Holiday Weekend in Negril and the Sandy Haven Resort

 I saw a Gustazos offer for the Sandy Haven Resort, located along the famous 7-mile beach in Negril. I had already heard of Sandy Haven, and had it on a list of places to check out, so I figured this was as good a time as any. Once I found out that Hero’s weekend was available (sometimes the hotels will block off holiday weekends from these sorts of promotion), I decided it was a go.

The offer was  US$219 for a 3-Day and 2-Night Stay for 2 Adults in a Superior Garden View Room/ US$259 in a Superior Ocean View Room. This included: Continental Breakfast + 2 Welcome Drinks + 1-Day Cabana Rental + Late Checkout + 10% Discount on Lunch & Dinner + 10% Discount on Spa Treatments.

Getting There

The new North-South Highway makes Negril that much closer. Driving along the north coast, you can get to Negril in 3 hrs now from Kingston, as opposed to the 4 hrs + that it would take before. The Sandy Haven Resort is located on Norman Manley Boulevard, on the main Negril strip.

The Resort

We got there on Saturday afternoon and were treated to welcome drinks during check in. Check in went relatively smoothly.

Lobby at Sandy Haven Resort

However when we got to our room, it was still not ready. I wasn’t happy about that, especially since we got there well after the check in time. I  lodged a complaint at the front desk and was offered a late checkout for my trouble. Though the Gustazo  already had late checkout included, I decided to let it go

The room was very spacious and nicely appointed.

What we did

I had always wanted to try those little bikes/scooters that everyone seems to have in Negril, and ride along the West End. Alas, luck was not on my side. I’m not sure if it was because it was a Sunday, or the tourist off season, but several of the bike shops on the West End were not open.  By the time we found this out, we would have had to go back down to the strip to get rentals and we decided not to bother. We went ahead and explored a bit by car. We drove a litlle bit further than I’d ever been on the West End and took a walk along the cliffs.

View from a cliff along the West End

After lunch, we headed back to the resort and went for a swim until the afternoon showers began.

Where we ate

There was a complimentary continental breakfast included, so we had breakfast there both mornings.

We had lunch on the Sunday after our West End jaunt at the “Corner Bar”. You can find it right on the corner where the road up to the West End begins. The food was very good, reasonably priced and filling. I have since discovered that it is officially called the Seaview Sports Bar and Grill.  If going for dinner, try to get there before 7pm if you want to try the conch dishes as these sell out quickly!

Seaview Sports Bar & Grill (photo: Google Earth)

Typical Menu at Seview Sports Bar & Grill, Negril

Later that evening we had dinner at Ivan’s, the restaurant at the Catch-a-Falling-Star Resort. We had stayed at “Catcha” a couple years before, but never had dinner there. I had originally made plans to watch the sunset, but as the time drew nigh I noticed it was pretty overcast and unlikely to yield the typically gorgeous sunset. 

If you are looking for a nice dinner in Negril, I would definitely recommend  Ivan’s. Ivan’s is private dining during the day, but opens to the public from 5pm. The setting is great and the food is pretty good. I had the seafood linguine and Stef had the chicken breast stuffed with callaloo and cheese. Very good! The menu had a great mix of local and international cuisine with interesting combinations and yummy sounding sauces.

Sandy Haven has their own Restaurant named Bongos, but we didn’t have a chance to dine there.

On our last day we had a leisurely morning at the hotel before heading back into Kingston. On our way home, we had lunch at the relatively new Mystic Thai restaurant in Fairview Montego Bay. For the menu see here. 

Overall, Sandy Haven is a lovely little hotel and I would recommend it if you are looking for a nice stay on the strip. We ended up spending a lot of time off-property and as such did not make full use of the amenities offered which can be found here.

A lot of people come to Negril to stay on the famous 7-mile beach strip. However this trip confirmed for me that I much prefer the vibe and the cliffs of the West End. 

Tips

• To watch the sunset, try somewhere like Ivan’s instead of Rick’s. It has the same vantage point but without the crowds and noise.
•  Get  to Seaview Bar & Grill before 7 if you want o try the conch dishes!
• Most Gustazos Jamaica offers are valid only for Jamaican residents