Couples Negril Jamaica

Resort

Couples Negril is located in Negril, along the beautiful calm beaches of the Northwest of Jamaica. Some avoid the area because it usually requires a 90 minute road transfer (although flights are also available making the trip in just 10 minutes)) We always enjoy the “unwind” and and watching the lives of ordinary Jamaicans going on as we pass through two parishes as we follow the coast.

We found the resort very well organized, with required testing to return home scheduled for you when you checked in. The staff during our trip was a mixed bag, some were delighted to help with anything, greeting repeaters like it was old home week and others behaved as if every request was a terrible imposition, even when it was literally their job to make drink.

Our room was spacious, clean, comfortable and well serviced several times a day. For safety we often opened the doors and turned on the fans for a few minutes after servicing. Nine buildings of 30 rooms each were nicely spread across the resort. The beaches were beautiful, with plenty of room for everyone to spread out, and a small tucked away nude beach. There is a large pool and several hot tubs and despite the ocean just steps away, there were always plenty of people enjoying the pool scene.

We found the food to be on par with a mass market cruise ship, flavored to be acceptable to the average American palate, but the highlight meal being the midweek beachside dinner, with all the spicy traditional Jamaican specialties. There is a beachside barbeque and a pan Asian specialties restaurant as well as an included reservations only restaurant.

Clientele during the week we were there consisted mainly middle age couples from Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Iowa or Missouri, so all week long we were telling folks “hey, we just visited your hometown!” (See our Midwest trip report here) There were a smattering of honeymooners, and it’s Important to note that each week can have a very different demographic based on the time of year. Normally one wouldn’t except many newly weds the week after Thanksgiving, but post covid wedding back ups mean wedding venues are banged out because so many young couples are getting married after realizing they have already been living like an old married couple for a year locked up together. With that demand, it doesn’t surprise me if venues are scheduling weddings at all times of year, with couples desperate to take any date or venue, even if it’s the country club’s ladies restroom lounge at 2 pm on a December weekday!!

Water Sports

One of the fun things about most Jamaican resorts where we’ve stayed is that they offer included snorkeling and often diving! We took advantage to snorkel on one of the two daily half an hour snorkeling trip. There is a also a complimentary glass bottom boat tour every day.

We found the reefs in this part of Negril had “bounced back” quite a bit from what they looked like 2 years ago. The coral looked healthier and more colorful with less bleaching or broken pieces. Maybe a combination of fewer tourists and better formulations of reef safe sunscreens.

We were fortunate to see a wide variety of fish as well as spotted eagle rays on several days Unfortunately, we were not pleased with quality of photos produced by our new underwater camera, so we didn’t capture the true beauty and color of the reefs.

The use of several small craft is complimentary, including sailboats, paddle boards and kayaks, and there are lessons, tubing and water skiing available at extra cost. A sunset catamaran cruise is included and can be reserved in advance at guest services.

Resort Activities and Entertainment

CN provided a full day of activities in addition to the water sports center, with everything from fitness classes to Jenga and popular craft making classes. The daily beach volleyball game was well attended during our week by the newlyweds and Peleton dads.

Each evening after dinner, there was an excellent house band performing during dinner and accompanying a variety of entertainers and singers on the stage. Our favorite was the high energy Silver Steel Drum band, who not only played some incredibly well arranged pan songs but also did humorous dance routines. After 10 PM, the action usually moved to the small enclosed disco over looking the beach with a DJ spinning a set of dance songs based on the day’s theme.

The beach is lined with several resorts, and it was possible to walk well over a mile from end to end of the beach, passing a small pop up craft market on the public part of the beach, before encountering inaccessible cliffs and rocks.