Secrets St James Montego Bay Review

Secrets St James Montego Bay review from a local Jamaican that stayed at this hotel recently for a birthday getaway. The staff, amenities and room service of this Montego Bay resort left a great impression on me.

My two-night stay at Secrets Resort Montego Bay was amazing! Especially since I have now dubbed it my favourite all-inclusive resort located here in Jamaica. It takes the top notch from my time spent at Hedonism which was also fantastic.

In this post:

Secrets St James Montego Bay Amenities

For the quick rundown of exactly why it has taken the top spot, here yah go:

adult only all-inclusive beachfront resort
top-shelf liquor inclusive
pristine beaches
delicious a-la-carte dining options
a very lovely, cozy room
premium adult channels
non-corny entertaining nightlif

Also, the property is pristenly kept and absolutely gorgeous. Love the peacocks walking around on full display too.

There’s a bed hanging from a tree hammock style just off to the right of this picture that came in so handy after one too many scotch on the rocks while hitting the piano bar.

I arrived just in time for lunch and opted to hit the buffet instead of the poolside grills.

The Food at Secrets Resorts Jamaica

I know from previous experiences that poolside grills serve pizza, burgers, hot dogs and jerk chicken. That wasn’t so for this property, but more on that later.

At the buffet, I had shrimp, chicken and fish and I was duly impressed.

I have never been a fan of the food at all-inclusive hotels. It can all kinda taste like mass-produced canteen food.

Hedonism changed that perception for me and Secrets has now totally surpassed that.

After lunch, a quick walk around the property was necessary and as I began to explore I was able to take in the sheer beauty of the place. I wondered if it was a new property as it was certainly well maintained.

At the end of my walk it was just about sunset time and although the clouds prevented what I know was a spectacular one, it was still perfect. Sitting out just over the ocean view with a single malt scotch on the rocks was heavenly.

At dinner time, I realised that the buffet was not an option, a la carte dining only. Don’t mind if I do. We chose from the restaurants available, French, Italian, Jamaican and Japanese. I chose French.

I’m so glad I did. The food was outstanding and the wine was served in humongous Olivia Pope-esque wine glasses that made me feel very sophisticated all night.

It also set the tone for the evening. I went dancing under the stars to the house band and then sat at a piano bar and sang songs I didn’t know with the handful of other guests all night long.

I had an amazing time which says something about what I’m used to from all-inclusive resort entertainment. I left there looking something like this.

But hey, my hair looked great! That rainfall-style shower in my junior suite did wonders for my wash and go.

Yeah, it’s never pretty but always so yummy. Absolutely nothing green, SMH. There’s usually a mountain of bacon and French toast so these minimal servings was me trying to not completely fall off the 7 day meal plan.

After breakfast, I went and posted up on the beach with a dirty banana. I did not want to move. The beach was so so perfect! I laid out right at the very edge.

It could not have been a more perfect day out.

That sailboat off in the distance behind me ended up capsizing and they had to race out there on a dingy to go help them.

Adventure and excitement for my viewing pleasure. At about 11am a jerk chicken stand rolled out to the pool area right behind where I was laid up so I grabbed a bite to eat and a few more drinks and did absolutely nothing.

Then at around 2pm I decided to go have lunch. See why people get fat at all-inclusives?

Remember how I was saying I don’t trust poolside grills? Yeah. This is one side of the menu that I ordered from. There was more. What did I get? Oh… everything…

I’m not gonna show you dessert. I gotta draw the line somewhere! And of course, with nothing else but laying out on the beach on my agenda, I did nothing to work all this food off so by the time dinner rolled around I was absolutely not gonna make it.

I went down to the Italian restaurant still, surely I had to try the lasagne, but I decided it wasn’t worth finishing and so I hit the dance floor instead.

Secrets Resort Montego Bay entertainment

There was bonfire dancing and then there was in the club dancing. I’m so happy the grill is open for you to catch a bite to eat on your way to your room after hours.

I chose to sleep in the next morning and had a shrimp salad and a reggae wrap that was absolutely delicious for lunch. I was trying to take it down a notch from all the overeating. Something.

The upgraded experience made me wonder about my future travel plans. I was just on Twitter having a discussion about budget travel.

I’ve been following a few travel blogs, drawn to the idea of backpacking through Europe or Asia but I’m not completely sold on all the way low-budget.

You’ll never catch me in a hostel, think I’m over that… generation? Maybe a villa or a guest house type scenario. But I don’t think I want to travel on a nickel and dime budget when I do.