All-Inclusive Jamaica: A Conversation with Alexandra Napoli

Tell us about yourself! What do you do when you’re not traveling the world? Where do you live? What made you decide to go on an all-inclusive Jamaica vacation?

I’m a 28 year old Canadian girl living in New York City. I moved here 3 years ago to pursue a career in finance and quickly realized that wasn’t for me. Now I’m a Certified Holistic Health Coach. I help people figure out food, navigate digestive issues, and develop self-love practices. I love that in my work I get to have a direct and positive impact on people’s lives and well being.

My most recent Caribbean vacation was to Jamaica. My husband and I choose this destination because there was an amazing deal for the adults-only resort. As very busy entrepreneur, it seemed like the perfect way to get away and have a completely relaxing vacation, for a great price.

How long did you go for? How did you spend your time?

We were there for 5 nights. We spent all out time at the all-inclusive resort. Eating, drinking, tanning, swimming. We took a bottomless boat cruise to see some reefs and fish. We also had a romantic dinner on the beach for Valentine’s Day. We did a lot of lounging, which is exactly what I needed.

What were your most memorable experiences? What were the biggest disappointments?

The most memorable experience was beating my husband at a giant game of chess; or at least, that’s the memory I like to remind him of the most. We also had a couple’s massage with the sounds of the ocean in the background. It was so absolutely relaxing we both fell asleep.

The biggest disappointment, as with most all-inclusives, was the quality of the food. There were a lot of options but nothing was very delicious. I ended up finding the few things I liked and having those over and over again.

What do you wish you knew before you went?

That the weather reports are usually wrong. Ours were calling for mostly rain and overcast but really it was beautiful and sunny almost our entire stay. A few days there was a short afternoon shower that quickly turned back into warm sunshine. If we’d cancelled our trip because of the weather report, we would have missed out on a beautiful week.

Any favorite restaurants/hotels/hostels/sites you’d like to recommend? Tell us what made them great!

We stayed at the Jewel Paradise Cove Resort & Spa in Runaway Bay. It was beautiful and clean and the staff were very friendly. There were two different beaches and many different pools so you could take your pick of the atmosphere you wanted to enjoy. The piano bar was very fun but the night life activities died down quickly, so if you’re looking for more of a party this isn’t the resort for you. The spa was fantastic, as was the sunset boat cruise. The water is absolutely crystal clear and blue. I would highly recommend this resort to anyone who is looking to have a relaxing getaway without having to worry about a thing.

Is there anything that women specifically should know before they travel to your destination?

I think women would be wise to book something like an all inclusive. This way they have their transportation away from the airport pre-booked and they have security at the hotel to make sure they are safe. I’ve never traveled alone and know lots of women who would absolutely disagree with what I just said. I personally prefer to be cautious and know that I’m paying to be kept out of harm’s way.