This post was originally published on this site.
JOIA Rose Hall by Iberostar will reopen in Montego Bay on Dec. 1 after a complete renovation, bringing new rooms, restaurants, pool and beach experiences to the adults-only resort.
JOIA Rose Hall by Iberostar is coming back to Montego Bay on Dec. 1, and the adults-only all-inclusive will look very different when it does. The 295-suite resort has been closed since June for a complete renovation, and Iberostar’s U.S. site is currently showing rates from $859 per room, per night.
It’s one of the most significant resort reopenings in Jamaica this winter, arriving in a stretch of Rose Hall where some of the island’s best-known hotels are returning, renovating or preparing new projects. Caribbean Journal has also been tracking the new 451-room UNICO 18˚77˚ Montego Bay, another adults-only all-inclusive now taking reservations in the destination.
The six-month project at JOIA Rose Hall is reaching essentially every major part of the resort, from its suites and terraces to its restaurants, bars, pool and beach areas. Iberostar says the new concept will draw inspiration from Jamaica, the atmosphere of travel in the 1950s and the personality of Montego Bay, while retaining the high-service, adults-only model that defined the former Iberostar Grand Rose Hall.
A New Look for a Familiar Montego Bay Resort
This isn’t a new-build hotel, even if much of the experience will feel new on Dec. 1. JOIA Rose Hall is the former Iberostar Grand Rose Hall, now part of Iberostar’s upper-tier JOIA collection and one of three Iberostar resorts sharing the company’s beachfront complex east of Montego Bay.
The renovation is comprehensive, with Iberostar describing it as a complete redo undertaken between June and November. Rooms and terraces are being redesigned with references to local flora, Jamaican colors and the island’s creative traditions, while the public areas will have a new identity shaped around the beachfront setting.
The resort will remain an 18-and-over, all-inclusive property, keeping one of its defining traits intact. It will also continue to offer butler service in selected accommodations, concierge service, 24-hour room service and access to the spa’s hydrotherapy area.
The Rooms
All 295 accommodations are suites, spread across four floors, with a mix that has historically included garden-view, ocean-view and oceanfront categories. The resort will also retain swim-out accommodations, giving you the option of stepping from your terrace directly into the water.
Private balconies and terraces are a major part of the room experience, with king or double-bed configurations available depending on category. Minibars are replenished daily, while pillow menus, aromatherapy, turndown service and 24-hour room service are among the inclusions Iberostar lists for the resort.
Butler service will remain available in selected room categories, an important distinction at a resort positioned toward the higher end of Jamaica’s all-inclusive market. The Presidential Suite tier adds more residential-style features, including a living room and kitchenette.
A Different Food and Drink Lineup
The culinary program is also getting a rethink, with the resort promising everything from contemporary Jamaican cooking to Southeast Asian flavors. Iberostar says the goal is to create a broader international restaurant collection while giving Jamaica a more prominent role in the experience.
Among the concepts already appearing in the resort’s new lineup is Gaia, built around cooking over embers, along with The Huddle, a casual sports-bar-style venue. Chez Charlie will bring a French brasserie concept, expanding a food and beverage program that includes multiple restaurants and bars across the property.
The all-inclusive plan will cover buffet meals, unlimited specialty restaurant dinners, snacks, domestic and international beverages and a minibar restocked daily. Room service will operate around the clock, with breakfast also available in-room.
The Pool and Beach Experience
The water is a big part of why Rose Hall works so well as a resort destination, and Iberostar is putting more attention on the spaces between the rooms and the Caribbean Sea. The renewed resort will include updated pool and beach areas along with what the company is calling its Pool & Beach Experience, supported by personal concierge service.
There will be poolside service and a swim-up bar, while the resort’s spa includes wet areas and an infinity pool. Non-motorized water sports such as kayaking, snorkeling, windsurfing and Hobie Cat sailing are included for up to an hour each day under the all-inclusive program.
Iberostar describes the new version as “a renewed experience that celebrates Jamaica with warmth, character, and fresh energy.”
The transformation comes during a broader comeback for Montego Bay’s resort sector. Half Moon, also in Rose Hall, recently completed its own return, while several other major Jamaica properties have been rebuilding or reworking their hotel experiences.
What You Get With the All-Inclusive
JOIA Rose Hall will remain more inclusive than many luxury resorts, particularly when it comes to activities. Beyond meals and drinks, stays will include daily sports and entertainment programming, live music and shows, the spa hydrotherapy area and non-motorized water sports.
You’ll also be able to use facilities and restaurants at neighboring Iberostar Selection Rose Hall Suites and Iberostar Waves Rose Hall Beach. The arrangement effectively gives JOIA guests three Iberostar resorts to explore while keeping the adults-only JOIA property as their home base.
Golf is nearby at Cinnamon Hill Golf Course, one of the signature courses in the Rose Hall area. The historic Rose Hall Great House is also close to the resort, putting two of the destination’s best-known attractions within a short drive.
Getting There
The resort is about 11 miles from Sangster International Airport, making the transfer after a Montego Bay arrival relatively short. Iberostar’s special reopening offer currently includes private airport transfers along with resort credit, depending on the reservation terms.
The location also matters because Montego Bay continues to have one of the deepest nonstop air networks in the Caribbean, with extensive service from major U.S. gateways. Once you land, Rose Hall is east of the city, putting the resort away from central Montego Bay while keeping the airport close.
The broader Jamaica resort comeback is becoming one of the winter season’s biggest Caribbean hotel stories. Sandals is also preparing major returns in the destination, including the transformation of the former Sandals Royal Caribbean into Sandals Caribbean Cay.
Which Room Is Right for You?
A standard suite should make sense if the priority is the resort itself: the beach, restaurants, pool and included activities. An ocean-view or oceanfront suite will be the better choice if the Caribbean view is central to the trip, particularly since the redesigned terraces are becoming a bigger component of the accommodation experience.
A swim-out suite is the obvious splurge if you want more time around the water and less separation between your room and the pool. Butler-serviced categories will fit couples planning a celebration, honeymoon or anniversary and looking for a more service-heavy version of the all-inclusive stay.
The resort’s adults-only policy also helps distinguish it from the two neighboring Iberostar properties. Families can stay elsewhere in the complex, while JOIA Rose Hall will be focused squarely on couples and adult vacations.
The Opening Offer
Iberostar has already put a substantial promotion behind the reopening. The current offer includes an extra 10 percent off the prepaid rate, private transfers and up to $800 in resort credit, with reservations under the promotion available through Nov. 30 for stays beginning Dec. 1 and running through Oct. 31 of next year.
The brand is also advertising discounts of up to 40 percent under the broader promotion, although final pricing will depend on room category and travel dates. Iberostar notes that rates and inventory remain subject to availability.
JOIA Rose Hall has already appeared on Caribbean Journal’s list of the best Jamaica all-inclusive resorts. The Dec. 1 reopening will offer a chance to reconsider the hotel almost from scratch.
Montego Bay is heading into winter with a growing collection of restored, redesigned and entirely new resorts. JOIA Rose Hall by Iberostar will be one of the first major December returns, bringing 295 renewed suites, a new restaurant collection and a different beachfront experience back to one of Jamaica’s best-known resort areas.
The post Montego Bay, Jamaica Is Getting a Reimagined Adults-Only All-Inclusive With 295 Suites, Swim-Out Rooms, and Toes-in-the-Sand Pools appeared first on Caribbean Journal.
