Hotels in Jamaica offer outstanding Caribbean accommodations on an island nicknamed “Rock” and “Jamrock”. “Jamaica” derives from an indigenous Caribbean word that means “land of wood or water” or “land of springs”. Known for its Red Stripe beer, Blue Mountain coffee, world-class Olympic sprinters, rum, jerk dishes, wonderful beaches and enchanting waterfalls, Jamaica centers Haiti to its east, Cuba to its north and the Cayman Islands to its west. While the island’s official language is English, most islanders speak a dialect known as Patois, which is considered jargon or informal speech. Examples of Jamaican Patois are “Weh Yuh Ah Seh” (what are you saying?), “Small up yuhself” (make room), “Mi Deh Yah” (everything is okay), “Mi Soon Come” (I’ll be right there), “Inna di morrows” (I’ll see you tomorrow) and “Wah Gwaan” (what’s up?). When traveling to Jamaica. it’s best to avoid Kingston and Spanish Town, while taking extra precautions around Montego Bay. Negril, Ocho Rios and Montego Bay are the top tourist spots. Cars travel on the left-hand side of the road, the drinking age is 18 years old and currency is the Jamaican dollar. Jamaican festivals include Ocho Rios Jazz Festival, Reggae Sumfest, Bob Marley Week, Trelawny Yam Festival, Jamaica Carnival and Port Antonio International Marlin Tournament. Before we get to hotels in Jamaica, let’s take a look at some more background information on the area to help you along the way.
Following Christopher Columbus’ arrival in 1494, Jamaica came under Spanish rule. During this time, many indigenous Arawak and Taino peoples were either killed or died of diseases. In 1503, Columbus was forced to live on the island for a year due to shipwreck. As a result of the enslaved Taino peoples’ declining population, the Spanish transported large numbers of African slaves to the island circa 1524 in order to carry out labor. In 1655, England conquered Jamaica from the Spanish. Sugar became an important export commodity during English rule. During the 1700s, the island’s economy thrived due to other commodities such as coffee, cotton and indigo. Slave conditions were some of the world’s most brutal. Such conditions led to the first slave rebellion, Tacky’s War, resulting in a British victory. Additionally, two of Jamaica’s most significant conflicts were the First Maroon War of 1728 and the Second Maroon War of 1795. The slave trade, though not the institution itself, was abolished in 1807. Another slave rebellion, the Baptist War, occurred in 1831. On August 6, 1962, Jamaica achieved independence from the United Kingdom by way of the Independence Proclamation of Jamaica.
The island of Jamaica spans 4,240 square miles. Third largest of the Greater Antilles and Caribbean islands behind only Cuba and Hispaniola, Jamaica is home to nearly 3 million inhabitants today. Naturally, tourism accounts for a large portion of the country’s GDP (around 20%). Jamaica’s climate is tropical, generally with hot, humid weather. Home to a diverse animal population, the island’s national bird is the red-billed streamertail, a type of hummingbird. Other animals include Jamaican boas, Jamaican hutias, fig-eating bats, wild boars, mongoose, American crocodiles, black-billed parrots, Jamaican blackbirds, Greater flamingos, treefrogs, Jamaican sliders, Jamaican parrotfish, dolphins and manatees. Major points of interest include Montego Bay, Blue Mountains, Doctor’s Cave Beach Club, Ocho Ríos, Dunn’s River Falls and Negril. Mystic Mountain, considered a “true rain forest adventure in Ocho Rios”, consists of amusement rides and water slides. Glowing at night when disturbed due to dinoflagellate plankton, Luminous Lagoon is located east of Montego Bay. Popular Jamaican foods are jerk chicken, pea soup, oxtail, fried breadfruit and goat curry, while the national dish is ackee and saltfish. Drinks include beer, rum, tea, ginger beer, rum punch and the “dirty banana”. Equipped with some background information on the area, it’s time for hotels in Jamaica that will help make for an enjoyable Caribbean stay.
The Cliff Hotel
West End Road
Barney’s Flower & Hummingbird Garden
The Cliff Hotel boasts free WiFi, a spa center, an outdoor pool, a sun terrace, free parking, a restaurant, private balconies with hammocks, air conditioning, flat-screen TVs, hair dryers, a 24-hour front desk, concierge service, a hairdresser, a gift shop, water sports facilities, car hire, billiards and darts. This hotel is close to Barney’s Flower and Hummingbird Garden, Just Natural Veggie & Seafood Restaurant, Whoopee’s Park (bar), Murphy’s West End (restaurant), Sir D’s (bar), Wake and Bake (cafe), Rick’s Cafe (restaurant), Ivan’s (restaurant), Ivan’s (bar), Sunset Pub and more.
Within feet:
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- Barney’s Flower & Hummingbird Garden
- Whoopie’s Hammock Park
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Within 2.6 miles:
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- Seven Mile Beach
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Within 2.7 miles:
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- Negril Public Park
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Within 10 miles:
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- Blue Hole Mineral Springs
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The Cliff Hotel is 33.7 miles from Sangster International Airport.
Approximate cost per night (four-bedroom villa): $1,169
Cost per person (eight people): $146
Polkerris Bed & Breakfast
13 Corniche Road, N/A Montego Bay
Doctor’s Cave Beach
With an extensive garden, a longe area, Caribbean Sea views, a terrace with a swimming pool, free breakfast, safes, air conditioning, flat-screen TVs, free WiFi and beach towels, Polkerris Bed & Breakfast is near Teamstorm Fitness (gym), Sunset Bar & Restaurant, Brewery Sunset Restaurant & Lounge, De’Beauti Studio & Spa, Coral Cliff (live music venue), Marguerites (fine dining restaurant), Hunger’s Point (restaurant) and more.
Within feet:
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- Doctor’s Cave Beach
- Catherine Hall Beach
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Within 1.1 miles:
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- Jarrett Park
- The Catherine Hall Entertainment Center
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Within 1.3 miles:
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- The Howard Cooke Park
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Polkerris Bed & Breakfast is 1.9 miles from Sangster International Airport.
Approximate cost per night: $316
GoldenEye
Oracabessa
Santa Maria Island
GoldenEye provides lush gardens, private beaches, hidden coves, a saltwater lagoon, 3 outdoor pools, a full spa, villas, beach huts, cottages, beachfront and lagoon properties, kitchen facilities, a beachfront bistro and a fine dining restaurant. Bizot Bar, Button Beach, James Bond Beach and more are nearby.
Within feet:
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- Santa Maria Island
- Chris’s Cafe
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Within 1 mile:
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- Oracabessa Fish Market
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Within 5.6 miles:
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- Firefly Mountain
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Within 8.8 miles:
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- Toscanini Restaurant
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GoldenEye is 29.7 miles from Tinson Pen Airport.
Approximate cost per night (three-bedroom oceanfront villa): $2,784
Cost per person (six people): $464
Jamaica Inn
Main Street
Dolphin Cove Ocho Rios
With a private beach, elegant suites, furnished balconies and porches overlooking the Caribbean Sea, an outdoor pool, a beachfront spa, air conditioning, free WiFi, ceiling fans, sofas, lounge chairs, a shaded palapa area, beach lunches, free morning punch, a varied breakfast menu, free croquet, free parking and a concierge, Jamaica Inn sits close to Blue Mountain Bicycle Tours, Taboo (night club), Eat UR Veggies (restaurant), White River Fisherman’s Village (restaurant), Keith’s Bamboo Crew (tour operator), Jangalee Seafood Joint (restaurant), Calypso Rafting & Tubing (tourist attraction) and more.
Within feet:
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- Miss T’s, Toscanini’s
- Passage to India
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Within 3.6 miles:
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- Dolphin Cove Ocho Rios
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Within 3.8 miles:
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- CHUKKA White River Valley
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Within 4.2 miles:
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- Zip-line Over Dunn’s River
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Jamaica Inn is 33.8 miles from Tinson Pen Airport.
Approximate cost per night (suite): $600
Blue Paloma Bed & Breakfast
East Avenue, Lucea Hanover
Grand Palladium Beach
Offering garden views, an outdoor swimming pool, a fitness center, a bar, a shared lounge, free WiFi, free private parking, a patio, air conditioning, flat-screen TVs, an à la carte breakfast and a sun terrace, Blue Paloma Bed & Breakfast can be found close to Reggae Paradise (restaurant).
Within 1.5 miles:
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- Grand Palladium Beach
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Within 3.2 miles:
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- Blenheim Heritage Site
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Within 10 miles:
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- Crocodile Reserve & Bird Sanctuary
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Within 12 miles:
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- Discovery Falls Park
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Blue Paloma Bed & Breakfast is 18 miles from Sangster International Airport.
Approximate cost per night (deluxe double room): $222
Cost per person (four people): $55
Geejam
San San , Port Antonio
Frenchman’s Cove Beach
Geejam features a spa, a fitness center, an on-site recording studio, a restaurant, digital surround systems, private patios, mini-bars, modern décor, hardwood floors, 500 thread-count cotton sheets and a mobile phone upon arrival. Woody’s Low Bridge Place (Jamaican restaurant), Pellew Island (Monkey Island), Blue Lagoon (swimming lake), Blue lagoon tour with Illis (tour agency) and more are in the vicinity.
Within feet:
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- Frenchman’s Cove Beach
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Within 2.4 miles:
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- Rotary Park
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Within 3.1 miles:
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- Bikini Beach
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Within 30 miles:
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- Norman Manley International Airport
- Tinson Pen Airdrome
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Approximate cost per night (three-bedroom villa): $1,885
Cost per person (six people): $314
Tensing Pen
Westmoreland, Negril
Seven Mile Beach
Tensing Pen has rustic-style, an outdoor swimming pool, massage services, a spa, yoga lessons, free WiFi, safes, patios, ocean views, an on-site restaurant with ocean views and complimentary breakfast. Near here you may find The Lodge Restaurant at Tensing Pen Hotel (Caribbean restaurant), Kool Vybes Bar And Jerk Center (Jamaican restaurant), Shark (restaurant), Ivan’s (restaurant), Rick’s Cafe (Caribbean restaurant), Wake N Bake Café and Restaurant (cafe) and more.
Within feet:
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- Whoopie’s Hammock Park
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Within 2 miles:
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- Seven Mile Beach
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Within 2.2 miles:
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- Negril Public Park
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Within 6 miles:
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- Hedonism II Beach
- Homers Cove Beach
- Bloody Bay Beach
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Tensing Pen is 34 miles from Sangster International Airport.
Approximate cost per night: $474
Round Hill Hotel & Villas
John Pringle Drive, Montego Bay
Montego Bay
With a garden sand beach, a pool overlooking Montego Bay, free WiFi, dining options, iPod docking stations, Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee, modern yet exotic rooms, air conditioning and a spa, Round Hill Hotel & Villas is in the vicinity of Orchard Beach (Old Steamer Beach) and Tryall Golf Club.
Within feet:
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- Montego Bay
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Within 3.5 miles:
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- Reading Beach
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Within 5 miles:
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- One Man Beach
- Doctor’s Cave Beach
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Within 12 miles:
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- Roaring River Park
- Roaring River Cave Park
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Round Hill Hotel & Villas is 7 miles from Sangster International Airport.
Approximate cost per night (six-bedroom signature villa): $10,625
Cost per person (twelve people): $885
Half Moon
Rose Hall St Montego Bay
Mystic Mountain
Half Moon is a 400-acre resort with 2 miles of private white sand beach. It has 3 restaurants, 5 bars, an 18-hole golf course, 68,000 feet of spa, a basketball court, a volleyball court, 4 squash courts, 11 tennis courts, an Equestrian center, a fitness center and a 24-hour medical center. Italian and Jamaican cuisine may be found, along with alfresco dining at The Seagrape Terrace. Lounge not at the pool bar, but IN the pool bar, at Hibiscus Swim-up Pool Bar. Nearby you may find Fern Tree Spa, Il Giardino Restaurant, Escape To Exhale Day Spa. Renus Sports Bar & Gaming Lounge, Island Juices (restaurant), The Jerk Hut, Splendid Jam Cafe & Grill, Montego Bay Convention Center, Cinnamon Hill Golf Course, Rose Hall Great House, Cinnamon Hill Great House (Home of Johnny Cash), White Witch Golf Course and more.
Within feet:
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- Mystic Mountain
- Dunnes River Falls
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Within 1.2 miles:
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- Progressive Supermarket
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Within 14.1 miles:
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- Luminous Lagoon
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Within 10 miles:
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- Blue Hole Mineral Springs
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Half Moon is 5.3 miles from Sangster International Airport.
Approximate cost per night (prestige ocean suite): $1,124
Hyatt Zilara Rose Hall
Rose Hall Rd
Sugar Mill Restaurant
With an outdoor pool, a beach-front spa, free WiFi, air conditioning, hairdryers, French cuisine, a gourmet buffet, 3 bars (one a swim-up, one open-air), meeting facilities, an airport shuttle, a garden and free parking, Hyatt Zilara Rose Hall is near Sugar Mill Restaurant, Half Moon Golf Course, David’s Grocery Store, Kelly’s Wholesale, Punkie and Rosie Sports Bar and Club, Freddy’s Connection (restaurant) and more.
Within feet:
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- Sugar Mill Restaurant
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Within 9.3 miles:
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- Shopper’s Fair Supermarket
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Within 9.8 miles:
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- House Boat Grill Restaurant
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Within 13.5 miles:
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- Luminous Lagoon
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Hyatt Zilara Rose Hall is 6 miles from Sangster International Airport.
Approximate cost per night (one-bedroom ocean front suite): $2,312
Cost per person (four people): $578
R Hotel Kingston
Renfrew Road
John R Wong Supermarket
R Hotel Kingston has a restaurant, free private parking, an outdoor swimming pool, a fitness center, a bar and a terrace, a 24-hour front desk, air transportation, an a la carte breakfast, a business center, rental car service and a gift shop. It’s near Pleezas Cafe, Starbucks, Tea Tree Creperie Sora Japanese Sky Cuisine, BeWellers Pharmacy, The Peter Tosh Museum, Emancipation Park, Cafe El Centro and more.
Within feet:
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- John R Wong Supermarket
- Emancipation Park
- Mandela Park
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Within 2.4 miles:
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- Mona Heights Park
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Within 2.8 miles:
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- Tinson Pen Airdrome
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Within 5 miles:
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- Norman Manley International Airport
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Approximate cost per night (two-bedroom penthouse): $406
Cost per person (four people): $102
Jewel Grande
Montego Bay
Half Moon Point Beach
Offering a restaurant, a bar, a shared lounge, a garden, room service, a kids’ club, free WiFi, an outdoor swimming pool, a fitness center, evening entertainment, a 24-hour front desk, fully-equipped kitchens, a playground, pool and ping pong, Jewel Grande Montego Bay Resort and Spa is in the vicinity of Half Moon.
Within feet:
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- Half Moon Point Beach
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Within 4.5 miles:
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- Cornwall Court Park
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Within 5 miles:
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- Tropical Bliss Beach
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Within 8 miles:
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- The Howard Cooke Park
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Jewel Grande is 5 miles from Sangster International Airport.
Approximate cost per night (3-bedroom grande penthouse): $2,070
Cost per person (seven people): $296
Whispering Seas Penthouse
Tower Isle St. Mary
Sapphire Island Jamaica
Offering 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, an outdoor swimming pool, a fitness center, a balcony, free private parking, free WiFi, a flat-screen TV, a dining area, a fully-equipped kitchen, a patio with pool views, a sun terrace, a garden and a shared lounge area, Whispering Seas Penthouse is in the vicinity of Delly’s Brick Oven Pizza Restaurant, Twist Ice Cream & Cheesecake Parlor, Heaven’s Wynter Lodge Sports Bar & Restuarant and more.
Within feet:
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- Sapphire Island Jamaica
- Bambu Beach
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Within 4.5 miles:
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- Ocho Rios Market
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Within 5 miles:
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- Dunn’s River Falls
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Within 33 miles:
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- Tinson Pen Airdrome
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Approximate cost per night: $328
Cost per person (four people): $83
Penthouse On The Ridge
Main Street
Ocho Rios Bay Beach
Penthouse on the Ridge has free WiFi, private parking, panoramic harbor and town views and private gazebos. It’s found close to Turtle River Falls And Garden, Konoko Falls, Little Dunn’s River Beach, Mystic Mountain Rainforest Adventures and more.
Within feet:
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- Ocho Rios Bay Beach
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Within 1 mile:
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- Jerk Center Restaurant
- Oceans 11 Restaurant
- General Foods Supermarket
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Within 2 miles:
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- Farmers Market
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Within 3 miles:
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- Dunns River Falls
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Penthouse on the Ridge is 53 miles from Sangster International Airport.
Approximate cost per night: $255
Cost per person (five people): $50
The Fan Villa
Williamsfield, P.O. Port Antonio
Bikini Beach Jamaica
Providing ocean views, free WiFi, a sun terrace, a hot tub, gardens, free parking and a bar, The Fan Villa is close to Geejam.
Within 1 mile:
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- Frenchman’s Cove Beach
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Within 2.6 miles:
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- Bikini Beach Jamaica
- Winnifred Beach
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Within 29 miles:
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- Norman Manley International Airport
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Within 30 miles:
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- Tinson Pen Airdrome
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Approximate cost per night: $385
So there they are, hotels in Jamaica that will help make for an amazing experience. We hope you have found this information valuable and most importantly, that you enjoy your time in the Caribbean!