Looking at villas/resorts for a week in June. Considering Rio Vista, Jamaica Crest and Tranquility. I haven't heard much about Tranquility - any advice? How long is drive from Kingston airport to Portie?

About 2 hours drive from Kingston, maybe a bit more. YOu can go over the mountains or along the coast. Seems like at least one over-the-mountains route has been closed since Ivan? The Buff Bay one I think?

J Crest isn't exactly a villa is it? I thought it more a small resort.

Have a look at hte Norse Beach Cottage too - I'd love to stay there and it's WAY cheaper if you don't book it through Blue Lagoon villas, see:

http://www.norsehill.com/beachcottage.html

Jamaica Crest and Rio Vista are hotels .... Rio Vista the nicer of the 2 . The drive seemed definitely closer to 3 hours . Have heard of Tranquility , it is an actual villa on its own . Norse is really cute , but the back of it IS directly on the road , like literally a few feet ! The owners have there own site and it is cheaper through them .

Thanks guys - no availability at Norse - it looks great though. DD wants to go back to Negril and I have always been interested in Nirvana but no AC - will we melt in June without it? Hoping for a break in airfare too.

I was wrong - Norse is available. Liza - have you actually seen this location?

I have not but if you go to miyard.com's b board and post asking for SHARLEEN - she stayed there recently, I'm almost positive.

Nirvana has two or three untis with AC - the verandah suites and the honeymoon suite. It's the cottages that don't have it and frankly we had to turn down our ceiling fan at night in ours, it was too cold.

PS: we stayed at Fern Hill when we were in Porty and we loved it. It is not right on the water but the views are killer.

Helpful to have a car there but they can get taxis for ya too.

Norse is a definite stop for us next, I love the idea of being both in Portland and right on the water - that's hard to do for less than $10K a week over that way, unless you want to kind of rough it on Long Bay.

I found Sharleen and she did NOT stay...so sorry, I don't know anyone that has.

Moon San Villa though, is another possibility. I know Tiverton has had people give it bad reviews but I know people who really liked it a lot...so you might think about it anyway.

Outside of Rio Vista which I like alot
(can't say the same about MoonSan), would also check Great Huts, a new place with a two-story 'tree house' with all mod cons
plus a very unique series of Moroccan-style tents on beach/water at Boston Bay. Talk to Carolyn at [email protected]
It's brand new/won't see it til next week.

Wow, how did they get to build on Boston bay? It was a gift to the community always to be public, I thought?

Maybe it's a different beach...?

I did see Norse Cottage , from the water side and land side . It is ON the water , step off your step and plop , in you go , the little Monkey island is "directly" across from you . It is at the curve in the road , just before SanSan Beach .The back of the cottage is VERY close to the road , but there is not a great deal of traffic at night , and I believe there is a type of wall . It is the last "villa" of the Blue Lagoon Villas , actually set a bit away from the rest of them . It is quaint and cute . Did you look at San San Tropez ???? Very convenient to both beaches , pool , and nice little restaurant....

Now I'm looking at Treasure Beach with the help of Tiverton. Seems like Treasure Beach may be a little drier than Portie in June and we won't have to worry about renting a car. Considering several villas in Treasure Beach but I don't know how I will pick one - they all look great.

Good luck with that, I don't think you can go wrong in TB...though I've only stayed at Mar Blue there, we loved it. Almost stayed in a villa there last fall but Ivan took it

It's Chinatown, Liz, aka Jamaica. Anyting possible. The beach curves around to a private cove unseen behind rocks and above on the point Great Huts.

Gotcha. What a view then! I really enjoyed Boston Bay. We got jerk the next year at the jerk center instead of on the beach because I wanted to try it and I think I preferred the beach setup, it was lovely and the food just as good.

Liza--Sent you PhotoParade of Great Huts last night...

Got it - what an unusual place!!