Back in April 2019, my then-boyfriend and I decided to go on an all-inclusive vacation together. We both have never been to one before so we were excited that we could experience it together for the first time. We looked at a lot of different places and resorts but in the end, decided on the Excellence Oyster Bay because we wanted a luxury boutique-style resort, that is adults-only where the drinking water is safe with amazing food.  I’m such a huge foodie so the food is super important. This resort was only opened for shy of a year so everything was very new and the aesthetics were elegant contemporary. We couldn’t stop raving about it when we came back! 

Gadget

Good thing the resort was chilled and calm enough for me to run around filming with my DJI Osmo Mobile 2. I got it for my birthday before the trip so I made sure to bring it to break it in! It’s available on Amazon.ca.

Arrival

The flight was quick from Toronto and once we landed, we grabbed a rum punch and hopped on a shuttle to the resort. It was only about a 30-minute ride so we were the first drop-off. The drive into the resort was so beautiful and we were stunned when we saw the resort. It’s on its own peninsula so it felt quiet and private. The moment we got off the shuttle, the staff took our bags and greeted us with cool hand towels and champagne. I must say that the staff was one of the highlights of our stay, they were so friendly and provided top-notch service. Once we got our room keys, we got driven to our room.

Room

We got the Junior Suite and were so blown away. It felt luxurious the moment we walked in. It’s such a spacious room with a king-size bed separated by this semi-private room divider from the lounge area. The furniture and style of the room had a contemporary tropical flare. The bar was fully stocked and there’s an espresso coffee machine too! Once we got in we unpacked right away. It was nice to have a walk-in closet. There was definitely no shortage of space in the room. I’m a bit of an over-packer because I like having outfit options during my trips. I go through my vacation looks in this separate post if you want to see how much I packed!

The bathroom is spacious as well too. It’s so very comfortably designed with lots of counter space. And of course, there’s a rainfall shower. It doesn’t feel like a resort unless there’s one, right?

There’s an in-room jacuzzi where you can have privacy or a beautiful view and the terrace is fully furnished for us to lounge around. The view from our room was so beautiful, we could hang out on the terrace all day.

Food

The resort has a cafe, multiple bars, lounges, and a variety of cuisines including local flavours. A lot of people liked hanging by the bar area beside the lobby because it has a nice ambiance and is just a comfortable space. We enjoyed the food so much and didn’t have to make reservations. There was never a lineup to any of the restaurants. Everything was delicious and fresh. We didn’t get a chance to try all of the restaurants but we can save those for next time.

Breakfast is definitely my favourite meal of the day. With the 24-hour room service, we would order breakfast about 45 minutes before we get out of bed. This was nice because then we would take our time and enjoy the room with the morning view of the beach. I like that the rooms have a service box so we can place all of our dishes there to keep the room clean. If we’re not ordering breakfast in, we’d be at The Kitchen having their breakfast buffet. There was so much selection and everything was fresh and delicious. Omelets are my favourite so I was always at the omelet bar. Once we filled our plates, we would sit outside to catch the ocean breeze while we’re eating. It’s such a beautiful space with a stunning view, we loved hanging out there.

Beach/Pool

We went in April so the weather was beautiful. Closer to the trip, my weather app actually said it would rain every day but once we got there, it only rained for maybe 15 minutes one of the evenings. It also wasn’t too hot which was actually perfect for us. We got there during the week and thought that the calm and quiet was because of that but even once the weekend hit, it still wasn’t too crowded. I really liked that about this resort. There were always loungers or daybeds available around the beach and pool so we never had to wake up early to hold one for the day.

When we weren’t lounging around in the main pool, we would be up at the rooftop pool. It had such a nice view and felt relaxing as you were surrounded by the ocean.

The beach was so beautiful, white sand with clear water. There was a bit of seaweed on the beach but you can tell that it was very well-kept and there’s always a staff there maintaining it. For us, we can’t spend too much time directly under the sun because we’ll both burn like crazy so we would spend a lot of time hanging out by the pool too to get some shade. It’s great that the pool area is directly beside the beach so we still got a beach view. There’s a swim-up bar in the pool as well as the sky bar on the rooftop to get your drinks. Easy access to my piña coladas!

Continue reading →