Looking to for the best all inclusive resort for families?
My family recently visited one of the best all-inclusive resorts for families in Jamaica.
Keep reading to see all that the Hilton Rose Hall has to offer, recommendations for things to do in Jamaica, and just what you need to pack to make it a trip to remember.
My husband and I have traveled extensively through the Caribbean in the last 16 years.
However, this was the first time we brought our children along for the ride.
I knew what I was looking for in a resort when picking a location.
- Safety
- Ease of travel
- All inclusive
- Kid-Friendly Accommodations
- Affordability
I was up for the challenge.
After looking at hundreds of resort options on many different islands, I was drawn to Jamaica.
My husband and I were in Montego Bay 6 months ago for a wedding, we had also chosen this beautiful island for our honeymoon 13 years ago. It was the perfect choice to bring our family.
We settled on the Hilton Rose Hall in Montego Bay for several reasons.
Being in Montego Bay kept the travel time down to just a 15-minute ride from the airport, rather than the 90-minute ride to Negril or Ocho Rios.
The Hilton Rose Hall is a family-friendly all-inclusive resort featuring Sugar Mill Falls Water Park.
Coming from a state that boasts The Worlds Largest Water Park in Wisconsin Dells, my kids were under-impressed with the 2 water slides that made up Jamaica’s Largest Water Park.
But that was just on paper. Once we got there, they played in that water park nearly every minute we were at the pool.
There are 2 pools at the Hilton Rose Hall Resort, one large pool right outside the lobby, then the waterpark pool system a short walking distance away.
The Sugar Mill Waterpark area hosted the resorts only swim up bar and it’s lazy river. I must say, this was the most fun “lazy” river I have ever been in.
The current was swift, it got the inflatable tubes -and people moving along!
This portion of the waterpark was by far my children’s favorite. They spent their days playing in the rapids of the lazy river.
This is a Hilton property
If you are a Hilton Honors Member with status, there are perks. My husband travels for work a lot, his Diamond status got us an upgrade from partial ocean view to a full ocean view room.
The hotel offers rooms and suites. Keeping to our budget, we chose a room. I have to say, these were pretty small rooms, but it worked fine for our family of 4.
The rooms were much smaller than any of the other resorts we stayed at in the roughly 20 resorts we’ve visited. They were a standard sized hotel room.
However, the view was amazing and made up for the room size, especially since we didn’t plan on being in our room much at all.
These are the views from our balcony, no zoom necessary.
Things To Do In Jamaica
The number one thing my kids wanted to do was to snorkel. We were a bit disappointed that you really couldn’t snorkel from the property. The sand was so fine and the wind was always blowing, so the water was not clear enough to snorkel.
We booked a catamaran snorkeling excursion instead.
They picked us up at our hotel, brought us to the boat, and then out to the reefs.
The early trip was a family-friendly trip, but being October, my kids were the only kids on board. Everyone was very respectful, even with the rum punch flowing!
The guide took the whole group around the reef, picking up sea life to show everyone and teach a little about some of the creatures that live in the coral reef. It was a highlight that we are still talking about!
Then we headed to Margaritaville for some waterslide fun!
That slide might look innocent, but man, it’s got power – my kids went flying! They had fun, but it was a one time ride for them!
Margaritaville also has water inflatables that we played on for a while, then it was time to head back to the boat and resort. We were home by 2:00 and back at the waterpark shortly after.
Dining At the Hilton Rose Hall
For restaurants that take reservations, an expert tip I learned over the years is calling the resort a few days before you go to get your reservations set, especially at busy times of the year. This is especially important when traveling with a larger group.
Sometimes it’s really hard to get a reservation if you don’t do this, and when traveling with kids, you might not want the 8:30 reservation for dinner…
We dined at all the locations the hotel had to offer.
For lunch, the favorite by far was Moonstone. The view alone was amazing, but the pizza was fantastic too.
This was the view from the deck of the bar/ pizza joint. Not too bad, huh?! And that coconut drink?! They chop them down from the trees, then use a machete to chop them open, and stick a straw in them. So cool!
Being an all-inclusive, my children loved that they could get an ice cream cone any time they wanted (and they had many!).
The lunch restaurant options had beautiful views of the ocean. I found the food to be good. It was not spectacular, but there was definitely enough choices for everyone to be happy with each meal we ate. While we didn’t have too many drinks, they did a good job with them as well.
Get out into the community and visit local areas.
We choose to visit a school nestled in the hills of the Jamaican countryside. It was something we will remember forever.
I wanted my children to experience school in another country. We got to sit in the classrooms with children my kid’s ages and be involved in a lesson along with sharing information about where we are from. The children shared information about their culture with us. It was a truly memorable experience.
We brought a suitcase full of books for the school library and the school was so kind and had a small ceremony thanking us. It was very unnecessary but thoughtful.
What To Pack For An All-Inclusive
After years of traveling to the Carribean and over packing time and again, I have it down to a science.
What you really need? 2 swimsuits + a cover-up and a sundress or outfit for dinner each night you are there.
I even have it down to 1 pair of flip-flops for the pool & beach, and 1 or 2 other sandals for evening wear. If you plan to work out, toss in some tennis shoes and workout gear.
Besides clothes, if you want to explore the water bring your own
- goggles
- snorkel
And of course, don’t forget the sunscreen!
More Packing Tips
To cut down on packing, I wear one outfit down then wear it home. This way you only need one pair of jeans or pants and one long sleeve shirt.
I have yet to need to wear a lightweight sweater on my travels to the Carribean, but I typically try to travel with something that would work if by chance it got cool outside. Hasn’t happened yet, even if it’s raining…
These tips cut down on luggage, I can fit everything in a carry on bag.
If you’re like me, you are traveling to soak up the sun and memories with your family. You don’t need much to do that besides a swimsuit and camera to keep those memories forever.
Would I recommend the resort to other families?
Absolutely! This resort was perfect for children (and adults!) of all ages. There were games all over the property to keep you busy when you didn’t want to swim or sit on the beach.
There was a coffee shop where I could get my caffeine fix and the kids could get caffeine-free drinks.
They had organized activities all day long if that’s of interest.
They had nightly entertainment that we all enjoyed and lots of interactive opportunities to get kids involved.
I even won a signing contest and brought home a prized painting as a gift that makes me smile every time I see it. Oh, and I cannot sing…at all… so there is a funny story in there too…
This was a vacation to remember, and it didn’t break the bank. What more can you ask for?
For more great ideas for your trip to the beautiful island of Jamaica, check out VisitJamaica.com. It was really helpful for me!
Have you been to Jamaica? I’d love to hear your favorite memories!
Check my other favorite travel destinations here.
While I love to travel, my day job is writing about food. I’d love for you to check out my blog, Create Kids Club to find simple, healthy meals for families!
FREE Kids Cooking eBook!
Do you want your children eating a more varied diet, but wonder how to get more fruit and veggies into their meals & snacks? This eBook is a fun filled way to get kids eating better while having age appropriate fun!
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