Negril, Jamaica’s true Oasis!
The Oasis Resort Negril – All Inclusive
We spent our 2018 Spring Break in Negril Jamaica. Nikki is a teacher so we still take a spring break. This was particularly a tough time for me for a number of personal reasons I will not bore you with. However, trust and believe I really needed a nice getaway. The Oasis Resort Negril provided the escape I was looking for.
Bill & Nikki flying to Jamaica
Overview – Negril
We chose Negril because we had not been there in literally 17 years. Plus, we love Jamaica and try to make it there every other year, but we spend most of our time in MoBay and Ocho Rios. In the back of our minds, we wanted to see how things had changed in 17 years. In 2001 the road from Montego Bay to Negril was not even paved yet. It was a dirt road that farm animals would often block and the trip took around 3 hours.
Pool area at the Oasis Resort Negril All-Inclusive
Today the highway is complete and it takes around 90 minutes. Jamaica has plenty of hotels and resorts, however, Negril offers more interaction with the Jamaican people and that was what we desired. Negril is located on the western side of the island and although it does have 7 miles of beach, a large portion of the coastline is cliffs. The hotel we stayed in did not have a beach. It did provide a daily shuttle and would drop you off and pick you up anywhere on 7 Mile Beach. We split our time between 2 places on the beach. Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville and Woodstock Negril both offer beachfront dining, free beach loungers and have shopping and other entertainment. This was a change from staying in most all-inclusive resorts because it allowed us to interact with the shuttle (taxi) drivers, all the people who worked at the complexes and the people on the beach. That interaction was priceless.
Resort – Amenities – Staff
Oasis Resort Negril Staff
We stayed at the Oasis Resort Negril. It is an all-inclusive resort in the West End of Negril. The resort is actually within walking distance of the famous Rick’s Café. The Oasis is a small quiet and friendly resort. It offers a variety of room options from villas to single double and king beds. All of the rooms feature a wet bar (fridge and sink) along with a patio or balcony. The resort is well kept and very clean. The food quality is very good. Visually the property is colorful and filled with tropical plants. The centerpiece is definitely the pool area. The pool is connected to the hot tub and has a couple of waterfalls. It is surrounded by comfortable loungers and canopy beds for maximum pleasure.
What’s good?
The best thing about the resort is the staff. It starts when you check in. The front desk staff led by Kenesha Williams provides superior customer service. From check in to arranging transportation or tours, this is by far one of the top staffs I have come in contact with. The entire staff is friendly. The bar staff interacts with the guests and does what it can to make sure every guest has a great time. The Manager (Mr. Keith) of the property lives on the property and interacts with the guests daily, fills in where needed and even doubles as the DJ! The Chef on the property goes out of his way to make guests 
feel special. He comes out of the kitchen and inquiries about your experience with the food. He is creative and has a great food imagination that allows him to pair foods well.
Green Resort
The resort is also a green resort. The resort operates its own solar farm. That drastically reduces the cost of electricity. They also grow their own plants and some fresh vegetables. They are working on a large fish pond that when finished guests will be able to catch their own dinner and the Chef will prepare it for them. One more green item this resort has is hot water tanks strategically placed to take advantage of sunlight to heat water and reduce the use of electricity.
Free WiFi
Dinner on the Lawn at the Oasis Resort Negril
The Oasis Negril offers complimentary WiFi. This is top-notch high-speed WiFi that is available throughout the resort. We were able to use all of our social media including going live on Facebook. I was also able to make phone calls and video calls back to the US via Facebook Messenger. Overall the Wifi was the best we have experienced outside the U.S. The resort has a nice location. It is within walking distance to Rick’s Café. The resort is only about 10-15 minutes from 7 Mile Beach. The Negril Lighthouse is less than 5 minutes by car. There are also several restaurant choices nearby the if you want to eat out.
What can be improved?
The resort does have some drawbacks. It only has 1 bar and 1 restaurant. The bar actually closes at 10 PM. At most all-inclusive resorts the bars open at 10 AM and close at 2 AM. The resort could remedy that problem by stocking the bars in the guest rooms. That way after hours guests could prepare their own drinks. Although there may not be room for a second restaurant on the property maybe they could use the buffet and offer certain Jamaican foods favorites there and then have a special menu each night that was cooked to order. That way people would be able to eat and go or stay and dine. The food the resort has is good but more variety is needed. My last thought on food is that the resort definitely needs to improve the deserts. I recommend they start with cupcakes or mini cupcakes, cookies or donuts and make them available all day long. They could do something like ring a bell every time a new batch becomes available. Don’t underestimate how much people like sweets!
Around the pool at the Oasis Resort Negril
Needs more Shopping
The property does not have a gift shop. We recommend that maybe 2-3 times they bring in local vendors like a flea market. Perhaps in the late afternoon early evening on the lawn or tennis courts to give guests the opportunity to buy souvenirs. Other improvements are minor. Things like hangers in the rooms, dresser or cabinet space for your clothes or a chair for the desk. I am sure the new Manager is going to address those minor issues.
Inside the Rooms at the Oasis Resort Negril
I hope to see them continue to develop their entertainment and add things like live comedy. There is also an opportunity to develop an activities program that is simple and consists of things like bingo, trivia scavenger hunts and maybe Patois classes.
The resort is perfect for?
The Buffet at the Oasis Resort Negril
The Oasis Resort is not for everyone. This property does not accept guests under the age of 12. So if you are a family with young children, this resort is not for you. It is also not for People looking for a wild party. The resort is for adults who want to relax. Couples that want to get away and enjoy each other. It is a good place for a Girls Getaway. That is as long if you are not the “Girls Gone Wild” type. This is more for the Book Club crowd. Basically, this resort is for people who know how to act!
The pool at night at the Oasis Resort Negril
We spent our 2018 Spring Break in Negril Jamaica at the Oasis Resort Negril – All-Inclusive. The resort provided the escape we were looking for. A quiet resort tucked away in the West End of Negril, Jamaica. We enjoyed the food, the resort, the staff, and the beach. We got away from the United States, relaxed and had a great time.
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Bill Collins
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