From November 17-22 myself and my now husband selected The Grand Palladium as the venue for our wedding. Our wedding date was Saturday November 20, 2010 we were expecting this occasion to be one of the happiest in our lives, unfortunately it was
more +not.
The overall appearance of the resort was breathtaking, but other standards were not up to speed. I previously made reservations for my guest to gather at one of the restaurants for a rehearsal/ meeting of family's dinner. We were unable to meet at the one I chose because it was not open at the time and would not accommodate my group. I didn't receive knowledge of this until the day of. The wedding coordinator had no recollection of the reservation.
Although we traveled with our own DJ, we had to rent the speaker system from the resort. During the reception, the music was muffled and very low. The guests were also unable to hear the toasts and speeches. The wedding coordinator was unavailable for assistance during the reception because she was in a meeting for a wedding the next day. We also had to share our space with another group; we were separated by a sheet. There music was overpowering our group, making it impossible to enjoy our reception. I was also told by the wedding coordinator that I would have the entire section to myself.
The wedding coordinator also needs assistance, or extra staff. At 6 pm, the reception area was being set up. Cameras were just being placed on tables. It started late and then the guests still had to wait another hour to be served. There is not enough info on hotel activities and restaurant operating hours. The staff needs help with organization and it starts with management. The guests' rooms smelled like mold, which required several guests to change their rooms. There was a huge lack of communication for our large group, making it impossible for us to all meet up. Guests were divided between the two sides. The wedding coordinator made no attempts to retrieve guests list from reservations manager, who had names to properly room guests at least 2 weeks prior. We reserved almost 20 rooms, and had over 60 guests attending the wedding. Everyone had the same complain, No organization. There was little to no accommodations for the bridal party. We almost couldn't eat because there is no room service and no take out, so my maid of honor had to plead with staff to take out food. Our pick up was late for the wedding.
As far as the wedding photographer, we were also unhappy with his work. When we were looking over the pictures and discussing the flaws, Mark gave every excuse for the poor pictures. Due to the fact that it was an evening wedding, the sun started setting and he continued shooting. The pictures were dark, unfocused, blurry and slanted. He continued to say that he did not have the right equipment as far as lenses and lighting for better quality pictures. I felt as though he was unprepared for the job at hand. We were unable to pick any of the night shots because of this matter.
One of the most serious issues was my aunt being trapped in the elevator for 45 minutes. There was no alarm, little air and no assistance for the entire ordeal. She had to pry herself out of the elevator injuring her thumb. She is a senior citizen.
Before leaving the resort my husband and I met with Maria Hoffman, Guest relations manager, to try and come to some sort of resolution. We were unable to do so and she agreed to contact us as soon as possible. My wedding experience was a huge disappointment. I feel as though after our money was spent, there were no intentions of fully accommodating us. No one checked on us after the wedding and no one was available for questions or concerns.Still awaiting response.
Date of Stay: 12/17/2010
Tweens (10-12) Tweens (13+) Accommodations Dining Kids Play Area Money Value Pool & Water Fun Staff
I love Jamaica!
So in January 2010 we decided to go again in a well deserved vacation,so we chose a new destination, Grand Palladium Resort, based on the info given on a web site.
All well and good, except....the rooms
more +looked good but the up keep was well bellow the expectations.
Front desk service also was bellow expectations, we arrived at 1 PM and we got room at 5 PM after I asked many , too many times, and even then the room was not ready.
Food, was OK, except that at the Japanese Restaurant we waited for 3 hours, yes, 3 hours, they had plenty of tables but nobody to clean them after customers, and then the menu stated "seaweed salad" we were given lettuce mixed with rare seaweed, sushi was not not sushi, were rice rolls, very disappointing. But the most disappointing was the attitude of the so called restaurant manager who told me that I do not know Japanese food, so I felt insulted and when I tried to explain to her that what they served was not Japanese she told that I am the "only one" who complains, even that many others were upset around us at the tables, and I should mind my own business.
The beach was also a sour point, not enough chairs, people had to hunt chairs, to be able to stay on the actual beach, I had to go very early in the morning to find a seat.....
At the bars, they had same drinks, not a great variety, and when we asked for "mojito" they made a mix with no mint. When my husband asked about the mint, which actually makes the drink special, they told him that they do not have and this is what he asked for....
I was sad when I left because it felt like a total lack of service in general, and i would not advice many to go there in the future.
Date of Stay: 01/07/2010
Children in Party: 1
We loved the Grand Palladium! It had the biggest pool in Jamaica, we didn't even get to some parts! Plus a couple of smaller pools - the relax pool & adult pool. The beach volleyball was right beside the pool, so I could enjoy the pool while
more +still watching my son play. One day he played for 3 hours! The beaches were small but were fine for us, we loved sunset cove the best, that's were all the water activities were. We went snorkelling right from the beach & around the corner to a private cove & beach. We also went kayaking & paddle boating plus they had small catamarans. This beach you didn't need water shoes & we took the shuttle a couple of times as it was the other end from our room. They also had the jerk hut here & it was the best! On our last day my son had 3 plates!!
There were always chairs, wether at the pool or beach! No need to save them. The buffets were great, each night different & if you had the special you were never bored. We tried the restaurants but you had to go early to get a seat & we didn't like eating that early or wait for a table, which was fine except the restaurant was half empty!? Our room was big! Just like the pictures & the bathroom was huge too. My son is 18 so we never even saw the kids club but heard from others that it was great. He could use the spa, so we went there everyday at 5:00 and had a steam & sauna & used the warm pools. Every drink we had was good, never watered down. Ask the bartenders for their special & you get great service! The entertainers were fantastic, they really loved their jobs & tried so hard to make everything great for us. We met people from England, the states & Bahamas! We loved every minute & would go back in a minute!!
Date of Stay: 04/07/2011
Children in Party: 1
Accommodations Dining Kids Play Area Money Value Pool & Water Fun Staff
My best advice to all travelers at this resort is to be prepared. Be prepared for lots of walking, mediocre food, weak drinks, staff that is adequate but not exceptional, and little service. In our total week at the resort, I must say I met maybe
more +two personnel who seemed knowledgeable.
This is our second time trying to get to a Grand Palladium resort. My family and our other travelling party were involved in the fiasco at Grand Palladium Jamaica February 2010 when over 400 rooms were overbooked. (Local bus drivers told us the Health Department closed down a portion of the resort). Luckily for us a travel agent in our party alerted us, and everyone got transferred to another hotel on island. Palladium offered us a voucher to use for a year. Many other people were not so lucky, but I save that thank you for the travel agents not Grand Palladium. Other travelers found out when they arrived.
I do appreciate that offer, but we had paid extra for a 1 bedroom suite. Never was any compensation offered for the price difference. Grand Palladium pocketed that. I wasn't expecting my money back, but maybe compensating us with a free excursion or a voucher to use at the gift shop would have shown us some consideration.
After staying at Playa del Carmen last November, I know how wonderful Mexico can be at a resort. On the surface, Grand Palladium is very beautiful. The Grounds are well maintained, but service is lacking. As soon as we arrived off the shuttle, a bellman asked for our name. We did not appear on the list and have to go to another lobby. Back goes the suitcases on the van to the next lobby we go. We are not on that list. This time we have to go back to the first lobby. At this point, I am having visions of last year
â�"no room again. I could go into more discussions about our excursions and travel back to the airport, but I will simply say these dealings can and have been handled better at other locations.
We arrive in our room. Yes it is better than an average hotel room, but separate the Jacuzzi tub.
Remember that is why I wanted a one bedroom suite initially. OK, so I won't get to use the tub. Let's see if my sister arrived. I go to the phoneâ�"dead. No tone. Let's check the connection. I plug it inâ�"still no dialtone. (Why should anyone have to plug in a phone? I have never done that before at a hotel). Suffice to say we never had a phone the entire week.
At least my problem was mild compared to my sister across the hall. Her bathroom walls were leaking. The bathroom above evidently had pipe or drainage issuses. Finally on the last night of their stay management would move them. With an early flight at the airport, that offer was a little late.
The buffets are great if you like cafeterias. Even the specialty restaurants, really didn't wow me. Basically the only thing you are served are a main course and dessert. You still do the salad buffet thing at all the specialty restaurants.
Perhaps I am not an all-inclusive traveler. In comparing our two vacations less than six months closeby, Grand Palladium White Sands would be on the short end. Price wise we paid the same amount (non-inclusiveâ�"versus inclusive). We had a two bedroom with a partial kitchen and a pool on the balcony compared to our junior suite. There is no room serviceâ�"no kitchen. Don't count the refrigerator cause that is filled with beverages. The greatest difference I found was in service. At the first resort, cleaning service was done at least twice a day. Large toiletries were given each day, the phones worked, and if you called for service it was provided immediately. I was thrilled to give tips at the end of our stay; because these people worked hard and earned them.
The breakfast buffet was a feastâ�"my favorites were the real Mexican hot chocolate in earthenware mugs, the warm cinnamon sugar doughnuts, and the daily oatmeal (with apples, raisins, and strawberries on differing days). I am not even counting the regular breakfast fare. The specialty restaurants were exactly that. The Japanese restaurant was probably the best Japanese restaurant outside of Japan. At Grand Palladium, I had to apologize to our party saying, "This isn't really Japanese food."
Don't get me wrong. I can eat. On most cruises or vacations I gain between 4 -5 lbs. At Grand Palladium we actually lost 5 pounds from all the walking! And they have a scale in the rooms...??? Drinks are watered down. I would rather pay for my drinks as I go. Our other resort had happy hours with 2-1 drinks, and you knew you had alcohol in them. Staff was always available at the beach or pool side willing to take orders bringing food or beverages to you. Never saw anyone at Grand Palladium. You have to come to them.
On a positive note, the evening entertainment was very good. The pirate and Caribbean shows were well done. The dancers are top notch.
Date of Stay: 02/15/2011
Children in Party: 1
See what Family Vacation Critic has to say about the
Grand Palladium Jamaica Resort & Spa
FREE Family Travel Newsletter
Sure, free drinks and complimentary Wi-Fi rank high on the lists of most desirable hotel perks among travelers in general, but when it comes to visiting with kids in tow, which hotel amenities are most revered by families? From onsite airline check-in to in-room babysitting and kid concierges, con...
Favorite family biking locales in North America combine stunning scenery with a relatively easy grid of bike trails and uncongested backcountry roads. All of these locales offer exhilarating rides, guaranteed to inspire all ages to travel on two wheels. Many of the cities on the list, like San Anton...
1. Celebrate a Historic Anniversary. Boston's historic Fenway Park celebrates its 100th anniversary this year -- the perfect time to take in a ballgame while enjoying the history of America throughout the city. Give your school-aged children an up-close and personal history lesson by visiting some ...
The unofficial start to summer is nearly here, and this May 25 to 28 weekend is filled with enticing deals for families. Get out there and start your summer!
Broadmoor Resort, Colorado Springs, Colo.
Escape to the Colorado mountains for a two-night Memorial Day Family Escape at the Broadmoor. ...
There are few rites of passage as exciting as taking a child on his or her first camping trip. Families bond while roasting hot dogs and marshmallows, making shadow animals on the tent wall, chasing after fireflies and inhaling fragrant whiffs of pine. Whether you are an experienced camper from pre-...
1. The National Mall
There's no question that the National Mall, the two-mile strip of wide-open green stretching between the Lincoln Memorial and the U.S. Capitol and surrounded by Smithsonian museums and national monuments, is a must-see destination for kids. "The Mall," chock full of our nation'...
1. gogo Kidz Travelmate
If you're traveling with a child weighing less than 50 pounds, you won't want to leave home without this ingenious contraption that in seconds lets parents convert most car seats into a stroller. With the gogo Kidz Travelmate, there's no more lugging both a heavy car seat ...
On a recent ski vacation, my family of five traveled with five cellphones, three laptops, three iPads, two iPods and just for good measure, a GPS! Given the prevalence of electronic devices in our daily lives and our somewhat compulsive reliance upon them, taking a true vacation feels almost imposs...
The 1969 film, "If It's Tuesday, This Must be Belgium," depicted a funny, but sometimes all too true, look at a tour group of Americans traveling through Europe so quickly they barely knew where they were and what they were seeing.
Today, tour groups are quickly becoming an attractive option for ...
When you think of an all-inclusive vacation, your mind goes straight to the Caribbean, doesn't it? But you don't need to leave the country to get an all-in-one vacation -- resorts in the U.S. also provide all-inclusive getaways with accommodations, meals, and activities all packaged in one easy pric...