It’s been a long time since I’ve stayed at an all-inclusive resort, and even longer since I’ve been to Jamaica, where we celebrated our honeymoon 50 years ago. And I’ve never been to Breathless, the Hyatt All-Inclusive Collection adults-only brand of “chic, social resorts” that promises a “spirited escape that’s layered with amazing food, creative cocktails, top-notch service and luxurious spa experiences in stunning beachfront settings… amid an energetic backdrop of music and on-trend entertainment.”
So when the opportunity arose to spend a few nights in a butler-serviced Exhale Club suite at Breathless Montego Bay in Jamaica, ALG Vacations’ “Destination of the Month” for May, I packed up my bags and my husband and set off to relive the adventures of my youth.
As it turned out, Breathless Montego Bay was nothing at all like what I expected. During our stay, midweek and outside of high season, the resort was thinly populated during the day, friendly and peaceful, serene even. There were seats all day long by the almost-empty pool and on the beach. The music was hip and urban, but that was fine with me. That all changed on Thursday afternoon, as the traditional Breathless weekend party crowd started to arrive and the pool filled with bubbles. But most of our stay was relaxing and beautiful.
Another surprise: I loved having a butler. I’m not the butler type, and I’ve only had the service once before, on Norwegian Cruise Line’s Pride of America, during its first sailing as Hawaii reopened after the COVID-19 lockdowns. NCL was taking bids for upgrades from balcony rooms to Owner’s Suites with a butler for just $1,000 and we jumped at the chance. But there really was little we needed for him to do on the mostly empty ship.
Here in Jamaica, where Breathless guests have access to the two Secrets properties next door as well as Zoetry a few miles away, there are many options from which to choose and many reservations to make. Things are spread out and it’s awfully hot to walk around. Having Ray on the case each day, as we relaxed in our private beach cabana, was a very nice touch. Even beyond the chores he did, Raynard Frater was a friendly face who asked how we were doing every morning, told us about his island and what it was like growing up here, chatted with us on WhatsApp and just generally made us feel like part of the family.
Which we soon did. Montego Bay’s Breathless is a different kind of property than the others in the brand. With just 150 rooms to the 700 at Secrets next door, it’s the Breathless area that’s more exclusive and has visiting rights to all the others at all the properties. With just two full days here, we mostly hung out at the beautiful beach and pool, and in the evenings Ray arranged a golf cart to scoot us over to the specialty restaurants at Secrets. We caught the sunset over the rooftop of the Breathless restaurant the first night, then over the sea at Secrets for the others.
Also watching out for us were sales manager Pheona Jennings and associate director of sales Dervan Shaw.
Why should folks come to Jamaica, I asked. “For the people, the energy. Whatever we do, we do with passion,” Shaw said. And for the jerk chicken and tropical fruit carts on the beach, the beef patties, and the Red Stripe beer. And don’t miss the local Jamaican food at the Blue Mountain restaurant, Jennings added; this is the only property in the Breathless chain that has one.
In search of some “Then and Now” pictures to compare to our honeymoon, we signed up through the hotel’s Amstar desk for an excursion rafting down the Martha Brae River. That, too, was an unexpectedly pleasant surprise. We spent the 45 minutes or so under a canopy of trees, chatting with the driver about fauna and flora and life in Jamaica. The US State Department may caution about traveling here, but the locals love their homeland and its laidback lifestyle.
Loving Our Butler
So what’s the secret to being a great butler? It’s all in the time management, Ray said. With 10 or 12 rooms, it’s about prioritizing the requests and meeting them as quickly as possible, and spending as much time as possible with each guest. Some have more requests than others, of course; “with some we just have conversations, but some call us every 15 minutes, some want us to walk them down to the buffet and wait while they eat,” he said. “That’s okay, it’s all part of the service you pay for.”
This being Breathless, and he being so young and handsome, do the requests edge into the salacious from time to time? “Every day,” he said with a laugh. “It’s fine, it doesn’t bother me. But you have to be strictly professional. No fraternization whatsoever is allowed.”
Does he think butler service is something worth paying for? “It’s a whole different experience,” he says. “When you arrive you don’t know what to do or where to go—but I am at your doorstep with all that information. If you’re on the pool deck and need something, you don’t have to get up. I can bring you towels or food from the buffet, it’s like having a parent or a personal assistant; all your needs are catered to while you are on vacation relaxing. Just communicate what you want and we will cater to you.”
If you’d like to check out Breathless, Secret St. James or Secret Wild Orchid, which are all connected, or the nearby Zoetry, or send a client, Hyatt is offering 40% off on its properties in Montego Bay plus 18% commission, double Confidant Rewards points and a chance to win a three-night stay for travel advisors through July 10. (For details see confidant.hyattinclusivecollection.com.)
Some insider tips and takeaways:
*The beach is an easy walk through the skyway to the Secrets side, but the restaurants are at the other end and it’s Jamaica-hot out there. You can arrange for a golf cart to take you from property to property, or within each property, even if you don’t have a butler. Just ask at the restaurant or front desk.
*Breathless and Secrets share a beachfront, but Breathless has its own reserved—and less crowded—section, with its own restaurant. Both beaches are beautiful and as of last week, sargassum-free. But recent storms have pushed a layer of rocks into the bowl-shaped Breathless side. Wear your water shoes, or simply enter the ocean toward the Secrets’ side. The closer you get to the divider between the properties, the fewer the rocks.
*Our favorite dinner was when we shared the rack of lamb (really lamb chops) and chicken cordon bleu at the French-themed Bordeaux restaurant; one couple we met ate there three times in four nights. But we tried to sample them all, including the Italian Portofino and the Pan-Asian Himitsu.
* We skipped the Club MoBay express airport entry and exit service—though folks said that’s a good option in high season. Instead, we rode the shared Amstar shuttle back and forth to the airport, which was fine since the hotel is just one stop away. But that makes Breathless the first stop of many if you are headed on an excursion in the other direction. If you don’t want an hour-long tour of the local properties, hire a private car.
*You’re in Jamaica. When they say “jerk” on the menu, they are not kidding around.
*If you see Ray, tell him we said hi.
Cheryl’s 40-year career in journalism is bookended by roles in the travel industry, including Executive Editor of Business Travel News in the 1990s, and recently, Editor in Chief of Travel Market Report and admin of Cheryl Rosen’s Group for Travel Professionals, a news and support group on Facebook. As an independent contractor since retiring from the 9-to-5 to travel more, she has written regular articles about the life and business of travel agents for Luxury Travel Advisor, Travel Agent, and Insider Travel Report. She also writes and edits for professional publications in the financial services, business, and technology sectors.
