I've read several posts about Tryall Golf villas. Anyone have specific experience with a villa or villas that might make sense for a group of approx. 20 (all ages) for a family reunion? We might go for a combo of hill villas and beach villas to separate the kids and the grandparents. Got some good info from the Club website but would be great to hear from people who've stayed there. We're basically sold on the resort based on our interest in golf and tennis facilities and preference for villas over hotel suites. Many thanks

Did you try a search on keyword "Tryall" in this forum? I did and found three villas which were recently reviewed: Randolins(www.randolins.com), Tradewinds(www.jamaicavillas.com) and Calypso. The Randolins website has lots of photos of the club and some good Jamaica links which I found helpful. Good luck.

Found this at concierge.com: After being lucky enough to travel to some of the most (and least!) beautiful & sophisticated places, I have to say that that my (almost) week at Randolins stands out as one of the best retreats ever... It is hard to find a place with such beautiful scenery, weather, people, and well, let's face it, pampering... Perhaps the most surprising and appreciated factor was being able to be in such a place without the unsettling assault of too many "tourists" (and no, never was, nor will ever be one myself... right?!). Whether you want to go with a family, a crew of troublemakers, or on a romantic escape - an unspoiled treasure of a place.

<BR>Jon,<BR>Have not traveled with as large a crowd as yours, but here are a couple of ideas.<BR>There are 2 6 bedroom villas up on the hill, and they are the best bang-for-the-buck. Wheelhouse or Following Seas at $860 a night for 6 couples is a steal. Add tips, beverages and the cost of food and you're still talking 'Deal'.<BR>Down by the water look at a 4 bedroom for the balance of your group: Sunrise at $645 a night, or the above mentioned Randolins at $545 a night. The beauty of Randolins is that it has it's own private beach and the world's coolest 'sea pool'. Your group would have the best of both worlds. Magnificent views from the top of the hill and a private beach at the bottom. Don't think either of the 6 bedroom units would handle all 20 for meals. Know the 4 bedroom ones wouldn't. But you can swap around who eats where and then everybody gets to enjoy 2, well, call them mini-vacations, within the same week.<BR>Another option is to get 2 5 bedroom villas- Xanadu and Mahogany Hill, say, at $715 a night, each. Great values, two very different feels.<BR>But the Big Story on Action News is that you'll be at Tryall, with its outstanding golf, great staff, excellent tennis, and you can have an Appleton's and Ting any time you want one.<BR>Hope this helps a bit.<BR>BTW - the prices I listed are for off-season.

Thanks jam-man, you are very knowledgeable about the Tryall villas. I did some google searches on the villas you mentioned and got some additional pictures and information to what's on tryallclub.com. Lots of pictures on www.randolins.com- including some useful info on attractions and activities. We'll likely spread our group across three villas and 12-13 rooms. Thanks to all the posters- will be checking back regularly (our trip's next Spring) so would welcome any more opinions.

Just want to relaunch this thread to see if I can get more recent feedback on specific villas and staff. We're a family requiring a 4-bedroom villa. Thanks.

The villas at Tryall are wonderful. We were there in August and stayed at Tradewinds right on the ocean. It is a 4 bedroom villa and was plenty of room for 8 adults and a 1 year old.<BR><BR>Our staff was excellent! We had a maid, a cook, a laundress and a gardener. At first we were a little weary about being waited on because we aren't that type of people but you get used to it really quick! You are called to each meal by a bell and if you ever need anything just ring it and they are right there for you.<BR><BR>Every morning my mom would meet with the cook and plan the meals for the day. Nothing was impossible for them and we had some really picky eaters with us. By the end of the week they knew what each one of us would eat and not eat! A couple of mornings a fish monger came to the villa and asked what we would like. One day he brought us a 12 lb grouper and another day he caught us 3 lb lobsters!<BR><BR>The staff was very accomodating and quickly learns your everyday routines. They were also so great to my nephew and worked around meals and nap times for him. And he LOVED them! He especially loved helping the gardener every morining with the pool.<BR><BR>At Tryall you get to use all of the facillities that the club has to offer. There are golf carts at the villas that you use to get around the huge grounds. There is a wonderful spa and one day we had sea side massages at our own villa! Talk about relaxation! And if you have any golfers this is the place to be. <BR><BR>Tryall is located between Montego Bay and Negril so there is plenty to do if you ever wanted to leave the privacy of the villas. One day we went into Mo Bay and spent the afternoon at Jimmy Buffet's Margativille. And another day we went to Mayfield falls and climb them. (Not as tourist as Dunn's River and much prettier.)<BR><BR>Wow, sorry about the rambling but the place is just fabulous! If you have any specific questions ask away...

James,<BR><BR>Can also recommend Fern Hill. It's a 4 bedroom with 3 bedrooms in the main building and a 4th in a separate building on the other side of the pool. It sits on the hill overlooking the golf course with great views of the ocean and Montego Bay to the east. Staff is first rate -- in fact, I'd have to say I doubt you will find a bad 4 villa at Tryall, or a bad staff at Tryall. The owners use the villas a lot themselves and they want top-level pampering from their staff. Guests provide feedback to the owners, and that means you get great service all the time.<BR>The only decision you need to make is whether you want to be down by the sea or up on the hill.

Tryall's our favourite Caribbean escape. Look and feel of an upscale country club with the service and amenities of a luxury resort. Great place for group travel: takeover several villas and rotate your meals/drinks parties between them. Amazing staff makes everything happen seamlessly- each villa operates like a totally private, mini boutique hotel. We love it and return every year without fail.

Check out this excerpt from a recent article in Departures. One of the best articles about Caribbean villas. <BR><BR>http://www.departures.com/tr/tr_1102_caribvillas.html#<BR><BR>Jamaica en Famille<BR>Tryall Club, a former sugar plantation just outside of Montego Bay in Jamaica, may offer the best of two worlds for families: The luxurious villas here are private and well-staffed, and all the club's facilities are at your disposal, including golf, tennis, water sports, and restaurants.Teenagers love it, since Negril is just a few miles away. I have stayed here several times, sometimes in the inn, sometimes in villas. My favorite was Hart House—a villa so beguiling that the owners have decided to move in permanently. But there are dozens of other options: Heron Cove and Randolins by the beach; Bumpers Nest, Cielo, and Coo Yah among the hills and fairways (all with three or four bedrooms); and Mahogany Hill, a five-bedroom palace with not only one but two swimming pools. Bumpers Nest is especially child-friendly; it also has a private putting green and practice tee for guests who want to warm up before tackling the resort's championship course. <BR><BR>Tryall Club, near Montego Bay, Jamaica; $7,500-$12,000 for three to five bedrooms; staff of four to seven; 800-361-9949; fax 800-404-1841; www.tryallclub.com. <BR><BR>

Flurry of posts regarding Tryall, figured I'd wade-in. The Tryall Club is a totally unique vacation experience. The location is gorgeous, my husband and sons loved the golf, I loved the tennis program, the staff at our villa was amazing including a cook who's culinary skills were first-class, the beach was great (I recommend the snorkeling boat trip which takes you to a great reef just ten minutes away which has more sealife than the reef right off the beach) and when we did leave our villa for meals we were completely satisfied. Our kids did the Mobay nightlife one night and spent an afternoon/evening in Negril (both were easy drives). We were at the Club bar most nights and really enjoyed the Beach BBQ party. There were some great cocktail parties at other private villas that we got invited to which was the kind of intimate, sophisticated nightlife that we favor. We stayed at No Le Hace up on the hill but had the pleasure of checking out a number of other villas (some mentioned above). Hard to rate the villas since they're each unique and will appeal to different types of people. The photos on Tryall's website aren't great but the big decisions are waterfront vs. hill (I think Randlins is the only property with a natural sand beach), AC vs. no-AC, number of bedrooms, etc. All have great views, are nicely decorated and have excellent staff; you can't really go wrong. Hope this helps.

Thanks to everyone for such great information. I am so thrilled with this &quot;flurry&quot; of posts regarding Tryall as I have been looking for months : ). We are staying at Bumpers Nest on the hill and the more I read the more excited we are getting. Sophie, did you try Round Hill for dinner, or can you make some dining suggestions. We are also planning a day trip to Negril, do they just drop you there or are you taken to certain places? Is this booked directly with No Problem tours at Tryall or do you have to make these arrangements on your own? We have been to Ocho Rios twice and would love to see Negril or Bloody Bay. Again, thanks every one.