Jamaica delivers on the Caribbean dream with pristine water, great food, chill music, and reggae vibes. Deciding where to stay in Jamaica is important so you can avoid tourist traps and make the most of your trip. Here’s everything I learned and wish I’d known before booking our accommodation on the island.
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Where to stay in Jamaica
When deciding where to stay in Jamaica, I promise the best places will be far beyond the walls of a resort. Here are all my tips about choosing the best accom!
Stay local
My personal opinion is that you should stay somewhere local rather than at an all-inclusive resort. If that’s your thing, this blog isn’t for you. (Prepare for a bit of a rant, sorry not sorry.)
Resorts are boring, and most of your money goes straight to whichever billionaire owns the chain. More importantly, the average salary for resort workers in Jamaica is just $220 per month. Per month. Then some resorts also employ a no-tipping policy, which might be nice for you on vacation, but is brutal for the staff.
Villas are an infinitely better alternative because the money goes directly to the people working there and stays in the community. AND you won’t have to eat at the same generic restaurants on-site every night in a country with one of the best food cultures in the world.
A good place to start when finding a villa is VRBO, but be aware that the price listed isn’t always the grand total so just make sure you ask lots of questions before booking. More on this below. Then of course there are boutique hotels, Airbnbs, and a few hostels on the island if you’re on a tight budget.
Our first villa host hooked us up with a private snorkelling trip on his friend’s fishing boat for like $20. He also took us out to the local market to pick up fruit we’d never tried and made us barracuda for dinner!
Stay near your top attractions
Driving in Jamaica is lawless! People drive fast, pass frequently, and some roads are very narrow and winding. Driving at night is particularly risky, and even during the day it requires confidence and focus. All this to say: Pick a good location that makes it easy to hit all your activities to avoid too much time on the road.
For example, the drive from Montego Bay to Ocho Rios looks like a chill 1.5 hours. But it’s a long day of driving if you are going all the way to one end, doing activities, and then driving back.
Pre-booking an airport transfer before you arrive is a good idea, especially if you’re arriving at night.
If you stay around Montego Bay, it’s under 30 minutes to Glistening Waters Bioluminescent Lagoon, Martha Brae River Rafting, and the Rocklands Bird Sanctuary. If you stay in Ocho Rios, you’ll be closer to the Blue Hole and Dunn’s River Falls, RAD Adventures ATVs, and the Jamaican Bobsled Rollercoaster.
We split our trip up and stayed in three distinct areas so we could explore everything nearby.
Stopped for some mangoes on the way to our accom
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Where I stayed in Jamaica
I went to Jamaica with my family and stayed in Montego Bay, Port Antonio, and Kingston. We loved every accom we had! Here are the deets of where we stayed:
20 minutes from Port Antonio, right on the Blue Lagoon
Kanopi House was my personal favourite and is one of the best accommodations in Jamaica. (Not just according to me!) If you’re going to splurge on one night, look no further.
It claims to be a hotel, but it’s actually a magical treehouse. They built it log by log and it’s still owned and operated by Jamaicans.
Pros: You sleep in an epic wooden treehouse among a lush rainforest, get private access to the Blue Lagoon where you can swim and kayak, and can take a boat tour to see giant sea turtles. There are also some nearby beaches and the town of Port Antonio if you want to explore.
I was concerned the mosquitos and spiders would like our treehouse even more than we did, but nope! The only thing I saw was the occasional cute gecko on the wall, clearly doing its job and eating all the bugs.
It’s a little challenging to access, so be prepared for a bumpy drive and a lot of stairs. Ready for breakfast? Stairs. Want to go for a dip in the Blue Lagoon? Stairs. Forgot something in your car? Stairs. But it’s worth it.
Silver Sands (Duncan's Trelawny Parish)
45 minutes East of Montego Bay
A Jamaican pal who lives in Toronto told us this was the best accommodation in Jamaica. He knows the owner, so I can confirm they’re also Jamaican. It was complete with four bedrooms, a saltwater pool, hot tub, indoor and outdoor showers, and was just a 5-minute walk from the beach and a local fishing village. Apparently Sean Paul’s mom lives in the same neighbourhood? I dunno lol.
Our cook, cleaner, and butler were all super warm and welcoming and made sure we tried all the traditional Jamaican cuisine. They also connected us to a friendly local fisherman who took us out on his little boat to go snorkelling!
I can put you in touch with our fantastic hosts if you have questions or want to book this villa! Contact me here.
Jack's Hill
Just outside of Kingston
This one looked and felt more like we were in the Italian countryside rather than Jamaica, but it was fab! Chris Blackwell, who founded Island Records, owns the house. That really means nothing and he’s a millionaire for sure but still feels pretty cool. Unfortunately, the villa doesn’t appear to be on VRBO or any other booking sites anymore. But there’s no shortage of options out there!
We got some pretty significant surprise fees, which left a bit of a bad taste in our mouths. More on this in the villa fees section below.
Honourable mention to GeeJam Hotel
In Port Antonio (just like Kanopi House)
We didn’t stay here, but I think it’s worth including. Many would argue this is the best accommodation in Jamaica. It’s got a great reputation and is kind of an iconic spot on the island — there’s an entire music studio inside! It offers a range of accommodation from unique, artsy hotel rooms to entire rainforest cabins and luxury villas.
Note: all of it is on the expensive side, but you should treat yo’self!
Where to stay in Jamaica - areas of the island
I made this map of where to stay in Jamaica, with lots of options and a bunch of hot sights and activities to do on your trip. Here are the main areas of the island to consider staying in or visiting:
Montego Bay and Ocho Rios
These are both popular tourist areas, and about an hour’s drive from one another on the northern part of the island so I’ve grouped them together. You’ll likely fly into Montego Bay if you’re coming from Canada or the US. There are some top activities up in this area of the island, including Dunn’s River Falls, Martha Brae River Rafting, the Blue Hole, and Glistening Waters Lagoon, where you can swim with bioluminescent plankton!
We’re in Montego Bay at the same time as a cruise ship has rolled in. (If you think I hate resorts, just wait until I get started on cruise ships.) Chesney and I just want to grab a taxi 10km out of this city to a restaurant to meet my parents. Seems easy enough.
It’s a taxi ride, what could it cost? $10?
The first guy quotes us $80 USD and we walk away laughing. We ask a bartender how much the drive should cost and she says $1. We’re sure she’s misunderstood us, but she insists it’ll cost 100 JMD ($1), not $100 USD. I think maybe she’s talking about a local bus, but she says a bus or a taxi will cost the same. This makes literally no sense so we don’t get our hopes up.
Walking towards our destination, we ask more taxi drivers. We’re quoted between $80 and $60 every time, and no one will even haggle on the price. After asking SIX people, we finally find a ride for $20, which now sounds like a steal by comparison.
I’m sure we’re getting swindled because cruise ship tourists will pay whatever they’re quoted. Our taxi driver confirms my suspicions – he says cruise ship visitors always pay more.
Port Antonio
It’s known as one of Jamaica’s hidden gems, and hasn’t been built up like the other tourist hot spots yet. Perfect if you’re looking to get a little off the beaten track! This is where we stayed at Kanopi House and swam in the Blue Lagoon. Navy Island and Folly Ruins are worth visiting if you’re interested in history.
Negril
This is out on the west side and is home to Rick’s Cafe where cliff diving is a highlight. There’s also 7 mile beach, the epic Rabbit Hole at Reach Falls, and The Rockhouse Hotel if you’re looking for some luxury.
While I didn’t make it to Negril or Ocho Rios, I went to Montego Bay for an afternoon. To paint a picture, there’s a casino attached to a Margaritaville with a half indoor/half outdoor water slide in it. The price of everything is wildly inflated. It was not for me. I suggest you try to find more local, less tourist-focused experiences.
Blue Mountains
Do you love coffee? Do you love bumpy dirt roads only wide enough for one and a half cars? You’ll love the Blue Mountains! Seriously though, they’re incredible, but you DO need to be confident in your driving skills. There are some pretty alarming sheer cliff drops directly next to the road. Definitely prioritize Old Tavern Coffee Estate for the freshest cup of coffee you’ll ever have and an incredible view. If you’re an experienced cycler, check out Blue Mountain Bicycle Tours, but consider the heat and the crazy drivers on the roads.
Kingston
Visit the Bob Marley Museum and the epic reggae bar, Dub Club. You can hit Lime Cay if you haven’t had enough time at the beach yet. And check out Fleet Street if you’re into street art! Keep in mind, this is an area of the city that’s a little rough, so don’t wander over on your own.
Jamaica does have an unfortunately high crime rate, and the reality is that it’s important to take care. In general, don’t go walking alone at night and keep an eye on your things. That’s the rule in virtually any city though, isn’t it?
Hot tip: If you like music, Dub Club is a must-do when in Kingston. It’s a pretty far mountain drive outside the city. Apparently members of the Marley family hang out here, so keep your eyes peeled!
And you’ll likely want to have a couple of Red Stripes while you’re there, so I recommend arranging for a driver to get you there and back. That’s what we did.
Important considerations when deciding where to stay in Jamaica
There are a few considerations when booking a villa, even though I still think it’s the best way to stay in Jamaica. Some I wish we’d been prepared for!
Jamaican villa fees
The final cost of your villa likely won’t be the price you see online.
We booked one villa through VRBO. In addition to what we paid upfront, we also had non-negotiable fees for the staff to get groceries, a separate fee for them to cook dinner, and a steep per-night rate for every additional guest beyond 2… in a house that sleeps 9.
We were 6 (which we noted in the booking) and it didn’t matter that it was only 2 extra beds, the rate was per-person and due on arrival in cash. I double checked and none of those “add ons” were clearly laid out on the VRBO page.
We were, of course, happy to pay for groceries, our housekeeper’s hard work, and her delicious cooking. (Legit the goat curry she made was one of the best meals we had in Jamaica.) BUT we didn’t even have the option to cook for ourselves — the housekeeper was a non-negotiable add-on. So it seemed a little strange to not just include the service in the price.
The price ended up being nearly double what we expected! Ah! Not a fun surprise when you’re on vacation. VRBO has improved recently and has far fewer hidden fees. But you still need to stay vigilant.
By comparison, we booked the Silver Sands villa directly through a friend. We had three staff members and their work was included in the price. We also didn’t have to pay for extra people after we’d already arrived, which makes sense to me.
Fun fact: Jamaica has its own currency but American dollars are also in the mix. They’re used interchangeably but have a different currency value.
Tipping at your accommodation in Jamaica
For any villa you book, you should tip 15% on the total cost of your total stay. But give this to the staff directly.
In my very humble opinion, that I keep forcing on you, villas are still infinitely better than resorts. But they’re definitely not “all inclusive.” Organize a flat rate in advance or request an estimate for the total (without tip*) so you’re prepared.
*If you ask for a rate including tip it may show up on the bill and then you can’t be sure it’s going directly to the staff who’ve taken such good care of you! OR in a more unlikely situation, if the service has been horrible and you don’t want to tip as much, you’ll be stuck with the original amount. Keep that cost separate and save it for the end of your stay, but budget for 15%.
Getting used to villa staff
If you’re like me, you may find it strange or uncomfortable to have people working at the house. But it’s part of the culture so you should embrace it. We loved getting to know the people at our villas, and it’s nice not to have to cook, do dishes, or take out the garbage while you’re on vacation! It’s the norm in Jamaica and helps generate jobs so more people can benefit from the booming tourism industry.
They also made us some incredible homemade Jamaican food which you simply won’t find at a resort.
We ate ackee and saltfish for breakfast, spicy jerk chicken for lunch, and barracuda and conch meat for dinner. (Yes, like from the shell!)
Things to do after deciding where to stay in Jamaica
Here are some cool activities to add to your itinerary after you decide where to stay in Jamaica:
Unfortunately, Jamaica is not an LGBTQ+ friendly country. I was disappointed to learn about the deep-seated homophobic views here. So it may not be a suitable romantic getaway or family vacation spot for everyone. I hope this will change in the future.
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