THE GEN X WANDERER / Royalton Blue Waters Jamaica Review: Booked Free with Bonvoy Points

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Royalton Blue Waters Jamaica ~ Resort Map

How I Got This All Inclusive Vacation for Free

I’m saving the best for first because that’s why you’re really here right? If you want to see how I got this entire trip on Marriott Bonvoy points (any many other countless hotel stays), look no further, I offer the information all here! And I tell you how to do it for yourself, I promise you it’s no nonsense. So save this link for later, grab a coffee, and come back to it!

Royalton Blue Waters Jamaica Review: What a Family of 4 Experienced

Note: We stayed here when the Hideaway section was still under construction.

If you are searching for a Royalton Blue Waters Jamaica review before booking your own trip, this one comes from a real family stay, using real Marriott Bonvoy points, not a sponsored post write up.

We are longtime Marriott Bonvoy members, and we booked this entire all inclusive trip using points. Here is my full, balanced review of the property, the staff, the food, and what happened when we raised some concerns with Marriott afterward.

We travelled as a family of 4 (two adults, two kids) and stayed at Royalton Blue Waters for a week. Marriott Bonvoy classifies this resort as an all inclusive property, and we redeemed our points to cover the entire stay, only paying taxes out of pocket.

Our points covered two adults, so we paid a small additional amount for our two kids, though it ended up being minimal. We also arranged a private transfer from the airport rather than using a shared shuttle. Overall, the trip had some real highs and a few construction related bumps that we did not expect based on the resort website.

Getting There: Private Transfer with Reggae Tours

As a family of 4, we booked a private transfer to and from Royalton Blue Waters with Reggae Tours. The instructions were clear ahead of time, and their desk at the airport was easy to find. Our driver on the way to the hotel was wonderful. He kept us entertained for the entire 35 minute journey, pointing out what we were passing and talking mostly about Jamaican cuisine, especially breadfruit.

Service was very quick, almost immediate, with no wait time at all. On the return trip, we had another pleasant journey, and our driver arrived 15 minutes early. Everything was smooth and enjoyable, and we would not hesitate to book Reggae Tours again for a future trip.

The Staff Made the Trip

Every single team member we encountered, from housekeeping to the omelet chef at the buffet to the lifeguards and bartenders, was kind, attentive, and quick to respond. They listened carefully to every concern we raised, and while some issues were outside their control (more on that below), the level of care from the staff was consistently excellent throughout our stay.

Excursion: Luminous Lagoon (Glistening Waters)

One of the highlights of our trip was the Luminous Lagoon, also known as Glistening Waters. It is only about 5 to 7 minutes from Royalton Blue Waters Jamaica, and the excursion rep picked us up right at the resort around 9 pm, since this experience only happens at night.

Once we arrived, we all got on a boat, put on our life jackets, and headed to the middle of the lagoon to swim for about 45 minutes. The unique part is that any splash or movement of your hands causes the water to glisten, which the kids especially loved.

They also offered a rum punch included with the excursion (adults only of course), though it came out of a jug that looked like my grandma would have made it. It was a little questionable at first glance, but it was all part of the experience and we did not think twice about it after (mainly because my husband’s family is from the Caribbean and I see jugs like this all the time lol).

We thoroughly enjoyed this excursion and would recommend it to anyone staying at Royalton Blue Waters. The one drawback is that it is quite difficult to get good pictures since it takes place at night. There was a photographer on site with a proper camera, but they charged about $50 USD to transfer just 4 digital pictures to your phone, which we felt was steep and decided to skip.

Construction Construction Construction

Note: We visited in the summer 2023. But if you are booking now, don’t worry, all construction is done! Here is the piece of information we wish we had known before booking. Royalton Hideway, the adult’s only section at Royalton Blue Waters, was closed for major renovations during our stay, expected to reopen around November or December of that year. Because several shared restaurants and services sit between the two properties, this meant fewer dining options were open than the resort’s marketing suggests. The website did not mention this at the time we booked.

Dining during our stay looked like this:

• Breakfast: buffet only
• Lunch: buffet or the jerk hut on the beach
• Afternoon: a sports bar with fries, poutine, and burgers
• Evening: about four restaurants open plus the buffet, no reservations needed

Of the restaurants that were open, Calypso stood out as a favourite for its relaxed vibe and tasty food, the steak restaurant was excellent though the staff seemed rushed, and the Italian restaurant was solidly average.

The Air Conditioning Situation

The renovation work at the Royalton Hideway also appeared to affect water and air pressure across shared systems, which meant air conditioning throughout Royalton Blue Waters was running well below normal capacity during our visit. This applied to guest rooms, the lobby, and every restaurant, so it was noticeably warm most of the time. We are Canadians used to cooler climates, so this stood out to us more than it might for some travellers.

We flagged this with the front desk right away. They checked for alternative rooms, but the only option available had a pull out couch instead of two queen beds, which was not workable for us with two young kids for a full week. To their credit, staff kept checking on us throughout the stay.

Other Things We Noticed

A few smaller things I’ll mention for anyone planning a trip:

• Pool areas showed some wear, including a bit of algae buildup in parts of the lazy river
• Beach vendors are present and will approach you, though any transactions happen off property, just steps from the beach
• Power went out briefly a couple of times, and fire alarms sounded a few times overnight
• The beach itself had plenty of chairs available with no towel hoarding, which was a nice change from some other resorts

On the positive side, the spa had full air conditioning and my massage there was amazing.

What Happened When We Contacted Marriott

Since we booked through Marriott Bonvoy using points, we reached out to Marriott directly after our stay to explain the air conditioning and construction related issues. Marriott took the feedback seriously and credited us back a percentage of the points we had redeemed for the trip. This is the part of our Royalton Blue Waters Jamaica review that we think matters most for fellow Bonvoy members: booking with points gives you an extra layer of recourse if something goes wrong, and in our case, Marriott followed through.

Final Thoughts: Would We Recommend Royalton Blue Waters?

Despite the rough patches, we had an enjoyable week overall, largely thanks to the staff and the resolution from Marriott afterward. If you are booking with Marriott Bonvoy points and considering Royalton Blue Waters, we would suggest checking directly with the resort or Marriott ahead of time about any ongoing construction at the sister property, so you know what to expect with dining and amenities.

Since this trip, we have been loyal to the Marriott Bonvoy brand and stayed at many other all inclusive options and hotels, like celebrating my 50th birthday at the Royalton Bavaro Punta Cana, staying in Miami and Fort Lauderdale, and countless others in my hometown of Toronto, Ontario.

This stay ultimately reinforced my confidence in booking with points and in Marriott standing behind its guests when issues come up.

Want to learn how you can also get a free stay like this? It’s easy and you don’t need to have a points degree. Click here to find out!

Things to in Jamaica

Disclaimer*: Booking through Viator is a great way to explore beyond the cruise line’s offerings, often with more flexibility, unique experiences and generally much cheaper than booking through the resort.