I think it's always a good day once I get the time to write a new review. I'll just cut straight to the chase. My most recent blog post was about the adventure that was Royalton Blue Waters. I'd been to Royalton Negril a few years ago, so I made it my personal mission to resort hop across the entire Royalton Jamaica chain.
This brings us to the newly opened, Hideaway at Royalton Blue Waters, which is the adults-only section of the Royalton Blue Waters property. Fun fact, (which absolutely noone asked for?) Hideaway at Royalton Negril was a top honeymoon destination on my list. So I was sold on the concept of Hideaway at Royalton from as far back as 2017. So when I saw the construction taking place while at Royalton Blue Waters, I was geeked (are the kids still saying this?) [translation: ecstatic].
Location: Trelawny (30 minutes from Montego Bay)
Date Visited: March 2024
Type: All-Inclusive Resort (Adults Only)
Cost at time of visit: $445 USD per night
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Preface
For a supposedly luxury hotel chain, the drive upon approaching the entrance to the property is a far cry from opulence. No shade to my beautiful country, but driving on a dust paved road and having a community bar with loud and lude music right across the road from a 4-star resort leaves much to be desired. I'm no real estate expert, so while the price may have been right for the land on which the resort sits, nothing beats location. I think hotel reviews may be one of the few instances where it's okay to judge a book by its cover. What do you think? sound off in the comments section!
Style/Ambience - 8 out of 10
Royalton were in their bag with the renovation, I have to hand it to them [translation: they did a great job!]. This property was formerly Royalton White Sands, which, if you've ever seen pictures, didn't do much to leave a lasting impression. The style and decor are very modern and beach chic. there was a beautiful mix of materials which gave the space a lot of dimension. The muted blue hues, with shades of silvery grey and natural tones flowed really well throughout the property, and was very tastefully done to make it eye-catching. The linen, wicker and glass accent pieces add just enough of a luxurious touch. The lobby itself is quite a large space, and with the chandelier as a focal point, I guess not much else was needed in the space. So there were some nooks and crannies which felt awkwardly empty. But, if I were an interior designer, I'm not sure what could meaningfully fit in those spaces either.
Room - 4 out of 10
Although my stay was months ago, my nerves get slightly irked any time I think about this room. The modern and chic aesthetic did flow into the room. The decor maintained that great mix of textures, with woven materials softened by wood earthy tones. HOWEVER. If you tell me I'm getting a luxury room, I will believe you. Compared to Blue Waters, these rooms are SMALL - I thought the renovation from the days of White Sands meant that they'd knock down some walls to give more square footage. This was not the case. Plus, for one of the higher room categories, the so called ocean-view was next to non-existent, which was a big disappointment. The wifi was also a bit spotty / weak, and this was the same regardless of where one was on the Hideaway side of the property.
There are also many impractical features, such as the hanging lamp next to the bed. If you're not careful, you will bump into it. Thankfully the lamp shade is made from an acrylic plastic material, so it wouldn't necessarily break on impact. There is also no usable outlet to charge devices next to the bed (there are 3 under the TV though - make it make sense!). The bathroom is equally small - my husband and I are average height and build and the two of us could not comfortably be in the bathroom at the same time. The water pressure from the lovely rainhead shower was also quite low during our stay. Our TV was also entirely in spanish during our stay, with no option to change it to english. While that's great for language immersion, I'm not sure if that is default and intentional on the hotel's part.
Food & Drinks - 7 out of 10
The food was much better this time around than when we had stayed at Blue Waters just six months earlier. A big hit for us was the ice-cream at the cafe (banana split and rum cream flavours were so good!). The buffet selection is probably one of the best at any resort I've ever been to - and that's saying something! Pizzas seems to be a crowd favourite and there were a variety of options.
As for the drinks? Terrible. I ordered a margarita and got what was essentially iced tequila. If they were trying to get me drunk, they should've just said so. It was very convenient to have the restaurants close to the Hideaway side of the property, so getting a meal was very easy. While we didn't eat at all of the available restaurants, the decor style was consistent throughout, which made the ambience welcoming and expectant for a good meal.
The Asian restaurant - Zen - was a stunning piece of architecture, surrounded by a body of water. If I didn't have a shellfish allergy, I definitely would've eaten there. There are also a number of bars and casual seating areas all around, which makes the property really walkable and enjoyable to get a quick bite. Room service was great although the options were limited compared to other resorts. The delivery took longer than they stated it would (45 minutes) but it was worth the wait.
Customer Service - 2 out of 10
Let me be very clear. This rating is exclusively for the two room service staff who were very nice and thorough. Everyone else? It seemed as though there was a collective effort to ensure guests didn't come back. When we arrived, the bellmen watched me lug the bags out of the car and didn't once attempt to assist me. Noone in concierge smiled or engaged in a friendly manner. Besides giving us the bracelets which served as a room key and telling us how to connect to the wifi, no additional details about the hotel nor our stay were offered.
We also had a very strange and borderline uncomfortable encounters with the staff members overall. Ready for some story times? 1. There was a staff member advertising dinner on the beach packages. Not only did he approach us while we were having a meal, but he continued to say strange things such as "don't smash your vacation, I'm holding you accountable to enjoy it." - All with a stern, straight face. What does it even mean to smash a vacation?! It had the potential to be a nice sentiment, had it not felt like a threat! 2. We went to dinner at the Calypso (West Indian) because oxtail and rice & peas is a must! As usual, I report my shellfish allergy to the server. Having done so, the server's entire demeanour changed, and she proceeded to let me know (with no wasted breath) that I could not be accommodated / dine there. Was an alternative dining option recommended? Of course not.
Amenities & Entertainment - 7 out of 10
Since the property is shared with Blue Waters, the amenities are more or less the same. At the time of our stay, the spa was finally up and running! There's also a new casino / gaming lounge with blackjack, slots and other casino games, which didn't seem to be a big hit amongst guests as it was empty all day, every day. There's also a really spacious full sized rooftop tennis court, which is very hidden away unless you're actively seeking it out (no pun intended).
MADD Factor - Oh, you mean besides leaving?
This section is supposed to be the piece de la resistance of any property I visit. However, I find myself wanting and clutching for pearls, straws and whatever else is clutch-able at this point. After rummaging through the annals of notes and memories, I guess I can say that the clothing store - Amiani - was actually quite nice! Very rarely does a gift shop or clothing store stop me in my tracks, especially at a hotel. The clothing items were very resort chic, fashionable and reasonably priced! I actually found myself browsing and warding off temptation to buy clothes I don't need. It was definitely a step up from the typical Bob Marley t-shirts and "no problem mon" mugs.
Overall Rating: 5.2 out of 10
Verdict: Thank you, Next.
Now that all the amenities are up and running, if I am ever to return to a Royalton property, I'd probably choose the Blue Waters side of the property. Now, as to the likelihood of returning to this or any Royalton property? Probably as slim a chance as a return to Iberostar Grand or Moon Palace. If you know, you know.
As for what reviews are coming next? I'd love if you could help me to decide. My recent adventures have taken me to Ocean Coral Spring here in Jamaica, and on trips to Colombia, San Francisco, Canada, and Mexico. What would you be most interested in reading about first? Let me know in the comments and I'll happily oblige!
