where to stay in Negril
 

We are planning to visit Negril in Febuary. We dont know where to stay. We would like to go all-inclusive. Where is the best place to stay?

hello, just joined Fodor's, I love it! but as for Negril, it depends on what you want...beach or cliffs. I stayed at the cliffs and I LOVED it. It's a cheap and fast taxi ride to the beach if you need it, but it's often over-packed so the relaxing atmosphere of the cliffs were great. each hotel on the cliffs have their own pool/ocean front with chairs. it's beautiful. and also I recommend the cliffs for a great walk to Rick's Cafe, a DEFINITE must see while in Negril!!!!!!
If you want the cliffs, I highly recommend Rockhouse Hotel. I am not sure if it's all inclusive, but it's BEAUTIFUL, great place, great food also, and very close to Ricks!

Many on this board will encourage you to try non-AI in Negril. There are many fabulous hotels all along 7 mile beach. I stayed at Idle Awhile for 4 nights. It is a lovely property and very safe with many great affordable restaurants with in short walking distance. We spent the next 3 nights at The Caves up on the cliffs. It's an AI, but very intimate. I can't even begin to recommend it enough. It was one of the most memorable vacations we've had.

laustic - I've read many of your post and value your opinion.

We stayed at Idle Awhile in 2005 and loved it, we went to Jamaica Inn after but probably should have experienced these 2 resorts the other way around.

We love the beach - the chance to leave the room and wander along the beach to find Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner is something we value.

BUT! The Caves sounds so us - peaceful, quiet and while it doesn't have a beach I understand the snorkeling is good.

What's your opinion? - we are in our early 40's and tend to look for resorts that don't encourage children.

Thanks in advance to any input

If you want total relaxation and serenity then The Caves is for you! Children are simply not allowed there and once you arrive you can immediately see why. The cliffs are very treacherous if you don't have your wits about you. I wouldn't dream of taking my small child there even if they were allowed.

The property is really intimate so you can mingle with other guests if you like. We met 3 other couples during our stay and it was a lot of fun chatting with them at the pool. Or you can find numerous little nooks and crannies for a quiet romantic day. There were many honeymooners there and we often wouldn't see them for hours at a time. The service was perfect and the food very good. I won't say the food was amazing because to me it wasn't amazing, but it was pretty darn good.

I think 3 to 4 nights at The Caves is just plenty because the truth is that you probably won't venture out much. Splitting our time worked out perfectly for us. The beach was lively and fun and just when we started to get tired of that scene we moved to the cliffs. Idle Awhile is great, but The Caves is in an entirely different class!

As for activities - we snorkeled every morning before the water got too rough. I'm no snorkeling expert so to me it was really great. If you are a small person or not a strong swimmer (like me!) eventually the waves really start to get overwhelming. There were kayaks, but we never got around to that. We spent most of our time drinking by the pool ;)

You can go off the property to do any number of things, but once we got there we just couldn't imagine leaving.

BTW, We stayed in Two Birds. It's the furthest cottage on the property, but we loved it. It had a/c and it was a very short walk to the main action. The coolest part was the outdoor shower. I've since become obsessed with outdoor showers and I keep trying to think of a way to to make it work at my house :-d

If I could afford that the Caves I would stay there but, alas, the price tag is prohibitive.

I have very much enjoyed Couples Swept Away (4x) and Grand Lido Negril (4x). Our main priorities are no kids and a good level of luxury and service.

I have stayed at Rockhouse 2x and enjoyed it as well but I am a real beach person and missed both my morning runs on the beach as well as an onsite fitness center (big priority). Also enjoyed Charela Inn on a meal plan, Tree House, Negril Gardens and other but there were kids so did not and will not return.

Laustic – thanks for the info I don’t know why The Caves are calling me since we do love the beach but when I asked DH what he wanted for a vacation his list was :-

No children - we’ll be leaving our 18yr old son at home, our 25yr old is coming to ‘babysit’
Something to do
Good food

Negril fitted the bill before and will fit the bill again. I do wish that last time we visited Jamaica in 2005 that we’d stayed at JI first, just chilled on the beach and then rejuvenated we could have enjoyed Negril and the surrounding area – as it was we didn’t leave the beach.

kfusto
Thanks for the input but while we like resorts that don’t encourage children Couples Swept Away is not a resort we would want to stay at (although Idle Awhile is owned by the owner of Couples, it however only has 14 rooms)– we like small intimate resorts. AI is not our main priority, it can be a bonus but we end up paying the resort for meals that we eat elsewhere.

The last 2 years we went to Nisbet Plantation on Nevis - in 2006 we did a 2 center vacation, Nevis and Aruba (Bucuti Beach), last year was our 25th wedding anniversary and we decided that Nisbet was right for us- we spent 10 very relaxing days there. I think DH would be happy to go back this year and at $450 a night for their deluxe room The Caves is close to our budget, I might see if Idle Awhile have space.

We have friends that we met in 2005 at Idle Awhile who are going back on the 19th – I soo…. envy them, they did email to see if we could go but DH is in LA for a company meeting – DAMN!!! :-(

Alya - Listen to the call of The Caves! I don't think you will regret it! ;)

Listen to the call of Hedonism II. You probably will regret it but it will be unforgettable!

Alya at Hedo? I don't think so. I picture Alya as a woman with a bit too much class for Hedo.

Hedo 2 is run down and "60ish"
dirty...it needs a major upgrade. Try Hedo 3 very beautiful resortif thats what you are looking for. We prefered Sandals Negril.

I can't imagine a more different vibe than The Caves and Hedo!

CS -

thank you for the compliment, you are right Hedo is NOT for us neither is Sandals but then again I can't imagine go to the Caribbean and staying at a Marriott or Hyatt! Why fly that far to stay in a chain that I anytime I can stay in anytime I want here in the US:-?

To each their own, we prefer small intimate resorts where you meet most of the same staff everyday and they know your name and preferences. The kind of place that when you sit down to breakfast they know to bring one cup of tea and one of coffee, without asking :-)

We love Nevis but would stay at the Nisbet or one of the Plantation Inns - never Four Seasons, but I read the raves about it and know that poster probably isn't going to be giving me the best advice for our travels.

Docruins - We met a couple in Negril last time we went who paid for a day pass to Hedo, we didn't ask them too much about it but they are going back to IA next week. :-)

Alya-
Though we are close in age, we are definitely in different stages of our lives. Me with young children, just getting their feet wet, so to speak, in the Caribbean. Your children are older and have begun or are beginning their lives away from home. In any event, our tastes are similar. I went from single and flexible without much consideration to expense, to exactly the opposite. That isn't a bad thing, necessarily, as it forces one to look beyond the "standard" chains and go with a bit more local flavor.

The thread on "topless in Negril" brings back some first hand experience as a 19 year old son with my mother deciding to throw caution to the wind back in 1987! I was so embarrassed! I said, "Mom, I am taking a walk up the beach and will be back here at 1 PM and your top better be back on!". Great memories! Cheers!

CS - LOL!

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