Note: The all-inclusive Couples Ocho Rios is re-emerging as Couples Tower Isle when its $22 million renovation project is completed in December 2008. The new name is a historical reference to the resort's beginnings as a private island retreat and hangout for Hollywood celebrities in the 1950s and '60s. The property opened in 1949 as the Tower Isle Hotel, Jamaica's first year-round beach resort.
Renovations include the addition of four suites and 16 guest rooms (all with ocean views), a 1950s-style diving board at the main pool, a wedding gazebo, a spa with 10 treatment rooms, a swim-up bar and a floating dock at the resort's private island.
This older, less expensive version of its two Negril siblings still ranks as the top choice in Ocho Rios, compared with the two Sandals properties. After opening in 1949 as the Tower Isle Hotel, it was rebranded as Couples Ocho Rios in 1978. An exceptionally well-run couples-only resort, this place offers a romantic setting free of children, singles and money (a no-tipping policy is in place).
It does have some flaws: Right on the beach, this resort lacks the intervening lush landscaping of Sans Souci and is cramped up tight to the shore. Its rooms aren't very large, baths are even smaller, and the oft-unkempt beach is pint-sized. But the current renovations will improve the situation.
This hotel completed a US$1.6 million restoration project in 2004, a fact that is hardly noticeable in some parts of the property. Adjustments included eight redecorated penthouse suites, a new air-conditioning system, three refurbished tennis courts, a new deck on the pier, and the purchase of three buses to transport guests.
This sprawling resort is protected by walls and strict
security guards. Buildings are of various vintages, but all blend gracefully into the lush tropical setting with their colonial terra-cotta roof tiles and stark white facades. The lobby houses a shopping arcade and plenty of plush seating space where sunburned guests can take shelter. Arrivals are wowed with a glass of champagne and refreshing cold towels, especially pleasing after a long drive from the airport. This clubby, contemporary indoor space is unlike the breezy open-air lobbies of the resort's all-inclusive counterparts.
Le Gourmet, the ornate main dining room, offers upscale French, Jamaican and international dishes. Breakfast and lunch are taken on a charming seaside terrace, and a second restaurant serves Continental and Caribbean meals. Menus, though, don't change often enough for guests here on a weekly rate. The bayside restaurant is an alfresco pasta dining room perched along the shore. Unique Calabash island cuisine is offered in a separate restaurant where guests can sample local flavors with a twist. On Sunday evening, a saxophonist plays on the pier, adding just the right mood music. A beach grill rounds out the dining options. The four bars include piano and karaoke lounges, but hard-core partiers make use of the frequent shuttle to nearby Margaritaville. Nightly floor shows take off at 9:30 pm, and a DJ keeps the dancing going until 11:40 pm.
The emphasis here is on love, leisure and sport, with free wedding services (featuring a picturesque sea-view gazebo) and extensive recreational facilities. Spa treatments range from muscle-bending Swedish massage to the tamer cleansing mud wraps.
Active guests can take advantage of five tennis courts (three lighted), volleyball, squash and racquetball courts, croquet, shuffleboard and horseback riding. Watersports include scuba diving, and the bare-bones exercise room boasts a prime location facing the sandy beach. Other leisure pursuits take place at the crafts center, in the game room, on hammocks at a pier, and in a smallish pool area with a 6-m diving board and two two-person whirlpools in a junglelike 
setting. Two more whirlpools can each handle a dozen parboiled guests.
The resort also fronts a small yet private 200-m beach, and nude sunbathing awaits on an offshore island with its own pool, whirlpool bar and grill. Padded lounge chairs and individual cabanas (on the island) provide additional comfort. The island closes prematurely at 5 pm, but guests can swim or take the boat, which also offers Catamaran cruises. New wireless high-speed Internet access is now available at no charge in the lobby.
Tiled guest rooms have a modern airy feel. Accommodations are graded in five categories and situated in the main building, the three supplementary wings and the garden villas. Lovely shower-only baths suffer from weak water pressure, and all rooms feature balconies or poolside verandas. Gorgeous four-poster mahogany beds add a colonial twist and residential flair. Common amenities include air-conditioning, TVs, CD players and king beds.
Baths are restocked with fresh towels daily, but the toiletry kits provided upon check-in must last throughout a stay. Although all suites have marble whirlpool tubs, two villas boast private plunge pools in river-stone alcoves, and three villas have outdoor whirlpools. They even come with bottles of champagne (replenished daily). The Ocean suites are recommended over the Garden suites. Room service delivers breakfast only, and turndown service is a nightly offering.
Pets are not allowed. Maintenance could take additional time to review the facilities for minor hiccups such as malfunctioning air-conditioning units, rusted tiles and even the odd broken lounge chair. But overall, the place is in good shape. The resort is good to its repeat guests, and there are a lot of them. A superb staff and plentiful amenities make this a honeymooner's dream (whether it's the real thing or an anniversary repeat).