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Negril, Jamaica
Negril's Seven Mile Beach is the longest continuous stretch of white sand in Jamaica. The entire beach is public, so the resort guests can mingle with the low-key local vendors wandering along the beach.

Best Hotel Beaches in Jamaica(2 of 24)

 Negril's Seven Mile Beach is the longest continuous stretch of white sand in Jamaica. The entire beach is public, so the resort guests can mingle with the low-key local vendors wandering along the beach.
GoldenEye's private beach is placid when compared with the tourist-filled sandboxes that line most Jamaican resorts. A devoted beach staff is happy to set up lounge chairs throughout the day. Meanwhile, the entire strip is so empty that it's almost shocking to run into a fellow guest. Those looking for even more privacy, however, should swim to the resort's tiny island. The chunk of land is close enough that anyone over five feet tall could wade right to it. Once there, guests will find a few chairs and a bit of sand. Negril's Seven Mile Beach is the longest continuous stretch of white sand in Jamaica. The entire beach is public, so the resort guests can mingle with the low-key local vendors wandering along the beach. The Beaches beachfront is perhaps the most family-friendly, with room to spare for walkers, sunbathers, and water-sports enthusiasts without feeling crowded. None of the guest rooms or suites look straight out onto the sand -- Negril's building codes restricted this starting in the 1990s -- so the beach is much broader than in Montego Bay or Ocho Rios. Yet another Beaches-brand resort tops the best-beaches list, since it is also located on Seven Mile Beach. Beaches has two large swimming areas surrounded by buoys, which are meant to protect guests from the occasional Jet Ski or motorboat. The water is shallow, calm, and excellent for young children to swim in. Like anywhere on Seven Mile Beach, there are people in the water at all hours, but the beach itself never feels crowded. Also on Negril's Seven Mile Beach, the adults-only, couples-only Couples Swept Away resort has guest rooms, restaurants, and bars that line the beach. Vendors and musicians stroll down the beach with guitars and bamboo scrapers, playing reggae requests for small tips. Topless sunbathing is allowed here, like anywhere in Negril, but the adults-only rule at this resort makes it somewhat more prevalent. Ample non-motorized water sports are available on the beach, free of charge. At the Tree House Cottages end of Seven Mile Beach, there are always plenty of chairs, and the jerk pit and beach bar are never more than a few steps away. There's a water-sports tent on the beach, which charges $50 for Jet Ski rentals and $12 for snorkel equipment. Glass-bottomed boat tours are also available at negotiable rates. 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. Iberostar Grand’s portion of the Iberostar resort trio's half-mile stretch of beach is the best. Sure, the sand is about the same half-powdery-half-pebbly consistency, and the water is just as clear and blue as anywhere else, but the beach stands out for what it’s missing: crowds and loud noise. There are lovely sun beds in addition to the generic yellow lounge chairs, and palapa umbrellas shade guests far more efficiently than the brushy little trees on Iberostar Rose Hall Beach’s sands. A volleyball net provides opportunity for a little bit of activity, and a beach grill means guests need not even leave the sand for a bite to eat. Spanning two miles, the Half Moon resort has the longest private beach in Jamaica. This means that, unlike Negril's Seven Mile Beach, only hotel guests and staff can stroll the coast's white sands. Still, what truly sets Half Moon apart is its breadth of activities. Guests can swim with dolphins in the resort's private cove, ride horses through the water (Half Moon has its own stables), or take out non-motorized water vessels, like windsurfing boards or kayaks, free of charge. Technically, the Gran Bahia has three beaches -- a main swimming beach, a nude beach, and a snorkeling beach (pictured here). The main swimming beach is less crowded than most all-inclusive beaches. On the far western edge of the property -- and blocked off by a tall fence -- is the nude beach. The Rose Hall Resort's private white-sand beach borders the resort's premier water park, Sugar Mill Falls. With more than enough lounge chairs, the beach is a relaxed spot for families to recharge before heading back to the waterslides. At Breezes, the resort not only has enough space for lounge chairs, but it also has enough space for multiple trapeze sets and volleyball nets. But all this fun is exclusive to adults and teens (all guests of Breezes must be over the age of 14). The beach here is extraordinarily active, and the hotel's entertainment staff tries to get guests to join in the games. But if you're not up for a contest, you can still sip a cocktail in the nearby pools overlooking the ocean. The intimate beach at the adults-only Royal Plantation resort is among the best in Ocho Rios -- though its swimming area is fairly small. But the sand is exceptionally soft, the water is perfectly clear, and there are ample lounge chairs available. Plus, unlike other resorts that merely claim to have full drink service on the beach, the attentive beach attendants at the Royal Plantation offer clean towels, fresh fruit, and prompt drink service. The somewhat rocky, but secluded, beachfront at the Royal Decameron is punctuated by soft sandy inlets where guests can quietly soak up the sun beside clear, gentle waters. Located in Port Antonio, the Geejam boutique hotel is not directly on the beach, but it's only a short drive (by free, resort-provided driver) from five distinct beaches. The best of them, by far, is Frenchman's Cove, which Conde Nast Traveller voted one of the world's most beautiful beaches. Flanked on both sides by dense plant life, low-hung vines, and sharp cliffs, the calm, shallow water is warmer than at other Jamaican beaches. The beach is private (not associated with the resort) and though resort guests can visit the beach for free, other visitors can pay to settle on the sand with a lounge chair.
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