Margaritaville in Negril

[Tequila Tom]

We're planning a trip to Jamaica at the end of winter and will be staying in Negril. We've gotten a few VERY mixed reviews on the Margaritaville there, with some people saying that "it's nice and worth the visit" while others telling us "no, it's too small, the service is unusually bad, it's not nearly as good as other Margaritaville's, and it's just not worth it".

Have any of you been there? If so, how was your experience? (If it helps to compare it to others, I've already been to the Margaritaville's in Cancun, Key West, Las Vegas, and Myrtle Beach.)

Thank you in advance for your responses.

[catsway]

We can't offer any info on the Negril location, but we have been to the location in Ocho Rios. It's located near the cruise ship docks in an open air mall. It has it's own beach and pool complete with water slide. Service was great. We didn't eat, just drank a few boat drinks and hung out in the pool or on the beach. The DJ kept the crowd going with a variety of music and bar games. We had a great time. The shops in the open air mall were fun to walk through also. If you're planning a trip over to Dunn River Falls, make some time for the Ocho Rios Margaritaville.

[Westway001]

We were there in December.

It is nothing like a "normal" Margaritaville - although it is branded as such and has a few Buffett-esque decorations it could be any old beach bar. We were there for an hour or so in the afternoon and they didn't play a single Buffett song or anything like it (no trop rock or island stuff at all) - mainly techno-trance!

One word of warning - it is right on an open beach front like many of the places there and if you set one foot outside the property towards the beach you will be pounced on by hawkers and panhandlers. I am pretty firm (but polite) with these guys generally but still lost $2 and 2 cigarettes in exchange for a cloth ring (?!?) and I was only going to have a quick look at the sea!

Other than that - its fine.....!

[ozzy]

We have been to Negril many times and always make a stop there, as posted before it's not your typical Margaritaville but worth a stop for a boat drink. Prices are a bit high but WTH your on vacation and you may have a good time. One thing when we were there last November was that they were closed by 9pm on a Friday night!!! What they said was if there is no business they close up shop so keep that in mind when you decide what time to visit.

We stayed at Couples Swept Away and walked to Margaritaville so we did not need a cab or the bus. As far as the people on the beach selling everything from clothes to weed, politely say no thank you and they usually leave you alone, if they are persistent just be firm but again polite they will move on.

Enjoy your vacation Jamaica is awesome.

[Snowparrot]

It's a nice beach bar. Somewhere around here, I have a picture of the beach that you all will enjoy!

[jollymon345]

We are going to be in Negril in July and I've heard that Rick's Cafe is better but I am sure we will still go to Margaritaville since it is there.

[ozzy]

Ricks is cool as well and always worth a visit, the divers are fun to watch the drinks are always good but the food leaves something to be desired

[Yorkshire Parrothead]

It is wonderful. We went the other year and they played Jimmy Buffett most of the time and also had a quiz about Jimmy. We are visiting it again this March when the ship we are on docks in Jamaica. Can't wait.

[Tequila Tom]

Wow! It's amazing the mixed reviews that this place continues to receive!

Thanks to all who've posted so far. From the descriptions I'm getting, we'll probably give it a try - but we'll temper our expectations so that we won't expect too much. I've had a great time at all the other Margaritaville's that I've visited, but I'll assume that this could be a different experience.

Some of you mentioned "Rick's". I definitely planned to go there, but I'll leave the high diving to the "pros" who do that sort of thing all the time. And other friends have said to eat before you get to Rick's - that the food isn't worth the price.

It's too bad about the aggressive vendors in Jamaica. I've been to Dunns River Falls in the past, and that was like walking thru a gauntlet. Most of them wouldn't take a polite "no" for an answer.

[ozzy]

I have never been to the falls and I have heard that the vendors there can be very aggressive. Personally I have never had that experience in Negril regardless of where we went a polite no thank you has almost always been enough. I guess it what it really comes down to is a persons tolerance for this, some people may be more sensitive to someone always walking up to them and asking them to buy something. As for us we expect this whenever we travel to Jamaica or any Caribbean country and just say no thanks. Again Ricks is fun and they will ask for donations for the divers but you can avoid these people if you wish. Magaritaville is fun and again unless your walking the beach you won't have any issues with vendors. Where are you staying?

[Tequila Tom]

[quote="ozzy"]I have never been to the falls and I have heard that the vendors there can be very aggressive. Personally I have never had that experience in Negril regardless of where we went a polite no thank you has almost always been enough. I guess it what it really comes down to is a persons tolerance for this, some people may be more sensitive to someone always walking up to them and asking them to buy something. As for us we expect this whenever we travel to Jamaica or any Caribbean country and just say no thanks. Again Ricks is fun and they will ask for donations for the divers but you can avoid these people if you wish. Magaritaville is fun and again unless your walking the beach you won't have any issues with vendors. Where are you staying?[/quote]


We're booked at the Riu Palace - an all-inclusive. We're familiar with the Riu chain...stayed at several over the years. Our purpose is for rest and relaxation...we're not particularly adventuresome or interested in going off the beaten path, so an all-inclusive suits us quite well. The beach is supposed to be awesome, so a recliner on the sand while listening to raggae - plus a margarita - will be welcome!

[ozzy]

I have never been to the falls and I have heard that the vendors there can be very aggressive. Personally I have never had that experience in Negril regardless of where we went a polite no thank you has almost always been enough. I guess it what it really comes down to is a persons tolerance for this, some people may be more sensitive to someone always walking up to them and asking them to buy something. As for us we expect this whenever we travel to Jamaica or any Caribbean country and just say no thanks. Again Ricks is fun and they will ask for donations for the divers but you can avoid these people if you wish. Magaritaville is fun and again unless your walking the beach you won't have any issues with vendors. Where are you staying?

We're booked at the Riu Palace - an all-inclusive. We're familiar with the Riu chain...stayed at several over the years. Our purpose is for rest and relaxation...we're not particularly adventuresome or interested in going off the beaten path, so an all-inclusive suits us quite well. The beach is supposed to be awesome, so a recliner on the sand while listening to raggae - plus a margarita - will be welcome!

OK your very close to Couples Negril on Bloody Bay then, these resorts do a great job of keeping the local traffic off the resort beach so no worries. There is a public beach on Bloody bay that can get interesting and you will get approached there many times if you happen to walk the beach avoid it if this bothers you. We have stayed at Couples Negril and Swept away many times and absolutely love Negril. Have a great vacation!!!!

[jollymon345]

I have never been to the falls and I have heard that the vendors there can be very aggressive. Personally I have never had that experience in Negril regardless of where we went a polite no thank you has almost always been enough. I guess it what it really comes down to is a persons tolerance for this, some people may be more sensitive to someone always walking up to them and asking them to buy something. As for us we expect this whenever we travel to Jamaica or any Caribbean country and just say no thanks. Again Ricks is fun and they will ask for donations for the divers but you can avoid these people if you wish. Magaritaville is fun and again unless your walking the beach you won't have any issues with vendors. Where are you staying?

We're booked at the Riu Palace - an all-inclusive. We're familiar with the Riu chain...stayed at several over the years. Our purpose is for rest and relaxation...we're not particularly adventuresome or interested in going off the beaten path, so an all-inclusive suits us quite well. The beach is supposed to be awesome, so a recliner on the sand while listening to raggae - plus a margarita - will be welcome!

OK your very close to Couples Negril on Bloody Bay then, these resorts do a great job of keeping the local traffic off the resort beach so no worries. There is a public beach on Bloody bay that can get interesting and you will get approached there many times if you happen to walk the beach avoid it if this bothers you. We have stayed at Couples Negril and Swept away many times and absolutely love Negril. Have a great vacation!!!!

I've been to Jamaica 3 times and stayed at Sandals each time and we have had problems whenever we go out with pushy sales people but we have also encountered some of the nicest people ever. Most of them time a polite but firm no will be ok but as with everyone you deal with some just won't take no for an answer and can be overly aggressive. We are going with our 9 year old to Beaches Sandy Bay this summer and can't wait. We will do the falls as our sidetrip and maybe even a raft ride along with a trip to Rick's and Margaritaville.

[sonofabeach]

It's too bad about the aggressive vendors in Jamaica. I've been to Dunns River Falls in the past, and that was like walking thru a gauntlet. Most of them wouldn't take a polite "no" for an answer.

When I walked into the store at the Falls a vendor asked me my name. No big deal I thought but a few minutes later he presented a wooden figure with my name freshly carved and misspelled.
He was trying to get me to buy it and being very pushy about it. My wife comes up and says "let's go". Then three men got in my face at the back of the store telling me that I am the man and she is the woman and I should not be letting her tell me what to do.
It got kinda tense as I made my way past them.
I also was constantly approached on the beach at Margaritaville in Ochos Rios and eventually had to snap at a few people. One dude followed my into the water little.
I loved the Margaritaville there though. Now I'm not so friendly in those situations, I just stick and move.

[Yorkshire Parrothead]

We're planning a trip to Jamaica at the end of winter and will be staying in Negril. We've gotten a few VERY mixed reviews on the Margaritaville there, with some people saying that "it's nice and worth the visit" while others telling us "no, it's too small, the service is unusually bad, it's not nearly as good as other Margaritaville's, and it's just not worth it".

Have any of you been there? If so, how was your experience? (If it helps to compare it to others, I've already been to the Margaritaville's in Cancun, Key West, Las Vegas, and Myrtle Beach.)

Thank you in advance for your responses.

When will you be there? We will be docking at Ochios Rios on Saturday 13th March 2010 and hopefully will go to Margaritaville in the morning at Negil on a cruise trip. The first time we went to the Caribbean we went to Ochios Rios and Dunns River falls. We took a taxi there with a couple and baby from the US and the taxi driver wanted paying and never returned to pick us up. We had a dreadful time trying to get a taxi back to the ship. The market with all the dreadful vendors was very intimidating.

[Tequila Tom]

My experience at Dunns River Falls was similar to those described above.

I, too, have experienced the beach vendors where a simple "no" will usually send them on their way. But the Dunns River Falls bunch is another story; they're very intimidating, and after all, who wants to go thru [i]this[/i] when you're on a vacation???

What the local authorities in Jamaica don't understand is that it's [i]these[/i] kind of experiences that will kill their tourist industry. Americans, Canadians, and Europeans aren't used to this aggressive behavior and will soon be taking their dollars elsewhere. I have friends who will not go to Jamaica, and instead, opt for the less aggressive people found in other places, such as Mexico's Riviera Maya/Cancun area.

[Luna Blue]

Here is our take on the Negril Margaritaville: First, we love Margartitavilles. Our favorite is the one in the French Quarter where we saw Jimmy on stage a few years back. Great place. And the original in Key West is always a stopping point when we visit there. But for us, one of the fun things about being in a Margaritaville café is that when you can’t be in Margaritaille (you know, a place with beaches , surf, bright sun, local fishing boats on the sand, ladies in thongs sipping boat drinks…the whole thing) you can feel like you are.

But in Negril the Margaritaville seems a bit, well, fake, in the midst of that beautiful tropical setting.The high priced boat drinks in souvineer glasses and bus loads of cruise ship daytrippers being hauled on stage for “games” all seem unnecessary when actual grass shack beach bars with cheap bottles of red stripe and paper plates heaped with jerk chicken can be found simply by strolling the beach.

The burgers at Margaritaville Negril were great of course, they always are. But sitting there among the t-shirt shop and the various “tropical” decorations and forced “Are you having a good time?” enthusiasm of the entertainers we asked ourselves, “If Jimmy was here on this beach would he hang at this bar, or would he wander down the sand for something more local and authentic?” We wandered. We think he would have dome the same.

As for Negril, and Jamaica itself we found it had much to love, but also much to be concerned about. In the end, it is certainly worth the trip IOHO. You can see our detailed trip report on our blog at http://playazone.wordpress.com/2008/01/ ... maica-mon/

We hope this helps.

Tony and Cheri
Playa del Carmen, Mexico

[Tequila Tom]

[quote="Luna Blue"]Here is our take on the Negril Margaritaville: First, we love Margartitavilles. Our favorite is the one in the French Quarter where we saw Jimmy on stage a few years back. Great place. And the original in Key West is always a stopping point when we visit there. But for us, one of the fun things about being in a Margaritaville café is that when you can’t be in Margaritaille (you know, a place with beaches , surf, bright sun, local fishing boats on the sand, ladies in thongs sipping boat drinks…the whole thing) you can feel like you are.

But in Negril the Margaritaville seems a bit, well, fake, in the midst of that beautiful tropical setting.The high priced boat drinks in souvineer glasses and bus loads of cruise ship daytrippers being hauled on stage for “games” all seem unnecessary when actual grass shack beach bars with cheap bottles of red stripe and paper plates heaped with jerk chicken can be found simply by strolling the beach.

The burgers at Margaritaville Negril were great of course, they always are. But sitting there among the t-shirt shop and the various “tropical” decorations and forced “Are you having a good time?” enthusiasm of the entertainers we asked ourselves, “If Jimmy was here on this beach would he hang at this bar, or would he wander down the sand for something more local and authentic?” We wandered. We think he would have dome the same.

As for Negril, and Jamaica itself we found it had much to love, but also much to be concerned about. In the end, it is certainly worth the trip IOHO. You can see our detailed trip report on our blog at http://playazone.wordpress.com/2008/01/ ... maica-mon/

We hope this helps.

Tony and Cheri
Playa del Carmen, Mexico[/quote]

Thanks for the great post...a lot of info there! We've been to Playa del Carmen eight times and (obviously) love it. But just for a change, we're giving Jamaica a try. I suspect I'll like the music a bit better in Jamaica, but we'll see!

[Ambition At Bay]

On your way to Rick's stop in at the the Pickled Parrot. The bar is situated on the small cliffs, they have a fun rope swing off the edge. Swing out over the water, let go, and then you can swim over and into a cave that was supossedly used in a James Bond movie. Who knows if that's true, but more importantly, inside the cave is a spiral ladder up through a vent hole to yet another bar.

[blackjack]

On your way to Rick's stop in at the the Pickled Parrot. The bar is situated on the small cliffs, they have a fun rope swing off the edge. Swing out over the water, let go, and then you can swim over and into a cave that was supossedly used in a James Bond movie. Who knows if that's true, but more importantly, inside the cave is a spiral ladder up through a vent hole to yet another bar.

Sadly, the Parrot has been closed for many years.