Riu Palace Tropical Bay in Negril, Jamaica – My Hotel Review

Riu Palace Tropical Bay in Negril, Jamaica

 

This was my first time traveling to an all-inclusive resort…

Until recently I haven’t traveled at all, but traveling is something I plan to do a lot more now that my kids are older. After plenty of researching and planning, we ended up in Jamaica at the Riu Palace. Negril is best known for the beaches and the sun. I was in desperate need of both. I visited the resort with my boyfriend, but during this trip, he became my fiancé! WOW! Talk about a memorable vacation. But, back to my review, my first impressions of the Riu Palace Tropical Bay were great. I did expect it to be a bit more modern and luxurious, but it was still beautiful. The basics were all there. Luxurious swimming pools. Beautiful beach? Check. Abundance of frozen alcoholic beverages? Check. But, overall, how was the Riu Palace Tropical Bay? How was the all-inclusive experience?

What all was actually included?

The phrase “all-inclusive” here really did mean all-inclusive. All meals, drinks, entertainment, and WiFi. Other than tipping the staff (which I highly recommend that you do because it will make your time there much better and the staff will remember you throughout your stay), you don’t have to pay anything extra than the price of the package vacation. It’s a good feeling to not have to worry about carrying around a wallet or having to pay for anything while you’re there. There is a small gambling room with an ATM and about 15-20 machines to play, which is obviously not apart of the all inclusive so you will need your wallet for that if that’s something you enjoy. The included meals varied from buffet food to three-course meals at the restaurants in the evening. The drinks included local and imported beverages of all varieties. At the restaurants, your meal options were limited, each restaurant offered three or four different appetizers, entrees, and desserts to choose from, but by far our favorite was the Japanese restaurant, the sushi and the steak were AMAZING! The buffet on the other hand had endless options to accommodate anyone. As for activities, SOME things were included, but there were extra activities and excursions being offered, but some were a little pricey. We did the catamaran cruise through Scuba Caribe to Rick’s Café which offered an open bar, a stop to snorkel (which was awesome), and of course you get to watch Jamaica’s world famous sunset from the boat as you were leaving Rick’s Café (during that sunset on the catamaran was also the moment of my fiancé’s proposal, talk about the most perfect proposal, EVER!) that entire excursion was well worth the price and I highly recommend it!

The Resort and Staff

The resort itself included one main building with the lobby and some restaurants, two buffets that alternated meal service times, a stage, two swimming pools (one with a swim-up bar), and several buildings filled with guest rooms. Bloody Bay Beach was merely steps from the swimming pools. It might seem like a large resort, but it didn’t take long to circle the whole place. I liked that it wasn’t a huge resort where it was necessary to take a shuttle from one spot to the next. The landscape was always perfectly groomed, and very well maintained. There were pretty gardens filled with gazebos, cascading water, lush greenery, and hibiscus flowers in full bloom. Looking for places to take photos was easy, everywhere was a good spot for pictures.

I spent most of my days on the beach in the morning and at the swimming pools in the afternoon. The water in the pools were always perfectly warm and heated by the sun. We visited at the end of July, which was hot, but perfect for a Caribbean beach vacation.

The more popular of the two had a swim-up bar. There were all sorts of drinks there; beer, hard alcohol, and frozen drinks. There were machines with pina coladas and strawberry daiquiris ready to go, which was perfect for me since that’s all I drank (more than I am proud to admit, but oh well, it was my vacation). However, the bartenders will create your drink of choice using blenders. Another one I really liked was called “Caribbean Orange” that was delicious.

There were always games and activities by the pool, hosted by the entertainment staff (the entertainment staff were like friends and family and throughout our trip would address us by name like they’ve known us forever). There was never a dull moment. The pools would occasionally get crowded if the entertainment staff were doing something, like having a foam party, YES a foam party, now that was a lot of fun (pictures will be included), but it was still pretty easy to find a free lounger to sit right by the pool. If you were seeking a quiet and relaxing day, that was completely attainable, there were spots away from where they were doing there fun where you could easily relax. When I was too hot, I moved to one of the loungers inside the pool. It was perfect!

 

The Beach and The Crystal Clear Beautifully Blue Water

A beautiful beach at a resort might be equally, if not more important, than a quality swimming pool. I can state, with confidence, that Bloody Bay Beach was one of the prettiest beaches I’ve ever seen. From the clear, blue water to the powdery white sand, every element composing that image of an ideal beach was present. It didn’t matter how far out you walked; you could see your toes at the bottom. The sea water was equally as warm as the swimming pool water. The palm trees gave some shade from the sun, which for some on our trip, was must since the sunburn got them on day 1. The water was shallow and clear. I saw a few jellyfish floating by us, but they move slow enough that you can easily move away and the water is so clear, you can easily see them. There was also a stingray right as we were walking into the water, but it quickly swam away (they will usually swim away pretty quickly the second they sense you near so they’re really nothing to worry about). The beach was also private, but there were locals that could walk along the edge of the water on the beach (which did get a little annoying, since they were always selling stuff and could get a bit pushy about it, which is how we ended up with four $5 bracelets) but they’re not allowed to come any closer than right along the water so you could easily relax on the beach in peace, as long as you avoid them when getting in the water, it was fine.

The Room

We stayed in room 6213, on the second floor (the ocean view junior suite). When I entered the room for the first time, it was very cozy and welcoming. There was a large king-sized bed facing a flat screen TV with premium cable channels. The room included a sitting area with a couch and a small dining table. The area of the room that stood out the most was the balcony, I spent every morning and some evenings just sitting on that balcony, since we were ocean view, I could just sit and stare at the beach and watch the sunrise and sunset. That was the life!

The bathroom was covered in marble and had two sinks and a basic tub shower combo, we were able to get a peak into one of the room ocean suit rooms while housekeeping was inside, just a peak out of curiosity. Since that was actually the room we initially wanted, but for whatever reason was unable to get when our travel agent booked our trip, seeing it made us even more disappointed. Our room was still very nice, but if we ever visit a Riu Resort again, we will definitely be making sure we get the ocean suite.

My Advice

Here are a few things to know:

• Plan your dinners ahead and pick your restaurants accordingly, since they rotate days that they are closed.
• Look at the entertainment schedule ahead of time and plan your dinner times accordingly. Evening entertainment/shows starts around 9:00pm, but the pre shows start around 8-8:30pm, so arrive early to ensure you get a good seat.
• On the topic of entertainment, do yourself a favor and definitely don’t miss the night they have Mix Max, absolutely hilarious, and by far our favorite show.
• Even though it is not required, make sure you tip! This is important! We made sure to tip all of our server and bartender, and they remembered. We had a table at the buffet set up, decorated, and waiting for us specifically. If the bar was packed, they made sure we weren’t missed when ordering, because they knew we tipped. Not only is tipping your server just plain common courtesy, but it will also make you VIP to the staff.

Disclaimer: I was a paying guest of Riu Palace Tropical Bay and was not offered a discounted stay in exchange for my review. My honest opinions, are entirely my own.

 

My kids fight so much that I’m almost convinced they hate each other.

 

 

If you have more than one kid, then you know exactly what I’m talking about. When my kids first started their lives together as brother and sister, it was great, my daughter loved having a new baby brother, so much so that she literally would not leave him alone like when he was finally sleeping after crying for an hour straight or when she thought that she was mommy and took it upon herself to get him out of his crib when the real mommy wasn’t looking, but she meant well, she just didn’t want to leave her cute baby brother alone because she just loved him so much.

 

Then it happened…...he learned to walk and talk and wanted to do boy stuff (turns out, boys don’t like Barbie dolls and playing dress up) and she didn't like that at all. Her cute baby brother that she loved so much suddenly became her sworn enemy and everyday in our house was like being in a war zone. My wonderful days now consist of fixing toys one broke because the other took their toy, yelling STOP IT NOW a million times, pretending I don’t hear someone crying “Mommy, she/he hurt me!” and hoping this isn’t the one time their actually hurt, or separating them every five minutes just for them to attempt playing together again two seconds later knowing it won’t end well, or wondering if it’s ok to just lock your children in their own rooms (I wouldn’t actually do this, but can’t say I haven’t deeply thought about it) .  Sometimes, I truly believe my kids HATE each other and from their occasional screams, I’m pretty sure they have tried to kill each other. Just when I’m convinced that maybe they do still like each other when they play a game together, laugh together, or I catch them hugging each other, one ends up hitting the other, or stealing their toy, or one just won’t stop talking (because that’s apparently a reason to scream and hit someone). It’s a battle I can not win.

So, what do I do you ask……. nothing, absolutely nothing. After constantly being the referee in a never-ending match that has no winner, I finally put in my two weeks notice, I no longer wanted to be a referee it just wasn’t the job for me (they said I was unfair so I probably would’ve been fired anyway).  I have heard ever ridiculous argument that you couldn’t possibly even imagine, like the time he farted on her and laughed, but when she farted back, he screamed and had a melt down because girls aren’t supposed to fart (Yes, that’s a true story, you can’t make this stuff up), then there’s the time she hit him for breathing, yes, you read right, for breathing (Lord help me), or the best most ridiculous one, she scraped her knee and when I gave her a Band-Aid, he said I only loved her because I didn’t give him one and that she didn’t deserve my love. There is only so much you can actually do, I’m not doing some of these things people are doing that supposedly work for their fighting siblings, because let me just tell you now, it’s not going to help mine. I’m not putting them in a large shirt together and calling it the “get along shirt” because it will end up being used as a weapon somehow, like a way to strangle each other or suffocate each other. I am not sitting them down to talk through their problems just so I can end up being the one stuck arguing with them both. Time outs, separating, or grounding them does not work, trust me, I have literally tried it all and it usually back fires.

 

I know that’s it’s just all a apart of being siblings and they eventually grow out of it and as much as I hate to wish away their childhood, I wish they would hurry up and grow out of it because they are literally stuck with each other, there are no return or exchange options available. I’ve been to my breaking point so many times, I’ve been to my crying point, I’ve even been to my just go hide point (where I hide longer than I probably should), BUT THEN.…I see it….these little glimpses of hope…like my prayers have finally been answered…. there’s these moments when you can hear them laughing together at a funny show or at a game they’re playing together, or when one falls down or gets hurt and the other is right there to ask if they’re okay (funny how that works), but then there’s my favorite moment of all, those moments when I go in to see if one is asleep and find them BOTH snuggled up lying in bed together. Now those are moments I cherish and hold on to when they start fighting again and best believe I’m getting videos and pictures every single time I get one of those rare moments, yes I stand in the corner and take pictures of them sleeping because they’re my kids so it’s not creepy at all. But all in all, even though I’m convinced they hate each other, I know that deep deep deep deep down they do love each other and hopefully one day, sooner than later, they’ll realize just how much. There is still hope!

 

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Parenting with Anxiety AND Depression!

 

Let me just start by saying being a mom isn’t easy, like not at all, in no way at all is it easy. Would I trade it for anything else in this world, like being able to go to the store and shop for myself, or eat out every night if I wanted to, or go on vacation whenever or wherever I wanted, or being able to watch a show without pausing or rewinding it a million times, or going to the bathroom ALONE, or sleeping a full night through without a foot in my face or being kicked in the rib, or not having to clean up someone else’s poop because the little blessings literally manage to somehow , as humanly impossible as it seems, manage to poop anywhere and everywhere, or my house staying cleaned and picked for more than ten minutes without suddenly stepping on sharp a** toys (damn those legos) that weren’t there two seconds ago...Would I trade all of that? Hmmmmm...... let me think about that…..…..still thinking…...…ABSOLUTELY NOT! No matter how many times those thoughts of what all of that would be like cross my mind or as amazing as all of that seems, once you have kids, nothing else in the world can compare to the feeling you get having them and being with them like when they take their first step, say their first word, or when they excitedly tell you they pooped in the potty, those moments, truly are pure bliss. Do I sometimes want to rip my hair out, do I want to lock myself in a room and hide from the tiny humans yelling for me on the other side of the not so sound proof door (I really need to get a sound proof door), do I spend more time at the store than I should when I finally get to go alone, do I look like a homeless person with a messy bun and an old t-shirt that’s been spit up on about 10 times because I spent so much time making sure my little spawns didn’t look like orphans that dressing my self up to look somewhat decent seems way too exhausting, do I sit silently envisioning myself on a beach sipping pina coladas and preferably not getting caught in the rain while my little bundles of joy try to kill each other? YES, the answer to all of this is YES, every single day! Still, no matter the moment or thought, I wouldn’t trade them for anything no matter how many times the idea of running away crosses my mind (which is a lot).

 

Being a mom is hard and makes you feel like you are just bat shit crazy, but being a mom with anxiety and depression, that’s just a one way ticket to a padded room in a straightjacket waiting to happen.  I have always had anxiety, but the depression really kicked in after I had my second child, and man was that hard. I wanted so badly to have the patience to just hold and soothe my baby boy while he cried uncontrollably, I wanted to be that picture perfect mom that made breakfast, lunch, and dinner and then baked some cookies all while still managing to keep the house clean and laundry done, I wanted to play with him and laugh with him, I wanted to always know just what to do in his moments of need, I wanted to be able to take him out and not feel like my head was going to explode with the stress of knowing I would have to stop whatever I was doing and leave wherever I was in an instant when he started a crying fit. I wanted all of that so badly, but instead, all I could do was hide in my room and I constantly felt so exhausted that all I wanted to do was cry myself to sleep. I can’t even begin to count the amount of times I cried, for what seemed like no reason at all, but to me in those moments, every reason was a reason to cry.

 

Over time as he got older, he and his sister decided to team up in a game of lets drive mommy crazy together, the stress grew wings and soared to whole other level, it went from crying all of the time to crying and yelling all of the time (more times in a day than I am proud to admit). I don’t know how many times I got the look at the store, you know, the “oh those poor kids” look, or the “ what an awful human being” look, lets just say there were a lot of middle fingers waiting to be flipped towards those looks, but I managed to ignore those looks because deep down, I knew I wasn’t a bad mom, my kids weren’t unhappy, and all in all, with every struggle I faced trying to fight through the knotted feeling in my stomach and the thousand ton weight of pressure on my chest, I kept going and didn’t give up. Parenting with anxiety and depression is far from easy, but it can be done, some of the greatest moms struggle with it and their kids are always happy and healthy. Who cares what other people think, I  think I’m a kick ass mom because of what I have to fight through everyday just to keep my kids happy and they are undoubtedly happy. When my kids want to go the pool or to the park, do I dread taking them because I hate the thought of just having to be around people, or the thought of having to spend an hour getting them ready and in the car, or knowing I’ll be getting the looks when I freak out because my anxiety kicks in to full gear when my kids go out of my sight for a split second or they decided to play in a puddle of mud or when they run from me when it’s time to leave, but do I do it anyway? Absolutely. There is so much I wish I didn’t have to do, but I do it anyway. If always feeling like I want to cry and hide, but having to bottle it up and tell myself “suck it up buttercup” is what it takes, then that’s what I’ll do to be a good mom. Everyone has their own struggles, everyone has their own opinion (and let's be honest, everyone’s opinion does NOT count), and everyone has their own idea of what being a good parent is, but at the end of the day, if your kids are happy and loved, that is ALL that matters. When my kids just out of the blue say they love me, or run up to give me a hug or a kiss or even better, both, for no reason at all, I know I must be doing something right.

 

Anxiety and depression is no joke, but you can still live your life and manage to be happy regardless of how badly you get the urge to scream, cry, hide, or even throat punch someone who just cut in front of you in line, but it can be done, you can go places, you can be successful, you can do whatever you set your mind to, but best of all, you can be a good parent! Just know there will always be people judging you, always someone waiting to tell you what a bad parent you are for yelling at your kids or hiding in your room when they’re screaming, there will be people that will try to say you neglect your child, or “abuse” them (because these days, that word is literally thrown around way to easily), just know that it’s all just a bunch of bull shit! We all have our struggles, some are just better at hiding it than others, no one is perfect and as long as you remember that, you’ll be just fine.

 

Stay strong and keep parenting on!  

 

 

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