TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

I am highly disappointed with our stay at Zoetry Montego Bay and I greatly regret using these few days of vacation that I receive to spend here!! If I could give this resort a 0-star rating I would. I am... beyond perplexed on how this resort is identified as Category D/5-Star. First, the room that we were placed in was not fully clean! There were thick spider webs in a couple corners of the room. In one corner there was even a live spider still sitting in the web (nickel sized spider - zoomed in photo below). I notified our butler as soon as I saw it and it took hours to finally get it addressed. The bed was absolutely uncomfortable, the pillows were horrible and neither myself or my husband got good sleep while staying at this location. I was immensely happy that we were only there for 2 nights!!! While the customer service is good, the restaurants were not! The food was dry and flavorless. The dinner we had tasted like water no matter what we ate. We ended up giving up on the dinner provided and going back to our room and sleeping hungry. Rick’s Cafe was amazing tho (had to go 2-hours away to get good food smh). I’m sure there is good food closer, Negril was just one of our stops on our full-day excursion. I WILL NEVER STAY HERE AGAIN!!!!

I have been leaving reviews on Tripadvisor a long time and I have never had to leave a really bad review before so this is not easy. For reasons I cannot understand this visit to this hotel was just not at... all as expected at the price point. We did only spend one night, we were there about 30 hours altogether. Maybe because it was low season (Easter weekend though?) but they were out of many things on the menus, things just never showed up (like our room service order), no bellman when we arrived to help with bags, toilet roll holder hanging off the wall, our front door looked like it had been hacked by a crow bar or something. The people were lovely and honestly did what they could but if the hotel is looking to save money by not stocking things then perhaps that should show up in the price point? Anyway I would not go back to this place with so much choice in Montego Bay and doubt I would try any of their other properties either unfortunately.

Front desk staff were polite and efficient. They showed us around the site and made us comfortable. Our luggage was taken care of. The room was perfect. We were impressed by its size and the modern install...ations. The hotel common areas were clean. The chairs at the beach were very comfortable what with the thick mattresses, some of which, however, were in dire need of cleaning (ugly stains). The beach and the pool were well maintained, except for the Eastern end of the beach where it seems all the flotsam and debris were accumulated with no apparent hint of it ever being disposed of. Every day, a workman was busy with a motor-powered blower, apparently flushing leaves off the small lawn areas and the pathways. Because of the constant Easterly winds, theses leaves and debris were almost immediately re- blown back where they had been. The noise from the airblower was noted to be between 85 and 100 dBs (I have a noise measurement app on my iPhone) which is very annoying, to be polite. Room cleaning. We found the staff to be efficient and timely. Except for one evening lady who came two days in a row at 1815hrs to do the bed turning over. We hadn’t even left for supper. When we asked her to come back later, she was adamant that it was now or never. We asked her to leave. The other evenings, however, apart from this lady at whose service we seemed to be, the turning in service was discrete and efficient. The room cleaning staff, as seemed the case with many other staff, was not very prepared for unusual requests. When told about a burned out light bulb in one of our lamps, she didn’t seem to know what to do. I unscrewed said bulb and placed it on my night table where it remained for a week. It was still there when we left. One day, the maintenance staff did some work on the AC unit, after which copious amounts of dark stained debris spewed out from our unit for a few hours, all over the floor and some furniture. When we pointed this out to the front desk, they said they’d take care of it. Nothing came of said promise. It was only when we corralled the night cleaning lady and she swept the floor that the debris was taken away, hours later. Nobody, however cleaned the furniture. We just swept it off onto the floor and pushed it under the bed. When we left, ten days later, it was still there. Now for your biggest problem: the eating facilities. We realize that there were important issues with said facilities and witnessed the constant efforts by management to improve. This improvement was much needed. When we arrived, the evening (dinner) staff was in dire need of training, both on the floor and in the kitchen. Bland food with not much resemblance to what was written in the menu seemed to be our unfortunate lot. A few days after we arrived, however there was a sudden and marked change in the quality and preparation of the food. Seemingly, a new chef had arrived. At this point, our experience was entirely positive. Much appreciated were the daily menu changes. The food was tasty and plentiful. If any suggestions : more seafood would have been appreciated, especially for an island country and especially for a five star rated hotel. The floor staff. A disaster. The main impression was that said staff was sullen and some, even surly. They looked as if the guests were bothering them in their chat sessions held in the kitchen, sessions which could clearly be heard from the dining area. Two exceptions were a young man named Tariq and a young woman named Kanisha (sorry for the spelling) which proved that it could be done : prompt, efficient service personalized and without half-hour waiting times between dishes. How do we know that the others were inefficient and that, contrary to what they said, it wasn’t the kitchen that was at fault for their tardiness? When the others brought us our food, it was cold, a sign that it had in fact been prepared in a timely way and that it was the waiting staff that was either lazy or inefficient. One evening, we even witnessed the manager loudly berating a server. This was, in our opinion, quite well deserved as she was one of the most delinquent lazers and chatters. Perhaps, however, the berating would have been better served in private. Mind you, this state of affairs was observed in a dining area rarely even half full. How they will manage when the place is packed is anyone’s guess. This state of affairs was much, much worse in the morning. Sullen, sultry, even hostile looks were our daily breakfast welcoming. Some of the staff even throwing menus as a sign of their dissatisfaction. This was not just us having a problem. Similar behaviour was observed with other guests. Others couldn’t be counted on to bring what we ordered. Even when it was as few as three items, often only two appeared. And cold at that. Breakfasts were definitely not a pleasurable experience. Our worst morning, we timed it. Sat down at 0900hrs. Water and orange juice served at 0915hrs. Order taken at that time. Order arrived incomplete and cold at 0950, a full 35 minutes of waiting while they chatted away in the kitchen. The café by the pool. If breakfasts were a disaster, this was horror. We went twice, the second time to give them a chance. Staff uninterested in the guests, food undercooked or raw. They even managed to serve us soggy toasted bread. The only enjoyable place to eat was the jerky shack where the lady was nice and the food excellent. One valuable asset you have is the evening bar staff. Both Barbara, and her off- day replacement Curtis were professional and very efficient and always in a great mood. After we arrived, we learned that the place was under new management by Hyatt. We saw the place improving daily, but you still have a very long way to go before you can call this a five star resort. In conclusion, we think the price we were charged did not merit the so-so or bad service we experienced. We are left wondering what effect such a bad review as this one would have on your business if posted on Trip Adviser or any other travel medium. If we are asked if we recommend the resort, our answer would be a resounding “no.” Hope this helps.

Zoëtry Montego Bay Jamaica offered a serene escape, but service fell short. My Junior Suite was stunning and cozy, with a beautiful pool-and-ocean view from the balcony—perfect for relaxation. The staff we...re kind and pleasant, adding warmth to the stay. However, with renovations and only a few dozen guests, the ample staff didn’t deliver. No one offered drinks or food poolside, breakfast opened 10 minutes late at 7:00 AM with coffee served after my meal, and at dinner, I waited for a table as dirty dishes cluttered empty ones. The peaceful vibe and lovely room were overshadowed by these lapses.

I’ll start by saying the staff is amazing. Very welcoming and very attentive. The rooms are nice and spacious. It was a relaxing time. If you’re looking for a lot of activities or a livelier experience t...han this is not the place. A few cons is that I ordered room service twice and the food never showed up. And the food is average.