Ocho Rios vs Negril vs Turks & Caicos
I won’t deny it, planning a vacation can be pretty hard and stressful, especially when it comes to a beach resort, which still seems to be a niche topic nowadays. We're going to be spending a lot of money and expect to have a great time with our family, so it’s normal to stay up late at night Googling every beach resort you can think of. We all study prices, locations, rooms, activities, and more. Even then, it might not be enough to make a final decision.
We are here to try and make your choice easier. Sure, you can always send us a message and we will help you out free of charge, but this article is mostly focused on Beaches Resorts. By the way, did you know that we have full in-depth guides for Beaches Ocho Rios, Beaches Turks & Caicos and Beaches Negril?
We talk about anything you can think of, from Sesame Street characters to packing lists and even if you should take an anti-jellyfish lotion to Beaches Negril. All of that is for the low price of free, so you can definitely click our guides page for each resort above and start reading.
In this article, we are going to choose the best Beaches resort based on a few topics like luxury, prices and activities. We aren’t going to choose an overall winner, since this is very, very subjective, but hopefully some of these topics can help you out in your final decision.
We are going to see topics like:
- Prices
- Location
- Best for Kids
- Rooms
- Beach
- Paid Activities
- Food
- Luxury
- Privacy
Let’s go.
Prices
This is the most objective topic on our list. You can't argue with numbers and mathematics, after all. With that said, Beaches Ocho Rios is definitely the most affordable beach resort out there. However, it’s also the smallest one and could use a few updates and renovations. It’s still a great choice if you’ve never been to a beach resort and want to see if you like them first. You can find rooms as low as $160 per guest, per night during the low seasons.
Beaches Turks & Caicos is the most expensive one. The price per guest, per night, is basically double what you find at Beaches Ocho Rios. However, you do have access to more activities, a better beach, and way more restaurants.
Beaches Negril falls between the two. It's considered the mid-range option among Beaches Resorts. It’s not as expensive as Beaches Turks & Caicos, with prices being 30-50% higher than what you can find in Ocho Rios.
Winner: Beaches Ocho Rios
Location
Now this is one of the most subjective choices in our entire list. Location will basically depend on where you want to spend your vacation. Do you want to go to Jamaica? Then you have Negril and Ocho Rios at your disposal. Do you want to visit Turks & Caicos? Then you only have one Beach resort to choose from, which makes your choice definitely easier.
We can help by answering some questions. First, every Beaches resort offers free transfers from the airport to the resort. You'll board either a bus or a private vehicle and head to your destination.
Beaches Turks & Caicos is located just 15-20 minutes away from the airport, making it a very quick trip. This is perfect if you've already spent a long time on a plane.
Beaches Ocho Rios is located approximately 2 hours away from the airport. It's a long trip with some great views, so make sure to have your camera ready. Ocho Rios is only 10 minutes away from Dunn's River Falls, another fantastic place for activities to enjoy during your vacation.
Beaches Negril is located about 90 minutes away from the airport. It's also a lengthy journey that can be a bit bumpy, so consider taking motion sickness medicine if needed. Beaches Negril is located near some great locations like the city of Negril, Lucea and also one of the best bars in Jamaica - Rick’s Cafe.
Winner: Depends on your preferences.
Best for Kids
Let’s get one thing out of the way: every Beaches resort is excellent for kids and families. Unlike Sandals, Beaches was designed with the little ones in mind. You'll find Sesame Street Characters, the Xbox Lounge, and Trench Town at every Beaches resort. Each resort even has a nightclub exclusively for kids! And of course, we can't forget the Pirate Island Waterpark, which is available at all three resorts. With that in mind, all three are fantastic choices for families.
Beaches Turks & Caicos has the largest waterpark among all three resorts. Beaches Ocho Rios features the second largest one. Despite being the smallest resort of the three, Beaches Ocho Rios has everything conveniently close by, making it a great choice if you prefer to keep your kids nearby.
Winner: all three are great choices.
Rooms
A hard category to choose a winner. I’d say that Beaches Ocho Rios gets the third place here. Rooms definitely need an update as some of them look old, but what about the second and first place?
We could maybe say that the battle is a tie between Turks & Caicos and Beaches Negril. Turks & Caicos offers a wide range of options, including affordable Luxury Rooms and concierge suites catering to all tastes. You can opt for breathtaking views of the ocean and magnificent gardens just outside your door. For luxury, Turks & Caicos stands out, making a stay there an exceptional experience.
However, I will give the gold medal to Beaches Negril. There are numerous concierge and butler suites available in Negril, offered at prices that are certainly more affordable than those in Turks & Caicos. What sets the rooms at Beaches Negril apart is that many of them are brand new and modern, having debuted in 2022 and 2023. A fresh, newly maintained room can make a world of difference, honestly. If you check Reddit or simply search online for opinions, you will see that guests typically rave about the rooms at Beaches Negril, praising the excellent service, great location, and the cleanliness and freshness. Well done!
Winner: Beaches Negril
Beach
Beaches Turks & Caicos has one of the world's best beaches: Grace Bay Beach. It's consistently rated as one of the top beaches globally by TripAdvisor. Grace Bay Beach is expansive, long, with pristine white sands and stunningly beautiful water, truly everything you could ask for in a beach.
Beaches Negril showcases Seven Mile Beach, another beautiful stretch with white sands and crystal-clear waters. While it's a tier below Grace Bay Beach, Seven Mile Beach is equally breathtaking.
The beach at Ocho Rios is decent. It's small and private, but it can feel a bit claustrophobic. However, the water at Beaches Ocho Rios is excellent, which is good news for those who prefer swimming over relaxing and tanning by a cabana.
Winner: Beaches Turks & Caicos
Paid Activities
Every Beaches resort offers a variety of new activities, along with paid activities for you to enjoy. Scuba diving, basketball, and boat rides are all complementary, while specific activities such as horseback riding, catamaran trips, or ATV adventures incur charges. Each resort offers both exciting free and paid activities, so let's highlight what they excel in.
Beaches Turks & Caicos is the biggest Beaches resort, but it offers the least amount of extra activities. There are several free activities for you to enjoy, however, from several land sports to late night parties that take place on the beach. You make your own activities at Beaches Turks & Caicos with so many facilities, restaurants and one of the best beaches in the world just in front of you.
Beaches Negril offers the most amount of water activities, including dolphin encounters and a jungle safari where you can see giant crocodiles. They also offer horseback riding, which is pretty cool.
Beaches Ocho Rios caters to golf enthusiasts, with golf courses just 30 minutes away that guests can visit for free. While playing golf incurs charges, it’s reasonably priced. Despite being the smallest resort, Beaches Ocho Rios offers the most paid activities, with over 60 options to choose from! Dolphin encounters, visits to River Falls, ATV Adventures, a powerboat adventure… they have it all.
Winner: Beaches Ocho Rios
Food
Food is a very difficult topic to talk about. Let’s start by saying that Beaches Ocho Rios has 7 restaurants, while Negril features 13 and Turks & Caicos has 21. That’s a lot of places to choose from, and all for free!
It would be easy to say that Turks & Caicos has the best food around, and I can see why. There are plenty of options and great choices like Neptune’s, Kimonos, and many other restaurants at your disposal. You can choose from Italian, Japanese, French, and much more. You can’t go wrong with it, and there is a restaurant open at any time of the day.
However, I’d give the gold medal to Beaches Negril. Negril boasts two brand new restaurants that you can’t find anywhere else, debuted only a year ago: Yaku and the Green Machine. Yaku is a Peruvian restaurant where you can enjoy delicious South American food, including ceviche. The Green Machine is the only restaurant at Beaches where you can create your own salad bowl from over forty ingredients. It’s important to stay healthy while on vacation, but save some space for that bacon cheeseburger as well.
Beaches Negril also features The Matriarch, the only authentic Mexican restaurant at Beaches. Craving tacos? Burritos? Quesadillas? They have it all for you. I do love a good taco, and having the possibility to eat as many as I want is almost... dangerous... to think about. I loooove... tacoooos... *Homer Simpson voice*.
Winner: Beaches Negril
Luxury
Beaches Turks & Caicos wins this category due to its beautiful location and the variety of over 50 room options available. They offer everything from standard rooms and concierge rooms to butler suites, penthouses, and even entire houses. The entire property is stunning, resembling a classic fantasy village with townhouses nestled next to each other, beautiful gardens, and numerous swimming pools and restaurants scattered around. It feels like stepping into the world of Narnia and experiencing a brand new universe. This also explains why Turks & Caicos is the most expensive of the three choices.
Beaches Negril isn’t far behind, thanks to the updates and renovations that took place in 2023. There are now brand new rooms and penthouses available for you to choose from, all looking modern and amazing. The new house location in front of Seven Mile Beach adds to the feeling that you truly are in paradise.
Winner: Beaches Turks & Caicos
Privacy
Some people love to travel and simply want peace and quiet. They prefer to avoid parties and crowded places, and I can respect that. I have friends who go to a beach resort and spend their days by the pool or beach, then return to their rooms for a peaceful night's sleep, and that's it. And that's perfectly fine.
For those seeking privacy, the best Beaches Resort is Beaches Ocho Rios. It is the smallest and most compact of the Beaches Resorts, where everything is conveniently close by. Beaches Ocho Rios also tends to be less crowded compared to the other two resorts on our list. During the low season, like in early October, it's quite likely that the resort will be at only 60% capacity. Beaches Turks & Caicos and Beaches Negril are definitely more crowded. Some rooms are already completely booked for March 2025 if you check now.
Another advantage of Beaches Ocho Rios is its exclusive beach reserved solely for resort guests. That's right! Only guests of the resort have access to it, so most of the time, you can enjoy peace and quiet there, although vendors may approach the borders to sell you stuff. My advice? Stay in the middle. The beach may not be as magnificent as those in Turks & Caicos or Negril, but it serves its purpose well, with calm and amazing waters.
Winner: Beaches Ocho Rios
