ReadytoGo17

I am a single woman mid 30s who wants a vacation with nice beach, weather, safe, lush, good food, and some access to night life would be ok (but I want the majority of my 7-8 day vacation to be R&R). Thanks to much of what I've read here Jamacia seems the place. Negril seems to have universal endorsement, but I've also heard enough about Port Antonio and Treasure Island to be intrigued. My question is what is the best way to go to Negril AND Port Antonio or Treasure Island in 7-8 days? I am on a budget so "sky is NOT the limit". What suggestions can you give me about the best places to stay? Quality of beaches in these places? Logistics of getting from place, to place? Etc. Budget tips? Thanks for your help!

ReadytoGo17

I forgot... have any of you ever been to the Round Hill Resort/Spa outside of Montego Bay?

tivertonhouse

The distances/travel time btw Port Antonio and Negril is really too great to attempt and also enjoy just a week's holiday for a first-time on island. Treasure Beach is a 2 hr drive from Negril. Round Hill is stoosh/posh, esp. if you do a villa and not oriented to a single or nightlife (think Peter Duchin in the tropics for style).Jackie's on the Reef in Negril which has a very good spa and is not honeymooners/couples/spring breakers and families as well as the hip Tensing Pen are worth checking into as a good base of operations. The Caves as well if you have more accomodations dollars. You could split your time btw. Treasure Beach and Negril but you essentially lose arrival and departure days in travel so with 5-6 days of 'downtime' , stay in one place and decompress, start to feel the island -- and then come back and explore Porty and Treasure Beach. Rio Vista/with a car and driver in Porty and Mar Blue Domicil in Treasure Beach are good for singles but neither is nightlife/bashment area.

cartera45

Great advice as usual from Tivertonhouse. If you want to get the feel of 2 different places without much traveling, you could split your time between the Negril beach and the Negril cliffs. I would consider Whistling Bird or Coco La Palm for the beach and Tensing Pen, Xtabi, Jackie's on the Reef or Rockhouse for the cliffs.

ReadytoGo17

Thanks. Alot! Jackie's sounds awesome. Is that in the "cliffs"? If so, they advertise the ocean so I'm wondering how its different from the "beach". Coco La Palm sounds good. Any others you would recommend?

tivertonhouse

You might add Idle Awhile to your list.
If you head to Negril, take some time as well touring a couple of half days with a private guide/driver outside Negril. Soloman Kerr, Carolyn Barrett will both be of great insight.

ReadytoGo17

Thanks tivertonhouse! I would be pretty lost without this info. I called a travel agent and all they had were the large resorts.

I just booked Idle Awhile. It looks awesome! I'm waiting to hear back from Jackie's Reef and I'm thinking of spending the first 2-3 days there before heading to Idle. Soloman Kerr, Carolyn Barrett you say? Are these names of guides I can look up when I get there?

eyeski

If you want the best place on the beach, check out Moondance Villas (www.moondancevillas.com). We stayed both there and The Caves in December.

beachedbliss

We just booked moondance villas for late July..I have done tons of research and this place has the best of everything we wanted!! Were originally going to book The Caves but was worried about lack of A/C at that time of year. I think we made the right decision!!

ReadytoGo17

Thanks for all of your suggestions. I feel researched out! But I have decided. Its Rockhouse in the cliffs for 3 nights and Idle Awhile on the beach for the next 4 nights. This site has been such a help to me that I promise to write a trip report when I return.

tivertonhouse

Carolyn's on holiday herself right now in France but can be reached at [email protected] for her sampler and schedule on return;Soloman Kerr can be reached directly when you're in Negril -- everybody knows him.

tivertonhouse

Rockhouse/Idle Awhile should be a good combo;stroll up the beach to see Moondance as well, tho they're a bit much in price for just one . Have a private car/driver -- maybe Soloman -- meet your incoming flight at MoBay. The transfer rate's pretty standard at US$60 one-way plus driver tip so a private guide/PPV insured driver's well worth it, esp.since you don't want to feel rushed on entry after an hour or so in customs.Most drivers take the new 'speedway' to Negril around the coast; you might find B8, the cross-mountain route from Reading to Ferris Cross, then skirting Sav to Negril more interesting and a slower savor of the countryside before you get to resortland. Stop at Bongo's fruit stand, any roadside fruit/veg seller en route through citrus, dairy and sugarcane country then the plains of the coast with the Negril Mountains in distance. It's a sweeter, shunpike kind of ride -- and a gentler decompression
from the States into Jamaica.

benj

I agree that Soloman Kerr is an excellent choice for a Negril contact. His website is Talk of the Town Tours. You can check there to see the tours he offers or email & he will do a custom one. His wife has been excellent about giving us advice & suggestions. We are doing a tour with them in about 3 weeks.

Have a great time & let us know about Idle A While. It looks great. I got a brochure from Coco LaPalm & it looked good too. I plan to check them all out when we are there so I can plan next trip!