Jamaica has long been a coveted vacation spot for honeymooners, but few people recognize its great potential as a family destination. There are a number of resorts on the island that lend themselves excellently to guests who travel with their spouses and children, and quite a few of them are right on the beach. 
Riu Negril is located on beautiful Bloody Bay Beach, and its sister hotel, Riu Palace Tropical Bay, just finished its renovations and is now open for business once again! Guests at the Palace have exchange privileges to use any of the amenities at the Riu Negril. The Riu resorts and the Royal Decameron Club Caribbean in Runaway Bay are all fantastic seaside options, but resorts are especially abundant near Ocho Rios–and for good reason, since this is one of the most gorgeous areas of the island. Shaw Park Beach, the Sunset Jamaica Grande and Riu Ocho Rios all offer beautiful mountain views and hikes to nearby waterfalls in addition to their location on the sand, which is nothing less than ideal. Don’t neglect Seashore Bay Beach in your Jamaican resort search, either: this is Karisma’s first hotel outside Mexico, and it sits on 1000 feet of the beautiful Seven Mile Beach. Royal Decameron Montego Beach is especially blessed, with Doctor’s Cave Beach on one side and the Hip Strip on the other–the beach is only a short walk from great restaurants and 
shopping, and vice versa! For an extra special beach stay, look into Sunset at the Palms: these treehouse-style bungalows sit just steps from some of the best beachfront property in Jamaica.
For some people, a good vacation means getting something more than just a little sun–specifically, a few rounds on a choice golf course. Jamaican resorts and hotels excel in this regard, offering courses for every golfer’s taste and experience level. The Ritz Carlton has a golf course spanning 600 acres, offering breathtaking views of the Caribbean to golfers while they tee off. If you’re a non-golfer traveling with someone who can’t get enough of the links, you might consider choosing a resort with a golf course and a spa. Riu Montego Bay offers both of these, but the Hilton Rose Hall takes it one step further for families with kids by including a championship golf course, a spa with a full menu of treatments and luxuries and a water park complex that will keep everybody happy.
If you’re traveling with one or more children, congratulations: that qualifies you for a number of deals and discounts at Jamaican resorts. Kids stay free at the Holiday Inn Sunspree in the summer, and they stay and eat for free at Jewel Runaway Bay year round (this hotel also offers a buy-one-get-one free deal for Dunn’s River Fall Tours). One child can stay free at Grand Palladium’s Jamaica and Lady Hamilton resorts. Two can stay free of charge at Iberostar Rose Hall, which is an exceptionally good deal for an all-inclusive resort with a plethora of restaurant choices, concierge service and supervised children’s programs. If you’re looking to go all-inclusive, the Grand Bahia Principe could also be a good choice for you: with three pools, shopping and entertainment right on the property, you’ll never have to look far for a good time. Families have many options for accommodation and fun in Jamaica–no matter what your tastes and preferences are, you’ll find something to suit them!
