Royal Decameron Club – Runaway Bay – Jamaica – Caribbean

We have just returned from a week at the Royal Decameron Club in Runaway Bay, Jamaica & I can honestly say that it was one of the best holidays I have ever had. The hotel itself was a great choice. Despite it only being a 3 star hotel, there were no major problems with it at all. I am very glad that we chose this hotel over one of the others offered.

The cleanliness of the place was second to none. The rooms were always cleaned to the highest standard every day, the bars were always clean, the restaurants were clean, & there were always staff around the hotel clearing away any rubbish which may be there or making the gardens looking more presentable than they already were.

The food & drink was great, the only fault being that in the main restaurant, the food selection was a little limited if you are used to the selections offered in a 4 or 5 star hotel. However, there are two additional restaurants which offer a decent selection of food as well, although you need to book for these in the morning, & with so many people wanting to eat there, it was often the case that you would need to book a place there *early* in the morning.

The bars were very well stocked, & I was surprised that in addition to the massive amounts of rum that was offered, they even serve Smirnoff, Jack Daniels & Jim Bean as a part of the All-Inclusive package instead of a lower quality local substitute. The main bar was not a favourite of ours, mainly due to the staff not being as accommodating as the rest of the hotel staff, however it did not prove to be a big problem as we just went to the jetty bar each night instead, which was one of the best parts of the hotel. It is a square bar with swings around it which proved to be a personal favourite element of the hotel. The staff at the jetty bar were always friendlier, & often topped up your drink without you needing to ask; something which helped to win me over!

The location of the Royal Decameron was perfect for us. It is far enough from the busy places to be able to have some peace & quiet, but close enough to Ocho Rios to be able to go to any one of the main attractions there, such as the Dunns river falls, the Cool Runnings boat trip, Dolphin Cove or just shopping in the craft market. There were also a few local bars just outside of the complex, but we didn’t venture into those.

The staff made the whole holiday that little bit more special. George was a superb bartender and there were plenty of other bartenders which also deserve credit. Godfrey, the Thomson rep was fantastic; he was always in a good mood, & was on top of everything, even finding us to let us know we were delayed so that we didn’t have to wait at the airport for too long, & we could stay in the hotel. Even the beach attendants, gardeners, lifeguards & the general helpers at the hotel were all superb. All of them found time to stop & talk to you, making you feel so welcome.

The entertainment was not always fantastic, but there were a few nights which were superb. The staff’s effort could not be faulted at all, & they were always putting 100% in to making sure you have a good time. A favourite bit of entertainment for me was the local band which played at the main bar most evenings. They were absolutely fantastic.

All in all, i’m absolutely gutted that i’m home now, & i’m already planning when I can return to the same place – sooner rather than later!