| Sandals Negril | Sylvia ~ Tracy, New Brunswick, Canada |
November 2009
Arrival: October 10 – 17, 2009
Where do we begin? My husband and I visited Sandals Negril in October 2009. It was breathtaking. We were greeted at the airport by the Sandals staff and from that point on we had no worries Mon! The drive from the airport to the resort was about an hour and a half. It was a great opportunity to see the countryside. The resort welcomed us with cold cloths and rum punch….and their rum packs a pretty good punch!
We stayed in a Honeymoon Grand Luxe Beachfront Concierge room, located in the Paradise Building. It was right on the beach! The view from our balcony was stunning, from the early morning sunrise to the early evening sunsets, and everything else in between. The rooms were super clean, as was the whole resort. Our in-room bar was very well stocked and re-stocked every day. Our housekeeping staff was superb and Juliet (evening turn-down service) is an absolute angel. We ordered room service a couple of times. Both mornings, breakfast arrived quicker than they said it would. They set the table for us, pulled our chairs out, placed our napkins on our laps! They did all but spoon feed us! The service was fantastic!
The restaurants were top notch. The food and the service was second to none. You don’t go away hungry! The Bayside Restaurant buffet was excellent. There was always a variety of dishes to choose from. The breakfast buffet amazed me that they could offer it every morning with so many different dishes. Julicka makes an awesome omelet! The Four C’s (Italian) was excellent. The Sundowner was good. The Beach Grill was geat too…the ribs were one of my favorites! Kimono’s (Japanese) was exceptional. We’ve never tried Japanese food before and I have to say we were pleasantly surprised, even though I never did master the chopsticks! Chef Paul is not only a superb cook, but he also provides excellent entertainment. The whole Kimonos experience was unforgettable!
The drinks were in endless supply. The bartenders were happy to mix whatever we wanted, whether it was on their menu or a new concoction that we made up. It was great!
Even though the resort was sold out, it never seemed to be overly busy or crowded in any one spot (except the bars on occasion!).
The beach was the most beautiful sugar fine sand. It was always clean. The ocean was warm, the pool was refreshing and the pool bar was even more refreshing! The water sports were loads of fun. We did some kayaking, tubing, and waterskiing, but the highlight was snorkeling with Mackie and Crazy T. These guys make the experience what it is…hilarious and fun. You couldn’t ask for better entertainment! The evening entertainment was fantastic! We were blown away by the talent. If you have a sense of humour, we highly recommend that you ask the General Manager to sing "The Big Bamboo". You’ll be glad that you did! We also took the 3-in-1 Appleton Rum tour, YS Falls (ziplining) and Black River Safari (to see crocs). The tour desk was excellent getting us signed up at the last minute and VERY helpful prepping us for it. It was a long day but totally worth it!
The main purpose of our visit was to attend our niece’s wedding. There are no words to describe the experience. It was magical. The service, the care and attention to detail provided by the resort certainly leaves a person wondering why we all didn’t go away to get married?! The wedding consultant, the catering staff, the photographer and anyone else involved in coordinating this wedding went beyond their call of duty to provide a stress free day. It was purely enjoyable and memorable for the bride and groom, as well as the guests.
The Staff: IMPECCABLE!! They are the reason that people go back. Michael, Richard, Euphemia, Melissa, Jason, Orlando, Althea, the talent show hostess, to name a few…you made our stay unforgettable and so many others but I can’t remember their names! Bernard was the BEST BUTLER EVER! He was the epitome of EXCELLENT SERVICE and the Concierge Service was excellent.
Overall, our experience was perfect. I can’t imagine not being satisfied with this resort and for anyone who has had negative things to say about it, I can’t help but wonder if they live in a "more than perfect" world. I’m sure that some people have genuinely had bad experiences or just plain bad luck, but when life feeds you lemons, you make lemonade….and when you’re in Jamaica, just add rum! No problem Mon!!
Rooms:
#5204 in the Paradise Building
Restaurants and Bars:
All 5 star; Four C’s was my favorite but we highly recommend trying the filet mignon at the Bayside…phenomenal!
Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel:
The Appleton 3 – 1 tour was awesome! We paid extra at the YS falls to go ziplining….great experience! We walked down the beach just past our resort to do a little shopping, we rented jetskis there and we also went parasailing there. It was a blast! Jetskis were our favorite!
Other Comments:
People will always find lots to criticize but I am not going to rain on my parade, or anyone else’s. It was a spectacular trip of a lifetime that we will never forget!
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| Sandals Negril | Kristin ~ Toronto, Ontario |
October 2009
Arrival: January 2009
We booked our trip to Jamaica through an internet agency, and our stay was made fun by the friendly staff and beautiful, relaxing beaches! We found the rooms in this hotel pretty plain and small, so get a room with a view to make up for it! The gym was great, and despite the weather being bad for a few days (heavy rains) the staff was very accommodating — they even took us waterskiing in light rain! Take the Zip-Line Canopy tour if you get a chance during your stay; it’s an amazing thrill! The water and the beach here were beautiful, but the beach itself is narrow. Food in the restaurants were OK for an all-inclusive, but we found that the Japanese restaurant was disappointing. Overall we had a lot of fun! This resort is quite expensive, but we were able to find a great deal through an internet agency
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| Sandals Negril | Wendy ~ Nova Scotia, Canada |
May 2009
Arrival : April 2009 This was our 4th Sandals vacation and our first time to Sandals Negril. The resort is older then some but it is beautiful. Very clean and the staff is fantastic! Our room faced the back of the resort looking at the gazebo towards the road. We never did hear any traffic. The room was 5201. We went for ‘reunion week’ and there was lots extra events planned for members. Made the trip even better. The food was also good, always something good to eat at all hours of the day or night. We would definitely come back to this resort.
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| Sandals Negril | Laura ~ Canada |
February 2009
Arrival: February 7 – 14
there were 8 of us and our arrival was handled efficiently with drink in hand. Bravo!
Rooms
everyone was happy with their room and they were clean and fully functional and stocked.
Restaurants and Bars
5 restaurants and 5 bars to frequent. We tried them all and all gave good service. No complaints. Lots of variety of food, delicious and plentiful.
Beach/Pools/Grounds
beach was fabulous, always got as lounge chair and towel. Pool was clean and active with games, everyone seem to enjoy the pace.
Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel
the resort offered a lot of activities included in your price, great time and it was nice to have all the choices. We tried out 3 activities and enjoyed them all.
Other Comments We got to know several of the employees on this resort, all were friendly and gave great service. We have no complaints on this resort and would not hesitate to go back in a heart beat. We had a group of 12 and none of us wanted to leave, so when you can please that many people, you must be doing something right. Thank you Sandals Negril!!!!
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| Sandals Negril | Laura & Gerald ~ Stoney Creek, Ontario |
February 2009
We just got back from Jamaica, Sandals Negril and we had the best time and were treated like royalty. This resort was beyond our expectations, clean and well serviced.
Rooms were clean, employees were friendly and helpful, food was awesome and drinks were in abundance. We had the best time at this resort and hated to leave.
We will definitely be returning. My daughter got married as well while we were on this vacation and the wedding was coordinated and everything went like clockwork and stress free.
I highly recommend this resort. Staff went above and beyond the call of duty and made sure our needs were met. I cannot say enough about this resort and we were so happy and know our dollars were well spent. I would not hesitate to recommend this Sandals as a choice A1 resort to stay in. 5 star all the way. Thank you Sandals for a wonderful time.
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| Sandals Negril | Nessa ~ Canada |
January 2009
Arrival:
We went at the beginning of February. Arrival was fine, no problems, it was quick. If the resort was fully booked, it didn’t feel crowded.
Rooms:
Rooms were decent and clean. We had a room that backed onto the gardens. You could hear traffic at night but it wasn’t too bad. We had a little balcony and the morning after we got married, they set up breakfast for us out there (including champagne!)
Restaurants and Bars:
We enjoyed the food, there was always lots of choice and never any lineups. I’ve only stayed at resorts in Cuba, so the food here seemed really good. There wasn’t much nightlife at this resort but I don’t suspect its really known for that anyway. Its not a party resort.
Beach/Pools/Grounds:
Beach was beautiful! It was narrower than I was used to seeing in Cuba or Cayman islands but still nice. Very calm waters. We never had a problem finding chairs, umbrellas or floaties and we weren’t particularly early risers.
Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel:
We didn’t do much in the way of organized activities, other than using the wedding services. We were there to chill on the beach and think about nothing. The photo services for the wedding were fine but crazy expensive and at the time you had no choice but to use their photography unit.
Other Comments: My husband and I really enjoyed our trip to Sandals Negril. I wouldn’t rate this place a 5 star and I found it overpriced as it was lovely but not worth twice what you would in Cuba or DR. It was our weddingmoon so we wanted a stress free experience and we got it (for a price).
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| Sandals Negril | Shawn & Sherri ~ Cornwall, ON. |
January 2008
Arrival – We arrived late but were greeted with smiles, a cloth and a glass of Champagne. Nice way to start the vacation. Beach grill was open and a Red Stripe and some jerk chicken went down fine.
Rooms – Fine with us, we faced the garden side and it was quiet and clean. Maid service was exceptional. Leave in the morning, come back for a siesta the room was done, head for dinner, return and the room was done up again. Awesome.
Restaurants – We had no problems…..expect from start to finish for any sit down ordered meals at least 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Gives you time to relax and enjoy your spouses company. As our British friends noted…..you can always go graze at the buffet if you want to get fed faster. Smiles and patience go along way at the resort. Beach grill was also great….at 3 in the morning and in the afternoon for a snack.
Bars – No problem there either, staff were always friendly and courteas…..unfortunatly, some of the guests were not as the expectation was to be served immediatly with no respect for others.
Beach and Pools – Clean and well maintained.
Grounds – Once again, Clean and well maintained. I do not know where the bugs were at the resort…as we saw none and if anything were amused by the Gecko’s (little lizards).
Activities – Loved the snorkelling with Mackie and crew. Catamarans were fine. Beach was our favorite hang out.
Tours – Did not do any tours. We came to lay on the beach and be lazy. We did have people try to sell us smoke and wares……but that was to be expected, IT’S JAMAICA MON!!!!!! If you don’t want to deal with that stuff, why did you go to Jamaica???
A polite no thank-you and keep walking was all that was ever needed. Sandals also has sellers come in once a week to sell their goods…..no need to go on a tour.
Conclusion – We thoroughly enjoyed our Sandlas Negril experience. We went to get away from the rat race of the real world. Our expectations were met. We believe you get as good as you give. We also, as noted on a Negril forum, packed our "chill". People who have chill are smiling, saying thank-you, being patient, having a Red Stripe and asking where all the snow is while laughing.
People who don’t have their chill packed, look for mould, bugs, ants and thing’s to complain about.
We would definitely recommend the resort to anyone with realistic expectations of what 5 star in Jamaica is….Sandals Negril is a 6. Irie man!!!!
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| Sandals Negril | Gerald ~ British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada |
January 2008
My wife and I spent from Dec 20,07 to Jan 04,08 at this resort. We had gone to four other Sandal Resorts three years ago also on St. Lucia & Antigua and visited other Sandals. First we paid for a Grand Delux Beach Front room as wanted to see the sun sets. We did not like the location as looked in to trees and near dive shop or quality of the room and were told the resort is full(which was not the case). We got bitten by some bugs in our room or from the bed each night. There were ants crawling over our patio and would want to crawl up our legs and bite. We did discover a lizard under our blankets. The main restaurant had a beautiful setting but the service was either slow or you would ask for a service and they would for get. This seemed to improve the second week. Since not very many people during the week it went to menus for the dinner time. Since Beaches is also connected we wanted to go a few miles to the resort but were told they did not have a shuttle and would cost us $10.00 for a taxi. We ended walking the beach to it. We wished to also go to Sandals White House Resort 1 hours away and was told that this is a tour and would cost us 160.00US. So we hired a local for much less and had a very good time and saw the resort. Negril is approx. 15min from our resort but it is also a Sandals tour and costs . So we just took the Beaches shuttle and a very short taxi ride and purchased gifts, cigars as much cheaper costs then Sandals or Beaches resorts. Also the prices of items were cheaper at Beaches then our resort. Sandals have a birth day cake but they did for get this information on our enter paper and after mentioning it delivered the wrong name on the card!The stage activities were average and we/many people disappointed on New Years with a very short presentation of a singer, no fire works at the resort and looked towards Negril to see some on the shore. The snorkeling crew was great!(mackie & Mickael) and took people to different reefs each time. It was quite on the beach and the beach police kept the pot sellers, singers, ect. walking each day. We holiday every year at this time to Mexico, Dominican, Cuba and other 4-5star resorts and feel this is more like a four star and does need room, interior, building maintenances. The tours are 1to 2&1/2hrs. away and the road is filled with pot holes and can be slow traveling. They say 1&1/2hrs. from air port but if in the PM we took 2plus hrs. to get to Sandals. The sand is great but the width of sand has disappeared with the winds in the past 2 years. We had one storm for 2 days and more stand disappeared toppling huts and showing tree roots. The sun sets are picture taking and very beautiful. The resort people try hard but do not smile much and we thought the beach or resort was not that busy. This is our third trip to Jamaica and still resort people warn us not to travel at night or walk by our selves and choose taxi’s from the resort. I/we feel Sandals should offer more services, cheaper prices in gift store, tours for this out of the way Negril Resort. Compared to many other resorts with 4 star we would not consider going back to this area or resort.
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| Sandals Negril | Michael ~ USA |
September 2007
Let me just begin, IT WAS GREAT TO BE HOME!!! My wife and friends never understood till we got there.. Though Dean was just a TS at the time of arrival and tracking through Puerto Rico, a day later that changed.. Now a Hurricane, Wed night all flights out were booked and was looking to be worse than Gilbert which I was there for as well.. Sandals Negril is also a shelter and we took on guests from three other hotels in Negril.. They were so prepared for the worst, the gardners with the tideous task of trying to make the entire resort safer from possible debris, trimming all trees in two days, the rest of the staff informing and getting the guests prepared.. I was in 5128 beach front, and got moved to 5209 second floor garden. we partied on the second floor during dean 7 rooms and thirty staff members once our booze ran out around 130am we all went to bed after managers kept requesting us to go back to our rooms throughout the storm.. Wayne the GM kept us very informed and the only damage to the resort from the storm was the pools got so dirty it took two days to get them clean and the beaches won’t be ready they estimate for a week or more the storm surge is still up and the beach erroded away leaving several tons of sea grass that has to be removed by heavy equipment.. Otherwise the resort is back to normal.. Wayne (sandals) Gave us the Blue Chip Gaurantee.. however we are getting conflicting answers to the complete details of it.. Will clarify later as well as posting pictures within the next couple of days… Beach Bar Leroy and Andrew are always the pair tell them Mike said for them to make you a SILENT RIVER.. Delle or (Detroit) as some know him is the Rasta wears a red tam, on the beach and works for water sports and takes care of the loungers and the rafts and the sand.. He’s my bud and always enjoys an orange juice with appleton or a fresh picked mango.. Can’t wait to get back home.. SOON COME!
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September 2007
I just came back from this resort, and have NO desire to go again.
The resort was not as nice as I thought it would be, there were mosquito’s, HORRIBLE, mosquito’s, and sand fleas. My friend and I were not at all pleased with the fact that the resort does not serve any seafood, with exception to some small cooked shrimp that are suppose to be for salads, or pasta. There is not one air conditioned restaurant in the resort, and I really believe that they are morally opposed to air conditioning there. I was expecting good food, and reggae music, but it was not what we expected. Everyone had a hand out for tips, and as much as I feel bad that the resorts only pay the people about one American dollar an hour I think they make up for some in tips.
save you self from going here. Cancun was much better.
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| Sandals Negril | Jen and Chris |
February 2006
My husband and I visited Sandals Negril with another couple in October 2005 and the four of us plan to visit again this year. The service, food and atmosphere were outstanding! We arrived and were promptly greeted warmly, and given champagne and cool washcloths. The staff was exceptional and let us sit and enjoy our drinks while they took care of check-in. None of the guests had to go to the counter.
The food was delicious and the drinks were great, although the included white wine was average. The gentleman at the fresh juice table in the breakfast buffet is unmatched in personality and skill!
The effects from the hurricane had washed large amounts of seaweed onto the beach, but the staff was out early every morning raking and collecting the seaweed to keep the beach beautiful. We asked why they were using hand-carts instead of the truck. They replied they don’t run the motor in the morning so as not to disturb the guests.
Our room was small, but gorgeous. The bed was extremely comfortable and I loved the in-room digital safe – no key to carry everywhere! There was an issue at check-in, as we had requested rooms near each other but received rooms on opposite ends of the resort. The staff fixed it promptly and even gave us the choice of which building we wanted.
A lot of things move a little slower, but it was good for me. I tend to be quite high-strung, but by the end of the first day I was so relaxed, my friends and husband even commented on it.
I could go on and on, but suffice it to say the staff goes above and beyond to make the guests comfortable. "Staff" doesn’t seem like the right word, because when we were there, we felt like friends.
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February 2006
Just returned, it was fabulous. Beautiful beach, sunsets and people. Will return!
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| Sandals – Negril | Richard ~ Baltimore |
February 2005
My wife and I just returned from 5 nights at SandalsNegril. Overall, a very nice experience. Friendly staff, clean facilities, plenty of actvities. On the downside, room service was extremely slow (1.5 hours to get our bags from the front desk). The food was OK, but far from gourmet. I was surprised by the lack of fresh fish. Perhaps the menu caters to American tastes, but I would have liked more fish and fruit. Wine and champagne was bottom of the barrell, but the bar was very good at making mixed drinks. For those considering Sandals, I recommend that you assess your food needs. You will be paying a lot for all inclusive food and drink. If you are expecting fireworks on this front, you will be disapointed and should go somewhere where you buy a la carte.
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| Sandals – Negril | Andrea & Dave — London, Ontario |
May 2004
My husband and I just got back last night from Sandals Negril. We went from Friday May 21-Weds May 26.
We must say we absolutely loved this resort! We have previously stayed at Sandals Royal Caribbean and at Sandals Royal Hicacos. Sandals Negril is comparible to the Royal Caribbean. We flew Air Canada Vacations and left early on Friday morning and had a smooth trip to Negril by bus transfer from the airport in Montego Bay. We always book concierge service and we strongly recommend this. Upon arriving to the resort you are immediately checked in and escorted to your suite. We booked the Honeymoon Concierge Oceanview suite. It was beautiful and had an amazing view of the pool and ocean. The only complaint I have about the Honeymoon block of suites is that they are very close to the disco and you really hear the loud music from 10:30pm to about 1:30am. It bothered us the first night because we were so tired, but after that we didn’t notice it as much. The air conditioner in the room is tricky to figure out how to set it, but once you got it figured out, it gets cold as ice and very comfortable for sleeping. The 24 hr room service is awesome! You can order burgers and fries, salads, cheesecake, pretty much whatever you want, whenever you want.
Overall the food was excellent everywhere on the resort. The staff at the Beach Grill tend to forget who ordered what and where so you have to really be persistant with them.
There is tons to do on and off the resort. Or you can choose to do nothing at all, its your choice. We enjoyed the ocean kayaks. We did go to Rick’s Cafe one night to see the divers and we really had a good time. We ate dinner there and it was expensive but worth it to see those guys jump off the high trees and the cliff. The view of the sun going down is absolutely worth it as well. On our last night there we enjoyed a wonderful return Sandals guest dinner where we were presented with gifts from the staff and got to socialize with other return guests. It was such as nice touch. You really feel at home at Sandals. Everything about this vacation was perfect. We are planning our next trip there hopefully for in November!!
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| Sandals – Negril | Carole & Derek — Ontario, Canada |
June 2003
We had the time of our lives! This resort was beyond our expectations. We took the land transfer from Montego Bay to Negril and the new highway was great. It is shorter and less terrifying. Once we arrived at the hotel, we were met by friendly staff, they immediatly checked us in and escorted us to our room. We had the Grandlux Oceanfront room. It was beautiful. French doors led onto our private balcony and ocean was our complete view! The room was beautiful. King beds, coffee/tea, full bathroom, large closet with iron/iron board.
The food was AMAZING! There was almost too much to eat (if that is possible). There was always a big selection in the buffet to suite anyone’s needs. The Kimonos resturant was entertaining and delicious. The 4 C’s was great too. They all were. Even the beach grill had a lot to choose from. The drinks were made to your taste. Different brands to choose from. The hotel staff were very friendly. Always a smile and a hello anytime you pass a staff member anywhere on the resort. Always greeted you and were more than happy to help.
The added touch was a saxiphonist that walked the beach and played (usually near dinner time). Right when the sun was going down. Very nice.
You can be lazy or be active. That was the beauty of this resort. Lots of watersports. Waterskiing was included as well as SCUBA, snorkelling etc… There were pool tables and ping pong. Even the gift shop was big and had lots of stuff. The SPA was beautiful. They did pretty much most anything.
We saw many weddings and they were all so nice. There were 2 main areas to get married-beach and garden areas. The landscaping was lush and colorful and very well kept. They always had staff making sure the resort grounds were perfect. I can go on for pages, but over all it was one of the best trips we have taken (and we travel frequently). We plan on going back again!
Do go to Rick’s Cafe if you get the chance. There is a big bar and resturant and of course the attraction of the sun set.
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| Sandals – Negril | Tracie — US |
May 2003
My new husband and I were married at Sandals Negril in March of 2003. We LOVED it! I couldn’t have picked a better place to get married. Our entire experience was heaven. From the moment we stepped from the plane we knew we were in paradise. I have heard many complaints about the road from Mo Bay to Negril. I have to say, my husband and I took the commuter flight to the resort and the bus ride back. Both were fine. The flight is nice because you get an aerial view of the cost, and the bus ride is neat because you get to see life outside of the resort.
The Service at Sandals was unbelievable. We could not have asked for a better staff. Our every wish and desire was met with a friendly smile. For an all inclusive, the food was good, drinks were cold and well mixed, and all the accommodations were immaculate. We stayed in the Grand Luxe Beachfront Concierge suit. The room itself was of average size, but very clean and very comfortable. Our room attendant was the best! It was nice to have the in room bar and 24/hr. room service. On our wedding day, our room attendant left fresh flowers from her personal garden in the room for us.
Our wedding day was without a flaw. The wedding coordinator did a beautiful job, and my dream wedding became a reality. They took care of everything for me. The spa was wonderful, and my hair and make-up looked great.
Our week at Sandals Negril wasn’t long enough. We are already planning our next trip back.
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April 2003
We loved the place! We planned a vacation with another couple. Honeymoon Grande luxe Beachfront Concierge Room, check in was upstairs in an air-conditioned office, we were offered champagne, beer, soda or water and it took approx. 40 minutes. We were escorted to our room and informed by "Sharon" of all the amenities in our room…in-room bar, satellite TV, indoor & outdoor sitting areas, iron, robes… We are New Yorkers and do things 10x faster but they were all very friendly, polite and interesting to talk to. It was very relaxing not rushing all week! The food was very good, and the restaurants very clean. The chefs sing to you at Kimonos, while preparing your food. Room service took a 1/2 hour/very punctual. Turning down our bed was a nice treat also. You could also walk along the coast to shop at the local "attentive" vendors.
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