Upscale Jamaica in December - where?
 

My boyfriend and I are planning a somewhat spontaneous getaway to Jamaica this winter somewhere around Christmas time. Neither of us have been before - and while we know what we DON'T want (Sandals, Couples, Beaches all inclusive-y resorts), we're not sure what we do. Thinking Ocho Rios, Negril...somewhere not quite Royal Plantation but not quite spring break, either. Any suggestions that will show us a good time but not break the bank?

Christmas/New Year's is the most expensive time to holiday in the Caribbean, Jamaica included, as premium rates/minimum week/10 night/14 night reservations are the rule. That said, and depending on fat the bank account is, the following might go on
your shortlist:

1) Mar Blue or a private villa in
Treasure Beach/see the community Web
site at http://www.treasurebeach.net

2) The Caves, Negril

3) Jamaica Inn, Ochie

4) Trident, Port Antonio

Another vote for Jamaica Inn in Ocho Rios if you can afford it. It is wonderful.

If you can get in (they have lots of repeaters) try CocoLaPalm in Negril. I have stayed there many times.....first rate all the way!! Check out their website at cocolapalm.com and read the guestbook for rave reviews! They actually encourage their clients to check out the local culture and other restaurants in the area, instead of trying to keep you confined to their resort!

As fun as Coco la Palm is and as many fantastic reviews it receives, it is far from being upscale. If you're fine with that, by all means check it out. Otherwise stick with the list that tivertonhouse provides. I've seldom seen a place that gets as many raves as Jamaica Inn does.

I've stayed at Mar Blue myself and would definitely recommend it *if* you're interested in checking out the local culture rather than staying in a standard resort.

I have to agree that Coco is not upscale, although the junior suites on the best part of the beach in Negril are hardly a punishment!

I was turned off by the jacket requirement for dinner each night at Jamaica Inn. Are there alternative places for dinner there, if you want to dress down at least a couple nights?

You can eat in your room which is also very nice because each room has a very nice balcony overlooking the water and it is fully furnished with real furniture. My DH is not into wearing jackets on vacations either, but he agreed to bring a jacket for one night. After we ate and danced under the stars with the other guests, it was such fun and he wanted to wear long pants and a jacket each night...

Look at Rockhouse and Tensing Pen. Great places on the cliffs. We stasyed at the caves (which is the ultimate) but RH and TP are my next choices. Relaxed, but upscale.

I was intrigued by the caves, but blown away by $1k per night....

Rockhouse appeals to me and <$300 per night BUT will I be nickel'd and dime'd to death?

There's not an AI option so let's say we have breakfast, lunch and nice dinner and 2-3 cocktails a day each for 2?? Any ideas? Thanks.

OH and do all the villas have the outdoor showers?? That would be so cool.

Thanks.

Trish

The caves is worth it all. Go for a smaller room if it's even at all in the budget. Everything is included. Tensing Pen would be a great other option and I believe breakfast is included. There is a little store accross the street where you can buy your stock of rum and red stripe to save you a bundle. It's a beautiful resort too. Rockhouse is also very nice, but more of a resort feel IMO. There are a few other places on the cliffs that may meet you specs, but I haven't seen them to comment.

Trish, just ask yourself if you and your husband will eat & drink $700 worth EVERY DAY to make up for the difference between the Caves and the Rockhouse. I understand that the Caves is a real overall experience of seclusion, romance, and service, but I have to say that the difference in price between the CAves and the Rockhouse would definitely give me pause. In Negril you can eat fairly inexpensively, and I generally prefer to eat in more than one place over the course of a vacation. Your miles may vary, of course, but for me, but I would prefer to save a little money by staying at the Rockhouse and putting that money toward a longer vacation. Or a second vacation somewhere later in the year.

We were robbed at the Jamaica Inn Thanksgiving week 2006, passports stolen, had never left the room, and had locked all the doors and windows. Would cross that off your list.

You can also visit the link below for some pics and an overview of the Caves and Jakes.

http://www.islandoutpost.com/

I am the biggest bargain hunter I know and the caves was a mega splurge....I hardly ever pay full price for a resort, but we will return as nothing has compared. We have stayed at 2 $500+ a night 5* resorts since and you can't compare. That is not to say that I wouldn't consider Tensing or Rockhouse as the settings are similar. I could be happy at either or those resorts and there are great little restaurants that you can go to close by as well as pick up drinks at the little market so you're not nickled and dimed. Since you are looking at Christmas, you will be paying to dollar, so I would probably got for something cheaper than the caves and come back to the caves in the off season when it is cheaper or just do your last 2 nights at the caves...it would be worth the move. Jamaica is awesome...I think we are going to do a girlfriends trip there this year and it certainly won't be at the caves.

fernlover, your post has me confused. On this thread you say you were robbed at Jamaica Inn in 2006, but on another thread posted in 2007, you rave and rave about the Jamaica Inn.

I don't remember the post, but I couldn't have raved and raved about it. I was trying to not hurt the two people who helped us thru the robbery, Joseph and Nicole. However, I have just found out that last month there was another robbery there while the couple was sleeping, so now I have decided to just let the entire truth be known.Try using Trip Advisor for my entire review which was just posted. Once I saw that someone else was robbed, i decided our situation was not just a fluke. Besides, the couple robbed was told that this was the first time that a robbery ever happened. It's time for the Jamaica Inn to recognize they have a problem.