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Franklyn D Resort & Spa

Runaway Bay, Jamaica

4.2(472 reviews)

Family

Franklyn D Resort in Runaway Bay, on Jamaica's north coast, has earned a devoted following by solving the problem that ruins most family vacations: parents never get off duty. Every family is assigned its own Vacation Nanny on arrival, included in the rate from 8:30 am to 4:40 pm, who bathes and feeds the kids, takes them to activities and tidies the suite. The resort says it is the only hotel in Jamaica offering this, and it is not a shared kids club or a drop-off playroom. Evening care is extra at US$12 an hour paid to the nanny. Families who arrive skeptical often become its loudest promoters, describing the first trip since having children where they finished a meal together.

Traveler Insights

Pros

+Every family is assigned its own Vacation Nanny on arrival, included in the rate from 8:30 am to 4:40 pm daily, and the resort says it is the only hotel in Jamaica offering a dedicated nanny service
+Nannies are trained in child care and housekeeping, so yours bathes and feeds the kids, takes them to activities and keeps the suite tidy, giving parents a vacation that actually feels like one
+All 56 units are suites of one to four bedrooms with separate living and dining areas, a microwave, refrigerator and coffee maker, and a large balcony or garden terrace a few steps from the sea
+A genuinely full kids' lineup: four pools, the 100-foot 'Big Blue' water slide plus a kiddie slide and a toddler slide and waterfall, mini golf, a tree house, a playroom and a private kids' beach
+The Yellow Bird Kids Club runs 7:00 am to 10:00 pm for ages 2 to 11, and preteens and teens get their own supervised program and a games room with pool tables, ping pong and foosball
+Staff who treat kids as real guests, and many have been there for years; families return year after year and end up on first-name terms with the team
+Tennis, pickleball, basketball, kayaks, an attendant-staffed open-air gym and aerobics, yoga and aquacize classes are included, along with premium-brand drinks, wine at lunch and dinner, and all hotel taxes
+Round-trip transfers from Montego Bay's Sangster International, about an hour away, are included, and the front desk books Dunn's River Falls, Dolphin Cove, Mystic Mountain and Chukka Cove tours

Cons

−Food is the most consistent criticism, and the structure explains part of it: two of the four restaurants (The Pier and Overproof) are adults-only, dinner-only, and Overproof opens just two nights a week, so families eating together rotate between Honeycomb Shore's themed nights and the Cotton Tree grill
−The nanny's included hours end at 4:40 pm; evening care costs US$12 an hour paid directly to her, and a second nanny is US$50 a day
−The resort is small and modest; guests expecting Sandals or Hyatt Zilara polish will find an older property, and traveler reviews call it laid-back rather than luxurious
−Hurricane Melissa hit Jamaica in October 2025, and guests who stayed soon after describe parts of the resort closed for repairs; it is trading normally as of October 2026, but ask about any remaining work when you book
−The Seagrape Spa opens only on selected days, so check with the front office rather than counting on a treatment during nanny time
−The gym is restricted to guests 16 and over, so older teens and parents are the only ones who can use it
−Value splits: families who lean on the nanny call it extraordinary, while those who do not need one may feel they are paying for a service they barely use

The property is small and modest, with 56 suites of one to four bedrooms, each with separate living and dining areas and a balcony or garden terrace. The activity list is long: four pools, the 100-foot Big Blue water slide and toddler slides, mini golf, tennis, pickleball, kayaks, a private kids' beach, the Yellow Bird Kids Club from 7:00 am to 10:00 pm for ages 2 to 11, and a separate teen program and games room. Evenings bring karaoke at the bar, Caribbean floor shows and a live band on selected nights, and the bar closes at 10 pm. Food is the most common complaint. Honeycomb Shore rotates buffets and themed dinners (beach barbecue Tuesday, French Night Wednesday, a Jamaican buffet Saturday), the Cotton Tree grill serves jerk chicken, pizza and burgers all day, and the two a la carte rooms, The Pier and Overproof, are adults-only, which makes them a good nanny-hours date night. Hurricane Melissa hit in October 2025 and parts of the resort closed for repairs afterward; guests now describe it as having recovered.

Franklyn D is one of the best options in the Caribbean for families with young children who want real rest rather than a resort that merely tolerates kids. It plays in a different category from Beaches Turks and Caicos, which has more glamour, a bigger beach and a bigger activity scale; FDR wins on the one-to-one nanny and its warm, Jamaican-owned hospitality, and it costs less. Transfers from Montego Bay are included, and Dunn's River Falls, Mystic Mountain and Dolphin Cove are easy tours booked at the front desk.

Common Questions

How does the vacation nanny program actually work?

On arrival your family is assigned its own nanny, not shared with other families, who is with you daily from 8:30 am to 4:40 pm at no extra charge. She is trained in child care and housekeeping, so she handles baths, meals and activities and looks after the suite. If you want her after 4:40 pm it is US$12 an hour paid directly to her, and a second nanny for a larger family is US$50 a day.

What ages is the resort best for?

It is built around babies through pre-teens, and families with kids under 8 tend to get the most out of the nanny. The Yellow Bird Kids Club takes ages 2 to 11 from 7:00 am to 10:00 pm, and older kids get a supervised preteen and teen program with bike tours, beach volleyball, kayaking and capture the flag, plus a teens' games room. Note that the gym is only for guests 16 and over.

How does Franklyn D compare to Beaches Turks and Caicos for families?

They are different philosophies. Beaches Turks and Caicos offers more glamour, a better beach and a much bigger activity scale. Franklyn D offers what Beaches does not: a one-to-one nanny who stays with your family, not a drop-off kids club, and the resort says no other hotel in Jamaica offers it. FDR is also significantly less expensive, so families who prioritize parental rest often prefer it.

Do I need a rental car at Franklyn D?

No. Round-trip transfers from Sangster International in Montego Bay, about an hour away, are included in the rate. The front desk books tours to Dunn's River Falls, Dolphin Cove, Mystic Mountain and Chukka Cove, so most families never drive. A car only matters if you want to explore Runaway Bay's local restaurants and beach bars on your own schedule.

What is the food situation really like?

It is the resort's weak point in traveler reviews, though some repeat guests rate it well. There are four oceanfront restaurants: Honeycomb Shore for buffet breakfast and lunch and a rotating dinner, the Cotton Tree grill with jerk chicken, jerk pork, pizza and burgers from 11 am to 10 pm, and two adults-only dinner rooms, The Pier (Italian, French and Indian) and Overproof (Jamaican, Tuesdays and Thursdays). Families eating together mostly rotate Honeycomb and the grill, so use nanny hours for the a la carte rooms.

Restaurants (4)

Type	Restaurants
Buffet	Kidz Buffet
Caribbean & local	Overproof Restaurant
American & grill	The Sea Cotton Tree Grill
International & fusion	Honeycomb Shore Restaurant

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 Falls
35 min drive · 14 mi
Reggae Beach
45 min drive · 20 mi
Konoko Falls
40 min drive · 17 mi
Bob Marley Mausoleum (Nine Mile)
40 min drive · 23 mi
Rio Bueno
25 min drive · 11 mi
Dunn's River Beach
30 min drive · 14 mi

More things to do (21)

Catamaran cruise to Dunn's River Falls · excursion35 min drive · 16 mi
Columbus Park (Discovery Bay) · museum14 min drive · 6.3 mi
Blue Hole (Island Gully Falls) · nature60 min drive · 25 mi
Mystic Mountain · adventure park35 min drive · 15 mi
Martha Brae rafting · excursion55 min drive · 27 mi
Green Grotto Caves · nature8 min drive · 3.3 mi
Runaway Bay Golf Course · golf5 min drive · 1.4 mi
Puerto Seco Beach · beach11 min drive · 5.0 mi
Seville Heritage Park · historic site20 min drive · 8.8 mi
Ocho Rios Fort · historic site35 min drive · 15 mi
Ocho Rios Cruise Port · marina40 min drive · 16 mi
Ocho Rios town · town40 min drive · 16 mi
Turtle Beach (Ocho Rios Bay Beach) · beach40 min drive · 16 mi
Burwood Beach · beach40 min drive · 21 mi
Mahogany Beach · beach40 min drive · 17 mi
Luminous Lagoon night boat tour · excursion45 min drive · 23 mi
Fern Gully · nature45 min drive · 19 mi
Falmouth Historic District (Water Square) · historic site50 min drive · 27 mi
Falmouth · town50 min drive · 27 mi
Falmouth Cruise Port · marina50 min drive · 27 mi
Sandals Golf and Country Club · golf55 min drive · 21 mi

Amenities

Kids Club for Under 4

Teen Club

Teen Lounge

Water Slides

Mini Golf

Fishing

Babysitting

Yoga Classes

Show 10 more amenities

Diving

Tennis

Kids Club

Snorkeling

Free Wi-Fi

Nightly Entertainment

Buffet Dining

Spa

Gym

Beach

Style & Rooms

Atmosphere

FamilyQuiet

Room upgrades

2 Bedroom Suites3 Bedroom Suites4 Bedroom SuitesBeachfront RoomsFamily Suite

Seaweed & sargassum

Jamaica gets sargassum, typically worst June through August.See the month-by-month guide →

Every all-inclusive in Ocho Rios & Runaway Bay →

Google Reviews★ 4.2 · 472 reviews

Eric M.

2 months ago

“This is a bit of a strange review, as I stayed at FDResort about 30 years ago! We went there twice when our kids were very young - 1 and 3 and 2 and 4 maybe. One time we took a grandmother with us as well. I'm back here on this review page because...”

Let's C.

5 months ago

“My families experience at this resort was next to none. It definitely needs updating but what the lack in modern flare they make up for in location, entertainment, childcare and the level of attentiveness and joy their staff bring to us the resort u...”

Obinfinity 1.

5 months ago

“Shops are a drive away. But the beach is wonderful. 8 days stay and we didn’t miss a day without time in the soothing waters of the Caribbean sea. Clean beach, you can see the clean sea floor even at depths of your height. A place designed for childr...”