Amazingly Surreal vacation

My husband and I stayed at the Shaw Park Jamaica over the Christmas and New years holiday 2012 and enjoyed the most fabulous all inclusive vacation we have ever been on.
The resort itself has the charming allure of an old colonial mansion. The staff is friendly and the food is delicious authentic Jamaican cuisine.
The view is simply majestic. All the rooms face the ocean and are literally a few steps away from the beach and the main bar.
Furthermore, this resort attracted the most wonderful, brilliant, and funny guest I have ever met (you know who you are ). We met so many amazing people and would stay up late discussing politics, sitting around the bar, or adventuring together into Ocho Rios.
This resort is best enjoyed by couples who aren’t interested in a luxury plastic Beverly Hills hotel. Shaw Park has a rustic charm more dazzling than any cookie cutter resort.
Because this resort is so small, you have a chance to make friends with everyone there. And It was so quiet at night that it felt as though we had rented a private mansion with a few friends.
If you plan to go off the resort the best way to do this is to walk five minutes up the road to the highway. From the highway you can catch a cab (cabs have red license plates) for $1 each compared to the $20 cab straight from the resort. The same goes for if you want to take a day trip or tour. It's better to talk to a cabbie and get a reasonable price because the tour groups are quite expensive. And I can assure you that taking the local cabs is completely safe.

My husband and I had a fantastic time and met fantastic people. That being said, the air-conditioning in our room didn’t work, the pool was closed the entire time, and the hotel didn’t have an a la carte restaurant. These things didn’t bother us as my husband and I are experienced travelers. However, if you are looking to stay in an American style hotel with all the amenities this resort might not be for you. But if you love a relaxing ambiance, great people, rustic charms, and great food, then the Shaw Park is where you should vacation.

6 of us went there last March 2011 and it was the worst trip we have ever experienced. We are not 5 star hotel people but we are not budget hotel people which is exactly what this was. In fact we had to pay an extra $250.00 per person to leave this dump and upgrade to the Riu in Ocho Rios. Needless to say, when we returned we wanted our money back for some of it. The hotel did not reimburse us one cent. Do yourself a favour and don't waste your money going there.

Just spent chritmas and new years (10 days)2011-2012 at the Shaw Park because once your there you have no choice. place looks great in pictures but in real life very run down with original paint,carpet & furniture. musty odour in rooms,pool closed for chemical treatment for entire stay,run out of certain alcohol on 2nd day and never replaced,breakfast and lunch the same everyday,dinners were good,most staff were good not all (general manager).Rooms looked clean but deep cleaning required(ceramic floors scruubbed or power washed) carpets looked original & disgusting.All furnishings inside and outside on patio very old,no towels until 7 at night,no entertainment at all, no sun on the beach unless out on 1 of the peers,no bugs to be seen. Over all the place is maybe a 1 star rated hotel but that might be a stretch.This resort is very,very,very falsely advertised. There is no restaurant selection available, only 1 place to eat .There are no renovations done or being done to this place at all ,as written in some of the advertisements.Would not return even if it was free,and we weren't expecting anything fancy.

The hotel was fine. I had a great stay .I made some new friends due to the small numbers.New years was so much fun.The staff was excellant. The food was good and the location was perfect.