Jamaica Resort Reopenings After Hurricane Melissa

Jamaica resort reopenings after Hurricane Melissa are moving into a clearer phase now, because RIU Hotels & Resorts says all seven of its Jamaican properties should be back in operation by mid December 2025 as repairs progress in Ocho Rios, Montego Bay, and Negril. Riu Ocho Rios, in one of the least damaged stretches of the north coast, stayed open through the storm recovery and has already restored its full range of guest services. For travelers, this means more concrete options for winter stays, but also a need to check facility status and health guidance in a country that is still managing serious storm impacts.

In practical terms, what has changed is that RIU has laid out a phased reopening calendar that brings its Montego Bay and Negril area properties back in waves through December 15, 2025, while backing that plan with a $1,000,000.00 (USD) relief fund for staff and surrounding communities. For travelers weighing Jamaica against other Caribbean options this winter, the combination of room inventory returning and visible social investment may make RIU resorts feel more stable, but the wider hurricane and health context still calls for careful reading of advisories and insurance fine print.

Riu Montego Bay began welcoming guests again on November 23, 2025, followed by adults only Riu Palace Jamaica on November 24, two milestones that bring much of RIU's Montego Bay capacity back online just under a month after Melissa's October 28 landfall. The remaining four properties, Riu Reggae, Riu Negril, Riu Palace Tropical Bay, and the newer Riu Palace Aquarelle near Falmouth, are tentatively slated to reopen on staggered dates between November 30 and December 15. Because those dates are still framed as expected and subject to change, travelers with bookings in late November or early December should keep a close eye on direct communications from RIU or their travel advisor for any shifts or partial opening scenarios.

RIU's leadership is tying this reopening push to a broader recovery pledge branded as its Proudly Committed strategy, which the company describes as prioritizing employees first, then communities. The group has mobilized a $1,000,000.00 (USD) fund in Jamaica, with about 80 percent directed straight to staff in the form of home reconstruction materials, emergency aid packages, and other support for more than 4,000 employees whose houses and daily lives were disrupted by the hurricane. The remaining 20 percent is being committed to community projects, notably through the Jamaica Basic School Foundation, where RIU is funding basic necessity packages for isolated neighborhoods that are still cut off or struggling with damaged infrastructure.

Food security is another strand of the plan. RIU is partnering with non profit World Central Kitchen to prepare and distribute what it says are more than 7,000 solidarity meals per day out of Negril and Montego Bay, a number that has ramped up from about 1,000 daily servings when the project launched on November 6. RIU staff in both resort areas are working alongside World Central Kitchen teams, which helps keep some employment flowing even while rooms and amenities are still being repaired or brought back into service. For travelers arriving during this shoulder period, that behind the scenes work may not be immediately visible, but it is shaping how quickly surrounding communities can stabilize and how resilient basic services such as power, water, and local transport will feel.

Background: Hurricane Melissa's Impact On Jamaica

Hurricane Melissa struck Jamaica on October 28, 2025, as a Category 5 storm with sustained winds around 185 miles per hour, bringing catastrophic flooding, landslides, and widespread power outages across much of the island. Coastal tourism infrastructure, including parts of Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay and resort corridors in St. James and Westmoreland, took heavy damage, while government and industry estimates point to multi billion dollar losses. In the weeks since landfall, Jamaica has also reported a leptospirosis outbreak linked to flood conditions, with several confirmed deaths, which adds a slower burning public health layer to the immediate physical damage.

Alongside this, the United States has kept its travel advisory for Jamaica at Level 3, Reconsider Travel, citing a mix of crime, health, and natural disaster risk, although the U.S. Embassy in Kingston has resumed normal operations as recovery progresses. For resort guests, these advisories do not automatically mean that stays at major properties such as RIU hotels are unsafe, but they do underline the need for situational awareness off property, careful planning for excursions, and a realistic understanding of what local emergency and health systems can deliver if something goes wrong.

How The RIU Reopenings Will Feel On The Ground

Travelers checking into Riu Ocho Rios now are likely to find most operations back to a normal rhythm, but the feel in Montego Bay and Negril may be different in the first weeks after each reopening date. Some facilities, for example particular room blocks, restaurants, or spa areas, may come online in phases even when the resort is nominally open, and landscaping or minor repair work may continue in low traffic hours. Guests who prioritize a fully polished resort experience may want to target dates from mid December onward, when all seven properties are scheduled to be hosting guests and the inventory of open rooms is wider.

Ground transport remains a potential friction point. With key corridors between airports and resort areas still handling repair crews, heavy vehicles, and occasional localized flooding or debris removal, transfer times to and from Montego Bay or Kingston can be longer and less predictable than pre storm norms. Shared shuttle timings may shift as operators consolidate loads, and some independent transfer or tour companies will not yet be fully back in business. Building in extra time around flights, favoring daylight arrivals where possible, and confirming pickup arrangements at least 24 to 48 hours before travel are sensible steps.

RIU's internal relief efforts can also influence service quality. Staff whose homes have been repaired more quickly or who have received direct support for rebuilding are better positioned to return to steady schedules, which should gradually reduce the strain of understaffing, long shifts, or commutes through damaged areas. However, travelers should still expect that some employees are juggling work with ongoing personal recovery and respond with patience if response times or housekeeping cycles feel slower than usual in the first weeks.

Planning A Stay At RIU In Jamaica After Melissa

For anyone considering a RIU booking in Jamaica over the coming months, the starting point is to map exact stay dates against the published reopening window for each property. Late November arrivals at resorts that are only just reopening should be prepared for a more transitional experience, while those arriving from mid December into early 2026 can reasonably expect a more typical all inclusive environment. It is also worth confirming which amenities, such as spas, specialty restaurants, and water sports centers, will be operating during your specific stay, since RIU and local regulators may still be phasing in certain activities as inspections and repairs wrap up.

Travel insurance should be chosen with post hurricane realities in mind. Policies that cover trip interruption, supplier default, and medically necessary evacuation have added value when a destination is recovering from a major disaster. Because Jamaica is still at a Level 3 advisory, travelers should check whether their insurer imposes any exclusions or special conditions tied to official government warnings. Booking flights with longer connection windows, or favoring nonstop options into Montego Bay where possible, can also reduce the risk that any lingering scheduling or fuel constraints elsewhere in the Caribbean cascade into missed resort nights.

Finally, guests who want to contribute to recovery have options beyond simply showing up. Many hotels, RIU among them, are participating in industry and government funds earmarked for tourism workers, and some are allowing guests to donate loyalty points or add small voluntary contributions at checkout. Supporting local businesses in affected communities, booking licensed local guides, and choosing excursions that are sensitive to ongoing clean up and health risks are other ways to align a holiday with the island's longer rebuild.

Sources

• RIU plans to reopen all its hotels in Jamaica before the end of the year
• All RIU hotels in Jamaica to fully reopen by year-end
• All RIU Jamaica Resorts Set to Reopen by Year's End
• RIU rolls out US$1-m relief for staff
• RIU announces US$1M staff relief plan, travel partners return
• Hurricane Melissa: Facts, FAQs, and how to help
• Category 5 Hurricane Melissa brings flooding and catastrophic winds to Jamaica
• Jamaica International Travel Information
• Natural Disaster Alert, U.S. Embassy Kingston, Jamaica
• Jamaica reports deadly leptospirosis outbreak after Hurricane Melissa