Sandals Negril: Our Honest Review

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 to help you decide if it is right for you or to help you prepare if you are planning to go.

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.

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.

On our return trip we had a butler room and the butler took care of all of our dinner reservations.

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.

On our first trip to Sandals Negril, we stayed in a Caribbean Beachfront Walkout Grande Luxe Club Level Room w/ Patio Tranquility Soaking Tub and thought it was wonderful. The beach was literally steps away anytime we wanted to pop in. It was also to one side of the resort so it was pretty quiet all the time.

We returned in July of 2024 and new rooms had been constructed. We stayed in a Bamboo Grove One-Bedroom Skypool Butler Suite. This suite was amazing! We ended up spending more time in the room than anything else.

It was so nice to be able to hop in the pool to cool off whenever we wanted to. The suite was very large so if one of us was sleeping in the other could be in the living room without bothering the other.

We also loved the location near the beach (as every room is) but also near Crema, the ice cream and coffee shop so we could always pop down to grab a snack.

One thing to be careful of when choosing a resort is the cheapest rooms have a “tropical garden” view. This means the door faces the road which can be noisy.

Sandals Negril Food & Drink Review

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

To start our day we always went to Cream first.

Here they have an extensive menu of coffee drinks made with Blue Mountain Jamaican coffee and is the best coffee I have had at a Sandals Resort.

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.

The newest dinner resort elevated the culinary experience at Sandals Negril. Brava is a Spanish tapas-themed restaurant with small portions made to share so you can each order 3-5 dishes to enjoy. We loved the Croquetas de Pollo, Gambas al Ajillo, and the Carne a la Parilla.

They also have seating right next to the beach and a cocktail menu that is a fun fusion between the Caribbean and Spain with sangrias made with rum.

You can also go to Beaches Negril for additional dining options and we highly recommend Soy for sushi or the new Peruvian-influenced restaurant, Yuka. This restaurant also serves family style with dishes made for sharing. Our favorites were the chicken kabops, the ceviche, and the seco de Cordero.

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.

The sand is nice and smooth as you enter the water, but as you get to a few feet deep the bottom does get a little mushy feeling so bringing a float is a great idea if you want to spend a lot of time chilling in the Caribbean sea.

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.

We loved that if we wanted to go wake boarding we could quickly be picked up from the beach and enjoy a run or two.

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. Dan is always offered to buy things to smoke, we think because of his hair and chill vibes.

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. I try to bring a few dollars to tip the musicians as they come by.

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.

The other pool we liked was the Crystal Lagoon pool. Even if you are not staying at the swim-up suites there are a few chairs there so anyone can take advantage of the perfect location near the pool at the beach.

In front of the Bamboo building, there is also a pool that is connected to swim-up suites that has some fun chairs you can relax in while being submerged in a few inches of water.

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, scuba 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 trip with take 2-3 hours depending on the tour you choose. If you book the tour through the Agua center it is a 2 hour boat tour going along the Negril coast and is either private or with just a few other couples.

If you book through Island Routes you will stop to snorkel before going to Ricks Cafe. There is food and drinks during the trip and on the way back you can expect a fun party atmosphere. You can also keep to the back of the catamaran for a quieter ride back to the resort.

Visiting Beaches Negril

While you are at Sandals Negril, you can also visit Beaches Negril. The highlight of going to Beaches Negril is the food, especially the Yuka restaurant. They also have a Soy Sushi restaurant, frozen yogurt and some fun food trucks.

You can come to Beaches for dinner or spend the entire day here. Honestly, the beach is better here so you can come to enjoy that. You can also take a shower at the Spa before dinner, but make sure you get there before 5pm.

We personally only like to go for the day if kids are in school. When we went in the summer it felt too busy to us and we preferred to just go for dinner.

To get to Beaches Negril, you can either pay $5 per person for a taxi or you can walk. The walk takes about 35 minutes. A lot of people said the walk it straight forward but I am not sure we navigated the path correctly.

Most of the walk is on the beach but there is an area where there are some houses and growth that covers the beach. We ended up walking a trail but also had to walk in the water for a little while. It wasn’t a problem but we didn’t realize it would be like that.

We walked back at night so no one really noticed us, but if you walk to Beaches on your way you can expect to get hastled a bit by vendors.

The Spa at Sandals Negril

The tranquil spa features treatment rooms, a beauty salon, a Yoga-Pilates studio, a steam room, plunge pools, and relaxation areas in secluded gardens. We did not get any treatment during this visit, but other guests said they really enjoyed the spa.

Outside of the resort along the beach, you can also get a massage. Just walk down the beach until you see the massage tables. It will be about 1/2 the price of the spa.

What is included at Sandals Negril?

Sandals Resorts 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.

How far is Sandals Negril from the airport?

Sandals Negril is about 90 minutes from the airport.

What to Pack for Sandals Negril

We pack light when we stay at a Sandals Resort since so much is provided for us. 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 resort casual and only one restaurant requires resort evening attire which means closed toes shoes and pants for men.

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.

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.

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.

Honeymoon Packages at Sandals Negril

If you come to Sandals Negril for you honeymoon, you can get a few extras for your honeymoon package and there are plenty of add-ons to make the trip you want.

The standard honeymoon packages includes…

• 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.

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?

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.”

However, when we were there a group of teachers were there and they were not all couples so this is not actually required.

All the rooms on the resort have king-sized beds so that keeps most of the people who come are couples since they will be sharing a bed.

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?

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.

How Much Does Sandals Negril Cost?

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.

Final Thoughts on Sandals Negril

Overall, we enjoyed our stay at Sandals Negril. At this resort, the room makes a difference. The newer rooms feel like you are at a different resort and are better for seclusion since they have private pools or swim-up suites. We loved the area and felt like it was better connected to the surrounding areas than some other Sandals Resorts.

We loved the beach and that you can go for long walks and that all the rooms are close to the beach. There was no issue finding available chairs along the beach.

The food has improved at the resort with the new restaurant concepts.

This is definitely a resort we can recommend and book clients at over and over knowing they can have an enjoyable time.

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