Hotel Review: Grand Palladium Resort and Spa in Jamaica

The year 2020 brought us a full-scale pandemic and plans were amended, shifted and stopped altogether. It has been a year of change, and as I celebrated another rotation around the sun, I wanted to do something different and completely relaxing. I had never stayed at an all-inclusive resort before, so I decided to indulge this year at the Grand Palladium.

Location

Port Lucea, Hanover, Jamaica.

It is located about 45 minutes away from Montego Bay and about 3 hours from Kingston.

First Impressions

We had decided to venture to Hanover on a whim without any advance reservation, so we had to answer a few questions regarding our identity to be let in. Grand Palladium had re-opened to the public just a day earlier, so everything was spic and span. Driving through the grounds was lovely — manicured lawns, freshly-painted white columns and suite buildings.

When we reached the reception entrance, we gave our bags to the porter who sanitized them. Our temperatures were taken, our hands were sprayed with hand sanitizer and we were given welcome drinks. Masks were required at the lobby, and while checking in.

Though I don’t have prior experience, the check-in process seemed to last longer than usual.

The Grounds

The grounds were lovely - large, well-manicured and easily walkable. Near the main building were two pools - a huge one with a swim up bar as well as a separate pool for children. While we were in the cart on our way to our suite, there was another much smaller pool reserved for adults only. The beach was easily accessible no matter where you stayed. For us, it was right across from our suite.

The Room

The room was pretty big with a large bathroom (separate bath and shower) and a sitting area. Through the double doors leading to the balcony was the most gorgeous view. It overlooked the Caribbean Sea and the plush gardens of the property.

Our Junior Suite (with ocean View) had plenty of luxurious amenities, including a large TV, fluffy robes and beach towels, a well-stocked minibar, and a heavenly king size bed. Can I mention the huge bathtub? Glorious.

The Food & Drinks

Since the resort just re-opened and there were relatively few guests, only a few restaurants were operating. Due to capacity restrictions, we also had to make dinner appointments to ensure we had a table. The food was…all right. I have had better food at other hotels, but of course, because it is all-inclusive, we definitely had our fill of different dishes within the 2 days we were there.

The alcoholic drinks are plentiful, and if you befriend a bartender or server, they will be sure to make your drinks nice and strong. They served premium drinks, except Wray & Nephew - I did not recall seeing that. It was very easy to get drunk, and luckily “home” was only steps away. Make sure you stay hydrated!

The Beach

One word: EXQUISITE. I hadn’t been on a beach for nearly a year, and I wasn’t sure I was going to be on one this year. How pleasing it was that the first beach I stepped on in 2020 was one of Jamaica’s most gorgeous beaches. Even better was that there was no crowd.

The beach was about a mile of white sand and blue-green water. Laying on a lunge chair shaded by the palm trees dotting the beach, I had an amazing nap.

Unfortunately, I did not take advantage of any of the water sports, and I should have as activities (at no extra charge) include: kayaking, windsurfing, snorkeling, paddle boating.

Don’t forget your sunscreen :)

The Service

The service was pretty good. There was an instance in which there was a long line, and one of the dishes we wanted ran out, but overall, I would give it a solid 7/10.

The Verdict

I recommend the Grand Palladium to anyone who wants to get away for an all-inclusive resort vacation.