Our Honest Sandals Ochi Review
The most affordable Sandals resort, Sandals Ochi is located in Ocho Rios, Jamaica. It’s also the largest Sandals, and while some people love the size because there’s so much on offer, others find it overwhelming.
We have visited Sandals Ochi twice and will share our thoughts in this real and honest Sandals Ochi review.
What to Know About Sandals Ochi
Like we said above, this is the cheapest as well as the largest Sandals resort. This means there is a lot going on and you get a ton of choice. For example, there are 16 restaurants.
However, the resort is spread out and is in two sections—hillside and beachside—that are divided by a road. Although there is a free shuttle to take you around, some guests find the size challenging.
It’s also a fairly lively resort, and tends to attract younger guests because of this and the lower prices. There are quieter areas, though.
If you want an affordable Jamaican getaway with plenty of included activities and a huge variety of dining options, Sandals Ochi is a great selection. We loved having so many choices.
Getting the Best Deal at Sandals Ochi
After deciding on the resort, we booked our trip directly on Sandals.com. We always check for the weekly 777 deal before booking to save on our room rate or other promotions going on, which you can see here.
Alternatively, you can always contact us to help you book your trip to Sandals, making sure you get the best price possible.
Getting to Sandals Ochi
There are three airport choices for getting to Sandals Ochi, and we have flown into two of them. While the closest airport is in Ocho Rios, there are fewer flights here. However, American has added a direct flight from Miami to Ocho Rios recently.
We’ve flown into Montego Bay and Kingston. It takes about 90 minutes to get from Montego Bay to Sandals Ochi, and the drive is pleasant. Kingston is a little closer, but the roads are more winding so be careful if you get carsick.
Regardless of which airport you choose, you’ll get complimentary roundtrip transportation. You can also pay for a private luxury transfer, but it’s not really worth it in our opinion.
You will arrive at one of two lobbies at Sandals Ochi depending on where you’re staying—hillside or beachside—and check in either there, in the Club Lounge if you’re in a club level room, or in your suite if you’re in a butler level suite.
Rooms and Suites at Sandals Ochi
Accommodations at Sandals Ochi are divided into two villages, Hillside and Riviera Seaside. The hillside area is more quiet, and is where the Butler Village is located. We stayed there on our most recent visit, as we were in a butler suite.
The Hillside Village also has the biggest pool area, some restaurants, a spa, and a fitness center.
Our suite was a butler villa suite with a semi-private pool, a large bedroom, and a separate living room with a bar and French doors to the veranda. In this area there are also one-bedroom butler suites with private pool sanctuaries, which are nice for privacy. Many of the rooms in the Butler Village have recently been updated.
The Riviera Seaside Village is by the beach and has restaurants, pools, and bars, plus a variety of beachfront rooms and suites to choose from.
All the butler suites come with 24-hour inroom dining and personal butler service.
Sandals Ochi Food and Drink
The 16 restaurants at Sandals Ochi are the most of any Sandals resort, and they offer a huge variety of cuisines including Caribbean, French, Italian, Asian, Mediterranean, American Southern, seafood, steak, and grilled specialties, which is great for foodies. One of the newer restaurants offers tapas with a great view, and we really enjoyed going there.
We also loved the Southern Table and Vista Gourmet, especially for breakfast, and the Jerk Shack, quesadillas at The Mariner, fish tacos at Tapas, and brick oven pizza at Dino’s for lunch.
For dinner, our top meals were sushi at Soy, surf and turf at Vista Gourmet, and lamb chops and insalata caprese at Valentino’s. Other favorite restaurants were Kimonos for Japanese teppanyaki and Le Gourmand for upscale French cuisine.
Many of the restaurants require reservations for dinner, and because the resort is so large we strongly urge that you make reservations as soon as you arrive. If you like to have a leisurely pace, make them for later in the evening. If you like to eat more quickly, make your reservations for an earlier time.
No matter where you dine, feel free to order as many items as you like—it’s all included, and this is a great way to try new things. We especially like to do this at the Asian restaurants.
Sandals Ochi has 11 bars including swim-up bars at most pools. It’s always easy to get a drink, and there are usually servers walking around the pools as well. One of our favorite bars at Sandals Ochi (and of all the resorts, actually) was the Rabbit Hole, which is “the Caribbean’s first speakeasy.” It’s tucked away and you have to know the password to get in. They have excellent craft cocktails and a great live band and singer.
Pools at Sandals Ochi
There are 105 pools at Sandals Ochi, although some of these are private ones at suites. However, you get the idea—there are lots of pools.
The Great House has three pools and offers a fun atmosphere. The pools include the main pool with a swim-up bar and activities; a smaller pool next to the Great House Café; and the Riviera pool, which was Michelle’s pick. She liked to relax here because it was a more peaceful vibe but still had a swim-up bar and music playing, plus a good pizza place next door.
The Beach Club has a great pool that is right on the beach and has a swim-up bar, while quieter options are the Hidden Pool and the Riviera Garden Pool.
Sandals Ochi Beach
You have several different beach options at Sandals Ochi. It’s one long stretch divided into three sections, all of which have nice white sand and calm water.
The Ochi Beach Club is a lively area near Neptune’s Restaurant and a pool with a swim-up bar. There are loungers along the sand and some shade trees, plus floats out in the water.
In the Riviera Seaside Village is another beach area with chairs and near several restaurants and bars.
In front of the Riviera Beachfront Tower is the third stretch, with more chairs, shade trees, and all the watersports equipment.
Activities and Entertainment at Sandals Ochi
There are a ton of activities included at Sandals Ochi. Complimentary watersports include snorkeling, paddleboarding, windsurfing, aquatrikes, kayaking, Hobie Cat sailing, and glass-bottom boat rides.
You also get up to two dives a day if you’re a certified scuba diver, which is great because there is a lot to see in the water here. If you’re not certified, you can take a class onsite for an extra fee. I got certified for Open Water here in just 3 days.
This is one of the Sandals resorts with golf, and both green fees and transportation to the course are included. Other land activities include day and night tennis, rock climbing, table tennis, beach volleyball, and squash. There’s also a fitness center with exercise classes.
The Red Lane Spa offers a variety of spa services, which cost extra.
Jamaica has a lot to do, and Sandals Ochi offers plenty of offsite excursions for an extra fee. We recommend the catamaran trip to Dunn’s River Falls, river tubing, and visiting the Blue Hole.
Don’t try to fit more than two activities in one day, and pay attention to how far away some of the attractions are. We don’t recommend doing ATVs, horseback riding, or the Luminous Lagoon because of this.
At night there’s always plenty happening. In addition to the piano bar, the singer at the Rabbit Hole, and events at the Ochi Beach Club like beach parties with fire dancers, there are live bands, karaoke, theme parties, chocolate buffets, talent nights, and Caribbean nights.
Sandals Ochi Review Final Thoughts
We really enjoyed all the variety at Sandals Ochi and recommend it to anyone who likes to have plenty to do. As the cheapest Sandals resort, it’s a great option for an affordable but activity-filled getaway to a beautiful Caribbean island.
However, some guests find the resort to be too large. If you prefer a smaller, more intimate atmosphere, this may not be the right Sandals for you. There are 7 other Sandals resorts in Jamaica; some of the more peaceful options including Sandals Royal Plantation, Sandals South Coast, and Sandals Royal Caribbean, and Sandals Negril.
