Jamaica 🇯🇲

Holiday Inn Resort Montego Bay All-Inclusive (4 nights)

HOTEL (4 nights)

Holiday Inn Resort Montego Bay All-Inclusive 50,000 points per night for two people, including all food and drink. This resort is an INCREDIBLE value!

If you book 3 nights using points, the 4th night is FREE! You are able to book another 3 consecutive nights and receive the 8th night free, if you prefer to stay for a full week.

ROOMS

We booked two rooms:

• Kind Standard (2 adults): 150,000 points for 3 nights + 4th night free (we were upgraded to a Deluxe due to Platinum Elite Status)

• Double Standard Ocean View (4 people): 150,000 points for 3 nights + 4th night free, plus $640 total for two extra people for 4 nights ($80 per night for each extra person for 4 nights)

FOOD & DRINK

Included in the all-inclusive are several restaurants and snack locations:

• Portside Buffet Restaurant: breakfast, lunch and dinner buffets

• Jerk Hut: authentic Jamaican jerk cuisine and drinks oceanside (photo above)

• The Barefoot Bar and Grill: light meal and drinks poolside

• Sea Breeze Restaurant: seafood, requires 24 hour advance dinner reservation

• Sorrento Italian: requires 24 hour advance dinner reservation

• De Terrace: Jamaican cuisine, requires 24 hour advance dinner reservation

• De Lobby Bar: drinks served in the outdoor lobby from 10am until midnight

• Port Royal Pub & Lounge: dark lounge with drinks and sports on tv

• Big Smaddy: pool bar in the adult only pool

Food and drink are provided all day:

• Breakfast is served in the Portside Buffet Restaurant from 7-10:30 am

• Lunch is provided in various locations

• Dinner starts at 6pm and is served in the Portside Buffet Restaurant, followed by live entertainment or at speciality restaurants by reservation
  

HOTEL FEATURES

• Gift store with clothing, sunscreen, snacks, water bottles, trinkets, etc

• Free use of beach equipment: kayaks, paddle boats, snorkel equipment

• 2 pools and 1 whirlpool

• Fitness center

• Spa and salon

• Volleyball/basketball/tennis courts, table tennis/ping pong

• Live entertainment and on-site kids' activities

EARNING IHG POINTS

To book 2 rooms to accommodate our party of 6, we used 300,000 IHG points received through opening two credit cards (IHG Premier and IHG Premier Business) and earning the SUB (sign-up bonus).

Each card has a low $99 annual fee and comes with:

• automatic Platinum Elite Status (room upgrade and late check-out)

• an annual free night at an IHG property

• the 4th night free on award reservations

• Global Entry statement credit (skip the line at US immigration)

• trip cancellation/interruption insurance

• $50 United cash

It takes little effort to get more than $99 annually out of the card benefits, but if you prefer a card with no annual fee, you can earn 80,000 points with the IHG Traveler card after $2,000 spend in 3 months.

PACKING SUGGESTIONS

• Travel light: use a Samsonite Underseat Carry-On or backpack and packing cubes or vacuum sealed bags

• Bring a crossbody bag, travel wallet, portable charger, toiletry bag

• Use the room safe if you must bring valuables

• No need for an adapter, the power outlets are the same as the United States

GETTING THERE

We start all trips off with a visit to the Priority Pass MSP Lounge where we receive $15 vouchers per person to be used on food and drink. Sign up for the Venture X card for free access.

We booked 4 round trip tickets MSP-MBJ non-stop using Delta Skymiles for a total of 127,800 miles + $570 taxes (32,000 miles + $142 taxes per person).

In addition, I purchased two round trip tickets using cash for $1274 total ($637 each). There are much cheaper flights into Montego Bay from Minneapolis, if you are flexible with your dates. I booked nine months out and watched the flight prices and they didn't go down, but if they had, you can reach out to Delta and they will often provide a voucher for the fare difference.

All tickets were basic economy, so I paid $180 total ($30 per person) to choose our seats on the outbound flight and we lucked out on the return by receiving six exit row seats at the check-in counter for no charge. Thank you, Delta!

BUDGET (6 people)

Flight: $2024 + 127,800 Delta Skymiles

Hotel: $640 + 300,000 points (exc value!)

**Transport: $144 (Viator RT private transport)

Restaurants: $0 (all-inclusive)

*TOTAL: $2808

*Two people could easily do this trip for only $365 total.

**If I were to go to Jamaica again, I'd try Best Jamaica for private airport transport because it is half the price of Viator, local and appeared legit and reliable. Our Viator service was excellent, but Best Jamaica was very professional and reached out using WhatsApp regarding my booking inquiry when we landed.

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