Club Ambiance - All Inclusive Rating: 2.0 Pearls
Runaway Bay, Jamaica

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Photos and Review by Oyster.com Investigators.

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Pros

Cons

  • Long-outdated rooms and features
  • No toiletries (only bar soap)
  • 30-minute taxi to Ocho Rios costs $40
  • Narrow beach
  • Mediocre food

Bottom Line

Striving for the kind of romance found in low-budget pornography, the all-inclusive Club Ambiance offers polyester bedcovers, the Playboy Channel on a tiny TV, an on-site club with a stripper pole, and tactless "What's 69 in Chinese?" games. Fine for hard-boozing couples (18-and-over) -- but that's about it.

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Oyster Hotel Review

 Scene

Strictly adults-only, with all activities heading back to the bedroom.

The Pool Bar
The Pool Bar

When Mommy and Daddy are knocking back rum like this, it's no wonder they leave the kids at home. Club Ambiance is a low-budget resort with an equal split of American and British couples who are (ahem) extremely interested in each other (though singles and swingers are also welcome). This is as "adult" as it gets; strictly 18-and-over.

 Service

Nothing specific to condemn, but everybody seems sort of preoccupied and uninterested.

Resort staff
Resort staff

No one was rude, and they all went through the motions of helping me, but I could tell that they'd rather be elsewhere.

Service at the Terrace Grill took more than a half-hour, though the waiters at Cafe Calypso were far more responsive.

My bellman, incidentally, turned the TV on to the Playboy Channel the minute he let me into my room. I don't know what to make of this.

 Location

In a line of Main Street hotels, with not much else nearby.

Barely five minutes from Breezes Runnaway Bay, Club Ambiance is in a line of hotels of varying stature along Main Street. But apart from these hotels, there's really nothing else. And as is the case of most resorts in Jamaica, you can't just wander in unless you're a paying guest.

A 30-minute taxi ride to Ocho Rios costs $40.

 Rooms

From the flower-strewn bed to the TV (Playboy Channel on default), it's all designed to get guests in the mood.

The Standard Room
The Standard Room

My Standard Room looked like it was out of the "Boogie Nights" set, with flowers suggestively strewn on polyester bedcovers and a TV turned on to the Playboy Channel (which my bellman did without provocation).

Still, the room was large, and though the mattress was hard, it wasn't terrible. I even had a small balcony that looked out over the resort, and the room was very well lit.

I had pretty basic amenities for a place billing itself as a "resort." There is no Wi-Fi or wired Internet in the rooms. The mini-fridge was completely empty, and the tiny, 20-inch Zenith TV had an outdated standard screen.

A shower, a sink and a toilet were stuffed into my tiny bathroom. Still, with decent water pressure, it got the job done. Do bring your own toiletries, though, as the hotel only provides a wispy cake of brittle blue soap.

 Features

Racist party games, a narrow beach, and a skanky nightclub--but the game room's OK.

The gym
The gym

Despite the presence of a pool bar, there wasn't actually any pool. There was, however, a cement courtyard where the staff performed mid-afternoon dance demonstrations. The M.C. launched into a raunchy and racist trivia game called "What's 69 in Chinese?" that involved stereotypical impersonations and a sense of humor I'd rather not get into on this site.

The beach, what little there is, is very narrow. It broadens out at points where you can play volleyball or lounge in the sun. But otherwise, it's negligible. The hotel has also built a retaining wall to keep out some seriously choppy waves. Jutting out past this wall, the Pier Bar is probably the worst place to play Truth or Dare. Just take my advice and stick to the truth, OK?

Inside is a game room dubbed the Ocean Club Bar, with billiards, table tennis, board games, a bar, a drum set and a TV. It had enough to satisfy just about everyone.

If you want any more action, there's the truly sketchy Fantasia Club. The hotel's disco is tiny and dark, with a stripper pole and a distinct smell of congealed sweat. But hey, to each their own.

If you'd like a workout without going into toxic shock, Ambiance has a tiny but cleaner gym with a couple of cardio and weight training machines.

And then again, there's always the hot tub. But you're probably going to have to win three rounds of beer pong to have a go at it.

There's no Internet in the guestrooms, so the small computer booth is your only link to the outside world. Surfing the Net comes at an extra charge, but the connection's decent.

 Family

There is nothing "family" about Club Ambiance. It's strictly 18-and-over.

Between the stripper pole and the Playboy channel in all rooms, Club Ambiance is the opposite of kid-friendly. Even modest grown-ups will probably feel pretty scandalized.

 Cleanliness

Clean-ish, if you can purge all memories of the nightclub.

Yes, the nightclub is a grody mess, but the rest of the hotel is pretty clean. I don't know whether the oily feel of our bedcovers was because of low-grade polyester or dirt, but I'm sticking with the former for now. I was a little annoyed that a cleaning station was parked outside my room all day and night, though.

 Food

Unimpressive, in terms of both quality and service.

Cafe Calypso
Cafe Calypso

Being suspicious of the Café Calypso buffet, I went for freshly cooked barbeque at the Terrace Grill. But don't expect quick service. I waited over half an hour just to get a menu!

 Bottom Line

Striving for the kind of romance found in low-budget pornography, the all-inclusive Club Ambiance offers polyester bedcovers, the Playboy Channel on a tiny TV, an on-site club with a stripper pole, and tactless "What's 69 in Chinese?" games. Fine for hard-boozing couples (18-and-over) -- but that's about it.

Things You Should Know About Club Ambiance - All Inclusive

Address

  • Runaway Bay, Jamaica

Hotel Is Also Known As...

  • Club Ambiance
  • Ambiance Hotel Runaway Bay
  • Resort All Inclusive Ambiance
  • Club Ambiance Jamaica
  • Club Ambience
  • Club Ambience Jamaica

Room Types

  • Deluxe Honeymoon Room
  • Standard Room
  • 3 Bedroom Villa

Lowest Prices for this Hotel

Check-in
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Adults

Nearby Hotels to Consider

Breezes Runaway Bay Resort & Golf Club
Runaway Bay Heart Hotel
Gran Bahia Principe Jamaica
Royal DeCameron Club Caribbean

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Hotel Features

Number of Rooms: 100
Pool: Yes
Fitness Center: Yes
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Hotel Information

Location: Runaway Bay, Jamaica
Address: Runaway Bay, Jamaica
(See Map)

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