“Jamaica was a sweet young one , I loved her true , She was a comfort and a mercy through and through.”
from “Jamaica Say You Will ” by Jackson Browne
This 3rd largest Caribbean Island is just 3 1/2 hours from NYC by JetBlue airways, but upon arriving, one gets the feeling of being in a remote tropical paradise. Aside from the palm trees and lush greenery everywhere, the sparkling blue-green Carribean borders the beaches all around. It is the only Carribbean island which is completely surrounded by the Carribbean Sea . This is just one of the unique characteristics of this beautiful spot. Jamaica has a history like no other island in the region. After the Spanish relinquished Jamaica to Britain, hundreds of years ago, Jamaica and its people underwent a number of cultural and political changes, not the least of which was their independence in 1962 . It continues to be a major exporter of coffee and sugar cane and is one of the great tourist spots in the world.
We were fortunate enough to spend 4 days in Montego Bay, on the northwest coast, in the elegant resort known as Round Hill. Conceived by local entrepreneur John Pringle in the 1950’s, 29 of the 100 acres were put aside for the Villas and Hotel, which sit upon the hill, with a perfect view of the sea and beaches. The villas, each with its own pool, are owned by shareholders and boast some familiar names, past & present, which include Noel Coward, Adele Astaire and Ralph Lauren; who incidentally, designed the rooms for the 36 Room Pineapple House Hotel on the property. In the past, celebrities such as JFK, Paul Newman, Bob Hope and many others came to Round Hill to relax and enjoy the comfort and style offered here. When the owners are not in residence, the villas are rented out as individual suites or complete, 2, 3, 4, or 5 bedroom rooms.
As we entered the main house to register, we were greeted by the pleasant, amicable staff, and fresh tropical fruit refreshments. Minutes after settling into our room, we took the short walk to the beach and soon were basking in the tropical sun and cooling in the clear blue water. Later in the afternoon, after relaxing in our pool before dinner, we headed to the outdoor dining veranda and were treated to a delicious buffet meal prepared by Round Hill’s award winning chef, Martin Maginley: Jamaican Jerk chicken, ackee & salt fish tart with scotch bonnet foam, okra and roasted corn; guava braised short ribs and Blue Mountain creme brulee, to name a few.
The next morning, we were up early (not only to meet our schedule for the day, but because we didn’t want to miss a moment of tropical sun and air). Our wonderful Hostess, Katrin Casserly, Director of Sales & Marketing, arranged our first day to be spent visiting the historic Bellefield Great House, formerly the Barnett Estate, built in 1735 and reflecting Jamaican life in the 18th century. On site, real life actors portray the characters and servants who lived on the estate in those early days, so one gets the feeling of authenticity, especially watching the sugar cane being “cooked” into molasses, accompanied by Jamaican music of the day.
Later that night, our dinner was a Carribbean Curry Buffet prepared by Chef and his staff and reflected local road food such as conch, jerk pork and roots and tonics.
The following morning, after breakfast, we embarked on a trip to the Farm at Pantrepant, in the Cockpit Country Mountains, about an hour and half from the resort. Originally owned and developed by music legend Chris Blackwell, Pantrepant is one of the finest organic farms on the island and is truly a sustainable food source for local markets.
After our very active day at the farm, we returned to Round Hill and had a relaxing Pineapple Body Buff treatment at the Spa , rated one of the best resort spas by Conde Nast Traveller, UK.
Dinner that night was a unique dining experience. Some of the wonderful dishes prepared by Chef Martin included Oxtail Consomme, Oven Roasted Ocean Grouper with seasoned Bammy Chips, Orange Zest Rubbed Pork loin with Cane Molasses and Angostura. Yet instead of wine, our accompanying beverages were different vintage Jamaican Rum cocktails, using Appleton Estate Rums, and capped off at dessert by Appleton Estate 12 year old, which was not only elegant, but more like Cognac than anything else.
The only problem we had during our time at Round Hill was that we had to leave. The entire staff was not only professional, but accommodating and friendly as well. However, knowing that we will return in the near future helped savor our experience there and made our journey home much easier.
Next time you’re looking for elegance and comfort in the Carribbean, put Round Hill at the top of your list.
To your health,
Jim