Trip Report for Excellence Oyster Bay in Jamaica

Room and Excellence Club: we stayed in a 'partial ocean view' Excellence Club (EC) Junior Suite. We got a corner room, 7251, so the views of the ocean and resort were great. Rooms were spacious, closets were big and the balcony was lovely with four places to sit and relax. There were two TVs in the room as well. Note that it’s an open-concept room, so there is not much privacy in the bathroom — more suited for couples than friends or family.

If you can book an EC room, I suggest it. We thought it was more than worth it for access to the three additional pools and EC restaurants, Magna and Zenith. The Zenith pool and beach area was our favorite, with great loungers, service and food. On days they serve breakfast, get there early-ish (10am) to grab a spot under an umbrella.

Grounds/Pools/Beach: the resort is beautiful and it is BIG. If you walk along the beach end to end, round trip it’s about a half-mile. If you have mobility issues or hate walking, I suggest considering a smaller resort. They do have golf carts to shuttle people around, if needed.. The beach is not very big, but they supplement with plenty of Bali beds on a deck right over the beach and a shaded area by the EC Zenith area. We never had any trouble finding a lounge chair at any time of day at any pool.

Spa/Gym: at the spa, we did the hydrotherapy that comes complimentary with EC and it was very unique and fun – I highly recommend it for a relaxing afternoon! I got an Excellence massage and added on the organic hair treatment… do it and thank me later. The gym was large and well-equipped.

Food/Drinks: we did not have a bad drink and we were more than happy with the liquor selection, though wines were better at the EC restaurants. We thought the food overall was good; Magna and Zenith were the best food/service-wise and we also enjoyed the Lobster House. Oregano was good for late-afternoon pizza. We thought Spice and Chez Isabelle were average at best, but we really enjoyed lunch at the Caribbean spot. For breakfast, we preferred room service (quick!) or Zenith/Magna over the buffet.

Excursions: we took the the Luminous Lagoon Sunset Cruise, which departs right from the Magna EC Beach, and highly recommend.It was a super cool and unique experience and a nice way to start one evening. Before you go, know that the crew likes to play their music LOUD!

Overall: I was very impressed by EOB, particularly by the staff, most of which were incredibly kind, helpful and seemed genuinely happy to be working there. We loved Chris at the Martini Bar and Shane over at the Zenith pool was a top-notch pool concierge. Rodney at the Magna bar was also awesome. If you have a chance to stay here, absolutely jump on it and enjoy!

Excellence is an all-inclusive brand with properties in Jamaica, Mexico and the Dominican Republic. We stayed at Excellence Oyster Bay, their Jamaican property that opened in 2018, in an Excellence Club suite, which gets you added perks, like access to two additional restaurants, two additional pools, an expanded in-room dining menu and mini bar, Bulgari bath amenities, and more. A few tips before your stay:

• Everything is slippery — be careful!

• Bring your own straw and an insulated tumbler.

• Pack enough sunscreen; $25 in the gift shop.

• Bring smaller bills for tipping, as they don’t often have change in USD (there is a fee-free ATM in the lobby).

• Book Excellence Club if you are able to, as it is worth the upgrade.

This trip report is part of our ongoing series on travel to Jamaica. In need of further inspiration? Check out Kim Peart’s guide, Jamaica to the World: Presenting The Hidden Gems.