Jamaica

Vacation Looks: Excellence Oyster Bay, Jamaica

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I’m an over-packer when it comes to traveling but I’m one just of those people who like to have options for outfits because I dress according to my mood. Are you like me too when it comes to travel packing? Here’s a look into what I packed for my trip to the Excellence Oyster resort in Jamaica. I’ve never been to an all-inclusive resort prior and we had the best experience there. 

Swim & Cover-Ups

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Zaful Crochet Beach Cover-Up (one size, currently half off!) – I love this crochet cover-up, it’s so versatile to throw over a bikini or you can tuck it into high waisted shorts or a skirt. I’m 5’3 and even for me, it’s quite short when you wear it as a dress so I just mainly used it as a cover-up around the beach or pool areas.

Zaful Striped Smocked Bandeau Bikini Set (size S) – This smocked bandeau is so comfortable when lounging around or even worn under your outfits going from the poolside to a restaurant for lunch. It was a teeny bit loose for me so I didn’t wear it in the ocean, just in case, the waves were too strong (haha). If you’re looking for a patterned one, they have a cute sunflower style in black and yellow.

Zaful Tiny Floral Low Waisted Knot Bikini Set (size S) – This bikini has a lot more support compared to the bandeau and is great for swimming around in the pool or when I was by the beach. The ties come undone so it can be tightened. I could have done an XS if it came in a smaller size but this still fit comfortably. Not into the flower pattern? They have a lot of different colours in a solid style.

Aerie Swimwear (size S, currently 50% off) – I love Aerie swimwear, they’re such great quality and always have amazing sales. The rust coloured bikini with fringe ties has underwire cups that give it structure, providing a lot of support. This Lightly Lined Underwire bikini top is similar and a great one to add to your swimwear collection. I also brought the below red one-piece swimsuit. It has a Baywatch vibe to it! Aerie right now has 2 cute red ones with a strappy back detailing, one that’s a solid and the other with a pretty jacquard pattern. I always like bringing a one-piece swimsuit for the activities that involve a lot of movement.

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Printed Sarong – I got this turquoise & pink Paisley sarong when I went to Bali a few years ago along one of the beaches in Seminyak. I love bringing a square scarf/sarong because it’s easy to tie it around your waist or throw it over your shoulders whenever you need a little extra coverage. It’s both stylish and practical.

Mismatched Bikini – Sometimes I like to mix my solid and patterned bikinis for a different look. This H&M Balconette bikini top is so comfortable and the straps can be removed when you want to go with a bandeau style so you don’t get those tan lines. They have a lot of cute new colours. I would pair the yellow one with this H&M Flounce-Trimmed bikini bottom. So cute!

Canvas Beach Bag – H&M has some really great bags. This canvas bag was easy for me to take around to the beach and pool areas as it fits quite a lot. with a wide base As much as I love straw totes for a beach vacation, they’re not as easy to pack so I prefer something that can be flattened and folded up. I love these options from H&M right now, this woven cotton Tasseled Shopper is super cute or this Oversized Canvas Shopper for a more chic look.

Flowy Fringe Jacket – I got this H&M fringe jacket a few years ago and it’s light, flowy, and easy to pack without wrinkles. It’s perfect for the hot weather as the sheer polyester material keeps you cool. Here’s a similar one, H&M Jacket with Fringe in Black.

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Oversized White Dress Shirt: I love supporting Canadian brands and local businesses. This Frank and Oak white dress shirt is so versatile. I purposely got a medium so that it would have a loose, oversized fit. The shirt is made of 100% cotton so it’s breathable and has this crisp, slightly wrinkling look which gives it a relaxed feel.

Linen Embroidered Wrap Top: Linen and embroidery just have such a resort wear look. I always like throwing in one of these when packing. This wrap is also easy to go from the pool to a restaurant when thrown over a bikini. Love this one from Zara

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Travel: Excellence Oyster Bay, Jamaica

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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.

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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!

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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?

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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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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!

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Couldn’t go to Jamaica this year, this was what we did instead.

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This time last year we were in Jamaica at the Excellence Oyster Bay all-inclusive, adults-only resort. We had such an amazing, memorable experience there. I took so many pictures and videos that I’ll be sharing in a separate post. We always talked about going back but of course, due to uncertain times with COVID19, it’s not something that’s possible in the near future. While we’re practicing social distancing, we’ve been trying to have a different routine for the weekend so that it feels like an actual weekend. How many of you are feeling like the days and weeks just blur together? The first couple of weeks were the transition period but now we’re getting into a bit of a routine which is so nice.

The fiancé was planning a surprise date night for a while and this weekend he revealed what he has been planning. He said because we couldn’t be in Jamaica this year, he brought Jamaica to us instead! He is the biggest sweetheart and always so thoughtful. During our trip to Jamaica last year, we found out that April 6th is Jamaica’s Independence Day and there was a huge celebration at the resort with delicious Jamaican food and cultural performances. This was how we celebrated at home! 

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First, we wanted to set the mood, we put a beach scene on the TV with crashing wave sounds. The weather has been warming up here so we had all the windows opened with a breeze coming through the condo. It felt so nice and it even smelt like the beach with this Sand + Fog Sage & Sea Salt candle lit up. I added some greenery by decorated the place with my silk flower arrangements (check out my passion project account @myblanccuration).

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Drinks were served, Red Stripe beer and rum punch (I’ll share the recipe!) on the menu! When we were at Excellence, we had a lot of these drinks. It brought back so many memories. We started the night with some drinks and mini beef patties as appetizers (PC Mini Jamaican Beef Patties).

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