I’m excited to share with you my experience at the best all-inclusive family resort in Jamaica and we stayed at the beautiful resort Ocean Coral Spring in Montego Bay.
We chose this resort because it offered many things to do for my husband, my 4-year-old old and I was also seven months pregnant..(as I remember my heavy penguin walk hehe)
An all-inclusive resort is perfect for families since it provides everything you need. You’re paying for convenience such as having food and drinks all day and being stress-free.
Being a busy mom means you deserve to be spoiled on this trip. No cleaning dishes, food is made for the kids at the buffet and you get to put on your swimsuit and relax all day.
So let me share with you my experience on how I booked our trip, amenities, and everything in between at the best all-inclusive family resort in Jamaica!
There are links in my post where I can earn a small commission if you decide to purchase at no cost to you.
How I booked our all-inclusive family vacation
So I decided to be very intentional about having an amazing family vacation the year I found out I was pregnant with baby #2.
As I did my research, I was looking for the best all-inclusive family resort since I wanted to make sure my daughter and my husband had fun as well as this pregnant momma.
I came across cheapcarribbean.com since my friend had mentioned it last year when she was planning her family vacation. and so I looked them up and found out they had many popular destinations you can book from.
You can find hundreds of all-inclusive beach resorts on their website and I think it’s the best way for families to travel to keep it simple and build a fun vacation.
This website made it ideal for us because of the convenience and much more:
- Monthly Payment plans are available leading up to your stay.
- Option to cancel within 24 hours of booking. (I noticed they had this option on certain dates of booking but you can check online).
- Customer service was available for all of my questions.
- The website was easy to access and book from.
I’m always nervous to book a trip and make a final decision so I had to make sure I was able to use the cancellation option just in case.
Then I did have to cancel our first trip since my husband had to change our vacation dates and customer service was able to help and return my deposit.
- Booking Tip: Always book with a credit card since it’s easier to receive your refund back! (from a former hotel front desk agent)
So once we figured out a date for our family vacation, we booked the resort Ocean Coral Spring in Montego Bay and I was screaming inside to have this family vacation!
I chose this all-inclusive resort because it was new, the price was reasonable, relaxing and I loved the amenities for the kids.
Transportation to the all-inclusive family resort
Booking transportation was another task that seemed a bit daunting but was able to book it from the cheapcaribbean.com website.
You can also book it with the concierge at the hotel or find someone to drive you when you arrive from the airport in Jamaica (if you like to be daring….)
Our transportation company Amstar was able to accommodate excursions. They also give you a pamphlet once you check in and it shows you the many things you can do in Jamaica.
One thing I didn’t know about our transportation was that we would be on the bus with other people and would have to wait for everyone else to get off based on which hotel we were going to next.
I probably didn’t read the fine print…mom brain.
The bus was very comfortable and the service was great, however, if I had known, I’d personally get a taxi to be able to get to our destination quicker.
Getting a taxi right now could run about $50 USD one way (2022 prices) and fees could fluctuate but we paid about $70 USD to get back to the airport. Our Taxi driver was so nice and I thought it was worth it.
The airport was about 30 minutes from our hotel. Knowing that I was seven months pregnant and my bladder is super weak I had to make sure I used the restroom plenty of times (sighs).
- Vacation tip: If you have an iPhone, use your notepad app to add all of your flight details, times, hotel booking details, and reservations if you need to find these details quickly!
Real life example: we were running late to our destination leaving Fort Lauderdale and I had our passports in one hand and a Jetblue crew member was asking me about our info, (the airport was packed and I was anxious!) I was able to look in my notepad app and get my reservation number fast!
Checking into our family resort in Jamaica
Once we arrived at Ocean Coral Spring resort, the grounds looked so nice and new. The hotel was built in 2019 so they’ve maintained it well and the resort is modern.
Walking into the entrance area, I remember the smell of a sweet mandarin scent and you can smell it everywhere inside the general areas.
Once we checked in, we were greeted by a bellman who took our luggage and a concierge staff member by the name of Ackeem.
He asked what we wanted to drink and I had a yummy fresh pineapple juice (As I was dreaming of tequila mixed in it with a somber sigh).
The process of checking in was easy and they escorted us in a golf cart to our room.
It was nice to ride around and check out where everything was located especially the main pool and the kid’s area.
We were given wristbands to wear the entire time of our trip so that the staff knows on site of our all-inclusive membership.
You can upgrade your all-inclusive membership to have access to exclusive restaurants, food, and other amenities.
Room Accommodations
We were booked on the fifth floor facing a sunset view of the ocean.
The room I booked was the Junior Suite Ocean View and it was perfect for us.
It’s comfortable for a family of four and another person since there is a couch. So if this is something you’re looking for, check it out.
It came with two Queen beds which were Ideal for me since I needed more space to sleep (due to my large belly 🙂 and my daughter would need to sleep next to me.
You can request the option of having a king bed too. Just make sure you double-check on the room type you have during check-in.
There was a sitting area with a couch at the end of the room that could be a bed for another child or adult.
The room came with a lot of storage space and amenities:
- Mini fridge with stocked drinks and beer.
- Daily housekeeping service.
- Stand up shower and Soak in tub.
- Two bathroom sinks.
- Ceiling fan in the room.
- Steamer
- The normal toiletries: shampoo, conditioner, dental kit, shaving kit, hair cap, lotion,
- Balcony with sitting area outside.
The room was very modern with an Ocean Nautical feel. It was clean and I really liked our balcony with the beautiful sunset view.
It was a good-sized room since it wasn’t small and very spacious for us three.
I appreciated how our room was right across from the elevator but you can also hear all the pool noise from the day since we were adjacent to a long hallway.
I figured since it’s a beach hotel and entertainment is going to happen, it’s fine. We stayed in the hotel room for maybe 20 minutes the longest to freshen up and then went back to the pool or ate dinner/lunch.
They have different suite options like a swim-up suite on the first floor with a pool, rooftop suites, standard rooms, and basically everything in between.
I liked how our balcony was more private and although I wanted a swim-up suite I’m glad we didn’t so we could get the privacy and not have to share the pool with others.
P.S. They wouldn’t allow us to get the swim-up suite because we had a toddler. They said all children (under 12, not sure of age this exact moment but contact the hotel) aren’t allowed.
This could pose a liability issue if someone didn’t close their balcony door and a child walked into the pool unknowingly.
I wanted to take my balcony photos without people looking at me, so having a private balcony was perfect in the end.
Having a private balcony for your family can be perfect for you too if you wanted a mini date night or solo evening outside.
They clean your room daily which I appreciated (and you know as a mom having someone else clean your room is everything!) and they left a towel swan on the bed with a real flower.
My daughter enjoyed the towel swan and played with it like it was her toy ha!
Amenities at the All-Inclusive Resort
Our All-inclusive stay included the following:
- Meals, domestic and international drinks, cocktails, and snacks are included 24 hours. They also mentioned that in-room dining was available but not the entire night. I think it was from 6am-5pm.
- All-day entertainment
- Daisy Club for ages 4-12 years old.
- Teen club for teenagers up to 17 years old.
- 6 restaurants onsite/ 3 on the adult side
- Gift shop
- Jewelry store
- Entertainment Theatre
- Casino
- Bowling
- Night Club
Note: Upon check-in, they can further explain to you the other amenities at the hotel and what your package includes.
Pools at the all-inclusive resort
The pools were my favorite since it was the main attraction for this pregnant mama! They have a main large pool in the heart of the hotel.
List of pools:
- One main pool,
- Multiple Jacuzzis
- kids’ swim park area with a snack bar!
- Lazy river
I loved how access to the pools was nearby and you can always find seating.
All of the pools were family friendly so that was great.
The one thing I did not like was that if you wanted to get a towel, the main pool area was the designated spot to get it.
For example, if you were in the kid’s swim area, you would need to walk to the main pool area to get a towel. They didn’t offer towels in the kid’s swim area. It was too far for my wobbly belly. (this may have changed since writing this post)
I would suggest grabbing your towels first thing before getting a chair so that you have it.
For me, it wasn’t easy to walk back and forth with my belly but when I would ask a staff member on site they would grab a few towels for me as a favor and I appreciated it!
The atmosphere of the hotel was fun, with family fun and relaxation in between! The staff on-site makes sure you receive all the requests you need to be fulfilled. From needing towels, drinks, and more.
Everyone was super nice, accommodating, and had great energy. At the pool, they had two dancers and a lady MC would entertain the crowd with music.
So if you were at the swim-up bar in the main pool that’s where all of the music would come from and they played it all day. We would hear Latin, Jamaican, rap, and house music.
We stayed during the 4th of July weekend. The band came out with foam for the pool, a ton of music, and drumming to the Star-spangled Banner song.
If you’re trying to find a photographer on site they have this option for you!
You can book a session at the gift shop and you can find the photo store there.
I was excited they had this type of service on-site so you can take memorable photos with your family instead of a cell phone.
We did a short 15-minute session during the late evening and got 10 digital photos with 5 prints for $117 USD. They are available to photograph you from early morning to late evening.
Kid Activities at the Resort
This place screams kid-friendly!
If you’re looking to drop off the kiddos somewhere there is a place called Daisy Club. They allow children ages 4-12 to get in and they have many activities for the kids to do.
They also have a service where someone can babysit your child during the day if you’re interested.
There is a swim park section for kids and we loved it! Luna enjoyed playing with the other kids but she was somewhat scared of the pirate characters on site, however, the park was super cute!
The swim park area had multiple things for kids to do and for parents to relax:
- Water slides
- Slides for smaller children under 4
- Another pool area next to the park just for kids and parents who want to swim in a pool.
- Snack bar area. They served nachos, cheeseburgers, hotdogs, water, juice and more. If you wanted something alcoholic I think the main pool area offered it.
- Restrooms
- Lounge chairs with Umbrellas
- There was a person on site who played kidzbop and an MC to entertain the kids on some days.
You can also take them to the main pool area and most of the pools were about 3-3.5ft deep so it was a good depth.
My favorite thing was to take my daughter for ice cream every day! She always asked to get ice cream and I was like ok why not?! We are on Vacay! They serve it in the main dining area (Martha’s Market and there’s also an ice cream shop that serves it.
All Inclusive Food at the Resort
There are 6 restaurants on-site and 3 on the adult hotel side. (Yes there is an only adult hotel side)
The food at this all-inclusive was ok. I would give it a 2.5 out of 5 since most of it was bland or didn’t have anything that made it amazing. (Food could have changed since writing this post)
But the kids wouldn’t mind it though! My daughter ate everything.
My husband and I are foodies so this was something that bothered me a bit but I guess this was expected at an all-inclusive. I had a better food experience in Mexico at an all-inclusive.
There is an option to buy food off the menu from any of the restaurants although it’s VERY limited. We went to an “Italian” restaurant and ordered a steak for $45 USD and it was very good and huge!
We also dined at Martha’s Market which is their main breakfast/all-dining spot and they had a variety of food to choose from pancakes, waffles, bacon, smoothies, omelet station, desserts and more.
The servers were kind and helpful when bringing our juices, water, and coffee.
We tried their Indian restaurant on site and it was ok,
Again, I had no high expectations but the place was cute and typical for an all-inclusive.
I continuously had water, pineapple juice, and a virgin pina colada. Oh and you should also try their mango daiquiri as it was yummy and Luna wanted to drink it all up!
Overall, the food was ok but it’ll feed you throughout the day and I figured as a mom I don’t have to cook anything!
We also ended up doing a private dinner on our last day of the trip and it was amazing!
Takeaways
Our experience at this all-inclusive family resort in Jamaica was amazing, I’m glad we went and it was a great time!
The kid activities and pool were great to have family time.
The rooms were very spacious and it provided privacy and comfort during our stay.
And as a pregnant mom, this was a perfect relaxing stay for our family and we enjoyed every single second of it.
Are you going to Jamaica for a family trip soon?
Here are my favorite items I loved to use while we traveled in Jamaica, you can also shop my Amazon storefront for more inspiration.
