Couples Sans Souci All Inclusive Ocho Rios

We spent six days at Couples Sans Souci from October 24th through the 30th. It was our honeymoon… and we really picked the perfect place. There were bumps in the road… but overall, we had a wonderful experience!

Airport:

Once you arrive in Montego Bay, you will enter the airport and be directed to customs. I would advise trying to sit at the front of the plane… and go as fast as you can to customs… because the line really gets long! We were towards the back of the plane, took our time getting there, and had to wait for an hour and a half! But once up at the counter, things go fast. People will direct you to the Couples waiting area. There is a nice bar, some chairs, couches, etc to relax. We got Red Stripe Lights and waited about 20 minutes for the shuttle to arrive.

Shuttle:

In lieu of a bus, we got to ride in a car… as it was just my husband and me. The drive from the airport is exactly what other posters have said… long and bumpy! The road is one-way in each direction for most of the trip to Ocho Rios. It is not uncommon to be passed on this road, which is a little scary, as you can plainly see cars coming head-on when people pass! There are LOTS of potholes, and the driver would slow down and swerve to miss each one. This is why it takes 2 hours to get to Sans Souci from the airport! We also noticed lots of construction on the road… and in at least one spot… the road actually turns into a short highway. We asked the driver about the road conditions and he said:

‘The construction started many years ago, and it was supposed to be completed in 2000. After several companies have tried to take on the project and failed… the road construction is now being done by an American company.’

On the ride to the resort, you really get to see what Jamaica is like. Yes, beautiful with the mountains… lush and tropical. But extreme poverty is also visible.

Arrival:

Once we got to Sans Souci, we were escorted to the main lobby. Here, we were greeted with cold towels and drinks. I tried the rum punch (not to be my last!), and my husband had a Red Stripe. Check-in was brief… they gave us our packet, and a driver loaded our bags to take us to our room.

We drove down to A block… and after dragging all our luggage upstairs… we went into our room to find someone else was already in there! In the shower to be exact! (note, if you are in your room, make sure to use the latch-lock, so this doesn’t happen to you!) Anyway, we then went down to the van again and on to another room. At this room, the keys wouldn’t work. The bellman drove back up to the lobby to get the master key, while we waited outside the room. He came back, let us in and then left. We started unpacking… only to have him come BACK and tell us we had to move again because the keys weren’t working right.

Soooo on to our third room. This would be our last move… it was B17 for the remainder of the trip! Once we were in our REAL room, everything was PERFECT! They brought up a cheese and cracker plate with some champagne once we were settled! This was a nice touch.

The room was very spacious, with a king sized bed, a Jacuzzi, and a sitting area with a couch and some chairs. The mini bar is in the sitting area, and was stocked with two of everything each day… coke, sprite, water, and red stripe. The view from A and B blocks is amazing… right on the beach, with a view of the beach bar and the main pool. We spent many evenings on our balcony, just taking in the sights and sounds!

Grounds:

Wow! Sans Souci is SO beautiful… the lush plants, trees and flowers are amazing! Walkways are swept and sprayed down daily… the staff really works hard to keep things looking great! We ran into a couple of tropical birds… one of which spoke to us! As others have said, the property is on a cliff, so there are a lot of stairs. You should be in decent shape if you are coming here. I run three to four miles a day, and after walking around Sans Souci for two days, my calves were still sore! If you can’t do stairs, you can call for the bellman to come pick you up and bring you to the main lobby. I do think the stairs really add to the beauty of the property. When you reach a higher elevation, you can turn around and see the amazing sights below! Look for hammocks tucked into romantic places… as well as hidden hot tubs! Also, some of the tile becomes VERY slippery when wet. I know several people who fell after slipping… including myself! Be careful!

Pools:

The main pool is so fun! This was my favorite place to spend the afternoons. It is a good sized pool with volleyball net, and lots of available chairs. The lounge chairs at this pool have nice big cushions on them… very comfy. There are plenty of rafts for floating on in the pool, and we never felt like we had to rush to get a chair or raft.

This pool is the one with the swim-up bar… Junior kept us entertained each day, as he sang to us while working! He is a good singer… we miss hearing his voice!

The mineral pool is also nice… but not the happening hang-out the main pool is. There is a small bar here… but not a swim-up bar. This pool seemed a little cooler, and is a 50/50 mix of mineral water, and regular water. That is the only reason we went to hang out here… for the natural benefits! The pool is set up on a cliff, and you can look down at the ocean below!

The Balloon Bar pool is even LESS happening. I never saw ANYone hanging out at this pool. There are no loungers here, just tables and chairs. But it is nice, anyway, with a little waterfall.

The Mineral Grotto is just a tiny little pool (even smaller than a hot tub). It is set down in some rocks on the side of one of the cliffs. It is VERY cold… and kind of scary to get in because of fish and other animals swimming around. But the benefits of PURE mineral water are supposed to be worth it. They told us that people used to come from hundreds of miles away to soak in the mineral water.

The Au Natural pool was something we never experienced! 

Beaches:

The main beach is amazing. Well kept, as staffers rake it every day to keep the sand clean and nice. The sand is brown, but soft. You can walk out into the ocean a long way before the water gets too deep! There is a little bit of seaweed in the shallow parts, and it feels weird to walk through, but nothing major. When we first got there, the sea was very angry… so the water was pretty murky. But the next day, things calmed down and even four feet out into the ocean, you could still see the bottom. There are lots of beach chairs and rafts… and we never felt like we couldn’t get one. It is completely private (you can’t see any of the other resorts from the main beach)… but it is a smaller beach.

The Au Natural beach is open to everyone after 5pm… mainly to catch the sunsets. They call it “Sunset Beach” for that reason! This beach was a lot dirtier than the main beach. There was litter everywhere when we were there. Also, LOTS of rocks… you definitely need to wear water shoes here. There are also lots of hermit crabs! The Au Natural beach is less private… you can see many of the other resorts from here.

Bars:

Besides the main pool bar, the Beach Bar was our favorite hang out. It is right on the ocean, and is covered in case of rain! We spent one entire afternoon here while the rains came down! Alan is amazing… and has FIVE drink specials. Try them all… especially the Alamo! This is the bar we met all our favorite friends!  (Some of the fruity drinks are made frozen… watch out; they can be filling, as they use D milk in a lot of them) And watch the rum punch… they definitely make it stronger as the day goes on!!

The Balloon Bar is dead during the day, but turns into quite the party at night! We loved Orlando the bartender. He will dance, no matter what the song! The bands that played were pretty good… we enjoyed singing along. We never stayed late enough to hear the piano man. I *do* remember hearing a piano one night… but I think I was a little too tipsy to give a review!

The Mineral Pool Bar is very small… only three or four stools to sit. It is mainly to get a drink and take it back to your chair. This bar has the natural fruit juices, too.

The Au Natural pool bar was something we never experienced!

Restaurants:

It’s The Beach Grill by day and Bella Vista by night. We never dined at Bella Vista, but the Beach Grill was GREAT! Delicious burgers… jerk chicken and pork… and the pizza is good, too! I also had the Caesar salad one day… yum!

The Palazzina serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. We ate breakfast there every day, on the terrace. I do not understand why anyone would want to ever eat inside, but you can! Dining outdoors is comfortable and right on the ocean!! The breakfast is a buffet-style… with so much to offer. Fruit, cereal, pastries and breads, eggs, bacon, sausage, potatoes, French toast, one day there was even eggs benedict! There is also an omelet station, and you can pick your own ingredients. Everything was very good! We only ate lunch here one time… it was a buffet… not really that impressed. The Beach Grill was much better! We ate dinner at the Palazzina once, and it was pretty good! Be advised… the portions are very small… order everything! Appetizers, salads, main dishes, etc.

Casanova was only open for dinner; it is right off the main lobby. VERY nice atmosphere… we dined outdoors on the terrace one night, and indoors another. We were lucky enough to be there when the special was lobster! It was SO GOOD! The night we dined indoors, I had the salmon… and it was just too salty. The appetizers, pastas, soups and salads are delicious, though! And again… order everything, as portions are small. There is a dress code here… pants and collard shirts for the guys, dresses or skirts for ladies. The service at every restaurant was GREAT!!

We used Room Service just once… for our last dinner there. We ordered everything again… and everything was delicious! I think the quality of room service food was even better than the restaurants!

Watersports:

Couples Sans Souci has an amazing water staff, too. We went kayaking one day… and snorkeling the next… all with plenty of instruction and fun! If you have never snorkeled… try it… you won’t regret it!! Note… the sea must be calm to do these activities. If it is choppy and murky… you won’t be able to.

Entertainment:

The beach party was fun; we dined outdoors, on the beach by the Bella Vista. They had a buffet… with lots of good food, and even some Jamaican dishes I never would have ordered had they not been in the buffet! Try everything… it’s all good! The entertainment here was great… a man that balances chairs, loungers, and even TABLES on his head! A fire eater who interacts with the audience… and dancers and singers that make you laugh! This was a great party!

The starlight gala was supposed to be outdoors, we heard the set up is spectacular! But we were told the grounds were too wet and muddy at the time, so it was moved indoors. It was a bummer, but still nice. They held it in the La Palazzina, and it was a buffet dinner again with even more options than ever before! They had a band play during and after dinner… they were ok. They did a lot of cover songs, though, and we really wanted to hear Jamaican music. Then they had what they called a “Disco Party”… but it was really like a nightclub-type party… with American rap and R&B. Quite the fun time… held down at the Beach Bar.

Spa:

My husband and I had the couples Swedish massage in a private hut, overlooking the sea. The atmosphere was amazing… as was the treatment!! To mix it up a bit, our next spa treatment was the reflexology. Equally as amazing! You do need to tip the people in the spa, FYI.

Tipping:

Besides the spa, you also need to tip any drivers you might have, as they work for outside companies. We tipped the driver on the way from and to the airport, to the Dunns’ River Falls excursion and to the shopping trip. Couples does have a no-tipping policy… but we had a hard time sticking to it with such great service, and warm personalities.

Overall, we LOVED our stay at Couples Sans Souci. Sadly, though, the comments from many of the staff put Couples in a bad light. They all said so much had changed for the worse since Couples took over. I am assuming that would mean pay cuts for them… such a shame. One worker told us that 90% of the previous staff had gone to work at a new resort in town because they were so unhappy with Couples. Indeed, most of the Sans Souci employees were brand spankin’ new. It is a sad situation, as the employees MAKE the resort and the experience. Most of our favorite memories involve hanging out at the bar or the watersports area with the staff.

I think we would go back… but not right away. There are too many other places to explore! Maybe for an anniversary sometime! I just hope there aren’t too many more changes as “Couple-ization” continues…

Well we survived Wilma! We arrived in Montego Bay on October 24th not long after the rains had left and headed toward Cancun. The ride was very long however our driver as provided by Sans Souci was very nice... he provided historical references and stories to keep all on the shuttle in a great mood. We did stop at Yow's on the way in for drinks and restroom break. 1/2 and hour later we had arrived in Ocho Rios. Roads after a heavy rain are tough to navigate but what do you expect they are not as advanced as US roadways and are working on it! Where to begin...

Check in- Quick, very prompt Ricardo expedited the paperwork quickly and the almond scented towels were a plus after a long bus ride. We arrived around 6:00 and everyone was buzzing as they prepared for the Friday night gala.. you've never seen so much food, I cant beleive they do this every Friday! Allof my package materials were ready when we arrived so I guess its a matter of who you book through it does make a difference.

Food- To be expected at a resort 5 star in Jamaica is not 5 star in US, but I loved it. The 24 hour food service policy has changed as many others have noted but 11:30 my goodness stop complaining people and the menu they offer is great, we orded the lamb chops filet mignon and steak all to die for! The Bella Vista(beach bar) stays open until 4:30am if in A or B block it right out your front door so walk on over. The other restaurants offered good food.. word of advice reserve your table early if not order in its all great.

Rooms- we had a 1 bedroom Jacuzzi suite in the Begonia(B) block, B14 to be exact. Well maintained. Water pressure is low but it gets the job done, the bed was great I slept well each night. We arrived to crisp bedding and folded towels in intricate designs with fresh flowers each night: heart, swan, flower shapes etc. The little details do matter and when we were there the employees despite the change in owners were great. They took care of all of our needs quickly when ever called upon I left my hair bands at home and asked for some in the AM had forgot all about it by lunch went in my room mid-day and they had found some for me.(small details) The other blocks will be updated in time we heard from Althea(mgr.) for now the newer ones are the penthouse suites and the A&B blocks the rooms are smaller than the other buildings which surprise me because I thought our room was large so the other blocks are huge!! Allowed us to tour them all I liked where I was personally.

Beach- went to the clothing optional beach and did endulge dont plan on getting in the water on this side, this is a man made beach and there are huge rocks along the shoreline(my only negative comment about the whole place) very peaceful over there the drink mixology class was fun(shouts out to Roger) The main beach is much better they clean it twice daily well maintained. Kenroy at the beach grill is fun to talk too and can cook you anything, the jerk specials were great!!



Watersports staff & Entertainment staff- cant say enough about these folks, they keep the party going... Kedena, Ricardo, Shelton Murray, Christopher my goodness they were all so much fun..... "shot, shot, shot" if you play bingo you'll get in on the joke... non-stop fun if you socialize with the folks there if not and you just want to relax they respect that too, and it is a great resort for both. Age ranges there at the time we were from mid 20's to late 50's all had a blast could have just been the folks there at the time but I enjoyed every minute of Sans Souci already looking forward to returning in August.

This time I wont have to worry about being stranded an additional day in Jamaica word of advice the rates are cheap but dont go during hurricane season.. only 4 providers into Montego Bay and 3 of the four fly through Miami so when Wilma hit Miami we were stuck an extra day and ended up spending an additional $1300 for two tickets last minute on another airline just to get back to the states.

Loved Sans Souci... wish I was there now!!!!

The drive from the airport is very interesting, though you may want to look into flying out to the resort. The driver will stop at a "gift shop" to try and get you to spent an exorbinant amount of money on crap. Just wait till the resort. On the drive there you pass Beaches Resort, Sandles etc...all of which look very suspect. We (my girlfriend and I 25 years old) were very nervous we made a mistake coming to Jamaica. Then there is was, sooo nice. Once while at the beach a Australian couple kayaked over from Sandles asking what the name of our resort was...and another group from Beaches tried to walk over to our tiki, swim up bar...only to be turned away by the staff..hahahaha!

Upon arrival, we were served fresh cocktails, almond oil hot towels to refresh ourselves after the long drive (about 1 1/2 hours). We had called and asked to be upgraded if possible before we left Boston, and upon arrival as was evident throughout the stay, the staff obliged. The room was beautiful, ocean view, balcony, jacuzzi (not used, too sunburnt hahah). The drinks were very strong and delicious unlike the watered down Mexican concoctions.

Snorkeling, scuba diving, wakeboarding or just sitting on the beach...be forewarned that this is a honeymoon resort and if you are not engaged you will have the question brought up ALOT. The restaurants are all great, the roomservice is amazing...bottles of champaign after the beach. Jazz musician's walking the grounds at sundown...I mean this was PARADISE and my girlfriend is very picky. And the water is unreal, like it should be bottled.

TIPS:

1.) Nightlife...non existant...but its not a big deal, pretty tired after the beach and NUMEROUS Massages.

2.) Don't go off the resort, no matter what some of the staff may say...you will get asked, DON'T GO another couple had a very TOUGH time and regreted leaving with the staff, who are otherwise very professional and nice.

3.) You don't have to wear any kind of shoes in the water, don't listen to anyone who says that there are sea critters...there aren't.

4.) Get over yourself and go to the nude beach, it is much nicer (the other beach is shallow). Dudes, leave YOUR shorts on PLEASE. Most people leave their bottoms on and are very private, but that is were the fun is during the day...older groups tend to hang at the conservative beach.

GO TO THIS PLACE ITS WICKED NICE DUDE.

Travel to Ocho Rios

The roads are under serious construction and remain in poor condition. If the weather is bad - you should expect a challenging 2 to 3 hour ride and no opportunity to fly as the local planes are quickly grounded due to poor weather. If you decide to avoid the shuttle, we also confirmed that it takes 30+ minutes from the local airport near Sans Souci to get to the resort - quite different than the 5 to 10 minute ride to Swept Away.

Arrival and Our Room

When we arrived they provided us our envelope and walked us to our room. After some back and forth they realized their problem and brought us to the appropriate room. However, the other items that came with our package were not provided until a couple gentle reminders on our part. After 24 hours, we finally received the package (i.e., spa) and were able to book - unfortunately, we only had two full days left and had to remind them too often.

Little things were also missed - such as re-setting the safe - we lost significant time trying to get someone to fix this. We had to carry our passports etc with us for the first full day - it became somewhat annoying.

Our final room in B block was comfortable and well maintained and had virtually no insects. The rooms in A and B block are much nicer with better amenities than Couples Swept Away.

Couples and Sans Souci

We stayed at Swept Away in 2003 and promised ourselves we would never return due to a persistent and severe bug problem in our room and poor service (e.g., the employees were not happy). We booked Sans Souci because it was NOT Couples. Unfortunately, 5 weeks before our arrival, Couples bought out Sans Souci. We were upset upon learning this news. The following things have changed:

1.Room service is no longer 24 hours -- it ends at 11 PM. We called shortly before 11 PM and they refused to deliver.

2.Employees are trying to put a nice face on the situation - there is a confirmed rumor that their salaries have been cut and many of the veteran employees have left and those that remain don't look too happy - similar to Swept Away.

3.Entertainment was better than Swept Away - but we suspect that the long term contracts will be re-visited.

Food

The food overall was quite good. In particular, they kept the cold food cold and hot food hot - different than Swept Away. The in-room dining sirloin's quality is what you should expect from a $25 entrée at decently priced Chicago steak house. The Chile Merlot and French Sangiovese was also decent - similar to a $30 to $40 bottle at home a decent restaurant.

The only advantages of Swept Away that remain from our experience is the fresh fruit drinks at the bar, the nicer beach (i.e., no sea weed) and better tennis program.

In the next six months, I believe that Sans Souci will become more like the other Couples properties. This will be a disappointment.

Overall, we had a good time and the resort remains a decent value for your money, but we will not return. Our conversations with others at the airport led us to believe, however, that Sans Souci may remain the best alternative (relative to Sandals) even with the changes unless you are willing to bear the increased prices of the Ritz.

Honestly I have nothing to compare this resort to becasue we have never traveled to an all inclusive before our honeymoon. I went with the expectation that it was all inclusive and we would have a good time at an upscale resort. We did have an ice quiet time. there are excursions off the resort and since Couples bought it, Dunns River was included in our package. We also booked before the buy out so the spa package was honored. The spa is wonderful! My husband had a mani/pedi and loved it.

the staff ommitted a sense of sullenenss due to a contract limitation and pay cut by their new bosses. I totally understand the depression the staff was feeling. It was definetly felt by guests as well. No one went out of their way to make sure we were having fun or were happy. It was like the staff had wrote sayings and just repeated from a script.

Cassanova food was excellent, Room service was okay, white wine was good. The Soul For Soul regge band was great. the house band was great.

the resort itself was too quiet and we would have liked more day time activities. It rained very little for the rainy season and i was happy with the weather. Talk to the bus drivers and vendors they are great, but make sure you check you r bags to mkae sure all your purchases are inside them... we were jipped out of a photo album. the fire eater was a blast and tried to make auduence memebers eat fire too.

I will end this with nice resort, lots of stairs, Gardenia Suite room was nothing special and old but the maid always made it lok very nice with tropical flowers and turn down service. My husband and I decided we had a nice time but would not go back to this resort a second time. If you do go say Hi to Andre, he is a groundsman who uses thje leaf blower....he is mroe than happy to catch a turtle for you to pet.

We were at Sans Souci from Sept 17 - Sept 24th for our wedding. Definitely take the shuttle from the Montego Bay airport to the resort we actually took a taxi after being talked into it when we arrived at the airport & $100 later we only arrived 15 minutes sooner than the shuttle bus & we had to pay for drinks where as the shuttle had free liquor - OOPS. Anyhow, the resort upon arrival we were awestricken by the initial beauty. Our mouths dropped as soon as we pulled into the resort & did not close for another ½ hour. Check in was quick & we were chauffeured to our room. We were in A-Block with a beach front suite. When we first opened our door we were utterly amazed at the size of the room & all that it had to offer inside. Waiting for us was a fruit & cheese platter & chilled champagne. Throughout the week we did notice a lot of moisture in the rooms but "hello" it's a humid climate, your next to the beach - what do you expect - it's the Caribbean.

This resort is absolutely incredible despite other reviews we've read. We figure some people must be hard to please.

Our wedding - We didn't really know what was going on with the wedding it just sort of all fell into place. But we would have liked a little more knowledge of what to expect. The gazebo overlooking the ocean was were we got married & it was beautiful. A fairytale come true. We opted on the DVD & pictures which are additional. The DVD was awesome, definitely worth every cent. The pictures were really dark & we were glad family took pictures as they turned out better than the pictures we paid for.

Beach - the beach is cleaned constantly & although some people may feel it is too small we enjoyed the intimate feeling the beach produced. It was never too busy & we never felt crowded. There was no flag service or wait staff on the beach but come on people 15 steps away & you can get your own drink & mingle with the awesome staff & guests.

Water Sports - unfortunately the only activity we took part in was the glass bottom boat. However, we did sign up for scuba-diving many times during the week but we cancelled each time because we had too much fun the night before that the 8:45am class was too much for us to handle after partying until the wee hours of the morning - good times.

Entertainment/Activities - something different every night in the balloon bar - lots of fun. Lots of activities throughout the resort during the day. If you want to be busy you can be if you want to relax - RELAX.

Food

Beach Bar for lunch...OH MY GOD amazing! Definite have the Jerk Pork, Jerk Chicken, pizza, triple hamburgers & fries, yum, yum, yum. Kenroy was great.

Pallazina - Breakfast buffet is great (omelets made to order, pancakes made to order.) Lunch buffet & dinner menu is wonderful - lots of selection.

Casanova - Food was exquisite. But we agree with another review to get rid of the sport coat policy. Its true guys take them off as soon as they sit down.

Room Service - anyone that complains about the room service & lack of selection is missing a few marbles. Great selection from fruit & cheese platters, sandwiches & fries, nachos, wings, entrees such as salmon, filet mignon, & desserts. What more could you need. AWESOME!

Staff - is so friendly & they make you feel like you are welcome & that you are never putting a burden on them & anything you want or need they will get. "Everyting is IRIE MON."

We could go on & on about this resort...& pictures do not do this place justice. We will 110% be back. Send us an e-mail if you have any questions.

We spent a week at Couples Swept Away in Negril for our honeymoon the week after we were at Sans Souci & let's just say there was no comparison. Sans Souci was 11/10 while Couples Swept Away was 2.5/10 if that. CSA had a nice beach but that's all it had to offer.

Sans Souci

About us

We are honeymooners in our late 20's. We chose Sans Souci as we wanted a relaxing resort which was not full of partying singles, was not a cookie cutter chain, had above average food, and above average service. We cared little for scheduled activities and preferred to spend most of our time enjoying the natural environment and each other.

Rooms

We stayed in a penthouse suite in D Block, D14 to be exact. The room was large, a bedroom, a living room, a half bath, and a full bath with a jacuzzi. A large private balcony is accessible from sliding glass doors in either room. This private balcony is large enough to easily accommodate a table with four chairs and multiple chaise lounges. There are TVs in each room with satellite reception and thus US channels. Unfortunately reception is poor so most of the movie channels were not watchable, however major networks were fine.

The way the four penthouses are situated on the D building is that each is on a corner of the roof. They do not share any walls and the rooftop is accessible from each of the four suites. This means that in addition to the private balcony, residents of the penthouse suites have access to 360 degrees of views from the entire rooftop. There is no other way to get to roof except from a penthouse so in effect it becomes a huge, semi private balcony. This was a very, very nice touch. The view from D14 overlooks the main beach and pool but is fronted by large trees which offers a good deal of privacy. I highly recommend this room or the one next to it.

Resort

The grounds are very well maintained and the pictures you see on the website provide an honest reflection of the property. There are many nice little touches such as overlooks and well placed hammocks.

Many reviewers have commented on there being too many stairs. I will say this, if climbing 3 flights of stairs is a great effort for you, go somewhere else because you will be miserable at Sans Souci. If however, you are in some semblance of good shape and often take steps two at a time when in a hurry, do not worry.

The staff is for the most part good but keep in mind that this is Jamaica. The bartenders at some point will be too distracted with singing and dancing to take your order and the front desk will most likely mishandle some aspect of your reservation. If you cannot take such things in stride, you are probably better served going elsewhere. Security has a strong presence here, they are unobtrusive but omnipresent.

Food

The food was very good but not 4 star restaurant quality. Pallazina was closed for roof repairs so I cannot comment on that restaurant's menu. Additionally we made use of the in room dining option for most lunches so my comments about lunch are limited.

The breakfast buffet should be familiar to any American, it is what you would find at any buffet with the additions of local, mostly fish based specials and a dramatic increase in the quality and variety of fruit offered. One notable omission was an omelet bar.

Lunch buffet has a mix of 4-5 meat and fish based dishes such as a nice conch coconut curry and flank steak in peppercorn sauce. Steamed veggies, rice, and other staples were offered as sides. The beach grill has good jerk specials and decent burgers but cannot match the overall quality of the buffet.

Dinner at Casanova was nice; I would compare it to a nice but not spectacular Italian restaurant in the states. In other reviews I noted complaints on portion sizes; unfortunately this was probably due to a misunderstanding on the diners' parts. At this type of restaurant, diners are expected to order multiple courses; soup and / or salad, appetizer, pasta, entrée, and desert. Because of this expectation, portions must be smaller for each course. This is not the Olive Garden where an order of pasta is dinner. Actually that leads me to want to clarify and set expectations. When I say a nice but not spectacular Italian restaurant, I do not mean the Olive Garden; I mean a restaurant that shows up in Zagats and scores in the high teens.

The in room dining is no longer 24 hours; it now stops at 11:30PM which did not present a problem for us at all. The food is good and the service was fast, 30 minutes or less in most cases. Dinner entrees are only served after 5:30PM but I suspect there is flexibility in that restriction. The filet is acceptable, a little fatty and tough (for a filet) but they will cook it to your specification and the cabernet sauce is good. The lamb is probably the best entrée, though it is only half a rack. Pizzas are pretty bad, it's about what you would make on your first attempt at home. They have a few sandwiches on the menu and all were good, the smoked salmon one being very good.

Vegetarians who eat fish will have no problem with the food at the buffets. There are always one or two fish dishes in addition to the non meat items such as fresh fruit and vegetables. However at the beach grill, the vegetarian options are limited to a pizza.

Beach

As others have pointed out, the beaches are not white sand and tend towards the rocky side. However, the natural cove gives it a private, secluded feel so we enjoyed the beach greatly. We did not go to the sunset beach at all.

Gym

I don't recall noticing much in the way of comments regarding the gym so I thought I would add a few. I lift free weights, usually big, heavy ones and do not like to use machines. I nearly always have issues with hotel gyms but Sans Souci was far better than most. The dumbbells actually go above 50lbs, up to 90lbs if I recall. They also have a Smith machine so approximations of barbell bench and squat are possible. They also had some cardio machines and weight machines.

Activities

We didn't do many of the group activities but they appeared to have a full schedule of them. We also did not spend much time at the gala night or beach party so we cannot really offer much of an opinion on them. Water sport activities included snorkeling, scuba, boat rides, kayaks, sailing, and several others. I am not certain if the scuba was free or not but obviously the rest were with the exception of fishing expeditions and long boat trips.

Guests

We were surprised that most were in their late twenties and early thirties, expecting an older crowd. Most were honeymooners and all were friendly and respectful. It was common to have a brief conversation with a nearby couple and then go back to paying attention to your significant other. So while I would say people were sociable, it was honeymoon sociable.

Shuttle bus

The ride takes 2 hours to go about 100km. Progress is slow and the ride is very bumpy. You get to see the real Jamaica but will almost certainly get bored and wish you were there already. Many people complained that the drivers were reckless but I saw no evidence of that except in a few other vehicles on the road. I suspect that driving on the left and the quality of the roads contributes greatly to these complaints. On the return trip we had a private car and that was a much better option. Better ride, nicer conversation, and more control over the stops.

Shopping

My purchases were cigars and rum so I can only comment on those two categories. The gift shop on the road will be cheaper than the resort's and the shops at the airport are cheaper still. Not at all what I would have expected. A few relevant market prices were as follows, 12 year Appleton estate rum was around $20 / liter, cohiba cigars were $8-16 each depending on the particular cigar. Keep in mind that all store prices are a suggested starting point and the actual price should be arrived at through friendly haggling and complex package deals. This is not Walmart.

Drinks

The best liquors I saw available were Stoli vodka, Jack Daniels whiskey, and Appleton VX rum. I did not see a scotch worth drinking. Much of it will be off display so ask. Their white wines were pretty awful. They had a decent Merlot, the 2004 Gato Negro Merlot to be precise. It's what you would expect from a good to decent Chilean Merlot. They had a list of additional wines for sale but I only gave it a cursory glance and was unimpressed with the selection and the high markup.

My husband and I stayed at Couples Sans Souci from September 24 through October 1. We had a beautiful room in the B block, #22. We read many wonderful reviews on this resort before our trip. We were not disappointed.

Overall we both felt it was a beautiful place. Due to half of the resort built into the cliff, there are definitely many, many steps to contend with. We were not bothered by that.

We were generally happy with our room. Our only complaint was the moisture. They need fans in the bathrooms and better ventilation overall. Our clothes hanging in the closet were damp. It would have also been nice if housekeeping paid attention to what we were drinking out of the mini-fridge. It would have been great to only have it filled with what we were drinking. From the service the resort provided I know that if we actually made the request it would have been fulfilled.

The food was amazing. Because of being in the B Block breakfast was basically right outside our door every morning. We were pleased with the buffet and loved the omelettes made by Aundre. We enjoyed lunch at the beach grill every day. The chef, Kenroy, made incredible meat patties and pizzas. As with breakfast we had no complaints. We ate at the Italian restaurant once and the French twice. We were happy with the menus at both. One thing Couples could do away with is requiring a jacket at the Italian place. Once seated every man in there had his jacket off. I can understand no shorts but lose the jackets. On Tuesday and Friday were the special buffets for the beach party and the Gala. Both offered a wide variety of meats, side dishes, salads and desserts. It was not a problem finding foods we loved. We got room service once. Again, the food was good and the service was fast.

Our favorite hangouts during the day were the swim-up bars at the pools. We got to know the bartenders as well as other guests. Those were great places to be when it rained because the bar areas were covered. We never had a problem getting chairs on the beach or shaded areas if that was what we wanted. One thing that would have been nice would be having someone serving drinks on the beach. It wasn't a huge deal to walk up to the beach bar but it would have been a nice perk. The clothing optional beach is the place to go for sunsets. The main pool was closed for a few days so we did hang out at the clothing optional pool quite a bit. More people were clothed than not.

We were very pleased with the Beach Bar and the Balloon Bar at night. The Balloon Bar provided several kinds of entertainment from Montego Bay and other areas of Jamaica. This is not the place to go if you're looking for a big club type night life. It was very laid back and very classy.

I was able to enjoy a massage, manicure and pedicure while my husband played golf. Though they are doing away with the complimentary spa treatments (a manager told us Sans Souci was doing away with that before Couples purchased them) the golf is still included. The massage at the outdoor hut while listening to the water below crash into the rocks was heaven. My husband was happy with the golf. The course was nice and because it was slow season the playing time was quick. His caddy was very knowledgeable of the course and gave good advice.

I can't say enough about our experience. We will definitely go back. As beautiful as our room was and as good as the food was these are not the reasons we would return. Couples, if you read these reviews, we will return because of the staff. We will return because of Junior, Adrian, Orlando, Kenroy, Ricardo, Allen, Aundre, Shyrlene and Kadean to name a few. The staff made us feel like family. The staff made the resort for us.

Where could you go where it rains everyday (it would rain for a couple hours in the afternoon) and you still have a frockling good time? Sans Souci.

Le Meridien in Bora Bora.....Taha'a Resort and Spa on Taha'a.....both beautiful resorts with waters unparallel......but never, never have I ever been so royally treated. The entire staff with which we interacted, spoiled us to death. They knew what you wanted the moment you thought of it.....without the words ever leaving our mouth. It was "SCARRY". Our first night at the Casanova restaurant, my wife was headed downstairs to the ladies room.... she met a staff at the bottom of the steps and before she could ask where was the ladies room.... he said "go straight and make a right." It was like that for our entire stay here. Nothing was a problem.....in true Jamaican style... "no problem mon".

The Hotel:

This is not a cookie cutter resort...it speaks a natural ambiance, it caters to the romantic. It is built on a cliff that then slopes down to the beach. So no matter where you stay there is walking to be done.... I don't know about you, but I enjoying walking in paradise with the one I love. I stayed in Room B31 from 9/28 to 10/02.... the room was beautiful and spacious. How spacious? We stayed at Sandals in Montego Bay for 4 days after we left Sans Souci and my bathroom in Sans Souci was "almost" as big as my entire beach front "Deluxe Quarters" -Room 512 at Sandals. I am NOT exaggerating. I must admit that the room at CSS was not new and does reflect that it has been around for awhile, but this was a none issue..... it was so clean we made full use of the Jacuzzi. Ahemm..... maybe Couples would spend some money and update the television.

The Food:

Anyone who complains about the food, simply has lot his or her taste buds. As superior as the waters of Bora Bora are to the beach at CSS.... that is how superior was the food served at CSS when compared to the best The French Polynesian had to offer. The food was to die for....... the presentation can hang with the best of them. The desserts, the desserts...hummmmm.

The Beach:

The main beach was so enjoyable we didn't even bother swimming at the C/O side. We walked over there, but there is really nothing to be missed if you stayed away. The beach at CSS has brown sand and you can walk way out into the cove before the water over takes your head. The beach is very private and you can leave your stuff out, go do whatever and come back later...no fear, there is a complete sense of security.

Yes there are better beaches..... but you would be hard pressed to find a more romantic private natural setting. We went out on the boat for a snorkel trip.... it was a blast.

Entertainment:

This is NOT a wild party resort. There is fun to be had and it is done in elegance.

Guests:

There was a mix of upper twenties to the older group. I am in my thirties and my wife in her twenties.

Recommendations for Couples Management:

Obviously you are in the business to make a profit, so I am sure there are changes you plan on making to Sans Souci that would determine whether you are in the black or red from a financial standpoint.

I have never stayed at a Couples resort before so I don't know the kind of atmosphere you project..... but if you are anything close to the cookie cutter resort we encountered at Sandals (not intending to badmouth the competition here.... we had a good time...prettier water than CSS.... but the entire experience (mostly our room) was a let down after coming from being spoiled at CSS----and that was not the fault of Sandals) then you may want to think twice about the extent of your changes. The property and Staff at CSS are jewels and you don't keep your priceless jewels in the same box. Keep that is mind as you make your adjustments. Don't skimp on the quality of the food and the people who work there.....because for sure we will be returning to the Jewel that sits on a cliff.

We have just returned from a five day stay at the Sans Souci. It is a very pretty property but is a little worn. We felt it over all needed some refurbishing - paint, pools needed some updating, cushions and towels are old, walkways need a little sprucing up - just generally needed some refinement on the outside.

The food is good but I wouldn't say to the level of gourmet great. The seafood is especially good. Breakfast is nothing special. And room service is good but the menu is limited. We had no trouble finding things to eat though.

You definitely do not want to go here if you have any issues with walking long distances or climbing stairs. It is set up on a steep hill and there are a lot of stairs to maneuver. You can get a van to pick you up, and they are quite prompt, but still to access many things, you are going to have to do some walking and climbing stairs. The B block would be the most convenient place to stay if you have any of these issues. It is the closest to the main pool, main beach, beach bar and main restaurant. You would need to take the van to get up to the main lobby, the Casanova restaurant and bar, the mineral pool and the spa. By the way, there is no air conditioned bar in the entire resort. They do make great drinks though.

It is a nice place but I don't think it is quite to the luxury standards that most sites tout. Our jacuzzi suite in block A was very nice - nice size, pretty furniture and comfortable. Again I thought the bathroom looked a little worn. Also the main pool is not particularly big. I am sure that I would not want to be there if it was full or high season - not enough chairs or room. It was fine for this past week because there was a very low occupancy.

The main beach is in an alcove so it is not very large and is pretty shallow, although the cliffs on both sides are pretty. The clothing optional beach and pool were nicer and everyone actually was wearing bathing suits. Again remember occupancy was very low. I am sure it is a different story during high season.

One feature I particularly did not like was that they do not have waiter service at the pool or beach. There are no waiters that make rounds on the beach or at the pools to offer you drinks or food and you have to retrieve them on your own. There is a swim up bar which is nice, but I thought this was very lacking in service for a supposedly nicer resort.

The one feature I very much liked was the included spa services. You have several to choose from and we very much enjoyed those. Also all of the boat rides, motorized or sailboats are free, and they will take you out almost anytime. Again though I am not sure how easy it would be to do all of these things if there had been more guests.

You can have a very nice time here and it is a very beautiful setting, but don't go with five star expectations. These resorts is definitely no more than four stars, and expect it to be pretty but definitely a little worn around the edges. Feel free to email me if you have any more questions about the resort.