Sandals Negril: Our Honest Review

Jamaica is a top romantic travel destination, offering beautiful beaches, plenty to do, and affordable luxury all-inclusive resorts.

We recently visited Sandals Negril, located on Seven Mile Beach, and it was our favorite of the Sandals Resorts in Jamaica (until Sandals Dunn’s River opened). One thing that sets this location apart is the amazing sunsets you only completely see from this Western part of the island. In our review of Sandals Negril, we will share our experience with the food, service, beach, pools, and activities.

Check Out Our Video Review of Sandals Negril

Arriving at Sandals Negril

To get to Sandals Negril, the closest airport is in Montego Bay at Sangster International Airport. After our flight arrived we made our way to the Sandals Lounge and were quickly sent on our way on a small shuttle. The drive was around 90 minutes on a well-maintained road. We both get car sick but had no issue with this drive.

I do recommend you look at how many arrivals will be coming to the airport around the same time as your flight. If you are arriving in the middle of the day, consider purchasing access to Club Mobay which gets you through customs quickly.

After arriving at the resort we were led to the Sandals Club Lounge to check into our room. We waited briefly before being escorted to our room.

After arriving at our room we called Club Sandals and asked them to make dinner reservations for us for the rest of our time at the resort. This is the best way to make sure you find reservations at any of the restaurants that require them.

Sandals Negril Rooms & Suites

One of the best things about Sandals Negril is almost all rooms are beachfront. Only three room types do not have an ocean view so keep that in mind when making reservations.

We stayed in a Caribbean Beachfront Walkout Grande Luxe Club Level Room w/ Patio Tranquility Soaking Tub and thought it was wonderful.

If we wanted to splurge a bit more we would have booked a Swim Crystal Lagoon Beachfront One Bedroom Butler Suite. These suites are located at the far end of the resort and have a swim-up pool and are very close to the beach as well.

Overall, Sandals Negril has 226 rooms and suites in 16 categories over four villages and they are currently finishing construction on additional rooms (as of June 2023) that may be available by the time you read this.

Some other unique rooms include the Caribbean Honeymoon Beachfront Two Story Butler Loft Suite and the Millionaire Honeymoon One Bedroom Butler Suite with Private Pool Sanctuary.

Newest Rooms

Sandals Negril just opened a few brand new rooms in the Bamboo Grove. These rooms include swim-up suites, club rooms with ocean views and tranquility soaking tubs, and butler suites with private sky pools.

Sandals Negril Food & Drink Review

All food and drinks are included at Sandals Negril so do not be shy when it comes to ordering.

For breakfast, we went to Barefoot By The Sea for a la carte personal service every day for breakfast. Since most guests go to the buffet breakfast it is not very busy. We loved having our feet in the sand as we woke up with an amazing meal and the staff recognized us after our first day and had an idea of what we were going to order. It was a perfect way to start our day.

For lunch, we enjoyed the recently opened Perla restaurant which services tacos and other Mexican cuisine with some Jamaican influence. Bayside has a buffet or a la carte service, and we loved the freshly made brick oven pizza.

For dinner, Kinonos is a fun option with Japanese Teppanyaki and the Sundowner has a great variety on the menu with a perfect sunset view.

You can also go to Beaches Negril for additional dining options and we highly recommend Soy for sushi!

There are 5 bars at Sandals Negril, including swim-up bars, a piano bar, and a traditional British pub. As part of the 5-Star Luxury Included® experience, Sandals only serves premium brand liquors.

You can order whatever you like, including specialties you would expect at a tropical resort, like a Pina Colada, Margarita, Blue Lagoon, or a Bahama Mama. The swim-up bar at the main pool is the most lively and the Beach Bistro Bar rarely had a wait.

In all rooms, there is a mini-fridge stocked and refreshed daily with water, juice, soda, Robert Mondavi Twin Oaks Wine, and local beer. Additionally, every room includes a coffeemaker with delicious Jamaican Blue Mountain Blend coffee.

Sandals Negril Beach & Pool Review

Sandals Negril is located on Jamaica’s famous Seven Mile Beach, a beautiful stretch of powder-soft white sand along with the vivid colors of the Caribbean. The water here is calm and crystal clear, perfect for swimming.

What sets Negril apart from many other resorts is the watersports. You can go wakeboarding, waterskiing, and tubing daily behind a Sandals speed boat. Additionally, you can do other nonmotorized sports like kayaking, and stand-up paddleboarding. You can snorkel right off the beach at Sandals Negril and see colorful reefs and abundant marine life.

The only thing different about Sandals Negril compared to other Sandals Resorts in Jamaica is Negril is a public beach and that means vendors can come by. They are not very bothersome and won’t actually enter the area with beach chairs. Musicians will come by and play for tips and vendors will come by with hats, sunglasses, marijuana, and other things. But they are not very intrusive.

There are several pools at Sandals. The main pool is the most lively. We enjoyed going there to hang out at the bar and play volleyball each day. The other pool we liked was the crystal lagoon pool. Even if you are not staying at the swim-up suites there area a few chairs there so anyone can take advantage of the perfect location near the pool at the beach.

Sandals Negril Activities

We really enjoyed the variety of things to do at Sandals Negril. As mentioned above, the beach itself is a big attraction.

Beyond the watersports already mentioned, cuba diving is included; certified divers can dive up to twice a day or you can take a course to become certified at an additional cost.

There’s also snorkeling, waterskiing, wakeboarding, kneeboarding, aqua trikes, windsurfing, Hobie Cat sailing, paddleboarding, and kayaking; all equipment and professional instruction is included.

On land you can lounge on the beach or play beach volleyball, bocce ball, pool, or tennis—all land sports are also complimentary. You can also take advantage of the state-of-the-art fitness center and exercise classes.

Nightly activities at Sandals Negril include theme nights, cocktail parties, beach parties, and live music.

For extra fees, you can go on more than 30 area excursions, including rum tours, ziplining, snorkeling cruises, dolphin encounters, deep-sea fishing, and ATV adventures.

Nearby Excursions

If you are spending time in Negril, the best nearby excursion is to Rick’s Cafe. It isn’t just a place to eat. Here you will find cliffs for jumping. You can jump off some of the smaller ones, and you can watch some real daredevils jumping of huge cliffs.

The best way to get here is on one of the Catamaran cruises that pick you up on the resort, but you can also take a taxi.

The Spa at Sandals Negril

Indulge at the tranquil Red Lane Spa, which offers full-service spa treatments (not included in your stay, but worth the splurge!). The tranquil spa features treatment rooms, a beauty salon, a Yoga-Pilates studio, a steam room, plunge pools, and relaxation areas in secluded gardens.

What is included at Sandals Negril?

Sandals Resorts claim to offer “more quality inclusions than any other resort in the world.” These include gourmet dining (all meals and snacks) at multiple restaurants and cafés; unlimited non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages including unlimited premium liquors and unlimited Robert Mondavi Twin Oaks wines.

You will find a minibar in your room that is refreshed daily, stocked with juice, water, soft drinks, wine, and beer; a coffee maker with Jamaican Blue Mountain Blend coffee.

Around the resort, you can enjoy water sports like snorkeling, paddleboarding, and kayaking, including equipment and professional instruction; scuba diving (including equipment).

One unexpected inclusive is all tips, taxes, and gratuities.

Plus, stay a minimum of 3 nights at a Sandals resort and get a free wedding! This is a wonderful way to make a destination wedding in Jamaica affordable.

If you honeymoon at Sandals Negril within 30 days of your wedding date, you’ll get a complimentary honeymoon package that includes a bottle of chilled sparkling wine, special turndown service with flower petals on your bed the first evening of your honeymoon, fresh flowers, and a decadent breakfast in bed one morning of your choice.

How far is Sandals Negril from the airport?

Sandals Negril is about an hour from the airport. A 60-minute air-conditioned roundtrip bus transfer from Montego Bay International Airport is also included in your stay at Sandals Negril. You may hear horror stories about the roads in Jamaica, but this stretch of road is well taken care of.

For a truly relaxing arrival and departure on your Jamaican vacation, consider adding Club Mobay services to your trip. This service offers an expedited arrival process and exclusive airport lounges to help you sink into that vacation feeling right away.

Other Sandals Resorts Near Sandals Negril

All of the other Sandals Resorts are too far away to enjoy on a day trip. You can however go to Beaches Negril. There you can enjoy some water slides and additional dining options like Soy, the sushi bar, and Kimonos, a japanese teppanyaki restaurant.

What to Pack for Sandals Negril

You can pack light when you stay at a Sandals Resort since so much is provided for you. For example, you don’t need to pack a hairdryer or beach towel. You’ll want to pack beach essentials like a sun hat and sunscreen, but a gift shop is available onsite in case you forget any necessities.

In terms of clothes, the dress code is casual during the day and resort elegant at night, which means a mix of shorts, t-shirts and tanks, sundresses, casual slacks, and swimsuits, plus dressier outfits for dining in the nicer restaurants.

Tipping at Sandals Negril

At Sandals resorts, even tips, taxes, and gratuities are included! There is no need to worry about tipping the bartender, the bellman, or your server at one of the specialty restaurants.

However, if you have butler service your butler can and will accept tips. We recommend tipping a butler $20 a day, depending on how much you use their services.

Spa therapists and airport transport drivers should also be tipped.

TripAdvisor Rating: 4.5

Google Rating: 4.5

Now that you know all about Sandals Negril, are you ready to plan your honeymoon or couples’ vacation at this luxury all-inclusive resort in Jamaica?

he search for the perfect honeymoon destination can be a daunting task. You want your trip to be relaxing and memorable, but you also want it to be affordable. Luckily, there is one spot that will meet all of these requirements: Sandals Negril, Jamaica!

Sandals Negril is one of six Sandals resorts in Jamaica and provides a laid-back experience perfect for a honeymoon. As an all-inclusive resort, there is no need to worry about where you will eat and what activities you will do since it is all waiting for you. And if you are looking for paradise, you can find it at the adult-only Sandals Negril.

The resort is located on the longest and best stretch of Jamaica’s legendary Seven Mile Beach with beautiful sand and is surrounded by luscious landscaping.

The adult-only resort was awarded an EarthCheck Double Platinum Certification for its commitment to environmental excellence for over a decade.

Between the all-inclusive amenities and food, unlimited premium liquor, amazing service, spacious rooms, and the well-maintained property, Sandals Negril is a perfect choice for your honeymoon or romantic trip together.

There is a lot to think about when choosing a resort for your honeymoon, so we have included as much detail below to help you make your choice.

What is included?

At Sandals resorts, when they say all-inclusive, they really mean you can arrive at the resort without having to worry about what is included and what is not.

Unlimited Fine Dining

For food, there is unlimited fine dining at 7 restaurants, including breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks.

Unlimited All-Inclusive Drinks

For drinks, Sandals only serves premium brand liquors that are always included and unlimited. At Sandals Negril, there are 5 bars, including swim-up bars.

As part of the 5-Star Luxury Included® experience, Sandals only serves premium brand liquors that are always included and unlimited. You can order whatever you would like, including specialties you would expect at a tropical resort, like a Pina Colada, Margarita, Blue Lagoon, or a Bahama Mama.

In all rooms, there is a mini-fridge with soft drinks, local beer, and Robert Mondavi Twin Oaks. In the club-level suites, the minibars include a selection of premium liquor as well.

Additionally, every room includes a coffeemaker with Jamaican Blue Mountain Blend coffee.

Tips

At Sandals resorts, even tips, taxes, and gratuities are included for most services you would usually tip for! There is no need to worry about tipping the bartender, the bellman, or your server at one of the specialty restaurants. There are some services that you can (and probably should) tip for, but we will go into that b

Roundtrip airport transfers

A 60-minute air-conditioned bus transfer from Montego Bay International Airport to Sandals Negril and back is included.

Included Activities

At Sandals Negril, even scuba diving is included. For certified divers, you can dive up to twice a day with two tanks a day!

Scuba courses are not included but start at $120.

At Sandals Negril waterskiing is included behind professional purpose-built Mastercraft boats. All snorkeling equipment is available as well as other fun water activities like Hobie Cats, paddleboards, and kayaks. Even if you do not know what you are doing, there is professional instruction available for watersports.

Around the resort, there is always something to do. You’ll find beach volleyball, bocce ball, pool tables, and tennis courts, and other land sports.

For all Jamaica, Sandals resorts complimentary green fees are included, but the course is located in Ochi, Jamaica so it is a bit far. Transfers to the golf course are an additional cost.

If you are looking for a workout, the Red Lane Spa has complimentary classes and workout equipment available.

Entertainment

Enjoy Sandals theme nights during your stay! Every day of the week is different. You’ll have the opportunity to enjoy, Reggae Fest, Boonoonoonoos Beach Party, Island Night, Jamaica Jamboree, Island Romance, and more.

A few days a week there will be additional cocktail parties in the afternoon.

A Free Wedding at Sandals

If you are staying for over 3 nights you can get married for free!

Room Service

All Day Room Service from 7:00 AM – 10:00 PM.

What is Not included

You can come to Sandals without spending an additional penny, but there are a few opportunities to spend a little bit more.

Spa treatments are available at an additional cost. Could you imagine how many therapists and spa rooms they would need if they were included in the price?

Additionally, the spa staff is some of the few employees that can accept tips, along with butlers, the staff from off-property tours, and the transfer drivers, since they are not employed by Sandals.

While Scuba diving is included in your stay, the courses are not. Be prepared to pay for them or even better, get scuba certified before you come.

Around the pool, you can rent private cabanas at an additional cost. There are over 30 tours available to book through Sandals include rum tours, ziplines, snorkeling cruises, dolphin encounters, deep-sea fishing, ATV adventures to name a few.

Honeymoon Packages at Sandals Negril

Sandals Negril is an ideal place for a honeymoon. Beyond all the many things included in a stay at a Sandals resort, if you make your trip within 30 days of your wedding date, there are a few addons that comes free.

For a honeymoon at Sandals Negril, you will enjoy:

• A bottle of chilled sparkling wine is elegantly arranged in your room to toast your future.
• A special turndown service that includes flower petals on your bed on the first evening of your honeymoon.
• Fresh flowers and a decadent breakfast in bed one morning of your choice.

Wedding Packages at Sandals Negril

The free Wedding Package at Sandals includes:

• A personal wedding planning team
• Preparation of marriage documents
• Picturesque ceremony location
• Bridal bouquet and a groom’s boutonniere of fuchsia Dendrobium orchids
• Reception including a wedding cake, table settings, a cocktail reception including a signature cocktail, and more.

When you get married at Sandals Negril you also receive:

• Breakfast in bed with mimosas for the morning of your choice
• Romantic turn-down service the first evening of your honeymoon.
• Honeymoon dinner with white-glove service in a specialty restaurant.

For an additional price, you can customize your wedding with chair caps, a ceremony structure, and other details.

When you stay longer at the resort, you receive even more. With a 7 night stay, you receive:

• $500 toward license and administrative fees
• $500 towards a room upgrade
• $200 Anniversary credit or videography credit on select packages
• $100 towards scuba, snuba, cabana, or candlelight dinner

The Bells & Whistles packages get even better when more people come to your wedding.

These extras range from tiki torches, sangria bars, Lobster dinners, firepit parties, and even more.

Test Drive Your Destination Wedding

Before saying “I Do” to Sandals, you can go for a test drive. This includes a discounted rate and gives you the chance to meet with a wedding planner and go over all the details of your upcoming wedding.

Is Sandals Negril clothing optional?

No, while there are sections of the Seven Mile Beach that are unofficially clothing options and there are clothing options resorts on the beach, that is not the case at Sandals.

In their own words, “Sandals and Beaches Resorts do not promote or advertise clothing optional or topless sunbathing. In the event a guest chooses to participate in this activity in more remote areas, Sandals and Beaches management will intervene only if it becomes disruptive to our guests. We welcome the opportunity to host you at one of our award-winning resorts.”

Is Sandals Negril a couples only resort?

Yes, in their own works Sandals states “Because we wanted to make your vacation as romantic and relaxing as possible, only couples may stay at Sandals. But we open our arms to welcome singles, friends, and families to our fabulous Beaches Resorts.”

Which is better Montego Bay or Negril?

Overall, Montego Bay is more popular and known to be a tourist hot spot. Negril is more laid back and better for relaxation.

How to arrive from the airport?

Sandals provide a 60-minute air-conditioned bus transfer from Montego Bay International Airport to Sandals Negril and back.

Is there a dress code at the specialty dining locations?

Most restaurants a Sandals have a resort casual dress code. This means shorts or jeans, t-shirts or polo shirts. Swimwear must be covered.

Kimonos and Sundowner require Resort Evening Attire which means dress pants/trousers or jeans for men, long or short sleeve dress shirts. Dress shoes or sandals. No shorts, t-shirts, sleeveless shirts, sneakers, flip-flops, or slippers. No hats or caps. 

What is included in butler service?

Having your own personal butler will take your experience to a whole new level! Your personal butler is trained in accordance with exacting standards by the Guild of Professional English Butlers, which provides butlers and valets to nobility and celebrities worldwide.

You can expect your butler to greet you with scented towels upon arrival, offer welcome cocktails and snacks and escort you to your suite, taking care of your luggage.

Throughout your stay, you can contact them whenever you need anything like making reservations, serving you your favorite drinks, serving you lunch by the pool or on the beach, expedite room service orders and arrange for a romantic dinner for two in your suite or on your patio.

24-hour room service is included.

Pricing

A stay starts at $257 per person/per night. This would be for the Caribbean Deluxe room.

For a Millionaire Honeymoon One Bedroom Butler Suite with Private Pool Sanctuary, prices start at $628 pp/pn.

Other suites and rooms will fall somewhere in between those prices. You can expect to pay more if you go during a popular time to travel.

Compare Sandals Negril with nearby Sandals Resorts

Need more honeymoon inspiration, here are a few recommended articles:

• Sandals Negril vs Sandals Ochi
• Best Honeymoon All-Inclusive Packages
• Best Adult-Only All-Inclusive Resorts in Jamaica
• Best Honeymoon Destinations in the World
• Best Negril Adult Only All Inclusive