What People are saying

Great holiday but improvement could be made

KimmyC94on 03/07/2017 10:17

I've recently returned from a 2 week stay at the Holiday Inn with my partner and our 2 year old daughter. I'll split this review into sections just to make it easier.

Check in:
Upon arrival we were greeted with a mixed cocktail type drink which had the choice of alcoholic or non alcoholic, we were then given two room cards and our all inclusive wristbands were put on, if you lose your wrist band it's a $100 fee which I thought was a bit high but ours stayed on securely for the whole duration, couldn't imagine them coming off unless you were trying to get it off to be honest. Our room cards deactivated every other day and we had to keep going down to reception to get this problem solved but I think it was our own fault because my partner kept keeping it in his phone case but we weren't told this could tamper with it until the 7th time it happened! We were then pointed to the direction of our block and left to find our room with three heavy suitcases and a pushchair with our toddler in on our own without any help which was quite rude because throughout the holiday I saw lots of people getting their suitcases pushed around for them who had less luggage. Maybe we needed to ask but every other place we've been on holiday someone has always automatically helped with luggage out of courtesy, little things like that make a big difference baring in mind we'd just arrived at the hotel and didn't know our way around the complex yet, anyway we managed to find our room with ease.

Rooms:
We stayed in block 3 on the 3rd floor, the rooms were clean and beds were big. We had a tv, a safe, iron and ironing board, hair dryer, cups and tea/coffee facilities. One of the main down points is that there was no fridge in our room which in my eyes is a basic. We also had no hot water coming from the shower for the first couple of days until we spoke to our Thompson rep and they got the hotel to send someone to fix it. The rooms and most of the hotel could do with updating, the power in the hotel wasn't great, my hair straighteners just about worked and my curlers just died as soon as I pressed the on button but it was too humid to bother doing my hair and wearing it down most of the time anyway. Our view wasn't great and no smoking is allowed on the balcony.

Food:
There is a main dining area which serves breakfast, lunch and dinner buffet style as well as two snack type bars one which sells burgers, chips, cheese toasties etc and the other selling hot dogs, nachos and ice cream. There was also the jerk hut where we went for our lunch most days which serves jerk chicken or pork. There are also four different restaurants to book into Sorrento which serves Italian, Terrace which serves Jamaican, Seabreeze which serves seafood and Kenko which is Japanese teppanyaki, this is the only restaurant which has a surcharge of $20 per person. We tried every restaurant at least once, Kenko was probably my favourite and Seabreeze being my least which was disappointing because I love seafood but it was dodgy and over cooked. Everyone in my family had an upset stomach at some point in the holiday and I did witness flies crawling on the bagels and fruit at breakfast time. I found the food in the main dining area pretty bad and tasteless. We always had something to eat but couldn't say I ever really enjoyed it. I ordered a birthday cake on the last night for my partner to come out at dinner, this was $26 which I think is quite over priced (but everything in Jamaica was) it was also too big of a cake for two of us, we didn't even eat half of it but I wanted to celebrate in some way before we headed home, maybe the hotel should consider a cheaper and smaller cake for smaller parties.

Staff:
Most of the staff were lovely and very hard working. I felt bad for some of them working in the outdoor kitchens in the heat, I don't know what they get paid but think that Holiday Inn should pay them more! Lewis who worked in the Barefoot Bar was the most memorable for us because he was so lovely. There were few staff though who were miserable and sometimes made you feel more of a nuisance than anything.

Pool/beach:
The pool and beach are great for children as it's all really shallow. Even when you walk over to the little island on the beach the water didn't go higher than waist level. I can't comment on the adult pool as never went in it. Aqua aerobics was on every morning, I joined in a few times but it got boring because the same playlist was used every day so was sick of hearing it by the end of the holiday!

Other hotel amenities:
Entertainment most nights was quite bad.
There is a children's play area and a kids club. We never went in the club but we took my daughter on the play area most days, it definitely needs updating we noticed 3 out of 4 bolts were missing on one of the slides which was a safety concern and also would be better in a shaded area as the slides were boiling hot in the middle of the day so unusable.
I went to the gym a couple of times which I was impressed with, there were treadmills, cross trainers, bikes and weight machines etc.
There are also was a pool table, ping pong table, tennis court, mini golf course and basket ball court.
The ATM machine at hotel charges €6 per withdrawal.
The nurse at the hotel is pretty pointless, she arrived an hour late and when I visited her in relation to a skin condition I had developed on my leg just told me to put ice on it when I needed medicated cream.
There are two shops one which sells snacks, drinks, cigarettes and souvenirs and the other which sells clothing, both are over priced. There are shops across the road from hotel where you can haggle and get better prices just be prepared to be bothered by locals to buy things.
There is also a free shuttle which takes you to the rose hall shops but wouldn't recommend it.
We went on two excursions one to dolphin cove and dunns river falls and the other to Negril where we went to the beach and then to Ricks cafe to watch the sunset.

All in all I was sad to leave because we had a great family holiday, this was my second time in Jamaica but my first time staying in Montego Bay. We would return but probably not to this hotel.

1st time to the holiday inn

Suemgon 02/07/2017 18:45

After reading reviews that others put on I was a little dubious about booking this hotel. Yes like others have said the hotel is not a plush 5 star however, the staff are excellent and are very friendly. Yes the rooms are dated but all we do is sleep in them so to me that was not an issue.
Food is excellent and there was always a wide variety. Visited the Sea Breeze 3 times throughout our 2 weeks stay and the food is excellent in there. Didn't get to visit the Italian because my husband did not take any long trousers so we was not allowed to visit. Lesson learnt for next time.
Sea does have a lot of seaweed but there is areas that doesn't and it did not pose a problem to us. Snorkelling was very good around the island with several varieties of fish.
Will definitely be booking to go back to Jamaica next year and it will be back to the same hotel, enjoyed my stay here.

Totally misleading

Colin Ron 02/07/2017 15:05

Just arrived home.
On arrival we were told it was a non smoking hotel with a 250 dollar fine if caught. But was given a 4m area to smoke in for the entire hotel to use. No smoking around pool , on the beach, ground outside bars etc.
The relaxing adult pool with swim up bar was the loudest part of the entire resort with gangs of young lads drinking and playing rugby in the water, we we're told "they were enjoying thereselves, avoiding all the mixed drink thrown in the pool all frothed up like scum to get to the bar was another issue.
The electrical appliances need checking before use, especially the hairdryers. Which can literally throw out flames. Sockets have wires hanging out.
Whilst at the smoking area a tree collapsed on a woman, to which she had no help from management and incurred expensive hospital treatment which she was told they could do nothing about it. The disabled toilet caused more embarrassment when the handles were ripped of the wall whilst in use and left the person on the floor.
Whilst making a cup of tea in the restaurant I looked in the cupboard for cups and came face to face with a dead rat, after approaching reception and telling them I was told to see someone in the restaurant. 5 members of staff later I actually got it removed.
The restaurant and lobby bar are full of cheap flimsy plastic chairs and tables. The entertainment at night has to be watched on sun loungers.
The food is very repetitive, same every day virtually.
Entertainment consists of the same thing every day, religious themed.
The bars are understaffed, which means waiting ages for drinks.
We were told not to give food or drink to the security men or face a 75 dollar fine. One man was actually marched to reception to pay the$250 fine for lighting a cigarette up by the beach.
Can't fault the waiters and cleaners , they were good as gold and got on with their work regardless. Management need a proper shake up.
The hotel itself is dated and in desperate need of modernization.
This could have never been any more than a 2 star rated hotel. Poor quality furniture and decor.

Will never return to this hotel . But would return to Jamaica.
Thompson's really need to look at this hotel

Better than I anticipated! Went with my wife for our 25th anniversary

bent530on 02/07/2017 01:27

I have nothing but good things to say about our trip! My platinum membership allowed me VIP access, and I was treated accordingly. I was allowed to upgrade my room from a standard king to an ocean front view....i stood on my balcony and looked straight out at the ocean! The upgrade to ocean FRONT vs ocean View, meant I moved to an older building. I didn't mind at all. Though my room may have been a bit more dated, the view was awesome!
I used reward points for my trip. I was hesitant looking at some of the online pictures. The place was much better than I imagined or thought from the photos!!!
If you have to have 5 star service or accommodations, then this probably is not for you. However, if you are looking for a great place to relax, enjoy the excursions, and eat, then this is a great place. There is something for everyone to eat, and the sit down restaurants which requires reservations (though I did walk up and get in one night!) is very good food.

Fabulous!

Tracy Lon 01/07/2017 02:20

We just got home from our 7 day stay. We were a group of 10.. 4 kids and 6 adults..this was my first trip and it wont be my last.. We loved it... Hotel and staff are wonderful ... Food was grate... We loved the sea breeze restraint food was amazing and so was our server! Hotel is clean. Its dated but has charm. Pool was wonderful so was the sea...spent allot of time in both . we had a wonderful time... The kids loved it.. Entertainment was good... The bad reviews on here really aren't anything that should detour you. Best vacation ever !