order playground. That being said the wait to actually get the food was ridiculous. There is only one stand with at most 3 chefs operating the grill and a lot of hungry people who end up waiting extended periods of time because no one ever seems to just order one plate at a time. Ah brother. Other than that the food was alright it wasn't as great as other hotels or restaurants I've visited but it was ok to eat.

My Overall Food Rating is: 3/5

Activities:

Activities ranged from a gym that was open 24 hours a day to water activities such as kayaking, scuba diving, sailing and so on. There were also golf, poolside fun, tennis, basketball, archery, horse and buggy and laser tag. There were countless things to do at Jewel Runaway Bay. Trust me!!! Not to mention this family-friendly resort had activities for just about every age group with parents being able to leave children at the kiddies play area, teens having a game arcade and adults free to do as they please. My only problem was that as with many hotels, many of the activities did not go as schedule and would often be late or not at all depending on what happens. See some pictures below of what I took part in.

Overall, I would rate activities as a 3.5/5.

Overall Experience:

My impression of Jewel Runaway Bay is one of fond memories, enjoyable moments, great activities and complete relaxation. I would definitely visit this place again and I totally recommend this to you.

Overall Grade: 3.5/ 5