Negril Hotel Tips by toonsarah Top 5 Page for this destination

Negril Escape Resort and Spa: Great location on the cliffs Negril Escape Resort and Spa Review

We stayed six nights at the Negril Escape, which I’d found through internet searches. It’s a mid-priced option in the West End, well situated for restaurants to suit all budgets, and we were very happy with our choice. Accommodation is in a number of blocks scattered through the pretty gardens. We stayed in Coconut Grove, which I chose because its décor seemed more in keeping with the Caribbean setting than some of the others (such as “Orient Express” or “Back to Africa”). We had a standard ocean view room (only slightly obscured by another cottage in front and to one side) with one double bed. The view was one of the best things about the room – as we weren’t overlooked we could leave the curtains open at night and wake up to see the sea almost at the foot of our bed, it seemed. The room was pretty basic in its décor, but a reasonable size and with a lovely balcony. There was a TV (which I don’t remember us ever putting on!), A/C and a ceiling fan, a rather small bathroom but with a fairly good shower. One small downside was the thinness of the walls – something the couple in the room next door were obviously less aware of (or less bothered by) than we were!

Breakfast was served between 7.30 and 10 in the bar area (covered but open on two sides to the sea). It was buffet style, with fruit, bread, a selection of hot dishes both Jamaican (ackee and saltfish, calaloo) and international (bacon, eggs) and good coffee with unlimited refills. It wasn’t a patch on the Blue House breakfasts we’d enjoyed in Ocho Rios but was fine for our needs. We didn’t eat dinner here at all, but the menu looked OK. We did go for lunch on our last morning, and this was the one time we were let down by the otherwise friendly service – having waited 40 minutes for my fish it was finally served only lukewarm as apparently the waitress had left it sitting in the upstairs kitchen for ages rather than go up to collect it. As it was too late by then to get a replacement (our taxi was due to take us to the airport) I had to share Chris’s tuna salad. In fairness, the manageress was very apologetic when I mentioned it on checking out, and it was our only complaint, so I wouldn’t judge the place too harshly for this.

There are additional photos of the resort in my other accommodation tip, "Where to stay"

Unique Qualities: The best thing about the Negril Escape is its setting. It claims to have the widest sea-side expanse of any of Negril’s cliff-side properties, and we spent most of our downtime enjoying the sea crashing against the rocks (and occasionally splashing us!) from our favourite seats – accompanied of course by an appropriate refreshment from the bar.

We also spent some time relaxing by the pool after our various outings, sometimes with one of the hotel’s cats for company. Although not large compared with some of the more expensive resorts, the pool was reasonable and never very full. But if you prefer the beach, the hotel offers a twice daily shuttle to its sister property on the bay, the Mariner’s Inn (see my General Tip on the beach for more about this).

All in all I’d recommend the Negril Escape if you want a good location and reasonable facilities without paying a fortune!
[Our room, one of the cheaper ones, cost US$150 for two, including breakfast]

Address: West End Road, Negril, JM

Comparison: about average

Directions: [taken from hotel’s website] From roundabout in town, take the West End Road. Continue for 5 miles passing the Pirates Cave, the Rockhouse and Sea Grape Villas until you see the Negril Escape Resort sign on the right.

Phone: 876.957.0392

Price: US$40-80

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Website: http://www.negrilescape.com/

Where to stay

As I mentioned in my intro, the first decision when booking accommodation here is whether to stay by the beach or in the West End. The advantages of the former are obvious – many of the hotels are right on the beach so you can walk from your room onto the sand in a matter of minutes. If you plan to spend most of your days sunbathing and swimming in the sea, you’ll probably want to stay here – and most of the all-inclusive resorts are here. The downsides are that the resorts look as if they could be on any decent beach anywhere in the world, and that the dining options are more spread out along the bay (although this won’t bother you if you’re on an all-inclusive deal).

But if like us you’re not going to be on the beach a lot, and you’re looking for somewhere with a bit of character that you might not find elsewhere, I’d recommend the West End. There’s a good range of accommodation options here too, from very exclusive and expensive to simple guest-houses, and plenty of places to eat and drink too. You’ll be in the best spot to enjoy Negril’s renowned sunsets, and you can still sunbathe and swim from the rocks (although the sea was a bit choppy when we were here for me to fancy going in, so I stuck to the hotel pool).

The other decision, as elsewhere in Jamaica, is whether to opt for all-inclusive or not. For us that was no decision at all – one of the joys of a holiday for me is sampling local cuisine and trying all sorts of eating places from humble to posh, so we wanted a room only or bed and breakfast deal. There are plenty of these to be had, and although it may work out a little dearer than all-inclusive options if you eat and drink at smart places all the time, it gives you much more flexibility and ensures that you’re more likely to get out and meet the locals rather than staying in one place all the time. I know which I prefer – but the decision is yours!

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