Frommer's Review
Lying 8km (5 miles) east of the center of Port Antonio, this once world-famous resort is the most retro-elegant in town, with simple but very large villas that are comfortable, sprawling, and eminently suitable for extended families with children. The 18-hectare (45-acre) private estate opens onto a sheltered white-sand beach, one of the most idyllic along the northern coast of Jamaica, that's bisected with its own freshwater running stream. Although there's a charming beachfront restaurant on site, featuring mostly Jamaican food, many visitors opt to prepare most of their meals within their lodgings, giving the place an atmosphere something like that of a sprawling and verdant bed and breakfast. Accommodations include regular doubles and suites within the resort's central core, called "The Great House," as well as one-, two-, or three-bedroom villas spread across a sea-bordering cliff in parklike grounds. Each accommodation, regardless of its size, is attractively furnished but in a durable minimalist style that's vaguely inspired by the Caribbean tropics, usually with a combination of wicker and dark wood, with large walls of glass that are screened and louvered. Most of the villas evoke small-scale Jamaican-style stone-and-timber cottages, often with bathrooms that feature sunken showers. The large three-bedroom villa (no. 18) was once occupied by Queen Elizabeth and her family in the 1970s, a decade that was the heyday of this resort. Today, in a format that's considerably calmer, quieter, and less flamboyant than it was during its glory years, it's owned by Granger Watson, an investor from Texas. One of our favorite accommodations is villa no. 7, nestled on cliffs in the midst of rainforest shrubbery with a clear view of the beach below. On the way to the beach, you can pick a few oranges to go with your lunch.
Facilities:
Beachfront grill-style restaurant; 2 bars; babysitting; laundry service; rooms for those w/limited mobility
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without
notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before
planning your trip.
