Water is everywhere. With 105 pools, including 7 Main Pools, you can find YOUR spot. The Ochi Beach Club is the main place to gather and be seen, as well as the series of pools and cabanas at the Hillside Pool Club. Water sports are available along the beachfront, and most are included. You can enjoy Hobie Cats, tubing, glass bottom boat tour, snorkeling, wind surfing and unlimited Scuba diving if you are certified. All of that is included, unlimited, and the Scuba Diving is conducted with Certified Dive Masters, on certified luxury dive boats, with certified PADI diving gear by ScubaPro, Catalina, and Luxter and Newton dive boats. For beginners there is a Scuba Certification pool course, as well as a Deep Dive Certification Dive. PADI has recognized Sandals as one of the top five dive operations in the western hemisphere. There is an overwater promenade area at Ochi with two of the top restaurants in Jamaica located here.
Restaurants are located all over the resort. Buffet breakfast and A La Carte breakfast are available, lunch choices number over eight locations, with some actually poolside. Dinner is gourmet dining with star chef experiences. Choices range from fresh seafood in an overwater setting (we sat at the dockside railing with waves lapping beneath us), to French, Italian, and American specialty restaurants, and all are included. Dress for dinner is a little less casual than most Caribbean resorts, with Country Club Casual or Country Club Elegant, the norm. Plan on arriving with collared shirts for men and slacks or dresses for women. We really appreciated being able to enjoy a gourmet dinner where other folks also dressed up a little to enjoy the experience.
Entertainment is everywhere, but always by personal choice. Certainly there are pools where the typical resort games go on during the day. We never found a pool we had to leave because it was too noisy, and we always found another pool nearby where the action level was what we wanted at that particular time. This is the only resort I have ever visited where there is a speakeasy. Please notice that is not in quotes. This IS a speakeasy and you have to read the password of the day, or get it from someone, in order to get in the door. All drinks are superior brands, including 2 choices of Robert Mondavi Wines. There is every variety of music at this resort to match your mood. Reggae is very popular, as is Country, Rock, and some Piano Music.
Next week we explore the golf options at Sandals Ochi.
