The best hotels in Jamaica, from beach resorts in Negril to all-inclusives in Ocho Rios and boutique hotels in Port Antonio, these are the top places to bed down in Jamaica
From remote, jungly lodges via laid-back beach bungalows to blockbuster all-inclusives, Jamaica runs the full gamut of hotel options. Most of the big, all-singing, all-dancing beach resorts — as well as some of the most historic luxury hotels in Jamaica — congregate on the long stretches of sparkling white sand around Montego Bay and Ocho Rios, with a huge choice of restaurants, bars, nightlife and activities. Negril, on the west coast, is a little more relaxed, with hills perched up on the cliffs and along the striking Seven Mile Beach. Port Antonio, in the northeast, is a whole different kettle of saltfish, with lush, rainforest-covered hills dropping down to sleepy little coves, where the hotels are boutiquey and the nightlife laid-back. For a break from the coast, cool off in the misty heights of the Blue Mountains. These are the best hotels in Jamaica.
Main photo: Sandals Royal Caribbean, Montego Bay
1. Geejam, Port Antonio – The best hotels in Jamaica.
Jungly, laid-back and far from the madding crowd, GeeJam offers a gloriously low-key place to stay in Jamaica, with wooden cabins, stylish whitewashed rooms and luxury villas set high in the rainforest above sleepy Port Antonio. A favourite with musicians, the onsite recording studio has drawn Snoop Dogg, Rihanna, Katy Perry and Amy Winehouse among others. There’s the hip outdoor Bushbar (where you might catch local band the Jolly Boys), an infinity pool and access to a tiny beach down the hill.
Spa N
Pool Y
Price ££
2. Jamaica Inn, Ocho Rios – The best hotels in Jamaica.
Opened in the 1950s by the locally well-known Pringle family, Jamaica Inn’s easy Caribbean glamour quickly gained the attention of Hollywood stars, attracting Marilyn Monroe, Alfred Hitchcock, Grace Kelly and the Kennedys in its heyday. That intimate, high-end feel remains, with light, bright and breezy suites overlooking the sea, pretty cottages with plunge pools and a private beach.
Spa Y
Pool Y
Price £££
3. GoldenEye, Oracabessa – The best hotels in Jamaica.
Located in the grounds around Ian Fleming’s former villa, where he wrote his Bond novels, is this celebrity favourite that’s now part of Island Outposts. It’s owned by Chris Blackwell, the founder of Island Records who signed Bob Marley, and you can rent the villa itself, or opt for one of the beach villas, cottages or wooden beach huts dotted along a private, golden beach and a calm lagoon. There’s a spa and various bars and restaurants, and the vibe is low-key and laid-back — shoes are always optional.
Spa Y
Pool Y
Price £££
4. Round Hill, Montego Bay – The best hotels in Jamaica.
This is another 1950s classic that has been attracting Hollywood heavyweights for decades. Located west of Montego Bay on an Instagram-ready arc of golden sand, lapped by perfectly turquoise waters, is Round Hill. Sea-facing rooms designed by Ralph Lauren and secluded villas dot impeccably manicured grounds and there’s a lovely spa, tennis courts and club for children and teens.
Spa Y
Pool Y
Price £££
5. Half Moon, Montego Bay – The best hotels in Jamaica.
This is an all-inclusive, but not as you know it. One of the smartest hotels in Montego Bay, Half Moon has 210 rooms and 27 villas spread across three areas: Eclipse, with two restaurants, three bars and its own spa; Founders Cove, the original hotel, with cottages centred around Sunset Beach; and Rose Hall Villas, featuring large butler-serviced villas with private swimming pools, aimed at groups of friends and families. The facilities are as you’d hope, with a whole Children’s Village, a golf course, various restaurants and bars, and the Fern Tree Spa.
Spa Y
Pool Y
Price £££
6. Sandals Royal Caribbean, Montego Bay
Sandals has no fewer than six resorts in Jamaica and this hideout was the first to bring overwater villas to the Caribbean, all angled off its own private island. Although large, with nine restaurants, this adult-only all-inclusive feels smaller than its nearby monstrously large sibling — to which there are free shuttles throughout the day. With everything from English afternoon tea and croquet to Thai food and Balinese design, Royal Caribbean is not exactly authentically Jamaican, but the overwater villas do exactly what they should, with endless ocean views, baths big enough for two and private infinity pools.
Spa Y
Pool Y
Price £££
7. The Caves, Negril – The best hotels in Jamaica.
With just 12 individually-designed clifftop cottages, the Caves, another of Chris Blackwell’s properties, is a low-key, colourful affair, close to all the action in Negril. Two of the caves themselves, in the cliffs below the resort, are used for private dining, filled with candles and a hit with honeymooners, while another has been transformed into a rum bar. This place has a casual, laid-back feel to it, with lots of lush nooks and crannies and a breezy bamboo-built restaurant, while the brightly painted cottages have front-row sea views. And — whisper it quietly — this place is all-inclusive.
Spa Y
Pool Y
Price £££
8. Trident Villas, Port Antonio
This slick, minimalist number is a villas-only hotel, with just 11 dotted in ten acres of seafront gardens. It’s cutting-edge contemporary, with a big infinity pool set right above the waves; each villa comes with its own plunge pool and terrace and is sleek at every corner. Expect huge headboards, Danish designer furniture and standalone baths big enough for a party. The open-air Veranda is the main restaurant, and, come sundown, the speakeasy-style Mike’s Supper Club is the place to be.
Spa Y
Pool Y
Price £££
9. Kanopi House, Port Antonio – The best hotels in Jamaica.
The treehouses here are locally designed and sustainably built, hidden away in the lush rainforest canopy. Not a single tree was felled in the construction; instead, the trees — including 100ft-tall banyans — grow beside, below and often through the treehouses, blending in perfectly with the wood-and-white decor. The location is top-notch, too, with direct access to the famous Blue Lagoon. The Bar does a seriously good rum cocktail, while lighter takes on Jamaican classics are on offer in the Living Room restaurant.
Spa N
Pool N
Price ££
10. Jakes, Treasure Beach
Laid-back, bohemian and off-beat, Jakes is a local, family-run institution, embedded in the community in a way that so many other hotels in Jamaica aren’t. The location is offbeat, too, far removed from the built-up beaches of the north and west coasts, but its local feel makes up for the lack of “big bucks” resort amenities. The design is whimsical, with winding mosaic-studded pathways leading to a string of cottages — brightly painted, with outdoor showers built with local stone, shells and recycled wine bottles. Meanwhile, the restaurant features locally sourced ingredients and there’s a rum bar, saltwater pool and a spa that makes its own products from the tropical gardens.
Spa Y
Pool Y
Price £
11. Sandals Royal Plantation, Ocho Rios – The best hotels in Jamaica.
Another all-inclusive by Sandals, Royal Plantation is the smartest of the bunch and the only one where all the rooms — 74, which is not many by Sandals standards — are suites serviced by private butlers. The emphasis here is on old-fashioned, bow-tied service, and the interiors are similarly traditional, with glossy furniture, sumptuous fabrics and marbly bathrooms. Guests have access to the thrills and spills of high-octane Sandals Ochi next door, or they can stay put on the private beach, stroll between five restaurants or play a round of golf at the Sandals course.
Spa Y
Pool Y
Price £££
12. Sandals Dunns River, Ocho Rios
Sandals Dunns River offers plenty of variety at mealtimes, with 12 restaurants serving its 260 rooms. Of the accommodation options, perhaps the most indulgent are the Mammee Bay Beachfront Butler Suites, which have sunset-facing balconies. Complimentary green fees are available for any golfers, but of more universal appeal will be the direct access to the shimmering white stretch of beach.
Spa Y
Pool Y
Price £££
13. Royalton Negril, Negril – The best hotels in Jamaica.
With 407 suites, the Royalton Negril is a family favourite in the far west of Jamaica that’s known for its vast all-inclusive offering. There are swimming pools and a small water park for kids, while the seven bars will provide refreshment for adults. A selection of water sports and instructor-led fitness classes are also included in the all-inclusive packages, though treatments at the Royal Spa cost extra. It’s close to Negril town and much-loved Seven Mile Beach.
Spa Y
Pool Y
Price ££
14. Catcha Falling Star, Negril
Also located out in Negril, but operating at a completely different level to the surrounding corporate behemoths, Catcha Falling Star has clifftop suites and cottages a stone’s throw from its nominal rivals. There is some remarkable value to be had across the five room categories, and while the on-site restaurant, Ivan’s, has plenty of admirers, the property is just a couple of minutes’ walk from the famously hedonistic Rick’s Café, one of Jamaica’s best loved spots, and perhaps the island’s greatest location for enjoying sunset.
Spa N
Pool Y
Price £
15. Sandy Haven Resort, Negril – The best hotels in Jamaica.
This upscale, privately owned resort in the centre of Seven Mile Beach is small enough to offer personal service and an intimate setting — there are just 35 rooms — yet you’re only ten minutes from the hard-partying heart of Negril. Relaxing comes easy thanks to Sandy Haven’s beach cabanas, pool and a spa offering wellness therapies from herbal scrubs to a “Jamaican sun-smoother” treatment. There’s mellow dining at Bongos restaurant, which includes a piano bar, while the smart, wood-floored guest rooms have garden or ocean views with restful contemporary interiors enlivened by colourful cushions and throws.
Spa Y
Pool Y
Price ££
16. Strawberry Hill, Blue Mountains
Strawberry Hill, part of Island Outposts, is the place to spend a few days cooling off high in the Blue Mountains after a holiday basking on the coast. The setting is dreamy, with plantation-style houses, complete with four-poster beds and wrap-around verandas, set in lush gardens overlooking the rolling, jungle-smothered mountains. There’s a small spa, a bar and a restaurant (which does a good turn at Jamaican fusion cuisine), set in the Great House. Mornings are hazy, best enjoyed with a cup of homegrown coffee overlooking those views, and afternoons are lazy in the infinity pool, which looks out all the way to the capital, Kingston.
Spa Y
Pool Y
Price £££
17. Spanish Court Hotel, Kingston – The best hotels in Jamaica.
This contemporary four-star hotel in uptown Kingston is a smart and well-run base for exploring the Jamaican capital. Two top attractions, the Bob Marley Museum and Devon House (a stately mansion with shops and restaurants), lie close by in Hope Road. Appealing to both business and leisure travellers, Spanish Court has 125 neat and unassuming rooms while the Rojo restaurant serves comforting dishes like crab cakes and pork chops with guava sauce. When it’s time to unwind there’s a 15m infinity lap pool, spa and gym, while the alfresco Sky Terrace bar is open until midnight.
Spa Y
Pool Y
Price ££
18. S Hotel Jamaica, Montego Bay
Lipstick-red sun loungers and umbrellas set the mood in this 120-room all-inclusive resort that opened alongside Doctor’s Cave Beach in 2019. Sangster International Airport is five minutes away and you’re bang in the Hip Strip where Montego Bay loves to party. The interiors celebrate Jamaican culture with murals, art and music references and the rooms and suites have a crisp, white style. Dining options include two restaurants, an all-day café and a poolside grill. The Irie Baths and Spa come with plunge pools and four treatment rooms — plus there’s a small rooftop pool as well as a main one.
Spa Y
Pool Y
Price £££
19. Rockhouse, Negril – The best hotels in Jamaica.
As the name suggests, this cool little boutique hotel is perched right on the rocky cliffs of Negril’s West End, with the sapphire-blue waters lapping right below. Winding paths lead through extravagantly lush tropical gardens to the 20 thatched, rustic-chic bungalows, built from wood and local limestone, with private balconies overlooking the sea. There’s a swimming pool built into the rock, a fine-dining restaurant overlooking the waves, a colourful jerk joint called Pushcart, and a gorgeous spa with treatments in cliff-edge cabanas. There may be no beach, but guests are regularly shuttled to sister property Skylark, right on the sand.
Spa Y
Pool Y
Price £
rockhouse.com
20. Skylark, Negril
Set on Negril’s Seven Mile Beach, this laid-back eco-resort, sister to Rockhouse, is a colour-popping addition to Negril’s hotel scene. There’s a retro 1960s vibe to the place, with colourful vintage posters, mid-century furniture and bright splashes in the rooms. There’s no pool, but Skylark is steps from the beach, and Negril’s bars and restaurants are a quick, sandy walk away. There’s a little spa, a lively bar, and the restaurant, Miss Lily’s, also has an outpost in New York.
Spa Y
Pool N
Price £
