Jamaican 5 Star Family Resort Review
Grand Palladium Jamaica Resort Review
At Sangster Airport in Montego Bay, you're temperature checked and asked some questions before going to your accommodation. Any booked accommodation has to be within the resilient corridor list set out by the Jamaica travel tourism board.
When we stepped into our taxi, there was a little rain. Apparently it was the first day of rain Jamaica had experienced in some time. Typically! The run up to this moment was extremely stressful, but as we started towards the Grand Palladium Hotel in Lucea. My sorrows slowly began to peel away. The enjoyment of taking in new sights and sounds took over. I regret not buying the guinep fruit being sold to every car window near the airport that day. Guinep are like lychee and happen to be one of my favourite fruit. I sadly didn't find any guinep for the rest of my two month stay in Jamaica.
We enjoyed the ride and pleasant culture shock en route. To the five star spa resort that would be home for our first three nights in Jamaica.
We stayed at the Grand Palladium Hotel and Spa. A family friendly. Five star resort with live entertainment. Grand palladium is one of ten. Five star all inclusive hotels suitable for both adults and children across the island. Grand palladium is the only resort in Jamaica with a kids club for the under three's.
We stayed in a partial ocean view room with two double beds. A balcony with peaceful. Scenic views of the manicured lawn below that meets the ocean and private. Man made beach of Grand Palladium Jamaica.
Our bathroom was small but still managed to incorporate both a free standing shower unit and a jetted bath tub. The jacuzzi bath was a nice touch. Even if it was old and stained. The entire unit could have been cleaned a bit better. And staff at the Grand Palladium Jamaica desperately need to be improved upon.
Our room smelled fresh except for a faint, unidentifiable smell of mold down between the beds. The beds were comfy and clean.
There were no warm. Friendly. Memorable staff encounter throughout the whole resort. I was shocked and disappointed. As hospitality is so important. Especially for a resort claiming to be five star.
We were tricked into a long. Annoying sales pitch on out first full day at the hotel. After being told we would be treated to a welcome breakfast. It turned into an aggressive, morning long sales pitch and tour of more expensive suites. Some of which were quite impressive, but still not worth the expense in my opinion having travelled for quite some time now.
To navigate around the Grand palladium. Motorised buggies pick you up and take you back and forth from your hotel room to the restaurants and poolside of the resort. It does become a little annoying after a while.
Out of the three family friendly resorts we visited while in Jamaica. The grand palladium was the only family resort that kept its kids club open despite covid.
Our junior suite at the grand palladium Jamaica had a free minibar with alcoholic and non alcoholic drinks. All of which could be replenished free of charge each day. The TV in our room was a decent size, but barely had any working channels. The channels that did work weren't very clear and definitely not high definition.
Some days we weren't ready for lunch during scheduled lunch hours and it was good to know that Miss Lou coffee shop was open. Selling cakes, pastries and sandwiches. The coffee selection was plentiful. With a focus on alcohol infused coffee's. Sadly the drinks menu looks better than it tastes. Same goes for the dry. Lazy sandwiches which had no butter. No sauce. The cakes were okay, but not outstanding.
Pizza and pasta for dinner at the Italian restaurant Portofino was a let down too. Definitely not freshly stone baked like authentic Italian pizza should be. Unfortunately most of the 8 restaurants at grand palladium stayed shut during our visit due to the pandemic crisis.
The blue Lagoon buffet restaurant had a really good variety of meat and vegetarian food options at breakfast. Lunch and dinner. Except for the one night when they weren't open during our stay. Options included fruits, salads. Different traditional Jamaican dishes each day and a live pasta cooking station, where pasta is made fresh and to your own liking.
Dining staff at grand palladium were miserable. Which does have a negative effect on your vacation. The buffet food tasted just okay. So you could say it's a case of quantity over quality.
By day entertainment was at the bar and our sons enjoyed the kids water park. With loungers and a bar for adults to relax by the pool.
Room service at grand palladium Jamaica is available for a charge. I wish they had supplied snacks or free room service in the room for those of us not wanting to always go downstairs to eat in the bars and restaurants.
We left on the weekend. Missing out on the beach party scheduled for the evening. Weekends are busiest. With many locals coming to enjoy a night or two at the resort.
