Couples Swept Away: Travel Log

Top All Inclusive in Negril Jamaica

 

This travel log is from our 15th time at Couples Swept Away in Negril, Jamaica. We were traveling as everything started to open back up in February 2021. We usually take an annual trip in September during the off-season, but for my birthdays on the 10s, we take a trip to celebrate. This travel log was originally posted on Facebook on a Fan Group Page(Couples Swept Away Uncensored), so there are a couple of insider jokes for other repeaters.

2/19/21

I miss a lot of things in this Covid world but, you know what I don’t miss? Jamaica! So with antibodies from having Covid 3 months ago, passing all the necessary tests and approvals, a dozen fancy new masks, and prices to rival our normal off-season trip, my husband and I boarded a plane to Jamaica to celebrate my 50th birthday.

Who is ready for a trip report?

2/20/21 Arrival Day:

The big question is, is it possible to get drunk on a plane considering there is a mask mandate? Why yes. Yes, it is. Thank you to the flight attendant in first class on the airline with the same initials as Alcoholics Anonymous.

There were absolutely no lines in customs, so our bet on not using Mobay on arrival paid off.

A quick hello, check-in, bathroom wardrobe change, a switch of our water bottles from water to red strip, and we were out of the airport in record time.

As always, Ashton Pitt provided us with an enjoyable and safe private ride to the resort.

Good news! Because we are long-time repeaters and we are celebrating my birthday they gave us the room we requested! Just kidding, that is not how it works. But we did get one of the six rooms we requested on our pre-check-in, and no, I’m not telling you what my favorite rooms are, so don’t ask.

We arrived close to sunset, so we dropped our bags off and ran out to the beach to see an amazing sunset and double rainbow over the resort.

Friday night is the silent disco which we had every intention of attending, but after dinner, we stepped outside for a cigarette and never returned. I want to apologize to the two couples who we met while smoking. I was over-served and might have monopolized the conversation.

This morning I started with a run on the beach, followed by a couple of rounds of pickleball with the husband. And yes, according to his rules, he did win both games, but there is always tomorrow.

We easily found the perfect spot on the beach and are now enjoying our first drink of the day. Cheer everyone! Wish you were here!

2/21/21 Day 2, First Full Day:

If our first day was all about drinking, our second day would be all about the food. There were about 25 different food items consumed in an attempt to cure my hangover.

Pre-breakfast in the room of banana bread and coffee.

Breakfast at Palms: omelet, toast, bacon, sausage, hash browns, banana and cherry stuffed French toast, and more bacon.

They have combined the Cabana Grill and Patios for lunch (which is brilliant!) We shared pepper pot soup, a chicken and a beef patty, french fries, onion rings, cheese dip, jerk chicken, steak house pizza, and key lime pie for dessert.

After a nap in our hammock, we enjoyed a snack of sweet potato chips with artichoke asiago dip and pumpkin jalapeño dip.

Dinner at Feathers:

Appetizers were fish cakes, braised rabbit, and a cold Jamaican seafood sampler. From there, we had a shrimp bisque and a pumpkin/carrot soup with jerk duck. After a quick palette cleanse, on to the main courses of double lobster tails with Jamaican wild rice and a petite filet and lobster tail with garlic sour cream mashed potatoes. We finished with fancy chocolate cake with homemade ice cream and tres leches cake with cream and homemade ice cream. Coffee and rum cream topped with whipped cream to go.

Thank God this place is all-inclusive. Thank God I started my day with a double workout.

2/22/21 Day 3:

Successfully did a whole lot of nothing on day three. Sand gravity is a real thing. We did manage to find an empty hut at noon. I’m not really that big of a fan of the huts, but it lightly rained a couple of times, so I was happy to find one.

So we might have never gotten around to eating lunch. Which was a bold choice, especially because we might have drank the beach bar out of red stripe.

Met my new best friend, Lindsey. And no, it’s not because her room was right behind our hut, and she let me use her bathroom.

The sunset was beautiful. So beautiful that I almost forgot we had 7:00 dinner reservations at Lemon Grass. We did make it just in time and even managed to grab a martini on the way to our table. The food was delicious. Even better than I remember.

We shared a few more martinis with our new friends by the pool and was back at our room by 10:30. I want to apologize to my neighbors. I got the giggles and couldn’t stop laughing. I guess I was so loud Ben heard someone shush me. Damm Atrium windows.

I’m now up and sitting in my hammock, trying to decide how to start the day. Also wondering how long Ben is going to call me Giggles.

2/23/21 Day um. Not sure. I’m loosing track of time. It is a Monday. I do know that.

We started the day with a game of pickleball and I won! Won in the since that I finally won a point. Yes, my first point ever. One point. So in my mind, yes, I won.

After our game, we celebrated with a smoothie and walked around the sports center. Those paper straws are seriously the worst. Have to remember the metal straws we brought.

Made it down to the beach around noon. Huts were still available but we decided to sit on the water’s edge in one of those short chairs. Sitting at the water’s edge, drinking a pina colada, and listening to my book on audible was truly a perfect moment. I mean, except for that damm paper straw.

Sea Grapes was temping for lunch but decided on Patios because of the number of food options.

Our goal after lunch was to take a beach walk. That didn’t happen. Did take a quick nap on the beach until it started to rain. We returned to the room for a couple of games of phase 10 before heading down for the sunset. Rain really does make beautiful sunsets.

Not sure how it happened, but somehow I was overserved. Again. I seem to remember behaving myself during the repeaters dinner, but by the time we made it to the piano bar, my volume was at a 10. Again, Sorry if I offended anyone.

Today I went for a beach run and returned to our room decorated in honor of my 50th! My husband is the sweetest, and yes, his card made me cry.

Today is going to be a great day! But I somehow have to figure out how to not be over-served by our 8:00 Feathers reservation. Seriously pray for me. The struggle will be hard. We are planning on taking the sunset catamaran. With or without paper straws.

2/24/21 Birthday report. Day 5. Right? Pretty sure it was day 5.

Happy to report I kept my drinking at a very respectable level yesterday.

Morning run, pre-breakfast, breakfast. Paddleboarding for me. Kayaking for my uncoordinated husband.

60-minute couples massage paid for mostly by loyalty gift certificate and $50 price match reward for the rate I found that was about $5 less than the price I paid booking directly with the resort.

Drinks at the water’s edge. Drinks in the shade under a palm tree.

Lunch at Sea Grapes. Fish tacos and sweet potato chips with dips of the day.

Quick fill of your Hydra Flask cups with Red Stripe, and we boarded the catamaran. Good news, my new best friend and her boyfriend were able to sneak on the boat. (With paperwork for a different day) Before any Karen’s out there start yelling at me, the catamaran crew told them there was room and to just change the date.

A cute little new bride threw her bouquet off the back of the boat to a hand full of single ladies, and my “fifty” tiara was lost in the ocean. No worries, my husband also brought me a sash and light-up necklace to wear to dinner.

Feathers was a lovely end to our day. Ordered all 5 appetizers. Both soups. Entrees with bonus protein because I couldn’t pick just one. To finish, we ordered 3 out of 4 desserts. Because we didn’t want to overeat.

It was a perfect day and a perfect birthday.

2/25/2021 Wednesday’s report.

Not only forgetting what day it is, I’m now forgetting what we did. I’m pretty sure we did a lot of nothing.

I had to ask the husband what we did yesterday to make sure I’m reporting on the correct day.

We purposely skipped pre-breakfast to see how long we could sleep in. We made it to 8:30! After breakfast at the Palms, I paddle boarded and Ben tried out the water bike.

Before finding a spot in the sand, we decided to take a beach walk. It ended up being a 2 mile beach walk. Should of worn shoes and brought more to drink. The bottom of my feet were well exfoliated and pink the rest of the day. And yes, we could of stopped and bought a drink but we kept thinking, “we are almost to the free ones!

We finally made it back and enjoyed a well-deserved frozen drink. It is at this time I realized, aren’t we supposed to take a Covid test? A quick trip to the lobby, and I found out they forgot to give us our test info in our welcome packet. It seems they want us to stay longer also. They rescheduled it for after lunch.

Lunch was at Patois, and we stuck to one item each. But extra onion rings and 3 desserts.

Covid test was quick and easy. They said results in next 24 hours. We got results in 24 minutes.

It was now around three and I needed a nap. It should be mentioned, that even the naps are better in Jamaica.

Woke up in time for a sunset. I am thankful to the couple who took our photo. Please don’t be offended that I retook them with my tripod and remote trigger. I’m kind of picky about my sunset photos.

Dinner was at the Palms while watching the steel drums. As everyone knows, it is a must-see show. As much as we wanted to go to the beach bonfire, we were tired and decided to return to our room.

Today is our last full day. Big problem, I still have 3 more bikinis. Today might require a few costume changes.

2/25/2021 Go Home Day!

Ashton safely delivered us to the airport for our departure flight. We swore off the “Sad Bus” after always being crammed in and having to sit in a jumpseat. Trust me, book a private transfer for at least the return trip to the airport. Also, always book Club Mobay for Departure. It is a lovely club to wait for your flight. The wi-fi, drinks, food and clean bathrooms make it well worth the cost!

And so with that, we end our 15th trip, and I bid a farewell until time! I hope you and your mate enjoy everything Jamaica and Couple’s has to offer as much as we do!