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Montego Bay, Jamaica - Part 1
Written by: Janet Pope
Photography by: Donald
Montego Bay, Jamaica: Where I under booked, over packed and was overexposed.
My husband and I planned a quick getaway to Jamaica, but soon discovered that the three days that we booked for the trip were definitely not enough time to enjoy all there was to enjoy, both at our hotel and in the surrounding area. It felt like a definite tease. Usually it takes us at least a day to unwind and start to relax on any vacation, but in Jamaica, we both felt relaxed as soon as the driver at the airport said, "No problem, Mon." Unfortunately, the whole time we were there, I kept counting down the hours until we had to leave. Three days is not enough.
On another note, even though I have traveled quite a bit, I still tend to over pack. It's the old Girl Scout in me trying always to be prepared. Donald, on the other hand, could literally go away with a few changes of underwear, a pair of jeans and a couple of tee shirts. He claims that nifty trait goes back to his camping days. Anyway, our resort, The Holiday Inn Sunspree, like the country itself, aims at being laid back and carefree-- the ultimate goal of a true vacation. We quickly observed that a guest here can literally live in a swimsuit and cover up from sunrise to sunset. There are three a la carte restaurants on the premises that encourage more dressy attire, but the main dining area is as casual as the Jamaican atmosphere. I ended up taking home a suitcase half filled with unworn clothes, giving Donald yet another reason to say "I told you so."
My third mistake was overexposure. Everyone warned me about the strong rays of the Jamaican sun, so I did pack sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses and even sun repellant clothing. Again, I thought I was prepared. The big question is-- did I remember to use them all the time? Well, most of the time I did. On our third day, I enjoyed a great water aerobic exercise class in the pool, and though I might have lost a pound or two, I gained a stinging sunburn. I am still hearing Donald repeating "I told you so.” You can tell he is very good at pointing out my mistakes.
Yet despite the mistakes, we had a wonderful time in Jamaica, thanks in part to all of the warm, hospitable and helpful Jamaican people that we met, and especially due to our all inclusive hotel-- The Holiday Inn Sunspree.
Before visiting any area my husband loves to learn about the country-- its heritage and its history. Our ride from the airport gave us a glimpse at both the undeveloped valuable land and the rich natural greenery. Throughout Montego Bay we could see the contradiction of progress and struggle-- progress for tourism in the form of luxury hotels and struggle for many of the everyday working Jamaicans. The roads we traveled were rough, bumpy and in some spots flooded due to a short rain. The roadsides were dotted with small shacks, serving as both dwellings and wayside stores. The finer homes set off on hills had rust color tiled roofs, filigree window grills and surrounding palm trees and bright red flowers in abundance.
There are three major tourist areas in Jamaica- Negril, Ocho Rios and Montego Bay. The country, rich in natural resources and beauty, boasts 145 rivers. It's a land built on a proud heritage stemming out of several diverse cultural influences from Africa, Spain and England. Tourism leads the economy and sugar cane, bananas, rum and coffee are their main exports. The pristine beaches and the Caribbean music and food have attracted visitors for years and continue to do so, despite a delicate economy.
The Holiday Inn Sunspree was built in 1970 and underwent major renovations in 1995 and again in 2004 due to hurricane damage. The main building is surrounded by seven units, housing 524 deluxe rooms. The newly refurbished lobby area is uniquely built with no side walls, expanding out into the bar and main restaurant, with an open view of the pool and the nightclub stage.
Our room was a welcome oasis upon our arrival. The living room and the bedroom, both set in pale ocean blue hues, expanded into one large space. The Jacuzzi in the bathroom jutted into the bedroom, separated only by flowing sheer curtains. Sliding glass doors led out to an extra long patio, overlooking the bay and a view that alone was worth the price of the airline ticket.
We took some time to roam around the resort. Even though it was busy, the grounds are so spacious and activities so varied, that the guests were truly spread out and seemed to be having a wonderful time. We couldn't wait to join them. So we changed into suits and began to unwind by one of the three pools.
Though our time here was short, we tried to pack in as much relaxation and adventure as we could. We walked the white beaches early in the morning and again each night. We read by the pool, as well as on the resort’s little private island. We listened to the Caribbean music and let the stress of work drift away.
The Sunspree has facilities for basketball, tennis, scuba diving, snorkeling, power sailing and deep sea fishing for the energetic and athletic. Or you can chose to just chill out on their half mile of private beach, enjoy the music or take advantage of the organized daily activities. One of my favorite daily activities was visiting the hotel casino. It is a small casino with about two dozen slot machines, but I felt the lure of the ringing bells and made a visit almost every time I passed by, which was often since it is right off the lobby area. Unlike Atlantic City, where you are in a darkened room, with no concept of day or night, I loved that this casino was in an open walled area, facing out to the pool and the beach. You can gamble and feel a fresh breeze at the same time.
For those with small children there is also a baby club and a kid's club. Each can occupy your little ones, while you take advantage of some of the adult activities. Donald saw the day care facility and asked why we never went to a resort that had this when our kids were little.
Part
1
Part 2
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