My friends and I went to Montego Bay Jamaica for summer vacation in August and it was pure relaxation. It was a much needed trip as each one of us has had a busy, challenging and fabulous couple of years. We also had a lot to celebrate as there were new jobs, entry to masters programs and more to toast to. You hear a lot of fun things about Jamaica so when it was time to pack my bags, I was more than ready to go. I love NYC so much but anyone who lives here knows you should never turn down a few days of sun, sand and unlimited beverages.

PLANNING:

We stared getting plans together for the trip around February/March. This was our first girls trip together and everyone had their own vacation destinations in mind. We took a vote and Jamaica was the winner. From there we narrowed down what part of Jamaica we were interested in and landed on Montego Bay.

BOOKING:

The gang used Bookit.com to begin the vacation process. We were only going to be there for 4 days and 3 nights so we began looking for round trip all-inclusive prices that fit our short time frame. I booked my trip a couple months after using Jet Blue Vacations. I didn’t know JetBlue had a separate section on their website where you can book all inclusive vacation packages! Using JetBlue Vacations was super easy as I could book my roundtrip flight including picking my seat, select my hotel room and upgrade if needed. Even checking in and out of our hotel room was completely seamless. I will definitely use JetBlue Vacations for my next adventures.

THE RESORT:

We stayed at Grand Palladium Resort & Spa. Apart of the Palladium hotel group, Grand Palladium is an all inclusive resort in Montego Bay and this particular resort has the largest pool in the Caribbean. Everything you could imagine was included in the price of our trip allowing us access to all of the pools, restaurants, bars and activities on the property. As long as you have on your Palladium wrist band, unlimited access is at your fingertips. Technically there are 2 "hotels" on the grounds and no matter which side you stay on, you have access to everything, so don't freak out if you book thinking you only have access to one side. We stayed on Jamaica resort side but everyday with just a few steps we were on the Lady Hamilton side.

As far as our rooms which were incredibly spacious, each room has a jetted tub, standing shower and a balcony. I always make sure my hotel room has a balcony as I love walking out on it everyday and just taking in the air and scenery of where I’m at. Also I pick out one morning while Im away and order breakfast from room service, eat on my balcony and reflect on everything I’m thankful for and what I want to do moving forward.

FOOD + DRINK :

With 8 restaurants and 13 bars on the resort eating fabulously was not a problem. We all love good food and this trip did not lack. There was a buffet and restaurant for every taste bud ranging from Italian, Mexican, seafood, a steakhouse and more. Every day we were there we tried a different buffet restaurant during the day and at night for dinner we tried a different a la carte restaurant. Beverages were unlimited as well and we did not hesitate to spend 4 days sipping fabulously on tequila, champagne, frozen margaritas and fruit juices. I’m a fan of Jamaican and Caribbean cuisine so there were things I already knew I wanted to eat there. The festival, boil yam, curry goat, dumplings and more were all on my mind but the best thing I ate while I was there was the simplest. The fruit and the selections of incredibly fresh meats (beef, goat, pork) were so good! I fell in love with the pineapples in Jamaica as they were less acidic, sugary sweet and more white in color.

WHAT I PACKED:

We were only going to be there for a short time so I knew I wanted to take things that I could wear during the day and into night time. My maxi dress doubled as a cover up, my tank tops could be dressed up at night with jewelry and makeup was minimal and my sneakers and flip flops paired with each outfit.

REST + RELAXATION:

That's literally all that we did. We ate, drank, and took naps by the pool every hour of the day for 4 days. Each one of us has had a tremendous couple of years and you never know how much rest you need until you have time to rest. We went to the Zentropia Spa & Wellness center and had full body massages which rocked our world. This spa reminded me that massages will be implemented into my schedule ASAP. We didn’t leave the resort so we didn’t see much of the country but the rest that we all got here was needed.

Montego Bay was a fabulous trip. The resort was beautiful, the rest was at the forefront and the food & drinks never stopped flowing. I do not need to rush back to Montego Bay anytime soon as I feel there are other parts of the world to explore but I would definitely go back to the resort for a quick weekend getaway. I love traveling as it’s a way to expand your view of life. I will never let this many years go by again without throwing some clothes in my suitcase and jumping out there to explore the world, fabulously.