This is one of the most eccentric and off-beat hotels in Jamaica. Perched on a cliffside overlooking the ocean and set within a labyrinth of badly marked roads, adjacent to a rocky beach that benefits from the occasional dumping of truckloads of sand, Jake's is a special haven. It occupies a series of earth-colored Casbah-style buildings, each individually decorated and exploding with colors -- everything from funky purple to Pompeian terra cotta. Each contains mosquito netting, flickering candles, and a CD player with a very hip collection. Likewise, as a means of avoiding infestations of flying insects, lighting is kept deliberately dim. Our favorite accommodations here are the trio of Octopussy villas, each with a large amount of living space and a spacious bedroom with an open-air deck on the rooftop jutting out over the water. For an extra sense of romance, the villas offer alfresco showers.

Jake's has added a series of cottages, ideal for families or friends. These consist of a standard 1-bedroom unit or deluxe units with 2, 3, or 4 bedrooms. Honeymoon suites are also available. Each unit comes with luxurious, mosquito-netted beds, antique and handcrafted furniture, and louvered windows shaded by bamboo blinds, along with mosaic tiled bathrooms.

There's also a raffish-looking bar attracting guests and locals, an amoeba-shaped pool, and a barrage of fishers and drivers who'll familiarize you with local activities and tours. The hotel restaurant (Jake's) is recommended separately.

Jake's is owned by Chris Blackwell, the man who brought the world Bob Marley and U2. It is run by Jason Henzell, son of Perry Henzell, who produced The Harder They Come, the hippest Caribbean film of all time.