Secrets St. James Montego Bay Rating: 4.5 Pearls

Montego Bay, Jamaica

Secret St. James is not overly romantic, like Jamaica’s Couples resorts, nor is it downright raucous, like the hard-partying Iberostar Rose Hall Beach. Secrets St. James is somewhere in the middle, which allows it to have broad appeal. Romance is certainly possible here; there are soaking tubs or Jacuzzi tubs in all rooms, and the spa features hot an cold pools and a Zen garden. But active couples can keep busy, too, with the free water sports, tennis, basketball, croquet, fitness classes, game room, batting cage, and a small casino. Partiers can get free top-shelf liquor at one of the seven bars (though they may have to fight the crowds).

The resort was completed in 2010, and it looks a bit fresher than older (and similarly priced) all-inclusives such as Breeze Trelawny Resort and Spa and Riu Montego Bay. Rates here are also a bit less than at the neighboring Secrets Wild Orchid, though guests receive virtually all of the same benefits: The resorts share nearly all of their amenities, save for their pools, lobbies, and a few restaurants or bars here and there. (Most restaurants and bars are shared, and get quite crowded in the evenings as a result.)

Further complicating matters is the fact that Secrets St. James is made up of two separate hotels: the “regular” hotel and the VIP “Preferred Club” hotel. Each hotel has its own entrance, lobby, and building, as well as its own pool and beach access. Those guests staying in the Preferred Club section receive plenty of extra perks such as a separate pool and Jacuzzi, a lobby featuring a Club Lounge with round-the-clock buffet and cocktail bar, and rooms that provide free Wi-Fi and better minibars. Meanwhile, those guests staying in the regular hotel may feel second-class -- signs at the Preferred Club pool remind guests that they must prove their Preferred Club status by flashing their fancier key card.

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Many guests at the Secrets St. James never leave the resort, and with seven restaurants, seven bars, a casino, shops, a theater, and a spa, there's little reason to. The resort is close enough to the airport that guests can avoid expensive taxis, but those who want to explore Jamaica outside of Secrets Wild Orchid’s all-inclusive bubble might be disappointed, as very little is nearby.

• 10-minute drive from Montego Bay’s airport
• 5-minute walk to Montego Bay Yacht Club
• 22-minute drive to Tryall Golf Club

While the rooms at Secrets St. James have identical layouts to the rooms at Secrets Wild Orchid, the decor is a bit simpler and more traditional. Extras include four-poster beds, rainfall showerheads, soaking tubs, private balconies, MP3-enabled clock radios, flat-screen TVs, and DVD/CD players. Even the entry-level rooms are spacious and well designed. And a big bonus: the peek-a-boo bathrooms have shutters that can be closed for privacy.

Those guests staying in the Preferred Club section of the hotel get some additional freebies: free Wi-Fi access codes, more goodies in the minibars, and access to all of the VIP areas such as the Club Lounge and the Premiere pool, which is quieter and nicer than the main pool.

Couples may appreciate the “Secrets box" in each room, which is essentially a non-moving dumbwaiter that allows guests to order room service without actually having to open the door for delivery. Rather, the meal is placed in the box and left for guests to access via a second door in their room.

• 37-inch flat-screen TVs with CD/DVD players
• Minibars refreshed daily with soft drinks, bottled water, and premium beer
• Private furnished balconies
• Wi-Fi (for a cost in regular rooms; free in Preferred Club room)
• Plush bathrobes and slippers
• In the bathrooms: separate showers and soaking tubs, Gilchrest & Soames toiletries, and magnifying make-up mirrors
• 24-hour room service
• Air conditioning and ceiling fans
• Alarm clocks with MP3 docking station
• Nightly turndown service
• Do Not Disturb light system
• Secrets box for incognito room service delivery
• Junior Suites are the entry-level rooms; the sitting area and bedroom are separated by wall dividers.
• Master Suites have separate bedrooms and living rooms, two-person Jacuzzi tubs, rainfall showerheads, and big balconies with outdoor Jacuzzis.

Unlike certain popular strips along the northern shore of Montego Bay and Seven Mile Beach in Negril, Secrets' beach doesn’t share its views or borders with any other properties. Instead, the resort’s peninsular spot is secluded and serene, and guests have the run of the shore.

The beach has fine white sand and clear, warm water, and numerous wicker lounge chairs are on offer, as well as palapas for shade. Activities on the beach include beach volleyball, badminton, and horse shoe. Certain sections of the beach are quite narrow.

Though part of the beach is exclusive to the Preferred Club, no one was enforcing the separation.

The large main pool at Secrets St. James has an infinity edge, a palapa swim-up bar, and breathtaking views of the ocean. It is surrounded by quality woven, padded lounge chairs. Crowds, however, can be a problem. During my stay, the pool bar looked like it was being attacked by a crazy mob, with guests treading water to get to the front of the bar like their lives depended on it. No doubt adding to the rowdy atmosphere is a second bar, which is located just steps from the pool.

The posh Preferred Club pool just next door to the main pool (also with beach views) may inspire envy in the regular hotel guests. It's more serene, and a large placard warns guests that only guest with Preferred Club key cards should enter the area -- which may make regular guests feel second-class. The biggest perk of this pool is the poolside drink service; Preferred guests can get served on their cushy day beds while the regular guests have to push their way to the front of a bar.

Guests at Secrets St. James can mosey on over to Secrets Wild Orchid’s pool (at least, no one was stopping guests from moving between the two), which also has its own swim-up bar and café.

The spa features more than 20 treatment rooms and palapas, as well as a menu of specialties that ranges from facials and mud baths to hydrotherapies and traditional massages. Perks include a juice bar, a relaxation room with hot and cold pools, a yoga garden, a hair salon, and a boutique. Locker rooms also include saunas, steam rooms, pressure showers, and Swiss showers.

It might be hard to imagine that a resort boasting a total of seven restaurants would have a problem with crowds, but I witnessed guests hungrily waiting outside of every eatery on the restaurant promenade. The restaurants are shared with the neighboring resort, which effectively doubles the number of guests trying to get a table. The restaurants do not accept reservations, so guests wishing to avoid a wait might want to eat early; I saw one smart couple dressed to the nines and heading to dinner at six o’clock.

The food itself, however, is impressive for an all-inclusive. There are Mexican, Italian, Jamaican, Asian-fusion, and French a la carte restaurants, as well as the obligatory buffet restaurant. Unlike a lot of other all-inclusive resorts, the atmosphere doesn’t feel strip mall-esque; each restaurant is housed in its own freestanding structure and has distinct decor.

Secrets St. James has seven bars, including the main pool’s swim-up bar, a piano bar, a music lounge, and a lobby bar. Drinks are covered in the all-inclusive rates, and that goes for the top-shelf stuff as well as the cheap rum punch and Red Stripes. Crowds jockeying for the bartenders' attention start to form in the late afternoon, and it only gets worse as the evening wears on. The Secrets St. James shares its bars with neighboring Secrets Wild Orchid, and guests often take to ordering two (or three) drinks at a time to ensure they don’t get too low while waiting for their next opportunity to order another round.

• Top-shelf liquor included in the all-inclusive rates
• Welcome cocktail and cool towel at check-in
• Weekly management cocktail parties

• Internet cafe (fee required for Internet access)
• A shopping plaza featuring several souvenir shops, a wedding planning shop, a coffee shop, and a jewelry store
• On-site medical facilities
• Movies on the beach
• Weekly management cocktail parties
• Theme nights
• A theater, and live nightly entertainment
• Welcome cocktail and cool towel at check-in
• A small game room and casino

Secrets St. James shares its fitness center and tennis courts with Secrets Wild Orchid. While the fitness center -- which includes cardio equipment, dumbbells, free weights, and cables -- certainly doesn’t seem to be large enough for both resorts, which have a combined 700 rooms, it was actually quite empty both times I visited.

Other activities are abundant, including free tennis non-motorized water sports, dance classes, chess, darts, board games, croquet, billiards, yoga, aerobics classes, cooking classes, ping-pong, and jogging trails. There are also activities that come at an additional cost, such as scuba diving (first pool lesson is free), horseback riding, deep sea fishing excursions, and golfing at a nearby championship course.

• Free non-motorized water sports, and motorized sports for a fee
• Croquet, darts, billiards, and board games
• Aerobic classes and cooking classes
• Private tennis lessons

Secrets St. James provides on-site planners that can coordinate events and meetings both large and small. There are nearly a dozen different spaces that can be used for cocktail receptions, banquets, performances, business retreats, or classes. Packages are available, and guests can also create custom events.

Weddings are big business in Jamaica, and Secrets St. James is definitely in on the game, providing an exhaustive list of services ranging from on-site wedding coordinators to pressing and steaming the bride and groom’s gown and tux. Three packages are offered, and made-to-order weddings can also be arranged. Prices for packages start around $1,000 for up to 10 guests, and all packages include a wedding cake, sparking wine, a bouquet and boutonnière, an officiant, and free nights that go toward a future anniversary stay.

While ceremonies generally take place in one of several wedding pavilions along the beach, a vast array of meeting rooms and ballrooms are available for cocktail hours, receptions, and rehearsal dinners.

Secrets’ website also features a registry option in which marrying couples can request gifts be given in the form of credits toward a honeymoon at the resort.