Azul Beach Resort Negril by Karisma - All Inclusive

Customer Ratings & Reviews

TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

5391 reviews

• 

  You could call it an experience of a lifetime, that I experience hopefully only once...

  We decided we wanted to take a vacation, somewhere, anywhere and Expedia was having a deal (or was it?) for certain resorts that included free airfare (or was it?). We were torn between going to the Dominican Republic or Jamaica. We honestly were looking at a few resorts, but came across the Azul Beach Resort in Negril, Jamaica. The photos were amazing and the description of the resort was pretty much exactly what we were looking for. We booked in mid August for a vacation at the resort from Sept. 1 - 7. As the days slowly counted down, the anticipation rose. It continued to rise until the early morning of September 1, as we left for the airport to begin our journey. Things were going smoothly, we arrived at the airport early and checked in. Our flight departed on time to Charlotte for our connecting flight to Montego Bay. We switched planes and took off for Montego Bay! Our flight was smooth. Upon arrival, we quickly passed through immigration (I recommend you fill out the Jamaican Electronic C5 form prior to arrival in country. It makes getting through seamless.) We gathered our bags and met our waiting transportation outside. This is where things got a little dicey. We watched our driver smoke at least two joints while waiting for other transportation passengers. The roadway was, eh, a two out of a ten for quality. Even less so with a driver that had just smoked weed. We finally got underway after about an hour wait for the journey to Azul! After an approximately two and a half hour drive, we made it. Our arrival was at around 8pm. We got our baggage and entered the hotel where we were quickly checked in. Being that we arrived in the evening, we were unable to fully understand what we were getting ourselves into. We received our arm bracelet which doubled as our room key. The bellboy led us to our room with our luggage. Once inside, let us tell you, our disappointment was immediate. The room was dirty with what appeared to be black mold on various surfaces. The room smelled like dirty mop water and there was nothing deluxe about it (we booked a Deluxe Swim out room). Since it was getting late, we decided to go to the Italian restaurant for dinner (later finding out this was the ONLY restaurant that was open for the evening). We were quickly seated, in the 90+ degree dining room. There were multiple mini-split style AC units, none of which were turned on. Mind you, it was a 90 degree day there in Jamaica, so AC should have been a must. We ultimately were served our mediocre meal and returned to our room to rest. The next morning we did observe that the swim out pool area was indeed nice with a swim up bar not far away, but which was unfortunately going to be closed during our stay, which negated the point of having a swim out room to begin with. By golly, we were going to attempt to make the most of our vacation! We went to a different pool on the other side of the resort with an open swim up bar and utilized that. While on the way to that pool, we were able to observe the beach, which admittedly, was probably the nicest beach I have ever been on. The furniture provided by the resort for the beach was rather nice and the beach itself was pristine. We also noticed some unsafe situations such as the walkway decking which would buckle under your feet while walking, and was falling apart in multiple places including walkways over the pools. (see photos) After spending some time at this pool, we decided to ask if we could be moved to a room that had a swim out pool with a functioning bar and that did not smell like mop water. After a short time we were accommodated and moved to another room. This room appeared to have possibly been refurbished fairly recently but was still lacking in general cleanliness. The outdoor furniture was covered with mold and in total disrepair (see photos). There was mold inside the room and exposed electrical wiring in the closet of the bathroom. We also found out that only ONE of the advertised restaurants were open per night,and tonight was the Jamaican themed Ackee. When we tried to go to Ackee that evening we were informed that it was closed and there was a buffet on the beach, which would have been nice if a thunderstorm wasn't about to start and lightning was all over. The food at this buffet was absolutely terrible. Day three was even worse. The drinks were poor at best, and the only restaurant open was the main dining buffet. If we wanted to eat at the Golden Corral, we would have stayed home. We paid a lot of money for this vacation to have options, and there just wasn't any going on here. The next morning we went and complained to the management, who agreed to refund us our final three nights and we booked the remainder of our vacation at the RIU Palace which was where we should have gone from the beginning. If we could give the Azul Beach Resort negative stars, we would. Expedia should be ashamed to even have this property listed on their site. I hope they do some research and check this out for themselves because the pictures that are posted are extremely misleading. Maybe at some point the place was as nice as it is in the pictures, but it isn't right now and just about ruined our vacation. To the resort's credit, they did not fight us when we asked for a refund and to leave early. It did not sound that this was the first time this had occurred. While talking to staff at the RIU they stated that they get many guests that switch to their resort like us. Ultimately you have to make your own decision on where you stay, but we have been fortunate enough to have been able to travel many places in this world, and this was probably the worst place either of us have stayed.

  Sep 11, 2025
• 

  Certainly not 4 star

  It was a very empty resort . Not much to do but swim . There were no towels - we had to walk past 4 pools to find one . The food was very poor The only option was buffet - breakfast lunch and dinner. By day six I couldn’t look at the buffet anymore . The wait staff were not interested. There are a few restaurants here but we found only one open in 7 days and that food was awful . Poor housekeeping - often no provisions replaced . We talked to other guests ..Most were very disappointed . There is also a hard sell for prestige options . Waisting 4 hours of your time if you are not careful. Overall it’s a pretty spot , beach is great ,pools clean but there is not much else to rave about.

  Sep 08, 2025
• 

  Beautiful Beach, Great Staff – But Management Need to Take Action

  My wife and I recently returned from a 2-week stay at this hotel. We had stayed here 10 years ago when it was the Azul Sensatori, a smaller and more personal resort, and we always said we'd come go back one day. At that time, the expansion work to create a larger hotel had just begun. Fast forward a decade, we're back, and while there are positives, it’s clear the hotel is not quite living up to its potential. First Impressions & Check-in At first glance, the hotel looks appealing, nice gardens, clean, attractive pools etc, but on closer inspection, you can see that certain areas are in clear need of refurbishment. Our journey from Montego Bay took longer than expected. After a 9.5-hour flight from the UK, we waited over an hour for the coach to fill. We then set off for Negril making stops at 2 hotels en-route where everyone departed the coach. it turned out, my wife and I were the only guests on that packed coach who were continuing to Azul. On arrival, we were greeted with a cold towel and welcome drink. We had booked a Honeymoon Oceanfront Suite, but were told we’d been “upgraded” to a Presidential Suite. We were asked to sign a waiver first before accepting the room. We refused to sign until we saw the rooms. While the Presidential Suite was nice and spacious, we preferred our originally booked Honeymoon Suite, which had a more appealing layout and views. We then told the receptionist, we were sticking with our originally booked room and she arranged for the room to be made ready because they assumed we would accept the presidential suite Room The Honeymoon Suite was spacious and well-situated, with a large wraparound balcony overlooking the pool and beach — perfect for sunsets. The bedroom had a king-sized bed which was comfortable but the bedframe felt a little loose. The large living area had a patio door providing access the balcony. The suite had two showers, two wardrobes, two toilets, his and hers basins, good AC and TV's in both rooms. It was clean and well-equipped, with a stocked fridge and safe. That said, there were issues: most electrical sockets didn’t work, the bathroom mirror light never came on, and the bedframe felt a little loose. Still, despite these faults, we really liked the room. Dining This was the most disappointing aspect of our stay. For a Caribbean all-inclusive, the variety and quality fell short. When you stay at an all inclusive hotel (especially in the Caribbean), you look forward to a variety of dishes and to sample what the locals eat. For example, a Jamaican staple like ackee and saltfish never appeared once during our stay. For a fairly large hotel, the dining options were inadequate. There are only three à la carte restaurants: Ackee (Caribbean), Hua Hin (Asian), and Di Romagna (Italian). At the Ackee restaurant, my curry goat was mostly bones and fat with very little meat. It was such low quality. We didn’t return here. At Di Romagna, my lasagne was clearly microwaved, as it was piping hot on the outside but lukewarm inside. It was served 10 minutes after my wife’s pasta dish. I was going to order something else but we had been there almost an hour by then, that we chose to leave it. We didn’t go back. Hua Hin was by far the best for us, with tasty dishes, though some of these ended up reappearing in the buffet the next day. Apparently, due to it being “low” season, the restaurants did not open every day. The buffet was also closed on some days, which limited your options even more. The food in the buffet was often repeated. There was a mixed seafood in sauce dish, almost every day. The West End grill served up burgers, hot dogs and Quesadillas (if you were lucky). the wait times were very long because this was the only grill in use. There was another grill by the main pool. One day it was miraculously open for lunch and served Jerk chicken and rice n peas. It was empty because no one knew about it. It never opened again. There were some positives. The Jamaican patties in the lobby coffee bar, were very nice but you had to get there fast otherwise, they'd all be gone by 1pm. Bars The resort has several bars, but many remained closed during our stay. We were in Building One, which shares a pool and bar, but it was closed the entire time. The hotel didn’t rotate bar openings either, which would have been fairer to guests in different areas. Cocktails were far too sweet, and the alcohol was barely noticeable. I wasn’t expecting premium liquor, but I did expect something stronger than fruit syrup. Beach The highlight of the resort. The beach is stunning — soft white sand, clear turquoise water, and long enough for a proper walk. We enjoyed strolling to Margaritaville (about 35 minutes away) for great cocktails. Towels were sometimes in short supply, as they’re washed off-site, leading to delays in fresh ones being available. Staff Many staff members helped make our stay more enjoyable. Special thanks to: Bar Staff: Safare, Camille & Ovodo (trainee) Wait Staff: Andrew, Marrion, Latifa, Joseph, Tashanda & Raquel Breakfast: Kaydene & Shianne Entertainment: Sparkle & TT Maintenance: Vivian They were all professional, friendly, and a credit to the hotel. Overall We did our best to enjoy ourselves, and we certainly made the most of the stunning beach and great staff. However, for the price we paid, we expected better. The hotel is average at best but could be excellent with proper investment. The grounds are tired, wooden walkways are loose and damaged, some beach showers don’t work. The daybeds were a little dirty and some umbrellas are badly worn. All of this is not news to the management. They are on site everyday, so can see the issues being faced. At the end of the day, it’s up to the management to solve the issues. Do they want just an average hotel or a great one? If the hotel invests in refurbishing the infrastructure and improves the dining experience, we would gladly return. If not, we’ll simply choose from the many other options in Negril next time.

  Sep 07, 2025
• 

  Robinson’s Wedding

  I had my wedding here! It was absolutely beautiful. It was so many wonderful, amazing employees that help cultivate our experience. Shamar the bellman-OMG he was there to assist my elder mother in law and aunt to and from the restaurants, and pools. We are forever grateful for his professionalism and patience. He was our guy our whole 7 days!! Sania at the front desk, bless her heart. A lot of complaints with no air and no towels etc. I know we got on her nerves but she just smiled and handled the complaints one by one. The “Auntie” Sparkle as my grand daughter calls her. She is definitely the Entertainer of the Year-she’s a vibe all by herself. We all just loved her energy. Never was a dull moment. Some guests bragged about their concierge. Kasie from Building 9 was my Maid of Honor concierge, said she was friendly. We never physically meet ours, but we did get a phone call EVERY morning to see if we needed anything. Oh the massage-my husband and I loved it. Magical hands-Claudia was mines and I don’t remember the lady who massaged my husband but we took advantage of the resort credits to have the couples massages. Not a fan of the Hydro spa. Nowhere to sit-not sure how to relax standing up. Kaydeen the host-she has the best personality ever. She greeted us EVERY shift with such warmth. Some of the ladies from the Mahogany was greeting the elders and assisting them. They loved being spoiled by Kaydeen and her team. I am so sorry I don’t remember the other ladies name. But their waitress was the same each day-had their coffee and table waiting for them. Jason was amazing too! I KNOW I’m missing so many others-oh Jojo and Ella from the Clubhouse. Too cute when/if they seen us they asked where’s Leah and Maxx. They were happy to hangout with the kids to give us some adult time. Our wedding coordinators-Jeneive and DiAndre delivered everything I envisioned my wedding day to be-PERFECTION. Carla was the sweetest. Working with me wasn’t an easy task but she was always so respectful and ensured me that Azul could/would deliver the wedding I had visioned. Despite the negative reviews, and some emails from Dwright. I love her heart-so genuine. The resort has its pros and cons-I would recommend booking as a group vs wedding package, because it “seemed” the groups got more perks than the wedding. A lot of miscommunication with Destination Weddings and the resort. But once we arrived I was very happy with my decision to have my sunset wedding at Azul.

  Sep 07, 2025
• 

  Made it do what it do.

  Our vacation to Azul started off Rocky, when we arrived I realize I booked for check in for the next day, not that day. So I went online and booked for that day to be merge with the next 2 days for a total of a 3 day stay. There was a bit of a wait for check in but not too too bad, nothing unusual about that. Front desk staff were friendly and helpful as usual. Bellman was very kind and informative. Room was nice spacious and clean, mini bar was well stocked with beverages. Kind of disappointed there were no snacks with the mini bar. Very disappointed they were only 2 of the 9 restaurants open at any given time. But overall we did enjoy our stay and once everything is up and fully running at 100% we would be so inclined to stay again, the staff is what really makes this place what it is, they are all so friendly kind helpful and ready to please!

  Aug 29, 2025