Fun -loving 19-year-olds like to party for the weekend, and the good times are even better if you have a partner to ‘couple up’ with. And that’s exactly what Couples Swept Away Negril and Couples Resort Negril did last weekend in celebration of their 19th anniversary.

Round one of partying kicked off on Friday with ‘Glitz & Glamour Black & White’ at Swept Away with several industry partners and special guests joining their host for a welcome cocktail party inside the Aura Lounge. This was followed by a dinner party at Palms Restaurant. The lavish and ambrosial fare, consisting of roasted duck breast, grilled lobster, poached salmon, citrus poached shrimp, turkey breast, crab claws, herb roasted beef tenderloin and a decadent assortment of desserts, was the highlight of the evening. Dinner dispensed with, it was time to hit the dance floor. Guests, fuelled by fully stocked bars and pulsating performances from Exodus Band and singers Melvin Williams, Joan Dixon and Kevin Clarke, brought a fitting end to the night.

The second round of partying moved to Couples Resort (Negril) on Saturday for a ‘Roots Rock Reggae’- themed night pulling on inspiration from Jamaica’s golden age of music. Judging by the décor one could easily surmise that guests were in for a treat. Large story boards depicted images of iconic stars such as Bob Marley, Jimmy Cliff, Derrick Morgan and prints of Jamaican party posters from this period. Roots singer D’Jni opened up the entertainment during cocktails inside the main lobby and the Silhouettes, channelling the I-Three opened up the entertainment at the poolside during dinner inside the Cassava Terrace restaurant. An all-black-clad Dance Expressions delivered a well-received, energetic performance. Jamaican maestro Dean Fraser followed with a masterful rendition of songs on the saxophone. However, the night definitely belonged to one of Jamaica’s living legends, Freddie McGregor. The audience couldn’t get enough of him and the feeling was clearly mutual from the stage.

A maestro and a living legend may have ruled the stage but the hearts of guests were captured by another set of masters. The resort’s culinary team left an impression with an elaborate spread matching every bit of what the evening promised. There was a treat for every discerning palate but it was the seafood and pastry stations that left a trail of memories and satiated appetites.

The weekend of activities was rounded out on Sunday with a golf tournament at Negril Hills, featuring guests, professionals and amateurs with all funds raised going to several charities.

Paul Issa, deputy chairman, Couples Resorts, explained that the anniversary celebrations were important and were one of the most highly anticipated dates on the hotel’s entertainment calendar.

“The celebrations of our anniversary at these two properties are key to so many aspects of our operations. Our guests look forward to it; we have many visitors that choose this time of year for their return visit. The excitement level among the staff is high. Every department gets to put out their best, everything is planned by staff and they design the décor and our culinary team gets to put on a real show. This weekend is also a key component of our charity efforts from the golf tournament. We were able to raise $1.2m for local charities and a further $1m was extended to Food for the Poor to assist with hurricane relief to affected Caribbean islands. Another major feature for us is that we get to share with the local community, other hoteliers, partners, civic leaders; and suppliers come in and just have a good time with us,” Issa explained.

— Aceion Cunningham