Negril, Jamaica is one of the best honeymoon destinations for Black couples who want to actually rest — and Taylor and Idolth Coulton are proof of why that matters.
After a year of nonstop wedding planning, the New York couple wasn’t looking for adventure. They got married on May 30, 2025 in Massapequa, NY — exactly four years to the day Idolth asked Taylor to be his girlfriend — and six weeks after saying ‘I do,’ all they wanted was a beach, a tropical cocktail, and no agenda.
“We didn’t want to go anywhere overly stimulating where we would feel pressured to explore and walk 25,000 steps every day,” Taylor says.
They chose Negril and booked 10 nights at Couples Swept Away. What they found there was everything they planned for, and one moment they never could have.
Why Is Negril, Jamaica A Good Honeymoon Destination?
For Taylor and Idolth, the answer was straightforward: Negril is one of the few places that genuinely rewards doing nothing. Seven Mile Beach — the famous stretch of white sand and calm, clear water that anchors the town — is built for exactly the kind of trip they needed.
Unlike the busier resort corridors of Montego Bay or Ocho Rios, Negril runs on a slower clock. There are no must-see landmarks demanding your schedule. The water is still. The vibe is intentional.
Travel Noire recommends Negril specifically for couples coming off a high-pressure planning season — the destination’s pace is part of what makes it restorative, not just beautiful.
Where They Stayed: Couples Swept Away, Negril
Couples Swept Away (10 Nights)
Couples Swept Away sits directly on Seven Mile Beach and is adults-only, couples-exclusive — a detail that matters more than it sounds on a honeymoon.
Taylor describes it as “hands down one of the most beautiful places that either of us had ever been.” Their suite featured a large porch with a hammock, the perfect escape when afternoon tropical rain rolled through. The all-inclusive structure covered food, drinks, and a full activity roster: a sunset catamaran ride, snorkeling, water sports, and fitness classes. The staff was warm from arrival — Couples Resorts has a dedicated airport lounge in Negril where guests can sip Red Stripe and catch a free shuttle to the property.
“The staff was warm and welcoming, the food was tasty for an all-inclusive, and the drinks were flowing,” Taylor says.
Couples Swept Away is the stronger of the two Negril Couples properties for beach access. Guests can purchase day passes to visit the sister property, Couples Negril, and vice versa, which is worth building into your itinerary if you want to mix up the scenery.
What Did They Actually Do In Negril For 10 Days?
The couple leaned into the resort’s built-in activities without overscheduling — which turned out to be exactly right.
Highlights included a sunset catamaran cruise along the Negril coast, snorkeling in clear coastal water, an off-site horseback riding excursion, and the afternoon hammock ritual that became their unofficial daily tradition.
There was also one spectacularly chaotic afternoon on the resort’s pedal boats. Idolth got stuck and spent 20 minutes going nowhere before a kind tourist finally gave him a push. Once freed, they were joined by a stingray that swam alongside them — an unplanned highlight that became one of their favorite stories from the trip.
The One Moment They’ll Never Forget
The most unforgettable part of the trip started with a conversation by the pool.
A couple they befriended at the resort introduced Taylor and Idolth to Elvis — a local fisherman who runs his own boat nearby and takes visitors to a spot most tourists never find on their own: Booby Cay, also known as Lobster Island.
Booby Cay is an uninhabited island a short boat ride from Negril’s coast, where local fishermen prepare freshly caught lobster directly on the beach. The water is clear, the reefs are colorful, and the scenery — in Taylor’s words — looks “like a Microsoft background.”
“The lobster was phenomenal — perhaps the best lobster I’ve ever had in my life,” Taylor says. “But the real treat was the natural beauty of the island.”
What made the moment stick wasn’t just the food or the setting. It was the sequence: a new friendship, a local connection, a boat ride to somewhere unexpected. That kind of discovery only happens when you slow down enough to let it.
What Should Couples Know Before Booking Couples Swept Away?
There are two Couples properties in Negril — Swept Away and Couples Negril. Swept Away’s advantage is its Seven Mile Beach location; the vibe skews relaxed but not sleepy, with enough programming to fill your days without feeling structured.
The all-inclusive model is a genuine value play for couples who drink and eat well — no tracking spend once you’re there. The airport lounge with free shuttle is a low-key luxury that starts the trip on the right note.
One practical warning Taylor passes along directly: if you book a sunset dinner on the beach, bring bug spray. “The sand fleas are ruthless,” she says. And don’t underestimate what a poolside conversation can unlock — the best excursion of their trip wasn’t on any activity sheet.
Would They Go Back?
Without hesitation. “We dream about returning on a near daily basis,” Taylor says.
When they’re ready to explore somewhere new, Greece and Japan are at the top of their list — with Italy calling them back for a return visit. But Couples Swept Away holds a permanent place in their travel plans.
How Has Travel Shaped Their Relationship?
Taylor and Idolth’s travel history reads like a relationship timeline. Their first trip together was a 20-plus-hour road trip from New York City to Kansas City in November 2021 — Idolth meeting Taylor’s family for the first time, capped off by a Chiefs vs. Giants game. (The Chiefs won.)
Their first official vacation was to Seattle in May 2023, where they ate and drank through a food and wine scene Taylor calls genuinely underrated. A year later, two weeks in Italy — Florence, Venice, Bologna, the Tuscan countryside, and Rome — started as a bucket list trip and became an engagement celebration when Idolth proposed in Florence on May 29, 2024.
They married a year later, on May 30, 2025 — exactly four years to the day after Idolth asked Taylor to be his girlfriend.
For a couple that bonds over food, wine, and the willingness to sit in a car together for 20 hours, travel isn’t just something they do. It’s part of how they show up for each other.
Their honeymoon in Negril wasn’t a grand adventure. It was something better: 10 days of choosing stillness, together, on purpose.
FAQ — Taylor & Idolth’s Jamaica Honeymoon
Is Negril, Jamaica a good honeymoon destination for Black couples?
Yes. Negril is one of Travel Noire’s top Jamaica honeymoon picks for Black couples specifically because of its low-pressure pace, Seven Mile Beach access, and adults-only resort options like Couples Swept Away. It rewards rest over itinerary-building, which makes it especially strong for couples coming off a wedding season.
What is Couples Swept Away like for a honeymoon?
Couples Swept Away is an adults-only, couples-exclusive all-inclusive resort on Seven Mile Beach in Negril, Jamaica. It offers suite-style rooms, a sunset catamaran excursion, water sports, snorkeling, and on-site dining and bars — all included in the rate. The vibe is calm but not sleepy. Taylor and Idolth describe it as one of the most beautiful places either of them has ever been.
What is Booby Cay in Jamaica, and is it worth visiting?
Booby Cay, also called Lobster Island, is a small uninhabited island off the coast of Negril, Jamaica. Local fishermen run boat excursions there and prepare freshly caught lobster on the beach. The water is clear, the reefs are colorful, and it’s consistently described by visitors as one of the most memorable off-resort experiences in Negril. Book through a local like Elvis — a fisherman who operates near Couples Swept Away — rather than a resort package for the most authentic experience.
How long should you honeymoon in Negril?
Taylor and Idolth spent 10 nights at Couples Swept Away and felt it was the right length for a fully restorative honeymoon. Most couples will find 7–10 nights ideal — enough time to decompress, try off-resort excursions, and settle into the rhythm of the island without the trip feeling rushed.
What’s the difference between Couples Swept Away and Couples Negril?
Couples Swept Away sits directly on Seven Mile Beach and has a slightly livelier atmosphere. Couples Negril is a few miles away and tends to run quieter. Both are adults-only and all-inclusive. Guests at either property can purchase day passes to visit the other, which is worth doing if you want a change of scenery mid-trip.
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