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Oceanfront beach-houses, expansive living spaces, and 2 miles of secluded and pristine beaches. Additionally, a variety of international restaurants and bars are at your disposal, as well as our world-class spa, state-of-the-art fitness center and an exceptional range of activities and services. Excellence Oyster Bay is a luxurious all-inclusive within a unique idyllic setting.
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Excellence Oyster Bay often receives accolades for its array of high-quality amenities, including the picturesque beaches and diverse dining options, as well as its prime location offering stunning views and seclusion. However, some guests have voiced concerns about the value, feeling that the experiences do not justify the price.
Room cleanliness and service also see mixed reviews, with reports of inconsistency in both. While the atmosphere is described as vibrant with live entertainment, a few visitors suggest a need for more variety.
Location
Picturesque
Atmosphere
Lively
Rooms
Mixed
Value
Expensive
Cleanliness
Mixed
Service
Inconsistent
Amenities
Abundant
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One of the best vacations. From the minute you arrive to the resort to the minute that you leave is nothing but amazing service and such pleasant staff! Everywhere our group went, the staff never hesitated to stop and say hello even if it was from across the other side of the resort. They always had the red carpet rolled out for us anytime we crossed paths at the resort. We could feel how genuinely happy they were to see us. We honestly never wanted to leave.
The poolside service was great. Deonique was so patient with our big group and all our needs. No matter the request, she knew how to deliver!
The entire staff of the Cielo Bar were so welcoming! You must grab a Jamaican patty (or two or several) and chicken wings while you sit and drink delicious cocktail by a gorgeous view of the beach. Tell Aaron to make you his special! DELICIOUS and REFRESHING!
I don’t think there are enough words to praise the entire entertainment team! Warren, CJ, Shell and the dance team kept us on our toes during the day and Shampoo set it off at night! It was never ending laughs that we will have stories and memories to share for a lifetime!
The Kitchen Table is top notch breakfast buffet. Everything was fresh and delicious. Aroma provided life-saving coffee after long nights of dancing and kept us going all day. The Lobster House has one of the best ceviche I’ve ever had. Caribbean Grove was just *chefs kiss* the oxtail was so tender and fell right off the bones. Nicholas at Chez Isabelle was so attentive. Jerk Hut is a must - all the jerk chicken you can eat.
Portions are small at the restaurants but the great thing about all-inclusive is that you could order everything you want and in double portions (shout out to our server at Caribbean Grove who got my double portions of oxtail - you’re the real hero) I will say that the entire staff was very careful with cross contamination and food allergies. I have a shellfish allergy and they made sure every meal I would be able to enjoy without worrying about having a reaction.
Shout out to the entire event planning team. We were all there for our best friend’s wedding and it went seamlessly. To the coordinator, servers, DJ, bartender and the live band. Just excellent service all the way around. You definitely made it a memorable day!
I can never have enough thanks for everyone who made this trip so memorable for us. You guys were great and can’t wait to come back!
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Date of stay: February 2025
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from The Excellence Collection, Guest Services / Front Office at Excellence Oyster Bay
Responded 1 week ago
Dear Guest, Thank you for sharing such an energetic and heartfelt review of your recent stay with us. We are absolutely thrilled to hear that your vacation experience was nothing short of amazing! It's fantastic to know that our team’s warmth, attention to detail, and dedication to providing exceptional service made a lasting impact on your stay. We’re particularly pleased to hear that our poolside service, entertainment team, and event planning team were able to make your time here even more enjoyable. Your compliments to the staff, particularly for their hospitality and attention to food allergies, mean the world to us. We look forward to welcoming you back in the future and creating even more unforgettable memories with you. Please, receive our warmest regards from The Excellence Collection.
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I will start by saying that this is by and far the best resort I have ever stayed at in my life! Me and my girlfriend at the time (now fiancé) stayed for a week in July and we are both raving about everything the resort had to offer. I had never heard of the Excellence Collection of hotels before finding them through some YouTube searches, but I would 10000% book with them again in a heartbeat.
I proposed to my now fiancé during our stay and I want to give a huge shoutout to Shantaul & Toni-Ann in the Excellence Club Concierge department for their persistence in helping make everything come together! Without them helping me months in advance, I would have never been able to pull it off. I also want to shout out Thimera in the Magna Restaurant for her excellent service, Winston the lifeguard, and Chef Biscuit the Hibachi chef in the Spice Restaurant.
EXCELLENCE CLUB: If available and you can afford just the slight increase in price, I would definitely recommend going for the Excellence Club upgrade. With the Excellence Club you get unlimited top shelf liquor in your room, restocked minibar every single day (water, soda, beer, snacks, etc.), the room service staff brings by fresh small pastries and candies everyday. Upgraded Blvgari toiletries in your room. You get access to the Magna & Zenith Club restaurants, Zenith has the BEST view. Access to the Excellence Club Beach and Cielo bar. And of course you get to deal with the Excellence Club Concierge which is separate from the standard concierge in the main lobby. When checking in, the concierge asked our favorite color, favorite scent, and our pillow firmness! I have never been asked that before at a resort so I was pleasantly shocked.
ROOMS: Our room was an Excellence Club Junior Suite with a Private Pool (Room 6056). I was worried that having a room on the ground level would mean our view of the ocean would be blocked by the Beach Houses, but the location of our room had a perfect view of the ocean right between Beach Houses 8 & 9, through the Excellence Club Beach. The room itself was HUGE! About 900 square feet which I believe includes the deck and pool. Everything inside was very modern, Jack and Jill sick, separate room for toilet, rain shower, two TV’s one facing the bed, one in the “living room” facing the couch, a full walk in closet, our own indoor tub (I believe all of the rooms have the tub), and of course our own private pool. I have never had a room with a private pool before and cannot reiterate how amazing it was. I highly recommend getting the same type of room if available. I was worried about the privacy of the pool being that there are rooms right above you looking down on you, but rarely were there ever people out on their balconies when we were out there. And there is enough vegetation around the pool where people walking by don’t have a clear view of you in the pool.
GROUNDS/ATMOSPHERE: First impression when getting to the resort is pulling up to a beautiful gigantic gate that security must open to enter (almost feels like entering a castle), followed by a long drive to the actual main building of the resort. The resort is on its own peninsula, so it is the only one in the vicinity. You are greeted with champagne, cool cucumber scented towels and they will bring you to anywhere on the resort in a golf cart if you wish. The main building is not the most grand I have ever seen but by all means still beautiful. Everywhere is white, stone, marble, and tile. And the grass, trees, bushes, and flowers are all gorgeous and impeccably kept. Every single morning you will see no less than 10-15 workers tending to the grounds cutting bushes, grass, trimming trees, etc. And with that the property always looks fantastic during the day and at night. The overall atmosphere of the resort is more relaxed and elegant. Typically the outside areas are mostly quiet and you can easily hear the waves crashing on the beach. Speaking of the beach, there can be at times some seaweed but it is really not that bad at all. The water is crystal clear blue and the sand is beautifully white and there are plenty of umbrellas, free cabanas, and seating for everyone. There are 5 public pools on the resort, although non-Excellence Club guests can only access three. Two of the public pools would be considered the “main pools”, one side is more of the loud side where there is the swim up bar and music and pool games are played daily. And the other side is the quiet side, or what we were told the “hangover” side lol. There is another pool up top at the X-Lounge that has a great view of the ocean from above. The other two pools for Excellence Club members are by the Excellence Club Lounge by the Magna Restaurant, and by the Zenith Restaurant near the Beach Villas. I would say the Zenith pool is the nicest of them all because it has the BEST view of the ocean and palm trees surrounding. One complaint that we had about the grounds (which was not the resort's fault in any way) was the amount of mosquitos. They did their best to combat them as much as possible and we didn’t seem to have that many issues outdoors, but we actually had the most issues in our room. We would find a lot of mosquitos flying around the room and would often wake up with more bites on ourselves. This is definitely not a make or break for the resort in any way as this seems to be an issue for the whole island, not just the resort. We would just suggest packing one of those plug in devices that attracts mosquitoes for your room. That would have definitely been a big help.
STAFF: I have not a single thing bad to say about the staff. Everyone we encountered was extremely friendly and were always willing to help. One funny detail is that mostly all the staff when asked how they are will always say “excellent”, or have an “excellent day”. A play on the resort name which I thought was a very funny and cool touch. Almost everyone you check in with, whether it be at the clubs or lounges, restaurants, or concierge will always ask you where you ate that day or the previous day. They will ask what you had, how the service was, and was there anything they could look into for you or do to make your stay better. Which was very nice to know that they are always seeking feedback. Every single staff member at every restaurant will always ask if there are any allergies or dietary restrictions, which was another nice touch. And like mentioned previously, they are always cleaning and tending to the property and there are always staff around to assist with anything. From the concierge, to the bartenders, to the maids, to the waiters, to the bellmen, I have nothing bad to say about any of them.
FOOD: Oh my goodness. The food at this resort is incredible. The biggest highlight for us was all the pastries and bread. They were always fresh, fluffy and absolutely delicious and made us always ask for seconds. There are 10 restaurants on the property with 2 being exclusive for Excellence Club members (Magna & Zenith). We were able to try each one and pretty much every food item we had was fresh, delicious and beautifully presented. “The Kitchen Table” which is the breakfast buffet restaurant had tons of options for breakfast for international travelers (European, asian, etc.), of course the standard American breakfast options, as well as traditional Jamaican breakfast options. We would say that our favorites were Zenith (Excellence Club only) and Spice the Hibachi restaurant. They have Hibachi and non-Hibachi in the restaurant, but that is the only restaurant on the property that requires a reservation 24 hours in advance. All other restaurants we walked up to and were seated immediately. All restaurants have a dress code for each meal of the day, which they enforce very strictly. Some restaurants require long pants for men, and dresses for women, while others men are allowed to wear shorts. But in all restaurants no matter what meal, men are not allowed to wear tank tops, a minimum of a short sleeve shirt. This was annoying the first time as I didn’t know and had to go back to the room to change. But it does elevate the resort to another level and shows they really care about their appearance and image overall.
ENTERTAINMENT: Like stated before, this resort is more classy and elegant. So if you are looking for parties all day and night across the whole resort, this is probably not the place for you. But that does not mean there were no parties and entertainment at the resort at all. Everyday there was live music, or games, or dance parties by the main pool. And every night there are live shows in the theater (we saw Michael Jackson shows, Bob Marley, Reggae, Rock and Roll). The talent at the theater shows is very good and we were thoroughly impressed. And typically before the main show they always have a smaller show outside of the theater. We saw acrobatics, saxophone soloists, singers, dancers. A few nights they had silent disco which was very fun. And most nights they keep the party going in the Sports Bar after the Theater show is over. During the day there are plenty of other activities to do such as kayaking, stand up paddle boarding, sailing, snorkeling, archery, ping pong, blackjack, bike tours, beach yoga, arts and crafts, etc. which are all included. All of the activities are clearly outlined each day in the Excellence Collection App. Which by the way, is wonderful! The app is used for everything from all restaurant menus, activities schedule, speaking with concierge through chat, room service, excursions, etc. There is WiFi EVERYWHERE on the resort for the app to work. And for everything else requiring WiFi on your phone. We were even on the beach and in the ocean and we still had a good WiFi signal!
BONUS TIPS: - Schedule the private candlelight dinner on the beach, it is fantastic and worth the money. If you say you are staying at the resort to celebrate your anniversary or honeymoon, they even upgrade you more and provide the dinner, extra spa services, and other discounts all complimentary. - Schedule the by ocean couples massage and the Hydrotherapy session at the Mile Spa. The massage is at a beautiful location right on the beach, and having a 1 hour and 15 minute massage hearing the waves crashing is surreal. And the Hydrotherapy session is awesome going through multiple different pools, showers, saunas, body scrubs, etc. - Bring bug spray or something to combat mosquitos! As I mentioned before… - If there is no golf cart around, be prepared to walk about 5 minutes from one end of the resort to the other. The resort is pretty big. - You can probably find excursions for going outside of the resort cheaper online, the excursions through the resort seemed to be more expensive. - Enjoy and RELAX! It’s EXCELLENT!!
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Date of stay: July 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from The Excellence Collection, Guest Services / Front Office at Excellence Oyster Bay
Responded 9 Aug 2023
Dear guest, First and foremost, we would like to thank you for your recent stay at Excellence Oyster Bay and for taking the time to share this review with the TripAdvisor community. We are very delighted to hear from you that our resort is the best resort you have ever been to, and we were able to surpass your expectations in all areas, which are carefully taken care of. Besides, our caring staff contributed to your getaway since the beginning being exceptional and unique making you feel pampered all the time as a result of giving the royal treatment you deserved, great food quality encountered and amusing entertainment. We look forward to welcoming you back in a heartbeat to pamper you again. Please, receive our warmest regards from The Excellence Collection.
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My wife and I have been to the El Carmen resort, the Riviera Cancun resort, and now this resort. We have done so all within the past 3 years. When choosing this resort over a DR or MX location you are doing so for the better food and clearer water. You will pay more, receive worse service, and have less impressive entertainment. We still had a great time but Oyster Bay lacked the “wow” factor you feel like you should receive when paying this kind of money for a vacation.
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: June 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from The Excellence Collection, Guest Services / Front Office at Excellence Oyster Bay
Responded 23 Jun 2024
Dear guest, First and foremost, we would like to thank you for choosing Excellence Oyster Bay as host of your holiday destination for the first time and for taking the time to share this review with the TripAdvisor community. We are very glad to hear from you that overall, you had such a great time with us and we were able to meet your expectations. Your feedback is very important to us because it allows us to find out the services our lovely guests enjoy the most and the least. We strongly believe that there is always room for improvement, therefore we appreciate that you mentioned where we are lacking in, so we can work on it in order to improve it to provide the quality standards our guests are accustomed to. Nonetheless, we do hope that despite the inconveniences, you can give us the opportunity to welcome you back in order to provide you the best holiday ever with the attention to detail which we are characterized for. Please, receive our warmest regards from The Excellence Collection.
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My new husband and I had very high hopes and expectations for our honeymoon trip to Excellence due to the amount of money we spent to stay here and reading all of the good reviews. From the second we got here to the second we left (early) it had been one thing after the other. I am truly shocked to hear people come back to the resort.
When we arrived and checked in at the Excellence Club- they apologized for our room not being ready. The receptionist even said to us, “I’m sorry the room isn’t ready and it should have been ready 22 minutes ago.” It was 3:22. We waited and waited and I asked again. Another receptionist apologized for the wait and said the cleaning team should be finishing up. She gifted us a stay in one of the cabanas due to the inconvenience which was nice. We finally got the email that our room was ready around 2 hours after we arrived (we arrived after check in time).
We got to our room and it was very humid and sticky in there. The AC said 64 but that was wrong. There was also no honeymoon banner on the door like they promised so we had to ask someone for that. We didn’t have a bottle opener so had to call and get one and then had to call to get someone to fix the AC the next day since we woke up stuck to our pillows because of how damp the room was.
Just about every single restaurant you are waiting for your food for 1 to 2 hours. Most days we got to the restaurants shortly after opening and the food was not good at all- especially after waiting so long for it. We thought maybe it was a one off and then it happened every single night. Room service tells you it takes 35 minutes when it’s also over an hour. One night we waited so long for our food- it finally got to us and was barely edible so we ordered room service and waited another hour for pretty terrible quality food. Every single server drops your food off and leaves and NEVER comes back. Food came cold a few times and drinks were lukewarm at best.
Most of the staff at this resort has zero sense of urgency. You wait a long time for drinks, for food, for acknowledgement, etc. When you are paying a couple thousand dollars to stay at a resort, I don’t expect to be waited on hand and foot- but to have urgency from the staff would be nice. Staff is friendly and says hello and asks if you need anything, but when you do need something, it is a fairly long wait.
We also paid extra for an upgraded room with a pool. Although this wasn’t anyone’s fault- we didn’t use it a lot due to it being shaded by the building every day so it never got any sun.
Our free cabana we got we stayed in for maybe an hour. We didn’t get good service, the cushions were soaking wet, there were ants crawling on the entire thing, and it was in a poor location on the beach where we were far from everything but also couldn’t get in the ocean right there because of how dirty it was.
We did enjoy our time in the spa. The pools were nice, hot tubs were cold, excellence clubs were nice.
Overall we made the best of it since it was our honeymoon. We will not be returning to Jamaica or to Excellence.
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Date of stay: October 2024Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from The Excellence Collection, Guest Services / Front Office at Excellence Oyster Bay
Responded 11 Nov 2024
Dear guest, First and foremost, we would like to thank you for choosing Excellence Oyster Bay as your honeymoon destination and for taking the time to bring your discontent to our attention. We are very sorry to read that we did not meet your expectations, and we would like to apologize for not being able to transfer the Excellence standards which we are characterized for. We can assure you that every constructive criticism you have shared with us has been taken very seriously by our team in order to keep the standards expected by our guests on the highest level, ensuring your satisfaction. We truly hope to have the opportunity to welcome you back in the near future and reinstate your confidence in our service. Please, receive our warmest regards from The Excellence Collection.
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Nothing excellent about it other than the aesthetic of the hotel. We stayed in one of the beach houses which was nice because of the view and beach but average inside the room itself. The cleaning of the room is very very poor, which also isn't done until late afternoon most days, even with leaving the room very early. We had a private pool but it was filthy and had to ask for it to be cleaned after our arrival.
The overall service in the hotel is very standard and nothing luxury about it. Every morning we've been woken up at 5:30 by a leaf blower with a staff fumigating right outside our door. We asked for it to stop multiple times but it still happened every morning. Not very relaxing or luxurious for 700 dollars a night! Even after all this they wouldn't offer us an additional 1 Hour complimentary check out.
The food is nice but for a 5 star and the price for the stay I'd expect a lot better quality throughout the hotel. The service from the staff is also very slow and food can take time to come out. The staff aren't very forthcoming and only some are happy to genuinely help but most expect a tip after everything they do for you. Even having a cigarette in peace is disturbed by one of the staff asking for one. Literally every single time whether it be the landscapers or the servers.
The drinks are premixed juices added to shots of liquor, which is isn't very luxurious, for the fact that you don't even get a proper cocktail mixed.
The hotel is relaxed but it's mainly the staff that are more relaxed. I would never recommend this place to anyone in comparison to the price it's valued at per night. We've been to Jamaica before and stayed in the Hilton which was a much better experience and was considerably cheaper. The look and location of the hotel is very good, but the service and products offered arent worth the money at all!
I've been to many countries and this is overall the worst service I've received and ironically this is the most I've ever paid for 5 nights. There's not much luxury or class about it this hotel. Don't get sucked in by the reviews, and choose a more established hotel chain.
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Date of stay: December 2024
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Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Overall Don't go. Don't get beach houses if you do. If you smoke, hide your cigs. Don't expect...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from The Excellence Collection, Guest Services / Front Office at Excellence Oyster Bay
Responded 1 Jan 2025
Dear guest, First and foremost, we would like to thank you for choosing Excellence Oyster Bay as your vacation destination and for taking the time to bring your discontent to our attention. We apologize for the disappointing experience you had during your stay at our hotel. Your feedback is important to us, and we regret that we did not meet your expectations in various aspects of your visit. We appreciate your honest feedback and regret that we did not provide the level of service and quality you anticipated. Your comments will be taken into consideration as we strive to improve and deliver a more satisfactory experience for our guests. Thank you for sharing your concerns, and we apologize for any shortcomings you experienced during your stay. We truly hope to have the opportunity to welcome you back in the near future and reinstate your confidence in our service. Please, receive our warmest regards from The Excellence Collection.
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This resort has very specific cons. Ocean Views from rooms are severely limited unless beach house, roof top or villa. Beach area small to non existent. Pools are small and not deep. Jacuzzi’s are same temp as pool with very mild jets. Even room jacuzzi’s are mild pressure. The spa hydro therapy jets not all working. So if you’re an ocean view, jacuzzi, beach/ surf person don’t go. Food was either really good or meh. Drinks are standard but wine- even with concierge level is Chilean. Broken gym equipment, no chalk to play pool and entertainment line up changed last minute is minor stuff. Service is 50/50. Sometimes great. Others times no one is around. Slow food service is one thing, but half the restaurants closed everyday makes for wait times. Here’s the 411. Unless you’re willing to spend big bucks on top level rooms your money may be better spent at sandals or the Hyatt. The pros are it’s very pretty. The worst con is paying for ocean front and given an a partial ocean view. But not worse. Being told by “excellence club staff” that hats what you paid for.
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Date of stay: February 2025
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Cleanliness
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Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:AC is barely 68. Uncomfortable for sleeping.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from The Excellence Collection, Guest Services / Front Office at Excellence Oyster Bay
Responded 4 weeks ago
Dear Guest, Thank you for sharing your review. We appreciate your feedback and are glad to hear that you found our resort beautiful. We understand that certain aspects of your stay did not fully meet your expectations, and we sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. Your comments regarding service, amenities, and dining will be carefully reviewed by our team to ensure we continue to enhance the guest experience. We hope to have the opportunity to welcome you back in the future and provide a more enjoyable stay. Please, receive our warmest regards from The Excellence Collection.
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My trip to Excellence Oyster Bay marked my third trip to an Excellence resort. My first two trips were to Excellence El Carmen in the Dominican where we had truly excellent stays.
I am giving Oyster Bay 3/5 for the following reasons:
— Other than the bar tenders at the martini bar and those in charge of entertainment at the pool, the rest of the staff seemed bothered and unhappy. When this wasn’t the case, they just spoke to us like robots speaking from a script they were trained with, which came off awkward and inauthentic.
— The beach in front of the main pool was full of seaweed and sadly trash that washed ashore. While the resort is not necessarily contributing to the amount of trash coming in, we would expect the beaches to be raked and cleaned daily with the volume of trash and seaweed coming in. Thankfully, we enjoyed two nice days in the water and walking along the shore.
— The mattress in the standard run of the house suite we were in was stiff and pillows were flat. We used the app to request new pillows but we woke up every day with sore backs and necks.
— The atmosphere and experience at restaurants in the evenings was 3/5 too. We did not have high expectations on food but nonetheless would have appreciated more ambiance vs. being rushed through ordering on the app. If you are a foodie, you may be disappointed. Lower your expectations or look elsewhere.
— On one of the mornings we attended breakfast (arrived at 10:20), they had already run out of eggs which left us to pastries, and picked over fruits, fish, etc. Breakfast ends at 11.
— Lastly, we were celebrating a birthday which was noted on our reservation and it was never once proactively acknowledged in our suite, at dinners, etc.
The size of the rooms, the view from the pool area overlooking the ocean, the vast amount of loungers and privacy outside, the location of the property, and the handful of staff we interacted with who genuinely wanted to engage, serve and get to know us allowed us to enjoy our time. We came to relax and unwind and we were able to do just that. I will likely, however, look elsewhere if we return to Jamaica.
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Date of stay: December 2024
Value
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Location
Cleanliness
Service
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Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from The Excellence Collection, Guest Services / Front Office at Excellence Oyster Bay
Responded 17 Dec 2024
Dear guest, First of all, we would like to thank you for your recent stay at Excellence Oyster Bay and for taking the time to share this review with the TripAdvisor community. We are very sorry to read that we did not fully meet your expectations as we did with your previous experiences at The Excellence Collection, and we would like to apologize for not being able to provide the Excellence standards as you as a return guest are accustomed to. We strongly believe that there is always room for improvement, therefore we appreciate that you mentioned where we are lacking in, so we can work on it in order to improve it to provide the quality standards our guests expect from us. We hope to have the opportunity to welcome you and provide you the memorable and relaxing experience you deserve. Please, receive our warmest regards from The Excellence Collection.
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We’d been here a couple of years ago and have also been regular visitors to other Excellence Resorts. It’s a brand that prides itself on service, facilities and food.
Usually you get a warm welcome “home”. Not so much this time with no sense of welcome back. I actually think the exclusive Excellence Club check-in area is not as nice or welcoming as main reception. Our Excellence Club suite lacking some of the basics the upgrade promises, originally forgetting the upgraded toiletries and then some daily promises of mini bar refill and petit fours that were not daily. There was also no final night “please come back” which is not the usual standard. Some of the branding (e.g. on bottled water) has also disappeared which all hints at cost cutting despite big price increases.
Last time we were entitled to a free hydro-circuit in the spa - this time apparently we’ve not visited enough to get it. Work that one out. Service throughout ranged from 1st class to “couldn’t care less”. Consistently above average would be better.
But this place has so much going for it. Firstly the location on a peninsula makes it probably the best location of the Groups resorts. Also, with Excellence Club, you have so much choice of spaces to relax during the day that it feels like you are in a different resort each time. And there is so much room (even I suspect when a lot busier than when we were here).
Restaurant opening times were a bit different to normal. With the Caribbean Grove closed most of a week and then Lobster House and Oregano out of action for 4 days. In the latter 2 cases they transferred the menu to other restaurants which ensured people could still get their fix of lobster. Personally never eaten so much fresh tuna in my life.
Of the Excellence Club exclusive restaurants we favoured Zenith and of the bar/pool areas we favoured Magna. Our favourite standard restaurant was Spice (3 visits over 11 nights).
Evening entertainment was very low key despite a full schedule and early nights seemed to be the order of the day.
GF found the gym to be brilliant with a huge air conditioned area, loads of equipment and an enthusiastic trainer. I found the gym once and stayed only because they had Premier League football live to take away the pain.
Every Excellence has always been a 5 to me but that little lack of “special” this time against the standard they promise and set, knocks it down a bit.
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Date of stay: October 2024Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from The Excellence Collection, Atención al huésped/Recepción at Excellence Oyster Bay
Responded 30 Oct 2024
Dear guest, First of all, we would like to thank you for choosing Excellence Oyster Bay as your vacation destination and for taking the time to share this review with the TripAdvisor community. We are very glad to hear from you that overall, you had such a great time with us and we were able to meet your expectations. Your feedback is very important to us because it gives us the opportunity to better understand the areas, we need to focus on in order to offer our guests the best experience ever. It also allows us to find out the services our lovely guests enjoy the most and therefore, we can keep on working in that direction in order to achieve our vision, which is to be the leading group in “All Inclusive Luxury Hotels and Resorts’’ in quality service. It is lovely to know that you took advantage of the Excellence Club benefits, such as access to exclusive areas including Magna and Zenith restaurants. The Excellence Collection is recognized for achieving superior quality in appearance and maintenance of our properties and facilities, just as many other attributes that enable us to provide the supreme Luxury all-inclusive experience. We look forward to welcoming you back soon and have another opportunity to pamper you with our superb service. Please, receive our warmest regards from The Excellence Collection.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Ill start by saying that it had the potential to be a really nice honeymoon! The first half was really nice but unfortunately we were supposed to leave Wednesday, the day hurricane beryl came. The next flight home that we could get wasn’t until Sunday. I spent hours talking with concierge about extending our stay because it seemed like our only choice. Not only did the prices on the rooms magically go up a few hundred dollars per night compared to what is listed on their website, but the only explanation they could give me was "their prices are their prices" and theres nothing they can do about it. After the hurricane only about 20% of the facility re opened... so we were paying above full price for the remainder of our stay for wayy less than we were actually paying for. I even asked if they could comp the cost of laundry since we were staying 4 days longer than planned and they refused saying it would still cost extra. Im usually pretty understanding in these kinds of situations but i left vacation feeling extremely taken advantage of.
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Date of stay: July 2024Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from The Excellence Collection, Guest Services / Front Office at Excellence Oyster Bay
Responded 17 Jul 2024
Dear guest, First and foremost, we would like to thank you for choosing Excellence Oyster Bay as your vacation destination and for taking the time to bring your discontent to our attention. We are very sorry to read that we did not meet your expectations, and we would like to apologize for not being able to transfer the Excellence standards which we are characterized for. In big natural events we always offer a distress rate and the entire staff takes this extremely seriously, providing their unconditional service to accommodate and make as much comfortable as possible during this time and ensure a safe return to the properties. We can assure you that every constructive criticism you have shared with us has been taken very seriously by our team in order to keep the standards expected by our guests on the highest level, ensuring your satisfaction. We truly hope to have the opportunity to welcome you back in the near future and reinstate your confidence in our service. Please, receive our warmest regards from The Excellence Collection.
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Our second visit to an Excellence resort, influenced by a positive experience at Punta Cana in 2021, led us here. ‘The Kitchen Table’ offers a good breakfast, but there’s room for improvement to match the resort’s luxury claim. The service from Andy at breakfast was the absolute top at the hotel, setting a high standard. If all restaurant staff provided service like Andy, the dining experience would be 5/5 every time.
Dinner experiences varied: ‘Oregano’ lacked authenticity in Italian cuisine, while ‘Spice’ offered satisfying sushi and appetizers. At ‘The Grill’, Rojae’s exceptional service and the delicious burgers stood out, making it a memorable dining experience. ‘Chez Isabelle’ was known for its fine dining with small but tasty portions. We also dined at ‘Caribbean Grove’ for dinner, which turned out to be such a delightful experience that we wished we had visited more often, making it our top dining option at the resort.
‘The Jerk Hut’ is highly recommended for its authentic Jamaican Jerk Chicken. Despite the reliable 24/7 room service, there was a noticeable lack of fresh and local fruits in the restaurants and bars. The beverage options, particularly at the ‘Aire’ bar, were disappointing, relying heavily on syrups and purées rather than fresh fruits, and lacked variety in healthy juices and smoothies.
Regarding ‘Aroma’, the cafe fell short, especially disappointing for a coffee lover like myself, given Jamaica’s renowned coffee quality. Both the coffee and pastry selection were subpar, earning ‘Aroma’ a disappointing 1/5.
Facility-wise, the beach and pool were excellent. The gym catered well to our workout needs, and the Bob Marley night was a highlight, truly capturing the Jamaican spirit. However, finding towels for an early morning or late afternoon swim proved challenging, as they were seldom available before 9 AM or after 4 PM, with tipping sometimes being the only solution.
At the SPA, the pedicure session was greatly enhanced by the meticulous and courteous service from Simone and Shanika, adding a touch of luxury to our experience.
However, there were issues like towel shortages and delayed room cleaning, though always thorough and completed by the specified times.
Incorporating more Jamaican elements, especially in dining and bar experiences, would greatly enhance the authenticity. The restricted access for non-Excellence Club members was a drawback. Despite these points, I’d rate it 4/5 for overall value, comparing favorably with similar resorts in the Dominican and Mexico
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Date of stay: January 2024
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from The Excellence Collection, Guest Services / Front Office at Excellence Oyster Bay
Responded 29 Jan 2024
Dear guest, First of all, we would like to thank you for your recent stay at Excellence Oyster Bay and for taking the time to share this review with the TripAdvisor community. We are very sorry to read that we did not fully meet your expectations as we did with your previous experiences at The Excellence Collection, and we would like to apologize for not being able to provide the Excellence standards as you as a return guest are accustomed to. We strongly believe that there is always room for improvement, therefore we appreciate that you mentioned where we are lacking in, so we can work on it in order to improve it to provide the quality standards our guests expect from us. We hope to have the opportunity to welcome you and provide you the memorable and relaxing experience you deserve. Please, receive our warmest regards from The Excellence Collection.
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There are more places to choose from in the Falmouth area.
PRICE RANGE
$914 - $1,336 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
LOCATION
CaribbeanJamaicaTrelawny ParishFalmouth
NUMBER OF ROOMS
315
Prices are provided by our partners, and reflect total costs of the stay, including all taxes and fees known to our partners. Please see our partners for more details.
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