Sandals Ochi (also known as Sandals Ochi Beach Resort) is the largest of the adults-only all-inclusive Sandals resorts. Located in Ocho Rios, Jamaica, it is also the most affordable Sandals. We have visited it twice and really enjoyed it.

Many guests love Sandals Ochi because of its size, since you have a wide range of activities and restaurants to choose from. However, it can feel overwhelming to others.

Our honest Sandals Ochi review will tell you all you need to know about this popular resort so you can decide if it’s right for you.

Arriving at Sandals Ochi Beach Resort

You have several options to get to Sandals Ochi, as there are three airports in Jamaica. The closest is Ian Fleming International Airport in Ocho Rios. It is just 15 minutes from the resort, but there aren’t that many flights available to this airport.

Most international flights land at Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay. It takes about 90 minutes to get to Sandals Ochi from here. The other option is the airport in Kingston, which is a little closer. We have done both and prefer Montego Bay because the drive from Kingston is along winding roads.

Regardless of which airport you fly into, Sandals provides a welcoming lounge and complimentary transfers. If you book a butler suite, you get a private transfer.

Once you arrive at Sandals Ochi, you will go to one of two lobbies to check in depending on where your room is located. If you’re in a butler suite, your butler will escort you there to handle check-in in your room. We were lucky enough to be in a butler suite on our last visit, and arrived at the Hillside Village (where the butler village is), where we waited in the Club lounge until our butler came to take us to our room via golf cart.

Getting Around Sandals Ochi Beach Resort

Sandals Ochi is the largest Sandals resort. It is laid out in two sections, hilltop and beachfront, which are divided by a road. Although you can walk most places, there are complimentary shuttles that help guests get around more easily; these run from early in the morning to late at night.

If you’re staying in a butler level suite, your butler can also take you wherever you want to go in a golf cart. We really enjoyed that, but we also didn’t mind the walk.

Accommodations at Sandals Ochi

Sandals Ochi has a huge variety of rooms and suites to choose from (22 different categories in total). Since this is the most affordable Sandals, the least expensive room rate is generally under $200 per person per night. This is currently the Great House Luxury room, which has garden views and a private balcony. Note that luxury level rooms do not come with room service, although they do have inroom minibars that are restocked daily.

The most upscale accommodations at Sandals Ochi are butler villas with a semi-private pool, Romeo & Juliet One-Bedroom Butler Villa Suites with private pool sanctuaries, and beachfront butler suites with oversized balconies. All butler suites come with 24-hour inroom dining and the services of a personal butler.

We stayed in a butler villa with shared pool and found the area nice and quiet. Our suite had a large bedroom plus a separate living room with a sitting area and bar. French doors led to the veranda, which was right by the pool.

Club level rooms are the middle range category of accommodations. They come with rooms service plus extras like Club concierge service and a private lounge.

Rooms and suites at Sandals Ochi are divided between two areas—Hillside and Riviera Seaside. The Hillside area is more quiet and includes the Butler Village as well as several restaurants, a spa and fitness center, and the biggest pool. The Riviera Seaside section is along the beach and offers a variety of rooms and suites, most with ocean views, as well as more restaurants and pools. It tends to be a livelier atmosphere.

Some guests have commented that the rooms are dated, but we noticed that Sandals has refreshed many of the Butler Village suites and is in the process of redoing several other areas.

Sandals Ochi Beach Swimming Pools

There are plenty of pools to please everyone at Sandals Ochi. The main pool area is by the Great House, where you’ll find three pools, the biggest of which has a swim-up bar, music, and activities throughout the day.  A smaller pool nearby is close to the Great House Café for easy snacking,

Michelle’s favorite pool was the Riviera Pool, as it is quieter than the Great House pool but still a fun atmosphere. It has a swim-up bar, music, and a pizza place next door.

The Ochi Beach Club also has a pool with a swim-up bar and a lively atmosphere. Quieter pools are the Riviera Garden Pool and the Hidden Pool.

There is also a pool for scuba certification, which Dan did, as well as multiple suites with private pools.

What is the beach like at Sandals Ochi?

We found the beach at Sandals Ochi to be nice, with soft sand along calm turquoise water.

It’s a long strip, divided into three sections. The Ochi Beach Club is the liveliest, with activities and music, a restaurant, a pool with swim-up bar, and plenty of lounge chairs as well as floats in the water.

In front of the Riviera Beachfront Tower stretches the longest section of beach, which is where you’ll find all the complimentary watersports. There are also some trees along the shore which provide shade.

A third section is in the Riviera Seaside Village, by the docks and near several restaurants and bars.

Restaurants and Food Quality at Sandals Ochi

Sandals Ochi has the most restaurants of any Sandals resort, so you get a lot of variety to choose from. There are 16 options that serve a range of cuisines including Italian, Asian, sushi, international, French, Mediterranean, seafood, and Caribbean.

We found the food here to be really good. Top choices are the Southern Table and Vista Gourmet, which offer a huge assortment of favorites; the Jerk Shack; Tapas on the Riviera; Le Gourmand; the Mariner; Valentino’s for Italian; Kimono’s Japanese Teppanyaki; and Soy Sushi.

Kelly’s Dockside Seaside Bar & Grill is located over the water for al fresco dining with great views. The Reef Terrace serves pan-Caribbean dishes overlooking the ocean, while Neptune’s features Mediterranean food in an open-air setting on the beach.

Our favorite restaurant for breakfast was the Southern Table, where you could get all sorts of delicious items like omelettes, pancakes, French toast, and smoothies. For lunch, we loved the fish tacos at Tapas on the Riviera, quesadillas at The Mariner, the brick oven pizza, and the Caribbean jerk and the Jerk Shack.

Our favorite restaurant for dinner was Soy Sushi. We also had great meals at Le Gourmand, Kimonos, Vista Gourmet (surf and turf!) and Valentino’s (lamp chops and insalata caprese). Wherever you choose to go, feel free to order as many items as you want so you can try a variety of dishes.

Most restaurants require reservations for dinner. We recommend making dinner reservations as soon as you arrive, so you can be sure to get what you want. If you prefer quick service, make the reservation for earlier in the evening. Some restaurants also have a dress code, requiring nicer clothing, so be sure to pack appropriately.

Drinks and Entertainment at Sandals Ochi

Sandals Ochi has 11 bars including and the Caribbean’s first speakeasy. Called the Rabbit Hole, this unique bar has craft cocktails. live music, and a great atmosphere. We loved having a drink here while listening to the cool jazz band and think this one of the best bars of any Sandals resort. There’s also a piano bar, a beach bar, and swim-up bars at most pools. We found that servers were really good about checking on us at our lounge chairs as well.

Complimentary evening entertainment includes theme nights, karaoke, chocolate night, White Night, beach parties with fire dancers, and live shows at the theater.

Activities at Sandals Ochi Beach Resort

There is a huge range of free activities at Sandals Ochi, including watersports and golf. Complimentary watersports include snorkeling, Hobie Cat sailing, paddleboarding, kayaking, Aquatrikes, and glass bottom boat rides. These come with equipment and professional instruction.

Certified scuba divers also get up to two dives a day. If you’re not certified but want to dive, you can get certified onsite for an extra fee. Dan was able to get Open Water Certified in 3 days.

Free green fees and transportation are included at the Sandals Golf and Country Club, which overlooks the ocean and is a beautiful course We recommend going early before the sun gets too hot. There’s also onsite tennis, beach volleyball, squash, and more, plus a fitness center with classes.

Nightly entertainment includes all sorts of parties and theme events, as well as live music. We went to White Night during our stay, where you dress in white and then enjoy delicious chocolate desserts. Other events include beach parties with fire dancers, Caribbean night and talent night. There’s also a piano bar and karaoke. During the day, you’ll find DJs playing music at multiple pools, and fun stuff happening at the Ochi Beach Club.

There are also plenty of offsite excursions you can choose from, though those cost extra. We recommend Dunn’s River Falls (take the catamaran there) and the Blue Hole.

The Red Lane Spa (also extra) offers a range of spa services such as couples’ massages.

Sandals Ochi Review Final Thoughts

Sandals Ochi is the largest and cheapest Sandals resort, offering a huge variety of accommodation types, activities, and restaurants to choose from. It is also one of the liveliest Sandals resorts and tends to attract a younger age range. However, there are quieter sections, including the Hillside area and Butler Village.

While some guests feel overwhelmed by the size of the resort, others love the atmosphere and multitude of options. We really enjoyed it and can definitely recommend it, especially if you like to have plenty to do.