IBEROSTAR Grand Hotel Rose Hall

Just came back from 1 week here with my wife. We're experienced travellers that go to Caribbean all-inclusive 2 to 3 times per year, but this was our first time here. Jamaica was hit by a terrible hurricane in October and almost all the hotels in the area are closed. This is only 1 of 2 which are open. The resort was in great shape. The only signs anything had happened were: roof shingles were being replaced, palm tree leaves were cut off and stubby, they were missing a lot of palapas on the beach, but they were installing new ones as we left. None of that was an issue at all. The resort seemed to be about 30% occupied on the weekend and even less mid-week. The pool and beach areas had plenty of chairs available even very late into the morning and the restaurants never had a lineup. Service overall was terrific and everyone was extremely friendly. A particular shout out to our housekeeper (Tache) who made it a point to ask us if everything was ok (which it was) and made nice towel decorations in the room. The only time we had a bit of issues with service was with the concierge giving us a bit of attitude when we refused to participate in the breakfast session where they try to sell you something about another resort. Nothing serious, but still anoying. The entire resort was very clean, as weird as it sounds the washroom by the pool (which is usually the one that gets nasty) was very well maintained. The person cleaning it was in there all the time. There was a time where an employee broke a glass on the walkway by the pool (going towards the grill),. They swept it up very quickly but didn't do a good job and there was still glass on the ground (my wife picked up 2 large shards of glass herself), we had to ask them to sweep it again so people wouldn't cut themselves. That took about 20 minutes by the time it was all done. Not cool for an area where folks walk barefoot. The restaurants were all good, service was excellent and portions were just right. They have 3 house wines (Cab Sauv, Chard, Sauv Blanc), which were all decent enough. The coffee throughout the resort was awesome. The beach was nice and wide with barely any waves to speak of and no seaweed at all. One annoyance is our hotel described having water equipment available for free, ex: Kayaks, paddle boards, ... but there's actually a $20 US "insurance" that you need to pay to use it. Its not expensive but feels like they're trying to nickel and dime you, not cool. Overall it was a terrific stay and we will be returning in the spring of this year.

All the staff were super helpful and friendly to us on our baby moon. Christopher and Donavan really stood out to us going above and beyond. We will definitely be coming back.

Lovely hotel! Special thanks to Karl the super amazing staff who assisted us with our bags during check in and check out . Truly professional , warm and kind .. always happy to assist .. Karl is truly an exemplary employee ... the hotel is lucky to have an employee like him . Thank you sincerely Karl for being the best go to person ever ! Karen our angel server at the surf and turf restaurant who had a smile as bright as the candles radiating such warmth .. She was the star of the restaurant .. although she had numerous tables that night , Karen went all out to ensure we were happy and enjoyed our dinner .. what a beautiful person she is .. serving so effortlessly filled love and warmth ..though extremely busy .. thank you Karen ! Odsne food truck( from the jerk hut at the selection resort .. ) he was awesome , such a kind and gentle person serving us the best jerk Chicken ever ! Maurice fr the selection coffee shop - thank you !

Sorry – a little late. Our previous visit was just before Hurricane Melissa (5***). We have just returned again after having stayed December 18 thru the 28th. We decided to keep this reservation only to support Jamaica and all those who work at JOIA. We have had the privilege of vacationing here for many years, a few times per year and come to know and recognize most of the staff here. While we were glued to news while Melissa was unleashing her anger, we were also so very worried for all Jamaicans (those we know and don’t) and their families. If you have been to Jamaica you know. The take away from this trip was very humbling. Upon speaking to many of the staff – some still without power or water, some without a home – Jamaicans have a strong and resilient culture. While we worry about many little things at home, the Jamaicans have a very different approach to disasters and hardships as we know them …. something we can all learn from. The Resort was as terrific as it has always been. The only noticeable effect from the Hurricane was the foliage (top of the palm trees) and the palapas that were swept away at the beach (although the resort has erected beach umbrellas for shade). All dining venues were open (rotating days so the app proved to be very helpful). Once again, the Christmas Gala dinner was superb – starting from the table settings (which were 7* in presentation) to, of course, the desserts. And, I cannot forget to mention how glamorous the staff looked on this evening. We didn’t even recognize Judy – dressed in a long red gown and looking fabulous – but just not her – everyone was dressed in red and very formal – a nice touch. All other amenities are as repeat guests expect. Room service very timely, room attendant (Tashanne??) amazing, room restocking spot on; bar service (including beach) was fantastic – thank you Mayogal; Deshaun Natasha; Vanessa; Andre; Gary; Kiwan; Davion; Cassandra; Dario; Kersea; Amanda; Shavaughn and honorable mention to Clive (via Video chat) – I guess this summarizes where we spend a lot time - haha. Other staff who made an impression on us were Nicholas (from the French Restaurant); Laticia (morning and lunch); all of the front desk staff who are so welcoming; Ernest from the beach – truly helpful to the guests; Carl (bellhop); and not to be forgotten the towel bar staff who greet everyone with a smile. While we have acknowledged most we cannot forget to mention Teresha Brooks at the front end who has always been so receptive to us. Thank you Teresha – truly a valuable asset to JOIA. Yes, we will be back – sooner rather than later.

This was our first time to this property although we have been traveling to Montego Bay for many years. It is currently the only major property open post hurricane. We have stayed at the Iberostar in Riviera Maya Mexico and it was excellent. As was the case in Mexico, you walk in to a beautiful lobby and check in was smooth and easy. Iberostar runs a great operation. The grounds are spotless and they have done a magnificent job with respect to repairs needed and planting new grass and shrubs throughout the grounds. You would never know they had been through a major hurricane with the exception of a few areas here and there still under going repairs. The pool area is beautiful with many options and the beach was spotless and excellent. The Joia rooms are large and spacious. Separate sitting area, a large bathroom with large shower, tub, and his and hers sinks. The rooms have the largest patio terrace I have seen complete with a couch and swinging basket chair for two. The house keeping staff does an excellent job with prompt attention to daily cleaning and turn down service in the evening with chocolates on your pillow. One of the things you notice immediately is the attitude of the staff. On the beach, the pool, the grounds, and the restaurants, everyone is friendly, helpful, and determined to make your stay the best it can be. While every meal we had in the various restaurants and buffet was excellent, here are our thoughts. Keep in mind the hotel was at maybe 50% capacity while we were there so things may be different if the hotel has more guests. There was only one restaurant, the Japanese, that took reservations. We prefer to be able to make reservations at every restaurant we are planning to eat at. For the other restaurants, we had a reasonable wait. They use Whats App to notify you when your table is ready. But we noticed consistently that the restaurants were never full when we were eating. Our continual thought was if there is wait when the hotel is not nearly full, what happens when it is at capacity. Food and service in the restaurants we ate in were excellent. At the buffet, the only recommendation we would make is that there should be prepared scrambled eggs, pancakes, waffles, and french toast available. Those items are currently all made to order. The wait was not long and the food was delicious. Again, the hotel was at reduced capacity. The beach lost an amount of palapas and are in the process of repairing and installing new ones so currently, shade on the beach is at a premium and there were limited umbrellas available. The umbrellas by the way are excellent and cast a lot of shade. There is a tremendous amount of seating and shade around the several pools. We had an excellent time and unfortunately our stay was cut short due to the snow storm hitting the mainland so we left early. We had a terrific time and will absolutely return. Lastly, the Joia is due to close from June - November for renovations. We are excited to see it when it has been completed.