5 months ago
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Couples is a local family-run resort chain founded by Abe Issa in 1949, and its Tower Isle location in St. Mary on Jamaica’s north coast serves as their flagship resort. In 1978, Couples Tower Isle became Jamaica’s first all-inclusive hotel and to this day, it’s still super all-inclusive with all meals, drinks, excursions and watersports included in one upfront fee. Couples Tower Isle has undergone numerous renovations over its 76 years in operation, but still preserves its older charm and warm casual atmosphere. As such, I ran into many guests who proudly declared that they were on their umpteenth vacation at this spot as they refuse to visit anywhere else– I think the longest I heard was 27 visits! With that said, here’s my experience and why vacationers at Couples Tower Isle keep coming back.
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How to Get to Couples Tower Isle
Couples Tower Isle is located in– you guessed it, Tower Isle. Tower Isle is a small coastal town in St. Mary, 20 minutes (7.3km) away from the popular resort town of Ocho Rios and just under 90 minutes (85 km) from Kingston, Jamaica’s capital city. Coming from Kingston, the entrance was located on the right and was quite easy to spot from the main road. Hospitality starts at the gate as the security guard, my first point of contact with the hotel, was quite warm and friendly. Over the past few years, my partner and I have made a tradition of surprising each other for our birthdays. As such, I’m always on the lookout for staycation ideas by September and I was happy to find a deal for locals through Gustazos at this superb all-inclusive resort. Prices to stay at Couples Tower Isle start at around US$500 per couple per night, but I was fortunate to snag a deal which costed a little over US$600 for two nights.
Our deluxe garden view room was cozy and chic with bright Caribbean blues, coir mats, a plush king sized bed, locally made wooden furniture, a well-stocked mini fridge, coffee pot, safety deposit box and en-suite bathroom. Just outside my balcony was this beautiful palmetum pictured above with at least six palm species. Room service, daily housekeeping and nightly turndown service were all included.
Exploring The Hotel
Spread across nineteen acres, this intimate beachfront adults-only resort caters exclusively to couples and features six restaurants, five bars, four swimming pools, three hot tubs, a spa and private clothing-optional island. That being said, most of Couples Tower Isle is not clothing-optional but for those desiring an au naturel experience, you can board a boat and sail for a few minutes to the only spot at the resort where one is allowed to strip down. From the mainland, I could spot a fort and some greenery which cleverly shrouds nude guests but that’s about it. I didn’t manage to convince my partner to check it out. I’d hoped to try as many watersports as possible such as kayaking, hobie cat sailing, snorkeling, waterskiing and paddle boarding, but the weather had other plans. Instead, we spent our time lazing about the beach, pool and hot tub with drinks in hand. The beach was soft white sand, but the waves were rough.
The staff kept us entertained with games, contests and pool volleyball in the daytime, and fire shows, a nightclub and performances at night. The schedule changes daily and is represented on notice boards near the lobby and in a pamphlet on check-in.
The Restaurants & Bars
For me, the star of Couples Tower Isle were the restaurants and I’m happy to report that the Jamaican food options were plentiful, but sans pepper. Breakfast and lunch were casual buffet-style dining, but we managed to check out two a la carte restaurants for dinner– namely the Eight Rivers and Bayside restaurants. The food at Eight Rivers was absolutely fantastic. After soup and salad, I had the char grilled rack of lamb with mashed potatoes pictured below. My partner’s medium steak was great too. Neither of us had any room left for dessert. On our second night, Bayside provided a romantic waterfront setting with wooden gazebos, elegant rattan chandeliers and soft candlelight. We shared an appetizer platter of beef and vegetable kebabs, sake marinated salmon teriyaki and shrimp spring rolls, followed by tom kha soup, Vietnamese salad and a seafood main course.
Lastly, I must highlight the staff on commendable service– from the waiters and waitresses, bartenders, bellhops, receptionists, everyone. I can’t remember the names of anyone now, but I felt really welcome by everyone we met. I can understand why they get so many returning guests. In fact, I was delighted to learn that this was the hotel at which American civil rights movement activist Martin Luther King Jr. stayed on his visit to Jamaica in 1965. They’ve also hosted a string of other famous people immortalized through photographs displayed in the Piano Bar.
“In Jamaica, I feel like a human being.” – Martin Luther King Jr.
Wrap Up
Have you ever stayed at Couples Tower Isle or at any other Couples Resort? Would you like to? Sound off in the comments section below! There are so many five star Jamaican resorts and boutique hotels left on my list, but I felt a special connection here– likely given its rich history, intimate setting, friendly staff and local ownership. I hope to return one of these days. After all, I still want to visit that infamous island even once. 😉
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