Couples Tower Isle
Couples Tower Isle is the brand's flagship, a 226-room couples-only, adults-only resort on 19 beachfront acres near Ocho Rios. Its signature is the private au-naturel island 100 yards offshore, reached by a short boat ride, with a pool bar, restrooms and a lunch buffet of its own. The rest of the resort is quieter and more traditional: four pools, two of them overlooking the Caribbean, a swim-up bar, Jacuzzis, tennis courts and the Oasis Spa, where treatment rooms surround an outdoor Buddha plunge pool. Eight Oasis Spa Villas bundle unlimited spa treatments into the rate, something Couples offers only here and at Sans Souci.
Traveler Insights
Pros
- +A private au-naturel island sits just 100 yards offshore, a short boat hop from the main beach, with its own pool bar, restrooms and a lunch buffet. Few adults-only resorts in the Caribbean have anything like it
- +The rate genuinely covers things competitors charge for: unlimited scuba (day and night dives, certification opportunities), snorkelling tours by glass-bottom boat with gear provided, Hobie Cat sailing, kayaking, paddleboarding, waterskiing and windsurfing with lessons from 9am to 4pm
- +Unlimited golf at Upton Golf & Country Club with greens fees and the resort bus included, which is rare in Jamaica. Budget for the mandatory $50 per person cart and caddy fee paid at the resort
- +Top-shelf, name-brand liquor at the bars rather than the well-pour standard at most all-inclusives, and guests notice the difference over a week
- +Eight Oasis Spa Villas come with unlimited spa treatments in the rate, a setup Couples offers only here and at Sans Souci. The Oasis Spa itself has treatment rooms clustered around an outdoor Buddha plunge pool, plus a juice bar
- +A strict no-tipping policy and a cashless system mean you never think about money once you check in, and travelers say staff warmth does not suffer for it
- +Four pools across 19 beachfront acres, two of them overlooking the sea, with a swim-up bar and a waterfall to sit under, plus Jacuzzis
- +A strong repeat-guest culture, with many couples on their fifth or tenth stay, which says a lot about how consistent the experience is year to year
Cons
- −Parts of the property feel dated next to newer Jamaica builds, and some guests mention dim corridors at night. Expect classic Jamaican resort decor rather than a modern refit
- −Travelers describe a beach that has narrowed over the years, so if a wide sandy beach is the priority, look at Negril properties instead
- −Pool and beach drink service can lag at busy times, with guests saying they wait a while after signalling for a server
- −The transfer from Montego Bay is long: Couples puts Ocho Rios at about an hour and forty-five minutes from Sangster International, so arrival day eats into your first afternoon
- −Catamaran cruises, which Couples advertises brand-wide, are not offered at Tower Isle. You need Negril or Swept Away for those
- −Off-site excursions such as Dunn's River Falls cost extra and are booked through the tour desk; resort credits cannot be put toward them
- −Spa treatments are chargeable unless you are in an Oasis Spa Villa, and they are not cheap: a 60-minute Swedish massage is listed at $159
- −Wi-Fi is free in rooms and most public areas, but signal can be patchy, and the resort itself tells guests to check signal before relying on texts
The inclusions are the real draw. Unlimited scuba with day and night dives, snorkelling tours by glass-bottom boat, Hobie Cats, kayaks, paddleboards, waterskiing and windsurfing lessons are all in the price, as is unlimited golf at Upton Golf & Country Club (greens fees and transport covered, a mandatory $50 per person cart and caddy fee paid at the resort). Couples lists seven restaurants and six bars here, with gourmet indoor dinners at Eight Rivers and al fresco meals at the Verandah, and travelers rate the buffet and the name-brand liquor above the all-inclusive norm. Evenings are low-key: piano sing-alongs in the Piano Bar from 10:30pm five nights a week and a movie on the main beach on Sundays, rather than a nightclub. The no-tipping, cashless policy keeps it all simple, though spa treatments outside the villas and off-site excursions cost extra.
Tower Isle suits couples who want a relaxed, activity-rich stay with a clothing-optional option, and who value inclusions over a shiny new build. Parts of the property feel older than newer Jamaica resorts, travelers say the beach has narrowed, and drink service at the pool can be slow, so first-timers should not book on photos alone. Against Couples Sans Souci it trades cliffside drama for the island; against Sandals Ochi it is smaller, quieter and couples-only by policy. Transfers from Montego Bay take about an hour and forty-five minutes and are included, as are transfers from Ian Fleming International in Ocho Rios.
Common Questions
How does the private island work?
What activities are included in the all-inclusive rate?
Is golf really free?
How long is the transfer from the airport?
Is the spa included?
Do I need cash or tips?
Restaurants (5)
| Type | Restaurants |
|---|---|
| Italian | Patio Restaurant |
| Asian | Bayside |
| Caribbean & local | Eight Rivers, Pool Grill |
| International & fusion | The Verandah |
From the resort's own dining pages. Only restaurants the resort lists are shown. All are covered by the all-inclusive rate, per the resort.
What's nearby
Dunn's River Falls20 min drive · 7.8 mi
Reggae Beach2 min drive · 0.9 mi
Blue Hole (Island Gully Falls)20 min drive · 6.1 mi
James Bond Beach20 min drive · 8.4 mi
Ocho Rios town9 min drive · 4.5 mi
Ocho Rios Cruise Port12 min drive · 5.3 mi
More things to do (16)
- Catamaran cruise to Dunn's River Falls · excursion12 min drive · 5.2 mi
- Columbus Park (Discovery Bay) · museum60 min drive · 27 mi
- Mystic Mountain · adventure park14 min drive · 6.3 mi
- Konoko Falls · nature12 min drive · 5.4 mi
- Green Grotto Caves · nature55 min drive · 24 mi
- Bob Marley Mausoleum (Nine Mile) · museum60 min drive · 28 mi
- Mahogany Beach · beach10 min drive · 4.3 mi
- Turtle Beach (Ocho Rios Bay Beach) · beach11 min drive · 5.0 mi
- Ocho Rios Fort · historic site12 min drive · 5.7 mi
- Fern Gully · nature15 min drive · 6.4 mi
- Sandals Golf and Country Club · golf20 min drive · 5.2 mi
- Dunn's River Beach · beach20 min drive · 7.3 mi
- Seville Heritage Park · historic site35 min drive · 13 mi
- Firefly Estate · historic site35 min drive · 12 mi
- Runaway Bay Golf Course · golf50 min drive · 21 mi
- Puerto Seco Beach · beach55 min drive · 26 mi
Amenities
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Style & Rooms
Atmosphere
Room upgrades
Seaweed & sargassum
Jamaica gets sargassum, typically worst June through August.See the month-by-month guide →Google Reviews★ 4.6 · 2,134 reviews
“Great place with a lot of history. It is a older hotel but still very nice. The beach is on the smaller side. Scuba team is excellent. Aquatics team ok. Restaurant / bar options are excellent and the staff there are top shelf in the service industry.”
“My wife and I spent our honeymoon at Couples Tower Isle, and this place made us fall in love with Jamaica—we will definitely be back. From the moment we arrived, we were greeted by some of the kindest people we’ve ever met. The service was top-notch,...”
“Rooms are a bit dated as much of Jamaica is, however my house is also dated. It’s fine :) Common areas/ restaurants/ outdoors are gorgeous and likely where the bulk of the money goes. Amenities are top notch, you will always find something fantastic...”
