reviews

Travel + Leisure, "World's Best Hotel Value" March 2010
"Every year we ask our readers to rank their favorite hotels in terms of value. What do the winners prove? That luxury can come at a great price: in this case, under $300 a night. Rockhouse Hotel in Jamaica is voted the top hotel for value in the Caribbean. Rockhouse is also voted the no. 17 hotel for value in the World!"

Travel + Leisure, "Editor's Choice: The T+L 500 World's Best Hotels" January 2010
"Rockhouse is included in the Top 20 Hotels from the Caribbean, Bermuda and Bahamas and is denoted as "Great Value" making it the only hotel in the list with this identification; "A hip scene atop the cliffs of Pristine Cove; the 20 villas have terraces, thatched roofs, and outdoor showers.""

Travel + Leisure, " Where to go for the Holidays: Celebrities' Secret Winter Vacation Spots" December 2009
"Wintertime Guests: Keri Russel, Jude Law, Lennox Lewis, designer Nanette Lepore, Mad Men star John Slattery.
Why They Like It: This boutique hotel stretches across the cliffs of Pristine Cove in Negril and is spread along eight acres of tropical lush gardens. Rooms are in thatched-roofed villas with private decks, and there's a 60-foot-long, cliff-top horizin pool along with a restaurant that serves tangy dishes like blackened mahi mahi with mango chutney.
Celebrity Scoop: John Slattery visits every year to snorkel in Pristine Cove and savor the Rockhouse culinary offerings. And Nanette Lepore says, "We go every year with a group of friends and love the routine that we slip straight into: the daily spa treatments, relaxng by the pool, and the great group dinners at the restaurant."

Travel + Leisure, " Affordable Caribbean November 2009
" $125 While it's nothing like the sealed, all-inclusive compounds that occupy so much of this island, there is something about Rockhouse that makes you never want to leave the premises. It could be the killer sunset views from the hotel's clifftop perch; the assured friendly service at the spa ( book a massage with Joy or Maureen); or the thrill of leaping into the cerulean, snorkel-worhty waters of Pristine Cove each morning, right outside yur bedroom door. T+L TIP Order a Red Stripe by the pool from affable barmen Adrian and John, followed by curry goat or jerk pork at the hotel's new Pushcart Restaurant & Rumbar Try the Cartini cocktail with rum, mint, cucumber, and brown sugar."

Interview with Travel + Leisure's Sarah Kantrowitz on CNN.com, October 26, 2009 "Fantastic Fall Destinations"
"There are so many wonderful places to visit this fall. Many people consider it to be the shoulder season so you are going to find great deals, beautiful foliage, wonderful weather and it's definitely a great time to get out and try something new. All the editors at Travel + Leisure love Jamaica and they love it for the Rockhouse Hotel, which is a beautiful hotel and they have affordable rates we're talking something like $125 per night and you're on a Prisitne Cove so you snorkel, you can dive into the wate, it's warm you can have wonderful cocktails so this is a great place if you're looking for something warmer and yet not your typical fall getaway."

Travel + Leisure, "Ultimate Food And Travel Issue" Ode to Breakfast, by Niloufar Motamed September 2009
"Some people can't wait for dessert. Me? I count the minutes till breakfast - especially when I'm on the road. When I open my eyes in a foreign country, I can't wait to hit the streets and check out what the locals are eating for their first meal of the day...At Rockhouse Hotel in Negril, Jamaica; sure I love the hotel's laid back vibe and dramatic cliffside setting overlooking Pristine Cove. But I'm equally excited about it's authentic Jamaican breakfast offerings: ackee and saltfish, bammy (cassava bread), and callaloo which tastes like a cross between spinach and kale; I get a double order of every morning I'm there. "

Travel + Leisure, "World's Best Awards: The Top 25 Hotels: The Caribbean, Bermuda, and the Bahamas," August 2009
Travel & Leisure readers offer their "pick of a few places they love." Rockhouse was included in the list of places that the readers enjoy. Rockhouse is the only one of the Top 25 Resorts that is denoted as $ Great Value.

Interview with Travel + Leisure's Nilou Motamed on NBC Today Show, Today Travel, June 7, 2009 "Affordable Honeymoons"
"We are seeing a lot of great deals on flights; Jetblue has $99 each way in the fall travelling to Jamaica. And if you're going to Jamaica my favorite hotel is a place called the Rockhouse in Negril. This place is on the rocks, and it is stunning, I actually try to go there every year if I can. I've gone to a lot of places and I know this place, it is fantastic. It's relaxed and this is what honeymooners need. At room rates starting at $125 per night it's really a deal you can't beat. And your vacation funds help the Rockhouse Foundation build and repair local schools and libraries."

Travel + Leisure, " Eat: Local Fare" June 2009 "Dishes inspired by street vendors are popping up on hotel-restaurant menus across the globe."
"In Jamaica, bags of peppered shrimp to go are sold on street corners. At the Rockhouse's new Pushcart restaurant a favorite dish is the peppered shrimp, the freshly caught, spiced crustaceans are accompanied by a papaya-and-cocnut rum cocktail."

Travel + Leisure, "50 Best Romantic Getaways" February 2009
"On the waterfront check in at the Rockhouse, the ultrahip hangout named for its cluster of thatched-roof bungalows built atop rock cliffs that jut just above an aquamarine cove. Most of the 34 so-called rock houses are outfitted with private patios or sundecks; a few have private ladders leading right down into the sea. Be sure to cut yourself loose from the comforts of your waterfront nest to explore the island. A 15-minute cab ride from the Rockhouse, the Royal Palm Reserve buzzes with more than 300 types of birds, butterflies, and reptiles. Kayak along the coast to Rick's Cafe for a rum punch, a dip in the new pool, and a view of the daily cliff-diving show."

Travel + Leisure, "Editor's Choice: The T+L 500 World's Best Hotels" January 2008
"Rockhouse is a luxe (but funky) boutique hotel with an eco-friendly mind set. The competitive edge is an exceptional location on Negril's cliffs, plus a resolutely adult atmosphere and great rates. Villa 18 is the best room to book, perched farthest out on the cliff for the utmost privacy. Don't miss a detoxifying Coffee Scrub in the new organic spa."

Travel + Leisure, "25 The Ultimate Caribbean: What to Bring Back," December 2007
"Rockhouse is a place to shop and buy that special something to take back with you. "Cotton bag with sequined lettering, $32,...""

Travel + Leisure, "World's Best Awards: The Top 25 Hotels: The Caribbean, Bermuda, and the Bahamas," August 2007
Travel & Leisure readers offer their "pick of a few places they love." Rockhouse was included in the list of places that the readers enjoy. Out of all the hotels in the Caribbean the Rockhouse prevailed as one of their places to visit and spend time enjoying all we have to offer.

Travel + Leisure, "The It List: Our Hotel Highlights," June 2007
"Travel & Leisure editors offer a tip sheet from a few places we've recently visited. Our Caribbean hotel highlights include the Rockhouse Hotel, Jamaica, where our favorite find was hand-embroidered bags and dresses at the on-site shop."

Travel + Leisure, "25 Affordable Beach Resorts," March 2007
"From the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of Thailand, we've scoured the globe for the perfect coastal getaways. At these 25 idyllic retreats – all under $350 a night in high season – sun, sand, and surf come with plenty of style. In Negril, Jamaica, the Rockhouse Hotel has rooms, studios and villas clustered around cliffs and grottoes. Doubles start at $125."

Interview with Travel + Leisure's Nilou Motamed on NBC Today, February 19, 2007
"Jamaica is one of my favorite destinations in the world and the Rockhouse is one of my absolute favorite affordable destinations. When you go there in Negril, you have this incredible, cliff top experience, you're in bungalows. This is the kind of place that as soon as you walk in, you take your shoes off and you never put them back on the whole time. This is definitely one of those great gems that I don't know why they don't charge more. No wait, I don't want them to raise the prices! But whether you're taking a dip in the great infinity pool or you're watching the stunning sunsets – it's the western most point of Jamaica so you get beautiful sunsets every night – with a Red Stripe in hand – this is a place I would recommend to anyone."

Travel + Leisure, "Your Next Mini Vacation: 12 Perfect Escapes," November 2006
"Everyone's favorite afforable (and no-fuss) Jamaican resort, the Rockhouse, has upped the ante by adding eight villas, which makes it possible to sleep in style - and stay on a budget. But be sure to cut yourself loose from the comforts of your waterfront nest: exploring the island is easier than ever, thanks to a new road linking Montego Bay to the bohemian party town of Negril."

Travel + Leisure, "Island Escapes: Caribbean for Less," December 2005
"The Rockhouse may not be a new discovery, but it's hard to ignore this bohemian favorite immersed in tropical gardens two miles from the center of Negril. Its 34 island-flavored rooms, studios, and villas are clustered around jagged, rocky cliffs and grottoes, and there's no shortage of things to do on the property: a 60-foot infinity pool takes the place of a formal beach; yoga classes are held every morning in a pavilion; and snorkelers climb down stepladders to the blue- green sea eight feet below. Trade up to one of the eight stonewalled premium villas, which have outdoor showers and private, cove settings – they're worth the extra $200 a night."

Travel + Leisure, "50 Affordable Beach Resorts," March 2004
"While it is not technically on the beach, you can still taste the salt at the cliffside Rockhouse Hotel on the aptly named Pristine Cove, west of Negril. Stone and thatch cabanas with mosquito netting-draped beds are perched above the water. At the restaurant, which serves New Jamaican cuisine, reggae is always on the sound system."

MSNBC Television Interview, "50 Affordable Beach Resorts," Feb 21, 2004, Nilou Motamed, Food Editor of Travel + Leisure Magazine
"Rockhouse is one of my favorite places in Jamaica. It's in Negril and its on a cove called Pristine Cove and there is a reason why it is called Printine Cove because it is just gorgeous ... Rooms start at only $100 per night, and you are in these thatch bungalows and you can just walk down jump into the water. Snorkeling is not an option, because you are right there."

Travel + Leisure "Letters to the Editor - Readers Find"
"Let me tell you about the house, on a rock, by the sea, on the island of Jamaica. I have just returned from my daughter's wedding at the Rockhouse Hotel in Negril. My husband and I manage a large family restaurant in Pennsylvania and had always assumed our daughter would get married there. So we were hesitant about traveling to the Caribbean not knowing what to expect of the boutique hotel's food and service. To our surprise, the staff was wonderful, the food was excellent, the wine was stored and served properly, and - to top it off - the cliff-top location affords spectacular views. We gave it an A+."

Travel + Leisure "The Best of The Caribbean; The Caribbean for Less" Heather Smith MacIsaac
"Rockhouse could not be more different from its all inclusive Negril neighbors, Hedonism and Swept Away, or truer in spirit to their names. This is the place you go if you prefer your Jamaican vacation served literally on the rocks. Recently renovated and expanded by a team of young Australians, the hotel is built on, in, and of the rugged coral that forms the West End peninsula, at the end of legendary seven mile Negril beach. Thatch roofs cap the pine and stone air-conditioned huts, newly done up with mosquito-draped four-poster beds and refreshing open air showers. Gangplank style footbridges connect outcroppings; stone steps and iron ladders plunge into coves of snorkel-perfect water. One of the best improvements to Rockhouse, other than a Zen new pool, is the open sided dinging pavilion offering various degrees of sun or shade under a thatched roof or raw canvas awning."

Travel + Leisure, "Letters to the Editor."
"When I read Heather Smith MacIsaac's "The Caribbean for Less" I was in the middle of planning a trip for my wife's birthday. The article inspired me to book a week at the Rockhouse in Jamaica. What a find! The Zen pool, fantastic restaurant, and thatched bungalows perched on a cliff overlooking the ocean made it difficult for us to leave the grounds. Mornings we listened to the surf crash while we drank coffee in bed; afternoons we read by the pool, snorkeled, or scanned for dolphins; evenings we watched the sunset, then ate dinner beneath the stars. After seeing the sprawling super-clubs cluttering Negril's beaches, my wife and I have agreed to experience Jamaica at Rockhouse from now on."

CNN Television Interview," 50 Affordable Beach Resorts," February 26, 2004, with Nilou Motamed, Food Editor of Travel + Leisure Magazine
"Rockhouse is a boutique hotel. It's a smaller property done with design thought. What's great about Rockhouse is that it is a cliffside resort. Rooms start at $100 per night, its one of my favorite places to go in the Caribbean. It's very low key and very easy. There's always reggae playing. It's definitely a place to chill out. It has beautiful sunsets."

CNBC Television Interview, "50 Affordable Beach Resorts," February 27, 2004 with Jane Bills, Assistant Editor of Travel + Leisure Magazine
"This is the Rockhouse, which isn't exactly on the beach, it is a few miles from the beach, on the cliffs in Negril. The cliffs actually have an advantage, as they are very secluded. You've got the best sunsets because you are on the west side there, and you can do a 30 ft cliff dive, so what else can you ask for! The rooms here start at $100 per night in high season in the Caribbean, which is amazing. Most of them have private outdoor showers, and you can get spa treatments in room or on the edge of the cliff. They have a new yoga room where you can now take yoga classes every morning, and get even more relaxed than you already are."

WNBC Television Interview, "50 Affordable Beach Resorts," February 29, 2004 Angela Tribelli, Director, Travel + Leisure.Com
"The Rockhouse Hotel is a beautiful jungle resort, it's a romantic getaway. It's right on Pristine Cove ... and it starts at $100 per night in high season. There's a gorgeous pool built right into the cliff, and steps and ladders leading right into Pristine Cove. Overlooking the bay, it's really lovely."