This hotel is the younger sibling to the slightly more expensive Grand Lido in Negril, but it seems to attract the older relatives of its sibling's more youthful clientele. Founded on the site of 18th-century Falmouth, the adults-only resort is laid out like a small town complete with central fountain, brick-paved lanes and a bakery. The beach may not be as nice, but many guests prefer the more low-key, less glitzy setting. But just like the white-sand beach, which turns to rock underwater, the defects at this all-inclusive resort lie below the surface; most guest complaints revolve around lethargic service, not the resort itself.
Overused public areas cluster around one of two giant pool areas, and lodgings are housed in 12 two- and three-story buildings set in two rows back from the beach. The Au Naturel accommodations section was originally a separate hotel but has been incorporated into the Grand Lido operation, a prime reason many make the trip here. Many guests prefer the nude-enforced Au Naturel section, with livelier activities than the other pool areas. This section contains two private accommodations wings, a giant pool with a swim-up bar, two whirlpools, and a 24-hour clubhouse and bar. The scene is less provocative than at the island's Hedonism properties but can still border on wild at times.
The lobby and reception area may be less impressive than at Grand Lido Negril, but the more casual plantation decor here puts guests at ease. Breakfasts and lunches are served in the buffet restaurant in the main section, along with three specialty restaurants that provide relief from self service. Besides the disappointing Japanese restaurant for teppanyaki, options include a casual alfresco Italian cafe and a more formal fine-dining room for French nouvelle cuisine. Guests here must often compete for reservations, but the casual reggae cafe provides a lighthearted look at the local cuisine for lunch and during the afternoon. A jerk pit is by the pool, and bars are sprinkled liberally throughout the premises. After dark, entertainment programs (and an active bar scene) produce a self-proclaimed Jamaican revelry that includes toga parties and weekly barbecues.
Tennis is offered on three courts (two of which are lighted), and volleyball and basketball courts, saunas and an excellent fitness center are also on-site. Two Olympic-size pools attract most of the attention, although the swim-up bars certainly challenge them. Overly enthusiastic entertainment by the pool can interfere with many guests' relaxation, though. Nonmotorized watersports and diving are covered by the rates (but certification courses demand a fee). The spa offers free manicures, pedicures and use of the sauna, but chiropractic and other services 
incur charges. The hotel provides a nine-hole executive golf course, and serious duffers can take the shuttle to SuperClubs' 18-hole course at Runaway Bay or Iron Shore at Montego Bay, where greens use and transportation are complimentary.
Meeting space includes a large conference room for up to 140 people and a smaller room with audiovisual equipment and space for 40. Wireless Internet access is available in the lobby, and laundry service and dry cleaning charge a small fee.
Guest rooms are priced according to exposures, either the beach or garden. Colorful fabrics brighten the otherwise vanilla-plain decor, and tile floors have a slick look except where protected by attractive area rugs. All units provide air-conditioning, TVs, phones, CD players, coffeemakers, complimentary stocked refrigerators, hair dryers, ceiling fans, safes, irons and ironing boards. Rooms have one king or two double beds, combination baths at the entrance, and window doors opening to balconies or patios. TVs are set in huge cabinets facing the king or two double beds. Minimal lounge furnishings, basically an armchair and a desk, prevent guests from entertaining in their rooms, but perhaps the musty, damp smells throughout also contribute.
One-bedroom suites have separate living rooms and two baths, but Royal Beach Front rooms provide exquisite vistas for just a slight premium from garden views. The 53 rooms in the Au Naturel section are beachfront junior suites; though not much larger than the standards in the other section, these rooms add sofas, armchairs, pillow-top mattresses and extra baths (and are thoughtfully devoid of any harmful wicker furnishings). Recent renovations in these quarters include upgraded baths with multiple showerheads. Suite guests also receive airport transfers complete with drink service. Room service runs 24 hours a day.
Pets cannot be accommodated. Accommodations updates occur regularly to keep guests happy, with the latest a new keycard lock system and a few bath touchups. Maintenance elsewhere is a bit shabby, though, with unkempt pool furniture, littered public areas, and service levels seemingly always one step behind. Repeat guests appreciate the familiar surroundings and staff and without fail request to be in the favored nude section. The staff isn't as sharp as at the other Grand Lido property, though, and the relative isolation of this location keeps most guests on the premises.
