Jamaica Inn

Well, what a find after many years of visiting Jamaica and the wider Caribbean!

The hotel itself is full of old world charm and offers laid back luxury. First off the private beach is stunning and easily one of the best we have been to in Jamaica, the white sand and abundance of marine life are a bonus. Secondly, the food is amazing and the hotel doesn’t really shout about this enough. Whilst there are only 2 restaurants, Teddys Grill for more relaxed dinning on the beach and the terrace for a more formal experience. Both were excellent and a changing menu meant there was something different and tasty and always fresh seafood.

Then we move on to the hotels real assets, it’s humans and canine.

The bar and food service team were stand out and we loved: Ashely (knew what I wanted to drink before I did) Jhavon (amazing smooth service and always wanted a chat about English football which was great) Williams (a absolute star which his service and a croquet legend) Giovanni (the Italian Jamaican and his fun sailing trips) Geary (fishing legend and all round pleasure) Cadaine (slick service and great drinks suggestions) Maurice (a top chef who guided us around a local food market) Sam (never failed to keep the drinks flowing in the hot sun) Kyle Mais (the friendly MD who checked in regularly to see how the holiday was progressing) Shadow (the dog, a very happy and energetic soul)

I can’t praise the hotel enough but as ever nothing is perfect. If I could suggest some areas for improvement, the all inclusive rate and process is slightly confusing and misleading in some ways and needs refining. Lastly, it would be nice to have some more games available, possibly snooker or a pool table.

After a stay in Negril a couple of years ago—too noisy and crowded—we chose the complete opposite for our next Jamaican holiday: the iconic Jamaica Inn.

The Property: Some call it outdated, but I think its beauty lies in its imperfections. JI offered us a unique blend of history, privacy, and excellent service.

Our room with a terrace, on the raised ground floor of the main building, exceeded our expectations. Surrounded by vegetation, it opened onto a view of the grounds and the sea—a perfect balance of privacy and joie de vivre.

Choose the Balcony Suite for the bird’s-eye view of the grounds and the beach, the Deluxe Terrace Suite for the incredible outside space, the Premium Terrace Suite for complete privacy over water, and the Cottages for the luxury of a private home. But if you want the view Churchill used to wake up to, splash out on Suite 21.

The Beach: A private, picturesque beach, ideal for swimming. Snorkelling from the beach is good too, especially around Suite 21, but go early in the morning. The service at the beach was impeccable. The water-sports centre had everything you could wish for. And Gary, with his traditional fishing boat, took us on a sightseeing tour with a stop for a swim in a secluded bay with unreal turquoise waters.

The Perks: To enhance your stay, the hotel offers complimentary extras: • Enjoy a free bottle of wine per stay. • Go on a spice and herb tour of the garden with Andre. He loves his job, and that love is contagious. • If you are lucky, witness a sea turtle release at the beach—an unforgettable experience. • Watch a Bond movie on the beach. • Enjoy afternoon tea between 4 and 5 p.m. • Find little treats on your bedside table in the evening with a note wishing you sweet dreams. • Wake up to a free breakfast of coffee, juice, fruit, and bread. The fruit and freshly squeezed juice, I must admit, taste heavenly. Have it at the Sea Shanty and you will see lots of tropical fish feeding on the rocks beneath it. • Finally, pick up a glass of rum punch in the late morning. It will set the mood for the rest of the day: carefree, on cloud nine. Now, back to earth, otherwise my review won’t feel real.

Food and beverage hiccups: • Long wait for food at Teddy’s, as noted in other reviews. • A limited choice of vegetarian dishes. • Overpriced food, as noted in other reviews, and no alternative restaurants within walking distance of the hotel. • Discrepancies in the final bill that we only noticed when we got back home—nothing drastic, just proof that we are all human. We wrote to the hotel about it but so far haven’t received any response. To the hotel: If you haven’t seen our note via Expedia, please consider the difference a tip for the staff or donate it to your chosen charity. We also had a strange Sunday, with an unannounced fumigation at the beach that caught us off guard, the main restaurant closing, and no turn-down service. A simple note to inform us about these irregularities would have saved us from feeling as if we had overstayed our welcome. I hope JI will take this on board.

When life at the Inn got back to normal on Monday, we picked up our free rum punch and returned to cloud nine, where we remained for the rest of our stay. A late checkout on the day of our departure was further proof of the top-notch service for which JI is famous.

I would like to thank the staff at JI. We enjoyed our stay immensely. Each and every one of you was amazing and made us feel special. You made our stay so memorable and relaxing. We will keep your sunny smiles in our hearts. Special thanks, too, for the late checkout.