Sandcastles Jamaica — Attraction in Jamaica

My family and I stayed at Sandcastle for Christmas 2016 and it was the worst place that we have stayed at so far. We checked in on 12/20 and when we got to the room they did not even mop the floor. There was a big dead roach on the floor and they left us a can of Bagon Spray as well, as if they were expecting us to continue killing them. The bathroom seat was so dirty I had to clean it off myself and forget about the kitchen. The machine that they had working on the floor was left in the middle of the walkway on the second floor. The security guard was the one to remove it. The stove was horrible. We stayed the night because we were exhausted The next morning we went to the front desk to ask to be transferred to a different room and was told that the person who gave us that room should not have because the room was not in any shape to be rented. I would think that if you are expecting a guest to check into a room it would be checked first to make sure that it was ready and the front desk staff would know which room should be rented. They gave us another room and it was a little more modern, but no AC in the living area there was no housekeeping service everyday either. We were there for 7 days and only once we got cleaned towels and the room cleaned. I had to go to the front desk to complain again just to get that service. The last two nights the bedroom on the second floor was covered with ants. We went to the front desk for help and they said there was nothing they could do because they had nothing to kill the ants. We used vinegar to mop the floor then put the spread from the bed on the floor to cover the rest that we could not get rid of. We have not seen or heard from a manager the entire time that we were there. In cases like these a manager would step forward, apologize and at least attempt to make the situation a little better. There is no customer service skills from the staff and they were just too grumpy to be up front. Checking out was another nightmare. We were checking out very early and the front desk is usually closed until about 8:00 am. The staff at the desk the night before said the security guard on duty would give me the deposit, and take the key. Well the security knew nothing about it, and had to borrow the money from someone to give me. From the time I got there anything I needed help with I would check with the security guards because they were the most pleasant, and helpful out of the entire team. The rest of the staff should take a page from their book. I am grateful that they made part of the trip better for us. Thanks to all of them. If this place is under new manager I would not like to see what the old one was like, because Fred Flintstone place use to look and operated better on TV. The entire team need retraining from the top to the bottom. If anyone is planning to stay there you will be better under a tent. STAY AWAY AND SAVE YOURSELF FROM THE MISERY OTHER PEOPLE ENDURED. YOU HAVE...

I am an owner and I have been staying here since 28th August 2018. I have read the reviews and I am personally disappointed to read some of the experiences of past guests.

There are over 170 apartments owned by individual owners. Some of the apartments are definitely not up to scratch, however many are just as good or better than any 5 star accommodation, my apartment, Apartment Treasure definitely falls into the latter category.

Sandcastles Resort is managed by a new committee made up of owners who were elected at an Annual General meeting in March and a General manager recently appointed too.

In recent months they have been working hard to raise the appearance and standard of the Resort.

We no longer have loud music playing at night, or people sitting smoking by the poolside.

We now have a refurbished pool and pool deck, new security personnel, new receptionists and other staff, recently installed CCTV, improved lighting and an excellent restaurant upstairs. There are plans to provide a variety of beverages downstairs very soon.

ALL owners are being encouraged to modernise their individual apartments so as to raise standards. We hope they will all see the benefit of doing so.

Sandcastles Resort manages a number of units on behalf of owners and they have actively been working together to upgrade these apartments.

Sandcastles Resort is in a fantastic location and a great venue, with direct access to a refurbished boardwalk and super beach. It is such a joy to be on the beach first thing in the morning and late afternoon before the sunsets.

Please when booking read the reviews of individual apartments. Like I said there are some great ones here.

We have some work to do in completing our upgrade of roofs, etc but we have come along way.

We are not perfect, however, Sandcastles Resort is on the move...

This resort is not for the family.|That being said, as a couple with some experience travelling around Jamaica, Sandcastles was exactly what we anticipated. I recommend that if you choose to stay here that you expect true Jamaican service here. |When I checked in it took a bit longer & the young lady at the Front Desk left without telling me my check-in process was complete (haha). Our studio apartment was okay but the bathroom did require a 270 turn to get to the toilet with the door partway ajar (it couldn't fully open as it bumped into the toilet!). The shower was nice, up-to-date, but the door also didn't open fully. If you're a fuller-figured person, you may not fit in it. |The beach access was good, no issues getting in with our resort passes. Beach chairs & umbrellas are $5 each (USD). The beach itself was nice and the play structures and tour sales around you could make it a great time if any of that is your bend. |I also recommend that you avoid the pool area, unless seeking local company is another thing you are seeking. Many locals hanging around, some to make sales and some to offer company to lonely souls. As I said earlier, don't make this your first resort choice for your first visit to the island. Tour guides and all-inclusive workers told us repeatedly to be careful here, that theft was possible. We didn't encounter any thievery but we also stayed away from the spaces on the resort that those people would be present. If you have an idea of what living local is like, you'll be good here. |All in all, we enjoyed our quiet time here, ate at the places nearby, walked around. I recommend Ciao Bella for a great dinner, Reggae Life for lunch, and Margaritaville if you're needing a chain-style meal. Watch the vendors in the Chukka Mall, they're overpriced. |Enjoy your stay here, with a...