My local take
Jewel Runaway Bay, the family resort with the water park, no longer operates. Sandals Resorts International bought it and is rebuilding it as Beaches Runaway Bay, the third Beaches resort in Jamaica after Negril and the now-closed Ocho Rios. At a travel-agent town hall in December 2025, Sandals chairman Adam Stewart said it would come at the back end of 2026, with some 450 rooms. As of October 2026, though, Beaches says only that the resort is under development and an opening date will be announced. It isn’t bookable on the Beaches site and isn’t on the Jamaica Tourist Board’s list.
My take: don’t plan a trip around it yet. I’ll update this page when Beaches confirms a date.
For families on the same coast now, look at Franklyn D. Resort in Runaway Bay, with a vacation nanny included, or Hotel Riu Ocho Rios, which has its own water park. If you want Beaches specifically, Beaches Negril is open. More options: the best all-inclusive family resorts in Jamaica.
At a glance
- Name
- Beaches Runaway Bay (formerly Jewel Runaway Bay Beach Resort & Waterpark)
- Status
- Not open; under development, official opening date to be announced; not listed among Beaches' resorts
- Jamaica Tourist Board
- Not on the Tourist Board's list of hotels
- Timing announced
- "The back end of 2026", said Sandals chairman Adam Stewart in December 2025; no date since
- Planned size
- Some 450 rooms
- Owner and plan
- Bought by Sandals Resorts International, to be transformed and run under the Beaches family brand
- Area
- Runaway Bay, St Ann
Checked October 2026 against the sources below. See sources. Something changed? Tell me.
What to know before booking
- Not open or bookable: it's being rebuilt as Beaches Runaway Bay.
- Beaches hasn't announced an opening date, and the back end of 2026 now looks unlikely.
- Beaches hasn't published rooms, restaurants or amenities for the new resort yet.
- Some booking sites may still list Jewel Runaway Bay.
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Location
The resort is in Runaway Bay on the St Ann coast, west of Ocho Rios, close to Green Grotto Caves. For open hotels in the area, see where to stay in Ocho Rios.
Questions people ask
Is Jewel Runaway Bay still open?
No. Sandals Resorts International bought it and is rebuilding it as Beaches Runaway Bay. It isn’t on the Jamaica Tourist Board’s list of hotels.
When will Beaches Runaway Bay open?
There’s no date. Sandals chairman Adam Stewart said in December 2025 it would come at the back end of 2026, but as of October 2026 Beaches says only that an official opening date will be announced, and it isn’t bookable.
How big will Beaches Runaway Bay be?
Adam Stewart put it at some 450 rooms. Beaches hasn’t published room types, restaurants or the water park plans yet.
Which family resorts are open near Runaway Bay?
Franklyn D. Resort in Runaway Bay and Hotel Riu Ocho Rios on Mammee Bay are both open, according to the Jamaica Tourist Board. Bahia Principe Explore Jamaica, the family resort in the Bahia Principe complex, reopens on December 1, 2026.
Sources & updates
- Travelweek: Looking ahead with Sandals and Beaches resort developments (Dec 2025) · checked
- Beaches: Beaches Ocho Rios closure and Beaches Runaway Bay FAQ · checked
- Beaches: all resorts (no Beaches Runaway Bay listed) · checked
- Jamaica Observer: Sandals expanding in Jamaica · checked
- Jamaica Tourist Board: hotel reopening schedule · checked
Update log
- — Rewritten: Jewel Runaway Bay no longer operates; being redeveloped as Beaches Runaway Bay.
- — Retitled Beaches Runaway Bay (formerly Jewel Runaway Bay) as a coming-soon page; added the announced timing and room count; no opening date yet.
- — Moved source citations out of the text
- — Removed repeated advice
- — Re-checked reopening status against Beaches' Ocho Rios page and resort list and the Jamaica Tourist Board reopening schedule; no change.
Spotted something out of date? Tell me and I’ll check it.