Sandals Ochi; Our Honest Honeymoon Review

In the last 6 months, we visited every Sandals Resort, including spending one week at Sandals Ochi, and wanted to share this review to help you if you are considering booking a trip.

Overall, Sandals Ochi is the largest and most affordable Sandals Resort, and many people like the variety of dining and entertainment options available.

Onsite you’ll find 11 bars (including the Caribbean’s first Speakeasy), 16 amazing restaurants, and the Ochi Beach Club. As part of the all-inclusive rate, you have access to Sandals Golf & Country Club. On-site, there are several pools, each with its own vibe, and a beach area divided into three areas. The resort is located in Ochos Rios with easy access to Dunns River Falls, the Blue Hole, and plenty of water activities. See our full review of each of these amenities below.

Prefer Video? Watch Our Sandals Ochi Overview on YouTube

Arriving at Sandals Ochi

To get to Sandals Ochi, you have the option of flying into three different airports. The closest airport is Ian Fleming International Airport which is only 15 minutes away, but there are only a few flights per day.

Most people fly into Montego Bay which is a 90-minute drive from the resort. You can also fly into Kingston which is about 20 minutes shorter than the drive from Kingston, but the roads are windier.

For an additional cost, you can arrive in a private transfer in a luxury vehicle.

Sandals Ochi Accommodations

After arriving at the resort you will check in at one of the two different lobbies depending on where your room is located at.

One of the things we love about Sandals Resorts is the different rooms and suites.

Sandals Ochi Hillside vs Riviera Seaside Village

When you are choosing you accommodations will notice some suites are on the hillside and some are seaside. Both sides are connected by a road that has a shuttle running regularly so it is easy to get around.

We stayed on the hillside which has plenty of restaurants, a spa and fitness center, and the resort’s largest pool area. If you want to stay by the pool and enjoy entertainment during the day, this is a great place to do that at.

If you are looking for quiet areas for relaxing, the Butler Village is going to give you that. We stayed at one of the villas where we had a pool that was shared with only one other room.

Our suite featured a spacious bedroom boasting a four-poster bed, mahogany furnishing, and a bathroom with a shower/tub combination.

The villa’s living room had a relaxing sitting area and bars with French-style doors leading directly to the veranda just steps away from the semi-private pool.

If you prefer to stay by the beach, the Riviera Seaside Village includes a variety of rooms and suites, several restaurants and bars, and plenty of pools and beaches to choose from.

Sandals Ochi Food & Drink Review

We really loved the food at Sandals Ochi, but definitely have some tips to make the most of your time at the resort.

First, make reservations right after you are assigned your room so you get to as many of the reservation-only restaurants as you want to go to. Get the earliest reservation if you want a quicker service or if you want to have a very relaxed meal, anytime will work. The last tip is to order as much as you would like. Especially at Soy where you can try new things you may have not had before.

First, for breakfast, we loved the buffet options. Our favorite place to go was the Southern Table. Located at the Manor, the restaurant had several stations making fresh food including omelets, eggs, smoothies, pancakes, and french toast. I would start at the smoothie station and make my order. Instead of waiting around for it, I would go and make my omelet order.

There is also a cold buffet and once you sit down you are offered coffee, tea, or anything else you would like. On the beachside area, the Vista Gourmet has a similar setup and if you want to take your time there are a couple of a la carte restaurants.

For lunch we loved the Jerk Shack, the brick oven pizza, the sliders, and fish tacos at Tapas on the Riviera, and the Quesadillas at The Mariner.

For dinner, Soy was my personal favorite, but we also enjoyed Kimonos, the French restaurant, Le Gourmand, and the surf and turf at Vista Gourmet. We also recommend the Lamb Chops and the Insalata Caprese at Valentino’s

Drinks were always readily available at Sandals Ochi with swim-up bars at most pools and servers checking in with us at our lounge chairs.

The Rabit Hole is a stand-out with the best bar of any Sandals Resort in the evening time, and great entertainment as well.

Sandals Ochi Beaches & Pools

At Sandals Ochi there is one long beach separated into 3 different areas. All areas are calm with white sand beaches.

At the Sandals Beach Club, there is a section of the beach that has beach chairs in the sun and some with shade provided by trees. The beach is very nice with white sand and a few anchored floats you can relax on. There is also a pool behind this area with a swim-up bar if you want to change things up and the Neptunes restaurant is located on the sand.

There is a stretch of beach located in the Riviera Seaside Village. This is completely surrounded by the docks at Sandals Ochi and is located near several food options and bars.

Last is the longest stretch of beach in front of the Riviera Beachfront Tower. Here is where you can try all the watersports and relax in a beach chair with shade provided by the trees.

All are excellent options and are some of the best beaches for relaxing in Jamaica.

Sandals Ochi has 105 freshwater pools, 22 whirlpools, and one scuba dive pool.

If you are looking for party vibes and fun, go to the Great House pool area. There are actually 3 pools in this area. The main pool has a swim-up bar with very friendly bartenders and where several activities happen throughout the day. One of the smaller pools pictured above is right next to the Great House Cafe so you can easily get a drink and some lunch and eat and drink while in the pool!

The Riviera Pool was Michelle’s favorite. While I was getting scuba certified, she would relax here because the pool area is much quieter than the Great House Pool but still has a swim-up bar and good music playing. There is also a great pizza place next to it making it a perfect spot to enjoy an entire day.

Located right off the beach is the Ocho Beach Club Pool. It has its own swim-up bar as well. But If you are looking for someplace really quiet you can go to The Hidden Pool or the Riviera Garden Pool.

With all the villas that come with pools, you can just enjoy the afternoon in your own pool. If you have butler service, they can keep you supplied with food and drinks while you have a good time.

Things to do at Sandals Ochi

At Sandals Ochi you have access to unlimited water sports. Enjoy aqua trikes, kayaking, windsurfing, snorkeling, paddle boarding, and glass-bottom boats. Additionally, scuba diving is included! For certified divers, you can dive up to twice a day with two tanks a day! These waters include some of the world’s most renowned reefs, so there are lots to experience.

Scuba courses are not included but start at $120.

If golf is your thing, your green fees are included at Sandals Golf & Country Club, where you can enjoy a round or two along the emerald fairway overlooking the sea. Transport to and from the golf course is complimentary.

Enjoy many other on-site activities, including rock climbing, table tennis, beach volleyball, squash, and more.

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

Entertainment

Along with these amazing activities, this resort also knows how to throw a party. There’s an onsite piano bar, chocolate buffet, talent night, Caribbean night, live bands, karaoke, and even a beach party with fire dancers.

At the Great House Pool area, there is always music bumping with DJs and events throughout the day.

At the Ochi Beach Club, there are even more events going on throughout the day and each night.

During our trip to Sandals Ochi, we went to the All White Night, which included chocolate desserts. We also enjoyed going to the Rabit Hole, a speakeasy-style club with an amazing band and lounge singer.

Sandals Ochi Excursions

We did several excursion and had a great time going to Dunn’s River Falls and The Blue Hole. The best option is to take the Catamaran to Dunns River. That way you avoid the shops with aggressive sales tactics.

A Free Wedding at Sandals

Stay 3 nights or longer at a Sandals resort and your wedding is free!

Room Service

If you book a room that includes butler service, room service is available 24 hours a day. For Club Sandals accommodation

How far is Sandals Ochi from the airport?

Both the Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay and the Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston are approximately one hour and 40 minutes away from Sandals Ochi Resort. Sandals provide complimentary transportation to and from either airport and the resort. Just approach the Sandals counter or lounge in the airport.

Is Sandals Ochi a couples-only resort?

Yes, in their own words 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.”

Is Sandals Ochi a party resort?

This resort is a great destination if you’re looking for a good time. With a hot new beach club, 11 bars, and 16 restaurants, you can always have a good time. But if you’re looking to enjoy some downtime, this resort has plenty of areas to allow for serene, quiet relaxation as well.

Does Sandals All-Inclusive include alcohol?

All drinks are included and unlimited at Sandals Resorts. This includes premium spirits and top-rated Robert Mondavi Twin Oaks wines.

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

Sandals Ochi claims the #1 All-Inclusive Dining Experience in the Caribbean. They have 16 restaurants that cover all sorts of cuisines, from Caribbean favorites to Italian and French, to American southern and seafood. Breakfasts, lunches, dinners, snacks, and drinks are all included in your stay.

Unlimited All-Inclusive Drinks

For drinks, Sandals only serves premium brand liquors that are always included and unlimited. 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 stocked with water, juice, soda, Robert Mondavi Twin Oaks Wine, and local beer.

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.

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.

Roundtrip Airport Transfers

Sandals provide complimentary transportation to and from the Sangster International Airport, Montego Bay. Transfers are also provided from the Kingston Airport.

s, room service is available between 7am-10pm.

What’s 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 nearby excursions available to book through Sandals including a Jamaica swamp safari village tour, zip lines, snorkeling cruises, dolphin encounters, deep-sea fishing, ATV adventures to name a few.

Compare Sandals Ochi with nearby Sandals Resorts

• Sandals Ochi vs Sandals Negril
• Sandals Ochi vs Sandals Montego Bay
• Sandals Ochi vs Sandals Royal Plantation

Need more travel inspiration? here are a few recommended articles:

• Best Honeymoon All-Inclusive Packages
• Best Adult-Only Resorts in Jamaica
• Best Honeymoon Destinations in the World