Secrets St. James Montego Bay - All Inclusive

Customer Ratings & Reviews

TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

10090 reviews

• 

  Average and soooo Noisy!

  We were looking for a luxury holiday to unwind in the Caribbean sun.insteady we found ourselves in the middle of corporate American party central. Felt like a club 18-30s but for mid 30s age group who went wild. The day we left 900 Americans arrived to clapping.. there seems to have been a two tier..if not 3 tier preferential treatment going on. Despite paying a lot of money for a week..we definitely didn't feel valued. The noise level all day was deafening at times and never stopped. Sometimes 3 different lots of music on at the same time. The location of the restaurants, if they were open, really needs a rethink.. we could hardly hear ourselves talk at times. I less of course you went for dinner at 5.30pm.. The restaurants were a bit hit and miss for both quality and service for dinner. Breakfast was good The hotel is a bit tired and in need of some attention. The floor in our room was coming up. It wasn't particularly clean. Our first day was spent with maintenance as the patio door wouldn't lock, table was broken and curtain hanging off. All of which would have been known about had the balcony been cleaned after the last visitor. The grounds were beautiful. The beach kept lovely and clean. The staff in general were good. But at times I found myself trying to cheer them up..not really the right way round as I was the guest.. Tipping.. meant to be included but there was definitely a constant hankering for tips from the staff and those thst did tip got faster service. None tippers often ignored with servers avoiding eye contact.

  Jan 18, 2025
• 

  Not as it was

  Review: A Disappointing Return to Secrets St. James Eight years ago, my first experience at Secrets St. James left such a strong impression that it became the start of my love for Secrets Resorts. From Cape Cana in the Dominican Republic to several locations in Mexico, including our honeymoon in Akumal, we raved about the exceptional quality of Secrets. Naturally, we were thrilled to return to where it all began—only to be sadly disappointed. Negative Aspects • Food Quality and Availability: • The food at the Preferred Club was consistently cold and plagued by fruit flies. • Restaurants often had 2-hour waits, with some not even open on certain nights. • Service Standards: • Many staff members seemed disengaged, giving the impression that guests were an inconvenience. • On our first day, the pool waitress completely ignored us, and most servers avoided eye contact, as though to dodge any interaction. • In the Preferred Club lounge on our last day, I felt unwelcome when a server made me stand in the hall while assisting others first, despite my request being simple (just ice). • Property Condition: • The buildings are tired and in desperate need of paint and basic maintenance. • Cleanliness is an issue, as highlighted by other guests. One mentioned running a towel on the floor in their room, only for it to turn black from the dirt. • General Atmosphere: • The overall energy of the staff seemed lackluster, leaving a sour note on what was supposed to be a premium experience. Positive Aspects • Exceptional Service in Select Areas: • Piano Bar: The staff here went above and beyond, crafting amazing drinks, engaging guests with warmth, and showing clear enthusiasm for their work. • Bordeaux Restaurant: The friendly and attentive team, including the manager, made dining a pleasant experience. • LaTonya at Preferred Club: Despite a poor initial interaction in the lounge, LaTonya’s kindness stood out. She reassured me when I felt like a bother and displayed the hospitality that is sorely lacking in other areas. Final Thoughts Unfortunately, this experience has tarnished the love we once had for Secrets Resorts. The stark contrast between our memories and the current reality is disheartening. Whether due to new ownership or a shift in management, the decline in food quality, service, and property upkeep has made it clear that this chapter with Secrets has come to an end for us. It’s a shame, as this resort was once the reason we chose Secrets time and time again. While there were glimmers of the old excellence in select areas, the overall experience no longer lives up to the brand’s once-stellar reputation.

  Jan 17, 2025
• 

  We loved Jamaica!

  We had such a great time at Secrets. The people truly made the experience unforgettable. Special shoutout to staff members Marlando, Cruze, Kevin, and Sky for going above and beyond! Our favorite part was interacting with them at the pool and pool side bar! Highly recommend!

  Jan 17, 2025
• 

  New Year, below expectations.

  A big hotel which merges into the neighbouring Wild Orchid hotel, where most of the restaurants/bars are located for both hotels. We upgraded to Preferred which was ok, we had the use of a section of the beach with comfier sun beds and use of a small buffet dining area in reception. The give away on the beach that you aren't in Preferred is the colour of your beach towel (Orange). If you are not on Preferred and want to use the comfy sun beds, you can just collect an orange towel from the Preferred Towel Hut and no one would be any the wiser. Between Xmas and New Year the hotel was naturally extremely busy, the restaurants and bars simply could not cope with the volume of people. Over a 90 minute wait for dinner in every restaurant with people getting very annoyed. Evening entertainment was sparse, the Piano Bar was the only Piano Bar I've every been to that doesn't have a resident pianist. One of the guests managed to tap out a few tunes but that was about it. Food was ok but not 5 star, more 3. The best food we had was in the neighbouring Breathless Hotel, which as a Preferred guest we had access to (need to book), there is a roof top bar/restaurant with great views and entertainment (saxophonist/steel band). Breakfast was better in Breathless too and a shorter distance to get to for Preferred guests. The New Years eve in the main buffet restaurant (Blue Mountain) was a damp squib, no music/entertainment, looked just like any other evening. Very disappointing compared to New Years Eve Gala Dinners we have previously experienced at this sort of hotel. You could book into the other A La Carte Restaurants but you had to buy a bottle of wine per couple, starting at 60 Dollars. I was surprised to see such a lot of small water bottles in cool boxes along the beach. Hyatt should surely be more eco aware, the amount of bottles they must get through in a year is colossal! There's no point in asking me to Save the Planet by reusing my bath towel and then hand out thousands of plastic water bottles. Some hotel staff looked demoralised, they may have good reason but it doesn't add to the overall experience, strike action in November may be some of the reason but Hyatt need to sort it out! Saying that, the Concierge on the main St James Hotel entrance were great, Chris Brown was especially helpful and a super friendly guy and a credit to the hotel. On the 'Up Side' the beach was lovely, rooms were big and cleaned every day, room service was good and included. Hotel/grounds very clean. short transfer to the airport. Overall an ok hotel, but for the money, it was below average, didn't have me longing to return.

  Jan 17, 2025
• 

  Lower your expectations to a 3-star property and you will love it!

  I read many reviews before choosing where to stay for one night while visiting Montego Bay for a meeting. I was hoping I picked the right place to stay so I could return with my wife for a vacation... let's just say thats not going to happen. I am very glad I didn't book a vacation here. I think it gets mixed reviews for one reason... it depends on the reviewers expectations of what they are expecting this property to be... I thought about this for a while sitting by the pool reflecting on why I was disappointed. If you are booking this property expecting it to be the Ritz Carlton, you are going to be seriously let down. If you are booking this property expecting it to be like a suite at the Holiday Inn (if that even exists), but all inclusive... you are going to love it! For me, I am accustomed to real 5-star properties, this is not that at all. But what it does have is a very nice, very calm, quiet relaxing beach.

  Jan 16, 2025