When Jamaica comes to mind, you likely think of a lover’s holiday or a wild romp with your BFFs. Yes, Jamaica is built for that, but it’s also ideal for a fun-filled family getaway. You’ll find kid and teen clubs at resorts and plenty of action beyond at places like Dunn’s River Falls and Park, the Green Grotto Caves, and the Blue and John Crow Mountains, among many others.
So, if your family is ready to enjoy the island life, here are the best all-inclusives to stay and play.
1. Hilton Rose Hall Resort & Spa
You get the best of two worlds at this Montego Bay beachfront resort. The young ones in your family can spend time at the Kids Klub and enjoy the beach treasure hunts, glass-bottom boat rides, kiddie karaoke, and more. Teens won’t be jealous as they have the Teen Zone with its arcade games, foosball, air hockey, and console gaming. When you want to come together as a family, there’s Sugar Mill Falls — one of the island’s largest water parks — attached to the resort. It features a lazy river, a 280-foot water slide, lagoons, waterfalls, whirlpools, and more. The fun also includes volleyball, ping pong, kayaks, paddleboards, and a daily list of family activities.
For dining, there is an array of options like the Jerk Hut, Cricket Burger Bar, Moonstone (Italian and Asian), and the Seaside Restaurant & Bar with its Mediterranean and Italian cuisine. Maybe there’ll be no mealtime drama as there are surely a few restaurants that will please even the kid who would eat chicken nuggets every day if you let them. When you’re ready for adulting, hit the links on the Cinnamon Hill golf course, the spa, the pool parties, or chill out with the nightly live entertainment.
2. Moon Palace
With offers like “kids and teens stay free,” you’ll want to consider this Ocho Rios resort. If you prefer to keep the whole family together in style, the Superior Family Suite is ideal with two bedrooms that connect, a liquor dispenser for the parents, and for your kids, a mini bar with Hershey’s milkshakes, juice, and soda.
You might have a hard time getting your kids and teens out of the Wired Lounge, a gaming center and arcade with console video games and snacks. The Playroom is where young kids will find a jungle gym, face painting, arts and crafts, a splash park, and more.
For just the two of you, Moon Palace’s Awe Spa is one of the island’s largest. Whatever treatment you choose in the Golden Awe Suite for couples will include sparkling wine, premium amenities, and hydrotherapy. Go for a chocolate wrap or an aroma-therapeutic massage. Not only is there 24-hour room service, several restaurants serve Caribbean, Italian, Asian, and other cuisines, but there is a special menu of pureed fruits, vegetables, and chicken for babies.
3. Azul Beach Resort Negril By Karisma
One thing that can make family travel a hassle is all the gear you need to cart around. At Azul, they make it painless, providing everything you need from strollers, baby baths, changing tables, bottle warmers, highchairs, cribs — you name it. Gerber baby food is available, as is natural baby food, upon request. Go ahead, exhale, and pack your bag — with much less stuff.
For the bigger kids, there’s Azulitos Playhouse, where there are theme-based activities every day. Build sandcastles on the Seven Mile Beach, kayak, snorkel, paddleboard, and hang out together at the Family Pool. Get grown up time with cooking classes, rum tastings, yoga, or at the spa. Eat up at Ackee with its authentic Jamaican dishes, Thai food at Hua Hin, and a host of other restaurants and bars. After dinner, enjoy the evening’s entertainment with live music or shows.
4. Hyatt Ziva Rose Hall
You can’t go wrong when you’re along the Caribbean Sea and have mountain views. The Hyatt Ziva Rose Hall in Montego Bay is family-friendly with its KidZ Club offering beach sports, arts and crafts, games, and come evening, kids can have more fun with PJ and disco parties. Teens do their thing at their own club playing foosball, air hockey, and video games. There are volleyball and pool basketball games, dance lessons, water ping pong, chef-led cooking demonstrations, and water sports for the entire family.
Take your pick of 12 restaurants and bars. Hyatt Ziva Rose Hall boasts the only Moroccan-themed rooftop lounge in Jamaica. Venture off site and go horseback riding on the beaches and trails. Treat yourselves to an oceanview butler junior suite. It sleeps four and includes butler service and a private balcony.
5. Beaches Negril
One of the top spots in Jamaica is the Seven Mile Beach in Negril; Beaches Negril is located on that beloved piece of paradise. Not only do you have the sea, but you have the resort’s Pirate Island Water Park — 18,000 square feet of fun with a turbo-tube slide, splash deck, lazy river, and more. Keep busy with hydro bikes, kayaking, snorkeling, waterskiing, and knee boarding — and that’s just for starters. If your family loves land more than the sea, no worries; there are board games, pool tables, soccer, volleyball, basketball, and tennis, among other activities.
There are a variety of room choices perfect for families, like the Tropical Beachfront one-bedroom Grand Concierge Family Suite. It has one bedroom, two pullout sofas, a trundle bed, and marble bathrooms with a tub and shower. The room includes concierge services, meaning you have someone to handle special requests and make dinner and spa reservations.
6. Grand Palladium Jamaica Resort & Spa
Between Montego Bay and Negril is little-known Lucea, where you’ll find the Grand Palladium Jamaica Resort & Spa. The architecture is Instagram-worthy with its mix of ancient and contemporary styles. The resort is called “grand” for a good reason. It has one of the largest pools in the Caribbean. Get ready for your kids to fall in love with Raggs & Friends — canine characters that entertain with dining and musical experiences, pirate shows, surf parties, and other activities. Kids are a priority here, with a baby club for 1–3 year olds, a mini club for ages 4–12, and the Black & White Teen club for 13–18 year olds.
Soak up the sun at the four beaches you’ll have access to. There’s a water park for kids near the resort’s main pool. For the adventurers in the family, there’s windsurfing and snorkeling. You certainly will never want for food or drink with 11 restaurants (Italian, Mexican, Asian, Indian, and Creole-Jamaican to name just some of the choices), 17 bars, and 24-hour room service. When you’ve worn yourself out from a day of activities and nights of dancing at the Boogie Woogie Disco, at some point, you’ll probably appreciate quiet time at the Zentropia Spa & Wellness Center.
7. Jewel Grande Montego Bay Resort & Spa
While mom and dad will be wowed by the resort’s Grande Spa — a two-story, 30,000-square-foot mecca for a major mental reboot — the younger generation will be excited about the Jewel’s Kids and Teen Club with its slew of activities including patois lessons, bowling, board games, fish feeding, table tennis, video games, a beachfront play area, a splash pad, and a jungle gym.
When you’re ready to hang out together, go sailing, kayaking, or make your way to one of the two pools. Feast on Asian fusion, Italian, Tex-Mex, international eats, and other cuisines at the resort’s dozen restaurants and bars. Choose from among oceanview junior suites; one-, two-, and three-bedroom suites; villas; or the two-bedroom penthouses.
8. Franklyn D. Resort & Spa
The Franklyn D. Resort & Spa in Runaway Bay — which is between Ocho Rios and Montego Bay — has bragging rights as it claims to be the only resort in Jamaica to offer nanny services for free. If you don’t want big crowds, this is the place for you; there are just 80 suites.
The Kiddie Centre has educational computer programs, arts and crafts, snorkeling lessons, and more. There’s also a water slide on the property. Teens have their own programs — snorkeling trips, computer classes, kayak races, bike tours, reggae dance classes, a game room, ping pong, disco nights, and scuba diving. Mom and dad can get their time in with the kids on the beach, at the pool, and with each other at the Seagrape Spa, as well as snorkeling or kayaking. Take your pick of junior suites along with two- and three-bedroom suites.
