Couples Swept Away

The rooms (renovated) were nice. Housekeeping very good. The beach was nice. The grounds are pretty. Thats where it ends. Having stayed at Couples Tower Isle a few years back, we were impressed with the friendly staff, incredible food and rustic but upscale feel. Swept Away disappointed on all levels. We found the staff (most, not all) to be unfriendly, dismissive, unhelpful, standing around and just not .. on it. The pools were drab and depressing. Hardly anyone in them. The pool restaurant was of poor quality, staff slow and difficult, and the area not kept clean and attractive. The beach (and pool) chairs are all reserved the night before or at 5am, creating that frustrating rush to put a towel down. The beach is very nice.. but not “amazing!”. Clearly others haven’t travelled much. I hate to sound like a snob. But the clientele seems to have changed too. Lots of tattoos and.. lets just say.. not an upscale crowd. More of a carnival cruise ship clientele. At tower isle, we remembered it being.. not super rich folks.. but a little more upscale. The food was poor. Not horrible.. but not great. The buffet was downright awful. A mess.. picked over etc. Sit downs were better. The repeaters dinner, where you are forced to sit with other couples is kinda weird. But maybe thats for some folks. Never got to try Feathers, as its booked days out. The resort is so spread out.. its a frustratingly long walk to get a meal from one end to the other. No cart provided. Not even for luggage. We left early and transferred to Couples Negril, which while not perfect.. was a far better experience. Night and day. Better food, nicer staff, cleaner more attractive pool deck and beach bars etc. Staff at negril even remarked.. they hear the same from guests of both resorts. Read less

Recently visited to get married in Swept Away. The experience from start to finish was amazing. Rochelle Powell was my wedding coordinator on arrival and was truly fabulous. She was caring and thoughtful and couldn't do enough for us, went over and above to offer her services while my husband took poorly. Thank you so much for making our day the best we could wish for! The resort is just to die for.. we stayed in room 3305. We had a small view through the trees of the ocean. The room was spacious.. the bed and pillows were the best I have ever had on holiday. The balcony was well equipped and our cleaner... Yvonne.. was so helpful and attentive. The staff are so friendly.. well most.. a couple in the palms at times could have remembered their manners but overall they can't do enough for you..always smiling and say hello when you pass them. The beach is just wow.. i honestly haven't seen anything so beautiful. If you are unsure about this hotel don't be. It's just perfect if you want a relaxing holiday with quality accommodation and if you wish to get married.. this is really the best place to do it. Thank you CSA you made our wedding day the most memorable ❤️ big mention as above to Rochelle Powell and Yvonne Rawlinson and Nurse Mayor 😀 Read less

The hotel is a little tired in places. The buffet food is not replenished regularly and often runs out. The room we had was clean, airy and quiet. The drink selection is good with all branded drinks. The WiFi is hit and miss. The beach is fabulous. The free water sports is an added bonus. There was a toilet seat which had been abandoned under our room all week and was never removed. See pictures. Read less

Cons: A bit outdated. Bathrooms have no ventilation and look dingy No headboards, pillows fall behind between bed and window No nightstands, have to get up to get a zip of H2O TV not working, old cables Fans wobbly No table and chairs to eat a meal on the patio Roofs are all black and need powerwashing Vegetarian dining area, food was great but service very slow, didn’t clean tables etc Pros: Entire staff ******* Food **** Beach incl available seating, water sports, boat rides etc******* Spa ****** All cats are spayed/neutered, very nice to know! We booked Couples Negril Deluxe room in January at the hotel but they got the dates wrong on their end and by the time I got confirmation Via email and called, no room was available and they put us in Garden Verandah ground floor at Swept away! It is the largest of the 4 resorts and this was not what we wanted! The resort is in need of a renovation! Read less

My wife and I recently visited Couples Swept Away in Negril, Jamaica, for a late honeymoon. We were eager to enjoy a relaxing getaway, but our experience was a mix of highs and lows. Here’s our honest take on the resort: How We Chose Couples Swept Away Our travel agent recommended Couples Swept Away, sharing that she and her husband had visited years ago. After reviewing the website and hearing her description, we felt it was the best choice within our budget. We were excited to unwind on the beach and enjoy Jamaica’s crystal-clear waters. Arrival in Jamaica Upon landing, we headed to the Couples Lounge at the airport, where things quickly became frustrating. The staff seemed disorganized and provided little direction on what to expect. We had assumed that private transportation would swiftly take us to the resort, but instead, we waited over 30 minutes for more guests to arrive before being packed onto a small bus. The Drive to the Resort The journey to the resort was chaotic. More than ten of us were crammed into a miniature bus, with luggage shoved through the back window and loosely stacked in the last row. There were no straps or security measures, and guests were forced to sit next to unsecured bags. Our driver, “Mr. T,” openly admitted he drives at a slow pace, repeatedly reminding us, “You are on island time. I get you there slow and safe.” While safety is appreciated, his driving was excessively slow, making the ride uncomfortably long. The original estimate was an hour and twenty minutes, yet it took over two hours. Other vehicles, including buses and semi-trucks, passed us frequently. Several repeat guests on the bus commented that this was the longest and worst ride they had ever experienced to the resort. First Impressions of the Resort As we drove past well-manicured resorts like Beaches and Sandals, we anticipated a similar aesthetic. However, upon arrival, we were taken aback by the appearance of Couples Swept Away. The reception area looked unkempt, dated, and uninspiring—nothing like the images on the website. Compared to the other resorts we had seen on the way in, this one felt rundown. The bellmen greeted us with cool towels but offered little guidance. No one explained the check-in process, and when we attempted to retrieve our luggage, staff were short-tempered and dismissive. Eventually, we figured out that we had to check in first, return to claim our bags, and then a bellman would escort us to our room. Our Room Experience We booked a Garden Suite, but the initial room was disappointing—dirty floors, dead bugs, and paint splatters on the furniture and phone. It looked more like a neglected roadside motel than a luxury resort. Frustrated, we returned to the front desk to request another room. To their credit, the staff accommodated us with a different Garden Suite, which was much cleaner, more spacious, and well-lit. However, we couldn’t fully explore the exterior area since it was nighttime, and the pathways were poorly illuminated. That night, our wall-mounted AC unit started making a loud, grinding noise before completely shutting down. We reported it the next morning, and the front desk assured us maintenance would handle it. When we returned later in the evening, we found that maintenance had simply turned the unit off without leaving any explanation. Thinking the issue was resolved, we turned it back on—only for the horrendous noise to continue. When maintenance finally arrived, they made on-site repairs, but not before the unit had leaked water onto the floor, wall, and into our closet—soaking our hanging clothes. Interactions with Staff Our experiences with the resort staff were inconsistent. Some employees were warm, friendly, and eager to help. Others seemed indifferent or outright unhappy to be there. It was a gamble each time we approached someone for service. After the AC ordeal, we spoke with a manager. He apologized for the poor service, offered us a $100 resort credit, and had our soaked clothes laundered free of charge. While this gesture was appreciated, it didn’t fully make up for the ongoing issues. Throughout our stay, we noticed that many longtime guests echoed our frustrations. Several returning couples mentioned that the resort had become noticeably understaffed, and the service had declined compared to past visits. Dining Experience The food was underwhelming. When booking an all-inclusive resort, we expected higher-quality meals and service. Unfortunately, much of the food was bland, overcooked, or dry. Meats were tough and chewy. Fruit options were limited, often underripe, and not what we would consider fresh. Self-service was common, except when it came to alcohol. (As we are in recovery, this wasn’t an issue for us, but it was noticeable.) Breakfast and lunch were forgettable, reminiscent of a mediocre hotel’s continental breakfast. Chicken and fish dishes were not properly deboned, making them difficult to eat. Excursions & Activities The included excursions were a big factor in why we chose this resort, but they came with drawbacks. Activities like snorkeling and diving were only offered at specific times with limited availability. Sign-up lists filled up quickly, so participation wasn’t guaranteed. Additionally, while snorkeling, my wife and I (both experienced snorkelers) had a concerning encounter with a staff member. A male attendant grabbed my wife in the water and forcefully pulled her to another location without warning or consent. She found this both unsettling and unnecessary. Several other women on the excursion reported similar discomfort with his behavior. The Highlights Despite the negatives, we made the best of our trip. The three-hour catamaran tour was a standout experience. It allowed us to see the island, swim around reefs and caves, and truly enjoy the beauty of Jamaica. The resort’s beach was stunning—a pristine, white-sand stretch along Seven Mile Beach. Floating in the ocean and soaking in the sun was our favorite part of the trip. Final Verdict Would we return to Couples Swept Away? No. Despite reading glowing reviews before our trip, our experience did not match those expectations. The resort felt neglected, and the inconsistent service left us disappointed. Many of the repeat guests we spoke to seemed to keep returning out of nostalgia rather than current quality. The resort’s grounds were poorly maintained—missing tiles in pools and hot tubs, visible scum buildup, and general disrepair. Several hot tubs didn’t even work, and the pools were not heated. While the ocean made up for a lot, had it not been for the beach, our experience would have been even worse. If you’re considering this resort, I recommend researching other options first. There are plenty of resorts in Jamaica that offer better service, food, and accommodations for a similar price. Read less