reviews

Brides: Honeymoons & Weddings Away 100 Sexiest Hotels, "Sweet Sleeps," February 2009
"Like most romantics, you'll pay anything for a good sunset. But at this resort, which hugs the cliffs at the west end of Negril, you don't have to whack your wallet to take in some of the best solar displays in Jamaica. It's a tranquil place, with only the guests in the 33 other thatched-roof (yet still air conditioned) rooms and villas to share the infinity pool with you. But if that, or snorkeling in the clear water at the base of the cliffs, isn't enough excitement, Negril's fabled beaches and bars are just a short taxi ride away. Doubles from US$125 (low season)"

Brides: Honeymoons & Weddings Away, "Rocking the house in Jamaica," November 2007
"Negril’s spectacular limestone bluffs and mellow reggae vibe attract many a wedding couple. But for Washington D.C.-based Megan Schoen, 26, and Ben Olsen, 29, it was the intimate Rockhouse hotel that drew them to the island. The 34-room inn was small enough that Megan and Ben could book the whole compound, guaranteeing their guests a truly private getaway. More important, though, was the friendly spirit of the place and the people who work there. “By the end, the entire staff was part of the wedding,” explains the bride. “Even the maintenance men would stop and cut you down a coconut.”

Authentic Jamaican activities helped the 100 guests get a feel for the island. Three days before the December celebration, Ben, a professional soccer player for the D.C. United team, organized a match in town that pitted locals against wedding guests. The rehearsal dinner was held at a jerk chicken shack, where family and friends gathered at picnic tables as a bonfire blazed nearby.

The day of the wedding, Megan spent her time like anyone else on an island vacation – lounging by the pool, pausing only to leap off the cliffs for a quick swim. For the short, nondenominational ceremony, the group gathered on the hotel’s stone deck as a guitarist strummed in the background. The relaxed mood continued poolside, with guests mingling over Dirty Banana cocktails and local Red Stripe beers, then digging into homey local dishes like coconut chicken and pepper steak. Orange and beige lanterns glowed overhead and the waves played backup as a steel drum troupe, then a reggae band, and finally a DJ jammed into the early morning."

Brides: Honeymoons & Weddings Away, "Sweet Sleeps," November 2007
"Starting your marriage on the rocks is actually a good thing at this Jamaican inn. Set on the cliffs of Negril above the Caribbean Sea, this 34-room find is a taxi ride away from the beach and the party scene. But after hanging out at the saltwater pool or jumping off a low cliff into the ocean, most guests stay put. With the exception of the premium villas, accomodations are simple but classic (think mosquito-draped canopy bed and walls painted a happy Caribbean lime). with views of the mind-melting Negril sunset, they're a steal."

Brides: 50 Great Hotels for Under $200 a Night, "The Real Deal," September/October 2007
"Like most romantics, you'll pay anything for a good sunset. But at this resort, which hugs the cliffs at the west end of Negril, you don't have to whack your wallet to take in some of the best solar displays in Jamaica. It's a tranquil place, with only the guests in the 33 other thatched-roof (yet still air conditioned) rooms and villas to share the infinity pool with you. But if that, or snorkeling in the clear water at the base of the cliffs, isn't enough excitement, Negril's fabled beaches and bars are just a short taxi ride away."

Authentic Jamaican activities helped the 100 guests get a feel for the island. Three days before the December celebration, Ben, a professional soccer player for the D.C. United team, organized a match in town that pitted locals against wedding guests. The rehearsal dinner was held at a jerk chicken shack, where family and friends gathered at picnic tables as a bonfire blazed nearby.

The day of the wedding, Megan spent her time like anyone else on an island vacation – lounging by the pool, pausing only to leap off the cliffs for a quick swim. For the short, nondenominational ceremony, the group gathered on the hotel’s stone deck as a guitarist strummed in the background. The relaxed mood continued poolside, with guests mingling over Dirty Banana cocktails and local Red Stripe beers, then digging into homey local dishes like coconut chicken and pepper steak. Orange and beige lanterns glowed overhead and the waves played backup as a steel drum troupe, then a reggae band, and finally a DJ jammed into the early morning."

Brides Caribbean Hot List 2007: "The ‘ Bang for the Buck, ’" March/April 2007
"This 34 room resort of stone and timber, sitting atop the cliffs at the western end of Negril, is one of the best bargains in the Caribbean, yet you won't have to give up any bells and whistles – not even the area's famous sunset vistas. Most rooms (which have air-conditioning and balconies) are steps from the pool and the restaurant – ideal spaces for the moment when the sun meets the horizon. If you don't want to share the view, opt for one of the overwater premium villas (go on – at $295 per night, you can afford it). When the moon is up, you'll feel you spent those extra bucks wisely as you admire the stars from your outdoor shower."

Brides, "Featured Honeymoon Suite: Rockhouse,Cliffhanger" August/September 2001
"Thirty years ago hippies discovered a deserted seven-mile beach in Negril. Today, sprawling resorts speckle the once isolated strand. One pocket of hippie history remains: the dressed down west end cliffs, home of the recently renovated Rockhouse hotel. Each of this haven's indulgences seems organic to the crags: a 60-foot pool wrested out of stone and accented with the desert reds and ochers; stairs that descend from the restaurant through dim coral caves to a private cove below; and a cluster of villas that appear to hug the bluff as casually as they deliver rustic island style. Under every thatched roof lies a four poster made from local timbers with muslin netting straight out of Wide Sargasso Sea. A trip to the outdoor shower adds Poinciana blossoms and "cling cling" birds to your morning ablutions, while the wraparound terrace reminds you that jumping from the cliffs into the turquoise water below is the reigning West End pastime. Consider making your own leap of faith while surrendering to another regional ritual searching the skies for the "green flash" that accompanies those Negril sunsets."