My first trip internationally post celiac diagnosis to an all-inclusive resort was a little unnerving. It was a vacation away with a guy that I was dating celebrating my 40th birthday. We went to secrets resort in Jamaica and I have to say I had an absolutely wonderful time, enjoying the service, the view, and of course the favorite. Thank God!
There was an extensive amount of cleaning that went into this trip and I utilized AAA Travel. I had a travel agent contact the resort and ensure that they understood the difference between a Celiac and somebody who is just trying to avoid bread. I was more than pleasantly surprised at their understanding and level of seriousness that they took my safety on this trip.
Every restaurant was able to provide me a safe meal with options and ensure there wasn’t a cross-contamination. I had such a wonderful time and enjoyed my food so much that I can’t say I remember to take pictures at every restaurant. Below is a list of the restaurant where we ate.
Bordeaux - Contemporary French Cuisine
Himitsu - Pan-Asian Specialties
Oceana - seafood
Blue Mountain - Jamaican Jerk Cuisine
Our first night, we ate at Oceana. This is where I took the picture above as the sun set. My heart might have completely melted on this view and I knew it was going to be an amazing trip. Their menu can change seasonally so posting a menu would not be helpful. What I can tell you is that this was where the first impression was made, ensuring me they took gluten free seriously and had many options from which to choose. Besides, how can you be right on the ocean and not get fresh seafood. Yum!!
I normally have my favorite protein shake for breakfast every day, but if I go to a hotel with an awesome variety for breakfast of options I can eat, I usually move my shake to later in the day. That was the case here. Breakfast had me feeling so spoiled with our waiter Denver walking me around the buffet each morning and letting me know which foods were safe and which were not. They kept most carb heavy gluten products in their own area and were big on designated servingware, which made it much easier and I enjoyed a fresh omelette with veggies and protein each morning. I would go back in a heart beat, just for the breakfast.
When I travel, whether it's within the US or internationally, I still have at least one awesome protein shake per day. As someone with celiac, I recognize quickly the symptoms of inflammation that can happen. When I fuel my body with these, I notice a huge difference, even when my diet is off from the normal amount of carbs and sugar.
The lunch buffet proved to have many yummy options as well, but I chose to eat light for this meal as I was usually craving my shake shortly after and didn't want to overdo it or be too full for dinner.
Bordeaux is their French style restaurant that we found so yummy we had to go back on our final night to enjoy their dinner and atmosphere again. The resort was full of couples of course since it's an adults only getaway and the staff caters to ensuring the vacation is absolutely a dream.
We had an awesome dinner at Blue Mountain Grill, where I enjoyed their paella. Reviewing this trip has me seriously wanting to go back for the food. I enjoyed every single meal I ate there and as a fellow gluten free eater, I think we can agree that isn't always the case, as our options can often seem limited. My significant other who happens to have a taste for the spicier food was loving this menu!
I made the mistake of not taking pictures at each restaurant as I was working on just being more present and less connected. You can pull up the menus on their Facebook page for seasonal specialties. Himitsu is their Pan-Asian restaurant and had a bit of a walk to get to it compared to the others. I admit I was hesitant about their ability to keep me safe with the grill in front of us. The chef was more than entertaining and he made sure my food was prepped before everyone else's, the grill was clean, and the utensils weren't contaminated. This was such a relief.
Overall, if you're looking for a romantic getaway, especially at a reasonable rate, this is it. We got this for a price comparable to a short cruise out of Charleston, South Carolina, utilizing a AAA promotion. I must leave you with one last breathtaking view we enjoyed each night walking the beach at sunset, as we strategically timed our dinner reservations to not miss a single sunset.
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