Wife and I went in 1995 to the north west coast Sandals, Negril.
Absolutely perfect, no hassle, no hangers, no beggers, no nothing.peaceful on the beach, multitude of stuff to do.
Went into town, hiked up a mountain, went horseback riding in the interior, generally had an excellent time, all inclusive trip. catching rays on the beach in a hammock with a pina colada machine 3 feet away was too cool. Excellent food and drinks all day and night, poolside, formal, leasure, or on the sand. Had a blast for a week.
I am glad your experience was better than ours.
It really was a terrible time - when we left I felt as if the return trip had been negotiated by a hostage rescue team. We were leaving enemy territory.
I have never, and will never, take another hedonistic-themed vacation again. Back then, we drank, but I no longer do. Most of the guests were sloshed all the time. But that didn't bother me as much as the patronizing games practiced in the barbed wire compound known as Sandals Resort. From the loudspeaker, came shrieks of "Players!!! Oh Players! Beautiful Players!!! Time for beach volley ball!!! Come Players!!"
It was like being in a Potemkin village.
Hurricane Gilbert had hit the island in the past year, so they were dealing with that, but this had been my second trip to Jamaica, and I vowed I would never, ever go back.
Vacations today (to us) are low key affairs. We lived in Europe for 4 years, and loved that. When we vacationed there it was in a small cabin or cottage. I will never again go to a Third World Country for a "vacation."