I have a confession to make: I didn’t even want to visit Jamaica. I’m not exactly sure why, but I had always envisioned the proverbial “tourist trap” with Rasta men peddling trinkets and cheesy resorts lining a sub-par beachfront. But, as a travel writer, I’m always up for a new adventure. Plus, Couples Negril was nominated by WhereToStay.com as a “Best Of” in couples’ all-inclusive vacations, as well as received top ranking in Travel & Leisure’s annual Reader’s Poll World’s Best Awards.

After selling myself on the idea of taking this assignment, I only had one other quandary. I wasn’t a couple. Much to my disdain, I envisioned “fun games around the pool,” one of which being, “Can you find which one of these guests does not belong?” Thankfully, I heard one of the differentiating qualities about this all-inclusive resort is that the couples at Couples tend to be mellower and enjoy a laid-back atmosphere as opposed to activities that entail underwater sack races across the pool.

During the hour and a half drive from the Montego Bay Airport to Negril, I stared out the window in disbelief. The incredibly stunning Blue Mountains draped in a velvet cape of lush vegetation extended a royal invitation for me to kindly apologize for knocking it before I tried it. Not only is Jamaica one of the most tropical of the Caribbean islands, it is the largest English-speaking island, and spans 4,400 square miles, making it the third largest in size. Plus, the average temperature is a pleasant 82 degrees F year-round, with gentle trade winds to keep one from getting uncomfortably warm. Before packing your bags and selling the farm to move to this Caribbean Utopia, understand the economy thrives on tourism and isn’t free from the “elements,” found especially in certain pockets of the capital city, Kingstown. Planning guided tours proves to be a wise choice if you don’t want to have to decide on choosing one of the many helpful passersby that will offer to assist you if attempting an unaccompanied hike back to one of the natural wonders like Mayfield Falls.

In true all-inclusive fashion, Couples Negril personally escorts guests on several outings, such as the visit to world-famous Rick’s Cafe. While named after Casablanca’s Mr. Bogart, there’s only one similarity between the bar in Morocco and this Jamaican bar and restaurant. The phrase “Maybe not today; maybe not tomorrow” came to mind when debating whether to jump off the cliff into the waters below like so many other patrons. Daredevil locals even swung from trees well above the cliff, letting go if the pot totaled $10. I doubt an insurance policy in the States would cover such a feat for this nominal daily fee. If one chooses to pass up this opportunity for a major belly flop, Couples takes a catamaran cruise out to another cliff jump at the Pickled Parrot. A gray haired reggae man, Rasta Ralphie, complete with dreads and six-pack abs, entertained couples on the ride over, strumming a guitar and displaying lively limbo antics that rivaled most of the moves demonstrated by the late-twenty, early-thirty couples on board.

While the complimentary scuba diving, waterskiing, sailing, you name it, draws many couples to this secluded Bloody Bay location, the painstaking attention to decor at Couples Negril makes it obvious that they expect that many couples will simply enjoy the accoutrements at the resort, kick back and relax. The beach is a good start, located on a two-mile stretch of the famous Seven-Mile Beach. Couples float in tandem on water mattresses in the aquamarine water, or get the attention of the waitstaff combing the beach for drink orders.

The entire staff at Couples Negril far surpasses that of many resorts within its category. Everything from a dropped fork to an empty water glass rarely went unnoticed. Stepping into a lobby, one could immediately sense this resort’s pride in providing a high-quality product. Handmade tapestries by Jamaican artists hung on the walls next to Italian-made sconces, and red velvet cushions gave the rattan furnishings an air of sophistication. These amenities carried over into the five room categories. All rooms come complete with satellite TVs, but the suites were also graced with a hammock on the terrace, stocked mini bar and expansive bathroom with a Jacuzzi tub.

Despite the occasional feeling of a wife abandoned by a golf-addict husband (there’s also a golf course nearby), I found myself too busy to notice honeymooners googling over each other on the porch swings or fighting when realizing they’d never spent that much time together before. I regularly hit the cardio center, equipped with Cybex treadmills and StairMasters, as well as the weight room a couple of times. The more active traveler tends to opt for a stay at sister resort, Couples Swept Away, just down the beach. This resort features an Olympic-sized pool and a huge workout facility complete with racquetball courts, ten tennis courts and regardless of the “Couples” namesake, allows guests only interested in playing singles.

I actually managed to occupy my time to the point that I continuously missed the big spread of food served at the buffet-style Cassava Terrace during lunch. Luckily, a small selection of grilled specialties was served around-the-clock at the Beach Grill near the pool. Cassava Terrace also includes some themed buffet dinners followed by nightly entertainment. Reservations were required at the Otaheite Restaurant, the more formal dining experience, which fused Jamaican spices and flavor with traditional Caribbean fare. This is probably the one place any “solo journalist” would feel a tad out of place. However, I just took a sip of my wine, smiling to myself as I waited for a big hearty feast of “crow” to be served up—recalling my original reluctance to visit Jamaica. I ended up having an incredible time and as Bob Marley would sing, “No man, no cry!” Close enough.