Luxury in Jamaica knows no bounds at these over-the-top (in the best way) beach resorts. You’ll spend your days exploring waterfalls and walking pristine stretches of beach and end your night in a plush suite with an ocean view or maybe even your own private beach. Full-service equestrian centers, private lagoons and award-winning restaurants are just the beginning of these lavish beach resorts in “the fairest isle that eyes ever beheld” according to Columbus.
Best Luxury Beach Resorts in Jamaica
1
Half Moon
Montego Bay, Jamaica
Courtesy of Half Moon
Whether you’re traveling as a family or couple, want to wake up for sunrise yoga or have breakfast in bed, Half Moon has everything you’ll need. It’s convenient location just 10 minutes from Sangster International Airport means your trip is effortless from start to finish—Half Moon concierge wait just outside Customs to transfer you to the 400-acre resort. Garden, pool and ocean views surround each uniquely-designed room, suite and villa, with anything not walking distance accessible via bicycle. Villas have their own private pools, but not to worry if you booked a room—the resort has 50 pools plus two miles of serene beach. Half Moon allows both families and couples to get the vacation they need—with a Children’s Village and plenty of activities just for kids, romantic getaways will be undisturbed.
Dine at the award-winning Sugar Mill restaurant for tasty Jamaican cuisine, Il Giardino for authentic Italian food or enjoy a beach BBQ with live music with the whole family. Half Moon has private dining options plus an array of bars and cafes, so a snack—or cocktail—is always in reach. Once you’ve got a lay of the land, head to Fern Tree Spa for a couples massage in an overwater bungalow, quiet meditation in the gardens or yoga session in the outdoor pavilion.
2
Jamaica Inn
Ocho Rios, Jamaica
Courtesy of Jamaica Inn
This family-run boutique hotel sits on its own private beach in Ocho Rios, Jamaica with just 48 spacious cottages and suites. While Jamaica Inn welcomes children 10 years and over, this manicured property has a reputation for romantic getaways. Luxury amenities and service here have been perfected over 50 years, ensuring you get the relaxing vacation you need, hassle-free. You’ll be delighted on arrival to your lodging—turndown service, upscale bedding and furnished balconies, make for a serene escape when you’re not lounging by the beach or pool.
Indulge in a variety of cuisines al fresco at the oceanfront terrace, in your room or on the beach three meals per day. Unlike many small hotels, Jamaica Inn offers meal plans and an all-inclusive option should you decide that’s best suited for your vacation. Complimentary kayaking, paddleboarding, snorkeling and sunfish sailing add the perfect amount of excitement to your days while the Ocean Spa awaits you with massages, facials and a full beauty salon when it’s time for R&R.
3
Luxury Bahia Principe Runaway Bay
Runaway Bay, Jamaica
Courtesy of Grupo Piñero
Everything is convenient at this adults-only resort—the all-inclusive plan covers unlimited drinks, buffet and a la carte dining (with reservation), nude beach access and butler service on request. Each suite comes equipped with a lofty canopy bed and pillow top mattress, plus a spacious living area and 24-hour room service. Three dazzling interconnected pools overlook the ocean with tropical cocktails always within reach at the swim-up pool bars.
You have equally unlimited options for activities, although some incur additional fees. Choose between international entertainment programs, paddleboarding over turquoise water, scuba diving lessons, a Ganja Oil Massage complimented by reggae music and more. When the sun goes down in Runaway Bay, the music turns up. Head to Bahia Principe Village for dancing at Ska Disco or singing your heart out at Karaoke Piano Bar. In addition, you have access to all of nearby Grand Bahia Principe Resort except the buffet.
4
GoldenEye Hotel
Oracabessa, Jamaica
Courtesy of Island Outpost
Experience adventure, inspiration and a seductively good time at the place James Bond started—author Ian Fleming created his character during a stay here. This dreamy beach hotel has two powdery-sand beaches with nearby reefs for exploring with your snorkel set, kayak or glass-bottom boat provided by the resort. When not swimming in the ocean, the Lagoon draws you in with a crystal-clear, warm water or two fresh-water swimming pools that always give a tranquil setting next to resort bars. The on-site FieldSpa exists purely for your relaxation with herbal wraps, meditation and of course, calming massages.
As far as accommodations go, we could go on for days with the special amenities but outdoor rain showers, claw foot tubs, oversized furniture, open-air feels and Blackwell Rum get the point across. The stylish abodes come in beachfront villas and huts, lagoon cottages and even the original houses of the owners like Ian Fleming and Chris Blackwell. Dining options are similarly impressive—choose between the tree-house restaurant Gazebo, in-room dining or an outdoor mean under the stars after your curated cocktails at one of the hotel bars. If you’re feeling extra fancy during your stay, you can plant a tree on the property by donating $1,000 to the Oracabessa Foundation…Kate Moss and Johnny Depp did it.
5
Azul Beach Resort Negril
Negril, Jamaica
Azul Beach Resort Negril is delicately designed with an adults-only section so both couples and families have the vacation experience of their dreams on Seven Mile Beach. The elegant yet subtley colorful decor gives a boutique feel, while you have the luxury amenities of a larger resort. The 285 ocean-view couples and family suites with the Gourmet Inclusive® Experience create a relaxing escape with more activities than you’ll have time for included. Every suite has ocean views at this AAA Four Diamond Award winner and includes thoughtful touches like rainfall showers, aromatherapy and free international calling.
Your options for working up an appetite are practically unlimited with kayaking, beach volleyball, yoga classes, cooking classes, a fitness center and live entertainment all at no additional charge. Plus, the Azulitos Playhouse plans supervised activities for children ages 3-12 when you want to kick back at Vassa Spa or have an intimate dinner on the beach. Gourmet Inclusive® Experience means you’ll enjoy the finest international meals and premium-brand alcohols at six restaurants, six bars and the poolside snack bar, including Italian, Thai and Caribbean cuisines for no additional cost. From the welcome glass of sparkling wine on arrival to your ultimate farewell, Azul Beach Resort Negril creates the perfect environment for you to release your worries and just be.
6
Rockhouse Hotel
Negril, Jamaica
Courtesy of Rockhouse Hotel
A dazzling boutique hotel made up of mosaic-tiled huts sitting right in the cliff’s edge over turquoise water that’s just begging you to dive in. Green Globe Certified, this ecofriendly retreat is built with natural materials and made to blend in with the surrounding nature, meaning right outside your room you can climb into azure-blue Pristine Cove for a swim or snorkel. All 34 rooms have a queen-size bed, safe, WiFi and, most importantly, no TVs. Rockhouse Hotel is a Jamaica vacation for the nature-lover-at-heart that appreciates luxury. The Premium Villas and Villas sit right on the cliffs facing the sunset with personal sound systems so you can jam to reggae to your heart’s content, while the Garden Villas, Studios and Standards have private outdoor showers, garden-seating areas and garden or water views.
If the views here don’t make you fall in love, the food will—the restaurants here are three of Jamaica’s most popular. Rockhouse Restaurant is a fine-dining experience overlooking Pristine Cove with Caribbean cuisine. Pushcart Restaurant & Rum Bar offers a traditional Jamaican dining experience—move to the live music as you order up Jamaican classics like jerk chicken and curried goat then wash it all down with a delicious rum. The Pool Bar & Grill is the perfect spot to enjoy a sumptuous cocktail, eat a burger and watch the sunset, but if you’re in the mood for something more rejuvenating, pop by the Juice Bar for a fresh juice made using produce from the on-site organic garden.
Rockhouse’s on-site spa received the World Travel Award for best spa in Jamaica, twice. Using all-natural Caribbean-made products, the holistic-therapy spa team takes you to a place of complete weightlessness. Similarly, the daily Iyengar Hatha-style yoga classes will bring you to a peaceful state that fully allows you to embrace your vacation. For daily activities, you have the most beautiful cove right outside your door—which you can rent snorkel gear for at the Pool Bar—and weekly classes in cooking, painting, Zumba, African drumming and more. To learn about the hotel’s charitable efforts, take the Rockhouse Foundation Community Tour where you’ll learn how the Foundation is improving education for kids in Negril—it’s donated more than $4 million.
Finally, destination wedding planners love this hotel. It’s strict “one wedding per week” policy, with a max of 20 per year gives couples the attention and exclusivity they deserve on their big day. The Weddings Manager “Lici” Eastwood will work with you to create your dream wedding set in the cliffs of Negril.
