Jamaica - Holiday Inn SunSpree Montego Bay

My husband and I came frequently to Montego Bay Sunspree until the storm hit a few years ago. We had not been back due to life schedules so we were very ready to come back. Since new management took over after the storm damaged the hotel. We were very disappointed that it was not up to its usual st .. More>

My husband and I came frequently to Montego Bay Sunspree until the storm hit a few years ago. We had not been back due to life schedules so we were very ready to come back. Since new management took over after the storm damaged the hotel. We were very disappointed that it was not up to its usual standards in service, food and general atmosphere. My husband and I always rely on the Holiday Inn name for a quality of standards.

The staff at the Holiday Inn Sunspree in MBJ were wonderful and worked very hard, however we felt that there was not enough staff to accomodate everyone. In the buffet we had to hunt someone down to get coffee in the am and drinks in the pm. The beach was the most disappointing thing. It was very .. More>

The staff at the Holiday Inn Sunspree in MBJ were wonderful and worked very hard, however we felt that there was not enough staff to accomodate everyone. In the buffet we had to hunt someone down to get coffee in the am and drinks in the pm. The beach was the most disappointing thing. It was very pretty with the island and all, but very small beach. Love to walk the beach, but it was very limited. Food options were good. Jerk Hut was excellent as well as the hamburger/fish bar and the hot dog/nachos/ice cream hut. Sorrento Restaurant was the best in my opinion. Upon arriving at the airport and boarding the bus to go to hotel, they would not load our luggage until we tipped them. I said this is supposed to be all inclusive and tip included, but was told that they are not employed by Apple, but subcontracted and insisted on tip. Again staff worked very hard but could have used more help.

My stay was very good and I will return soon .. More>

My stay was very good and I will return soon

We spent the week without any hot water. .. More>

We spent the week without any hot water.

Jamaica is beautifull! The people offsite were really helpfull and nice and the local culture made the trip. Hotel was ok. However most of the hotel staff seemed bothered by anything we needed from the bar . Food was good and the Jerk shack was the best in the area even compared to offsite loaction .. More>

Jamaica is beautifull! The people offsite were really helpfull and nice and the local culture made the trip. Hotel was ok. However most of the hotel staff seemed bothered by anything we needed from the bar . Food was good and the Jerk shack was the best in the area even compared to offsite loactions!!

I enjoyed everything about this trip. The only thing I suggest is that someone lets us know about all the excursions that can be done along with the prices so people can be fully prepared ahead of time. Overall I enjoyed the hotel and the service of apple vacations. .. More>

I enjoyed everything about this trip. The only thing I suggest is that someone lets us know about all the excursions that can be done along with the prices so people can be fully prepared ahead of time. Overall I enjoyed the hotel and the service of apple vacations.

yes yes . love this place. .. More>

yes yes . love this place.

The hotel is great for kids and couples. Singles, not so much. The main buffet dining area is crowded and chaotic with all the kids and some of the guests are ill mannered. The food was not tasty at all, but it was abundant and well displayed. There was a show every night with good dancing and of .. More>

The hotel is great for kids and couples. Singles, not so much. The main buffet dining area is crowded and chaotic with all the kids and some of the guests are ill mannered. The food was not tasty at all, but it was abundant and well displayed. There was a show every night with good dancing and off-key singers, but still good fun. The best part of the resort is the private island and the shallow, warm water bay. There is also the free sports. The night-club bus would only make one return trip (at 2am) which was WAY too late, so I never went. It really needs to return earlier!

I would only recommend for families with younger children. Not much entertainment for adults and kids are running around a lot! Other than that overall is was nice. .. More>

I would only recommend for families with younger children. Not much entertainment for adults and kids are running around a lot! Other than that overall is was nice.

Beautiful place,great food, friendly people,awesome time at Holiday Inn SunSpree Resort!We love Jamaica ! .. More>

Beautiful place,great food, friendly people,awesome time at Holiday Inn SunSpree Resort!We love Jamaica !

This trip was an anniversary present. We were extremely disappointed that we were not able to get a king sized bed. We were told that there were none available. We requested one when we booked the trip. We were told after checkin to try again the next day. We did that, however we were told the same .. More>

This trip was an anniversary present. We were extremely disappointed that we were not able to get a king sized bed. We were told that there were none available. We requested one when we booked the trip. We were told after checkin to try again the next day. We did that, however we were told the same thing, none available. After the second try, we gave up trying. We were very disappointed.

My husband and I returned on Sunday, May 12 from a one week stay at the Holiday Inn Sunspree in Montego Bay, and to be clear, had a wonderful time. The staff was always friendly and helpful... More>

My husband and I returned on Sunday, May 12 from a one week stay at the Holiday Inn Sunspree in Montego Bay, and to be clear, had a wonderful time. The staff was always friendly and helpful. Welcome drinks were brought to us, so cool and refreshing. We were too early for check in, as we arrived at 11am. Since we had to wait for a room, we were given the choice of which building and floor we wanted, and they promised to have it ready for check in at 3pm. We chose Building 7, top floor, ocean view-heaven on earth. We were then free to have lunch, use the pools, and enjoy the bars...made waiting so much better! The exterior, lobby, and rooms are certainly dated and need small repairs, but very comfortable, clean, we had no complaints. The bedding was comfortable, lots of pillows to choose from. Flat screen TV, lots of channels in English. Upon arriving at our room, we noted that the sliding door to the balcony was hard to open, one call to the desk and five minutes later it was fixed. The buffet food was hit or miss, sometimes there was very little that I liked, or it was too spicy, but since I did gain a few pounds I obviously never went hungry. Restaurants were a bit better, they tried to accomodate my request for less spicy heat. The seafood restaurant had a deck on the beach, great view and ambiance. We really enjoyed the ice cream at the kids snack hut, had that every afternoon on our walk from the beach to the adult pool, which has an in-water bar and funny bartenders. Lots of other friendly vacationers too, always good conversation. The beach is beautiful, just plop down in the clear water and the fish swim right around you, providing the entertainment. The island that you walk out to is great for relaxing and looking out on the horizon, so peaceful. Palapas on the island and on the beach for shade, so welcome in the afternoon. The pools were not crowded even though the resort hosted "Teachers Day" and there were lots of extra visitors that day. The weekend brought out many local Jamaicans, so it was more crowded in the buffet, but not at the pools. Overall we had a great vacation, and though it was not as polished and modern as many of the other resorts where we have stayed, I would return in a heartbeat, the staff made it so easy to really have a good time.

On December 25, 2012, my wonderful son and beautiful daughter-in-law presented me with a certificate good for a week at the Holiday Inn Sunspree in Montego Bay. We were able to book the trip for... More>

On December 25, 2012, my wonderful son and beautiful daughter-in-law presented me with a certificate good for a week at the Holiday Inn Sunspree in Montego Bay. We were able to book the trip for the week of April 22 - and were we ready for it after spending another cold, miserable several months in Central Ohio - Jamaica was callling........... My son and DIL had been to the SunSpree last year and had a very enjoyable vacation. I'll admit, I wasn't sure what to expect - considering "Holiday Inn" was included in the hotel's name - but my doubts were quickly dispelled. It was just about the perfect place to spend a week in Jamaica. We were given a room on the 4th floor of building 5 (though there are elevators, we used the stairs to walk off all the fantastic Jerk Chicken available on the beach at the Jerk Hut!). The location was perfect. We had a beautiful view from our verandah of the Caribbean. I asked for and got (to my surprise) a roll-away bed - with a real mattress! (I was concerned that I'd be sleeping on the pull out couch that so many AI resorts have for a 3rd person in the room.) The roll-away bed was positioned right in front of the huge sliding glass doors. And the A/C worked perfectly during the heat of the day! The kind-sized bed also in the room was adequate (according to son and DIL). The room was more than adequate for 3 adults. The bathroom had a jacuzzi tub with shower with the toilet behind a separate door. It was interesting to note that the doors to the bathroom were double doors - as in one normal door that had been cut in half for some reason.......the bathroom was adequate for 3 people. There are 2 pools - with one being adults only with a swim-up bar. It, along with the "adults only" section of the beach was at the far end of the resort. We spent most of our time at the beach and the main pool area. The biggest problem here - as with other resorts I've visited - is the up at 6A. chair hogs. The palapas were adequate for shade - or would have been if these idiots didn't deem it necessary to secure their "space" so early in the morning and literally never actually occupy the space! After a while, I had no problem removing a "saving towel" - only if there was no personal possessions used in the "saving method" - and claiming my space in the shade - only after watching from my place in the sun for an hour or so of vacancy.....I know, it's not nice - but as on cruise ships - staking out your place in the shade and NOT using it for hours - should NOT be allowed. Be considerate of people. The beach is lovely. They have built a "private" island out aways from the beach - provided chairs and palapas - to reach the island, you must walk thru what was at the most waist deep water. The water at any point was probably never deeper than waist deep. - same way with the pools - no more than 3-4 ft. deep. The food was good - breakfast in the buffet was the best: lots of wonderful Jamaican "sweet breads"....much better than I've had at all the other resorts visited. The omlet station was, as usual a very busy place! These guys made absolutely the BEST omlets I've ever had at a resort. I was surprised that the tap water was drinkable and ice plentiful. The drinks from the bars were all very good. COFFEE: For a country that exports their famous coffee - the coffee served at the resort was absolutely TERRIBLE! Entainment was okay. There is an outdoor stage located by the main pool and adjacent by bridge to the buffet dining area. One night, as like clockwork, vendors set up to sell their wares. They were NOTpushy - but very nice. There was a hut on the beach (on the property) that served Jerk Chicken all day long - along with great drinks. And a huge chunk of a dense white bread that really helped with the heat of the Jerk sauce! The Jerk sauce was very, very hot - but worth the burn for the great taste. Also literally on the beach was a cute yellow hut that served hot dogs, ice creat, pop corn, nocho chips with salsa.......a few steps away is the main pool bar that serves drinks on one side and on the other side served fish, grilled cheese and hamburger sandwiches and fries. The a la carte restaurants (reservations required and can only be made the day before - in the morning in the lobby in person) that we tried included the Italian and the sea food. The sea food restaurant served what appeared to be very fresh fish dishes (and chicken) - it was housed in a weathered old building right on the beach with no A/C - but with the wood slatted "windows" open the even breeze made for a perfect evening enjoying the good food and the beautiful breezes from the Caribbean. We also tried the Italian - it was on the second floor of the main building. The food was good there also. We left the resort to walk down the street to Scotchies - an absolute MUST when visiting the island. Not much to look at on the outside of the "building". But the food more than makes up for it. We went upstairs to eat - it was open air with an awning over the dining area - and with the beautiful Caribbean stretching out on the far side of the road. Scotchie specializes in "jerk" food - kids had ribs in a rum sauce and Jerk sausage - I had Jerk chicken - again served with an amazing Jerk sauce. They also serve a little round paddy of bread - called a mammie (?)or something similar? It was simply bread soaked in milk and deep fried.....really very tasty. Unfortunately (or not) we had to pass thru a maze of vendors on the other side of the street from the resort - just to get to Scotchies! However, we were given a card by one of the hotel employees at the gate advising us to visit a specific vendor in one of the complexes and we did (I know, I know! he got a "cut" for the referral...) However, as we were "escorted" into the shop, we were offered ice cold Red Stripes and ice cold water.......and the shop was the only one that was air conditioned. We made all of our take home purchases in this store and had a pretty good time - and 3-4 Red Stripes later, we were off to Scotchies! This guy knows how to keep his customers. The transfers too and from the SunSpree were adequate - the driver taking us to the Sunspee did a great job of giving us the history of the island and pointing out some sights. Unfortuately, this trip fell in-line with Obama's sequestration (I'm being nice here). We were 2-3 hours late getting to Jamaica. The sequestration was to end on Sunday - I thought no problem.....wrong. We spent hours in Atlanta. This was an excellent vacation. The resort is what it is a 3.5 star - perhaps inching up a bit higher. But I would absolutely return to the Holiday Inn SunSpree again. The employees make this place "special".....every single person I encountered was friendly and obviously trying their best to make sure we were having a good time - THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH: You made this another very special vacation!

Awesome value! Friendly staff, great food variety and entertainment, pleasant atmosphere. We went as a couple, but we plan to bring our entire family back in the future. We had an ocean view room... More>

Awesome value! Friendly staff, great food variety and entertainment, pleasant atmosphere. We went as a couple, but we plan to bring our entire family back in the future. We had an ocean view room and woke up to a view of the sea from our bed! Very laid back, not pretentious.... We chose this resort hoping it would not be overly "Americanized" and uppity...it was very down to earth as we had hoped. Not sure why some of the negative reviews... I am a very picky eater and I never went away hungry, the food variety was excellent (everything from pizza and burgers/fish/chicken to popular Jamaican dishes). Tips are not required, but as with any service industry including in the USA, servers are more eager to serve those who are appreciative of the service. Special thanks to: Havedean, Cornell, Neil, Sashakay, Tracy Ann, Chevelle, Cherrion, Pattroy, Lenroy, the guy at the fitness center, our bell boy.... Thanks for making us feel at home!

It was my second time at Holiday Inn, Montego Bay and I did not regret it. Once again, I got value for my money. Although there was not a wide variety of food, I enjoyed what was prepared. The... More>

It was my second time at Holiday Inn, Montego Bay and I did not regret it. Once again, I got value for my money. Although there was not a wide variety of food, I enjoyed what was prepared. The chicken was especially tasty. I enjoyed the fresh fruits and pastry as well. I must say the customer service is very good, in that we were all treated as important guests, locals and foreigners. Our tables were cleared as soon as it appeared to need clearing. We were constantly asked if we needed anything. The staff was on the ball. My 1 year old was treated well at the kids club. She enjoyed playing with the toys, watching TV and hanging out with the other children. Big up aunty Irene and uncle Andre (from the last visit). The main pool area is also kid-friendly in terms of design. I was able to take my 1 year old there where she sat in water to her waist and had fun. I still do not like the fact however that smoking is allowed near the area where the kids play in the pool. I did not do much water sports this time but the little I did was great. There was more than enough activities for my weekend. I hope the rest of the hotel will be renovated soon though as this time I got a room that was not yet renovated and it took me a few minutes to figure out how to turn on the shower. I also had a little problem getting the TV to turn on. Oh, and the AC was too noisy to sleep with. I had a nice weekend though. I will return to Holiday Inn, especially for the kid-friendly features. Big up Jamaica!

Best trip ever. Entertainment 24/7 for entire family. Not lacking anything. Shopping, gym, tennis courts, unlimited bars and food, casino, miniature golf, etc. Price was perfect. Want to go... More>

Best trip ever. Entertainment 24/7 for entire family. Not lacking anything. Shopping, gym, tennis courts, unlimited bars and food, casino, miniature golf, etc. Price was perfect. Want to go back again and again.