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Radiant Spa at The Jewel Dunn's River Beach Resort and Spa in Ocho Rios Jamaica
Julie Register visited this Resort Spa in December 2010
It was 23°F the morning I left Philadelphia. I was happy to be heading to The Jewel Dunn’s River, a beach resort near Ocho Rios, Jamaica. There I enjoyed temperatures in the 80's and sun in the mornings and early afternoons. It rained in the late afternoon and evening almost every day, but that was fine with me. I had plenty of time to enjoy the outdoors.
The Jewel Dunn’s River Beach Resort and Spa near Ocho Rios, Jamaica
Adults-only, All-inclusive
The Jewel Dunn's River Beach is an adults-only, all-inclusive resort on a private, white-sand beach on Mammee Bay. Included in the rate are taxes and services charges as well as:
Airport transfers from Montego Bay Sangster International Airport - It's a 65-mile trip - about 90 minutes each way - on a well-maintained highway. I enjoyed these rides because the drivers were a wealth of knowledge. Our conversations covered the topics of bush medicine, history (Arawaks and Maroons), bauxite production (exported for manufacturing aluminum), the parishes, minimum wages (as low as $44 for a 40-hour work week), coffee production, tourism (the new deep water pier that will accommodate the largest cruise ships and a future mega-resort on Montego Bay and what that means for residents that currently live on the land to be developed), houses (many are built in stages as the owners can afford them since mortgage interest rates are 17% and above), Jamaican Patois (yah mon, irie) and more.
Accommodations - The Jewel Dunn’s River has a total of 250 guestrooms in three buildings: Diamond, Sapphire and Emerald Lanai. There are eight room categories from premier to Butler-serviced suites. Each room has a private balcony or patio with views of the ocean or the lush Jamaican mountains and gardens. I stayed in a Diamond room overlooking the pool and beach that included a liquor cabinet and provided robes. All rooms are equipped with a coffee/tea maker and mini-fridge stocked with water, soda, juice.
My Room (3408) at The Jewel Dunn’s River Beach Resort and Spa
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The Bathroom of Room 3408 had a deep whirlpool tub
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Liquor Cabinet in Room 3408
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New decor for all guest rooms will be completed by March 2011
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Meals - Food is available at six restaurants and anytime snacks are served round the clock. I particularly enjoyed dining at the more formal Platinum restaurant where there was a spa selection on the menu. I had the steamed chicken and vegetables. It sounded plain but was very flavorful. In general, the food and service was great. I tried Jamaican Jerk Pork at the beachside Aquamarina Bar & Grill and the breakfast buffet at the Coral Café where I got to try a traditional Jamaican dish called Ackee and Saltfish - loved them. Once each week an eight-course, candlelit meal is served on the pier at no extra charge. Unfortunately, it was raining that evening so it was moved indoors to the entertainment venue, Bling. We ate while we listened to some great music including the outstanding vocalist, Patty Ellis. Other resort dining options incude the Court Jesters Fire-Oven Pizza, Moonstone by Dominic (Italian) and Jade Samurai (Japanese steakhouse).
Platinum Restaurant*
Drinks are available at all restaurants and bars. A selection of bars includes the Sunken Treasure Swim-Up Bar and
Jasper’s Chillin Pool & Piano Bar, a swim-up bar that transforms into a jazz bar in the evenings. There are also the Emerald Tree Lounge and Boardwalk bars. The Gem of the Day, handmade rum punch with flavors such as Jamaican Ginger, Lychee and Satsuma is offered each day. There are afternoon bartending classes where the resort's mixologists reveal the secrets of each Gem.
Nightly Entertainment includes a selection from Dive-In Movies, Caribbean Night, local entertainment and cabaret shows, live band and DJs and staff and guest talent shows in Bling.
Water Sports include snorkeling, Hobie Cats, kayaks, aquatrykes and water aerobics/aquasize classes. Lessons are available for all sports and activities. The Jewel Dunn’s River features two pools. The larger of the two, Falls Pool, offers a water feature reminiscent of the famous and nearby Dunn’s River Falls.
View of the Falls Pool and Beach from the Balcony of Room 3408
The Beach at The Jewel Dunn’s River Beach Resort & Spa
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Land Sports include tennis (rackets provided), 9-hole pitch and putt golf course (clubs provided), ping pong, basketball, volleyball, shuffleboard, horseshoes and giant chess. Lessons are available for all sports and activities.
Tennis Courts |
9-Hole Pitch and Putt Golf Course
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The Fitness Center, Cut, offers universals, free weights, cardio, fitness classes and visiting instructor classes in yoga, pilates and body sculpting.
Extras
There are a number of extras available at The Jewel Beach Resort that are not included in the all-inclusive price such as cabana rental packages; private, candlelit, five-course dinners on the beach or above the waterfall at the Falls Pool; flowers and edible arrangements; birthday packages; photos; snorkeling, SCUBA and boat outings as well as:
Cabana |
Boat at the Pier for Snorkeling, SCUBA and Tours
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Radiant Spa
The property became The Jewel Dunn’s River Beach Resort & Spa in September, 2010 (Sandals Resort previously). They have been busy rebranding ever since, and it was still a work in progress during my visit. Most of the resort had gone through a complete remodel about four years ago, so rebranding has consisted of retiling the pools, new dinnerware, linens and soft goods for the guest rooms. This will be completed by March 2011. While not in the current scope of work, there are plans for the spa to be updated in the next three years or so. The plans include moving the gym, Cut, to another location; moving the nail salon, Polish, to the spa building and adding a relaxation lounge. I hope they plan to do a little remodeling and updating of the current spa facilities as well - especially the wet areas.
The design of this spa is visual pleasing but the six treatment rooms that are located off the balcony surrounding the staircase are noisy. They are open to the beautiful soaring ceiling, the adjoining treatment rooms and wet areas below them. My first treatment was in a room above the shower, steam and sauna area. Fortunately, no one was in an adjoining treatment room, but I could hear every bit of noise from the stairway and wet area beneath the room. It was very noisy and distracting. In fact, my service provider left the room mid-massage twice to scold people to be quiet. My service on the following day was in a treatment room on the other side of the balcony which was located above the whirlpool. The sound of the whirlpool acted like white noise and actually disguised most of the other noises.
Recommendation: I recommend requesting one of the two interior treatment rooms (both couples) or one of the treatment rooms over the whirlpool.
My first service was The Jewel Signature Massage. When I checked in at the reception desk, I was asked to choose from three aromas for my massage - lemongrass, ginger or peppermint. I chose lemongrass. The massage that followed was great. Unlike most aromatherapy massages I have received where the extent of the aromatherapy comes from a drop of essential oil waved under my nose, this massage was performed with a coconut carrier oil that was mixed with lemongrass essential oil, so the aroma was actually transferred to my skin. And unlike many massages I've received in the tropics where the oil has turned rancid, this oil smelled fresh and fabulous. The lemongrass aroma lingered for hours after the massage. The massage was followed by a vigorous brown sugar scrub of my legs between my knees and ankles. It was an odd addition to the massage. If it had come first and been on my feet, I would have had value for it. As it was, it just undid the relaxation the massage had done.
Recommendation: I recommend getting a separate whole body scrub when you first arrive (good preparation for tanning) and an aromatherapy massage (without the scrub) afterwards or at a later time.
Lemongrass, Ginger and Peppermint
The spa carries lemongrass personal care products in their small retail boutique - body lotion, body wash, shampoo, conditioner and candles. These and the lemongrass essential oil used in spa treatments are all sourced from a local company called Country House, which is owned by Prof. Henry Reid. He grows his own organic lemongrass, or fever grass as they call it in Jamaica, without chemical pesticides or fungicides. This hardy perennial is anti-viral, antibacterial, antifungal, antiseptic, promotes good digestion, and is a mild insect repellent. Mostly, I just love the aroma.
My second service at Radiant Spa was a facial which, for some reason, is not included on the printed spa service menu. However, when I asked for one, they clearly offer them. The esthetician used a rotary brush to cleanse, applied a hot towel and steam, performed extractions and a mask that including elastin and collagen and finished off with a moisturizer. The spa uses Pevonia products for their facials. My skin had been particularly sensitive that day - from the sun or sunscreen, perhaps. Thankfully, it seemed to be "calmer" after the facial.
Other services available on the spa menu at Radiant Spa at the time of my visit include:
Relaxing Massages and Treatments
- Traditional Massage
- X Marks the Spot
- The Jewel Signature Massage
- Diamond in the Rough Massage
Packages
- Brilliantly Cut - Sports Massage, Facial and Paraffin Treatment for the hands and feet
- Honeymooners Delight - Couples Massage and In-room Bath
- Body Polishing for Caribbean Tanning
- Say Yes Again - Sugar Cane Scrub, Caribbean Exfoliation and Diamond in the Rough Signature Massage
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Wedding Packages
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Get The Groom To Shine - Full Body Massage, Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee Wrap, Man’s Only Manicure and Pedicure, Rejuvenating Facial
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Bring Out The Bride’s Sparkle - Natural Herbal Body Wrap, Caribbean Coral Exfoliation, Jewel Signature Massage, Hands and Feet Paraffin Treatment, Manicure and Pedicure
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Other services are available such as facials and body scrubs as well as customized treatments. Spa services can be performed in the spa, in a garden, in the water, on the beach or in a guest room. They are not part of the all-inclusive and are on the high side price-wise. The spa is also available for "sparties." I attended one. I never liked martinis before, but they were fabulous there!
A Sparty was held in the courtyard behind Radiant Spa
Three women performed during the Sparty
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A Couples Treatment Room was set up in a
pavilion
in the courtyard behind Radiant Spa for the Sparty. Treatment providers offered samples of spa treatments such as the sugar scrub on our hands.
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Polish Salon is currently located near the resort lobby and offers hair and nail services. It is the ideal spot for bridal parties to prepare for their wedding ceremonies.
Polish Salon Entrance
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Polish Salon
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Manicure Stations at Polish Salon
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Off-Resort Activities - While the resort offers activities to keep you busy, I spent a lot of my time visiting three different attractions that were about a mile from the resort.
Dolphin Cove - a park where you can swim with dolphins, sharks and stingrays.
Mystic Mountain - We rode the SkyExplorer chair lift to the top of the
mountain. The view was great! At the top, there is a waterslide and infinity edge pool, a restaurant and a museum. Also at the top is where we took Bobsled Jamaica, kind of a self-regulated roller coaster. Most of my group did not use the brakes. I was chicken and did. After the bobsled, we went down a good bit of the mountain on the Canopy Zip Line and then took the lift back down the rest of the way. It was great fun.
Dunn's River Falls - This was my last and favorite activity. The Arawak name “Xayamaca” means land of rivers and springs. The area was called “Las Chorreras” by The Spaniards which means the waterfalls and springs. Dunn's River Falls is absolutely beautiful and very accessible. With a guide, groups descend the stairs to the beach at the bottom of the falls where they empty into the Caribbean Sea then climb the 600' falls in the water - a unique, beautiful and invigorating experience! The Battle of Las Chorreras was fought near Dunn's River Falls in 1657 when the English defeated the Spanish expeditionary force from Cuba.
Photos copyright 2010, Julie Register
except those marked * which have been provided by The Jewel Dunn’s River Beach Resort and Spa
As is common in the travel industry, Julie Register was provided with accommodations, spa treatments and meals by The Jewell Dunn's River Beach Resort and Spa for the purpose of reviewing those services. While it has not influenced this review, she believes in full disclosure of all potential conflicts of interest
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