Fabulous...Just Fabulous

Guest: Scrow595 (Oklahoma City)
Date of Stay: 12/25/11 Review Submitted: 01/07/12

My husband and I and another couple just returned from our Christmas vacation at the Yellow Canary. WOW!!! It is everything and more as described, from the time Johnny picked us up at the airport until he returned us 6 days later. Miss Iris was a wonderful cook who attended to our every need and desire. The villa was well kept and very comfortable both in and out. The beach was 500 yards...most of the time we had it to to ourselves. The only downside was that the beach bar played very loud music for two of the days we were there but that's because it was Boxing Day and folks had a couple of days off. The owner was very easy to deal with...no problem mon. We would stay at this villa again in a heartbeat. Can't wait to go back! A very big thank you to Veronica, Iris, and Johnny for making this a special holiday vacation.

Recommended for:Girls getaway, families with teenagers, romantic getaway, age 55+, families with young children.

Had a wonderful week in Duncans Bay

Guest: Loves travel and adventure (Denver, CO)
Date of Stay: 07/09/11 Review Submitted: 08/02/11

I spent a week at the Yellow Canary in July with my husband, son and relatives. We had an awesome time. The property is nice, and well maintained. It's mid-block on the street and just steps from the beach. The beach was awesome, and the water was crystal clear. The majority of the time, we had the beach to ourselves. Snorkeling was great right there too, we saw sting rays, starfish, sea cucumbers, conch, sand dollars. Being on the north shore, you also get the benefit of both sunrise and sunset on the beach. Iris is an amazing cook. She cooked Jamaican food for us every meal. We tried everything, and had no complaints on any of it. She makes everything from scratch. I especially loved her fresh pineapple crepes for breakfast myself. We had a couple of excursions planned and Iris hooked us up with a driver named Patrice. She was a lot of fun and we really enjoyed spending time with her. We did a day trip to Ocho Rios and Dunn River Falls, and an evening trip over to 'Time and Place' for a sunset lobster dinner on the beach, then went to the Luminous Lagoon in Falmouth. Tony the owner of Time and Place hooked us up for a private tour of the Luminous Lagoon, for the same price as Glistening Waters charges and we got to spend more time out in the bay. We also went scuba diving out of Runaway Bay with Resort Divers. They came and picked us up at the entrance to Silver Sands, and brought us back to the villa afterwards. It turned out to be a private dive at our own pace. They took us out to a plane wreck and ship wreck, and then to a reef offshore. One afternoon, Charley our gardener led us over to an Arawake cave a few minutes walk from our villa. Escaped slaves hid and lived there long ago. It's pretty large, with lots of rooms, and there is even a tomb in it, and bats flying around. Very interesting and cool. A heads up for Americans, use to staying in resorts and having most tolietries provided. Bring all your own tolietries including (soap, shampoo, wash cloths, and a hairdryer if needed). These items were not included. Also insect repellant is a must. And unless you're brave enough to rent a car, you'll also need cash for your drivers, and you'll need cash for your groceries. There is an ATM in Duncans next to the grocery. where you can get cash when needed. We highly recommend this villa and area to anyone that wants more of a real Jamaican experience, versus a resort experience. Can't wait to go back and do it all again.

Owner response:Hello Theresa Thank you very much for a wonderful review. We here at the Yellow Canary welcome you and family back and we all send greetings. Regards Veronica and team

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, sightseeing.

Duncan's fun, relaxation & renewal

Guest: Sugar Mama & Doctor Love (Normal, IL, USA)
Date of Stay: 06/16/11 Review Submitted: 06/26/11

The Yellow Canary experience was wonderful. The villa is in a quiet area along Duncan's Bay with no high rise resorts in site. You get the true feeling of Jamaica and the people, while being within an easy taxi ride of either Ocho Rios or Montego Bay. Saturday evenings at LeRoy's on the beach is not to be missed, but a weeknight of absolute quiet and serenity at a beach side table should also be experienced. Iris, the housekeeper and cook, was fabulous and provided wonderful insights into the people and the culture, as well as providing fabulous meals. We bought fish and lobster directly from the fisherman next to LeRoy's, and asked Iris to cook other traditional Jamaican dishes as well. Visits to the village of Duncan's to buy food and other supplies was also a great experience with Iris at our side to guide the process. But she was also happy to do the shopping for you, and let you just sit back and be served. We found taxi service reasonably priced and easy to arrange (with Iris' help) for both short trips to the village, or longer day trips to Ochie. We won't hesitate to return and visit our new friends in the Duncan's area.

Owner response:Thank you very much Sherry and Tony for adding your views of the area here in Duncans Bay and your time spent at the Yellow Canary. We are all happy that you both have had a wonderful holiday here. Veronica

Recommended for:Girls getaway, romantic getaway, age 55+, tourists without a car, sightseeing, families with young children.

Fantastic Vacation

Guest: Pete (Winnipeg, Manitoba,Canada)
Date of Stay: 03/23/11 Review Submitted: 04/09/11

This was second trip to Jamaica & met our expectations and more. Reviews can not tell all til you go to the villa at Duncan's Bay. Veronica met us at airport just as planned and drove us to villa. The Yellow Canary was well kept. Iris, the housekeeper, was incredible with her cooking, her knowledge of the island and local customs. The villa is close to everything you want to do. Dunns River Falls, Dolphin Cove, Outameni( cultural center), Glistening Lagoon, Burwood Beach, and a 30 second walk to Duncan's Bay. Kids were in the ocean every day by 9 a.m. They did not want to come home. Thanks for a memorable trip.

Recommended for:Girls getaway, families with teenagers, adventure seekers, romantic getaway, age 55+, tourists without a car, sightseeing, families with young children.

TRANQUIL LOCATION!

Guest: Kasia,Trevor,Vian,Bridget & Latoya (London, United Kingdom)
Date of Stay: 02/23/11 Review Submitted: 04/08/11

Myself, Fiance, 5 month old daughter , Mum and sister, stayed here for 12 nights and totaly enjoyed our stay! The property is well maintained and comes with the lovely housekeeper Ms. Iris, who is very helpful and friendly! She was always willing to assist and ensure our stay was positive. Whenever we had a question about the Island or its attractions, Ms. Iris either knew the answer or did her best to find out! Charlie the gardener works hard at keeping the garden looking lovely! Would recommend this property to anyone wishing to stay in Duncans! Thank you Veronica, Ms. Iris and Charlie! X

Recommended for:Girls getaway, families with teenagers, adventure seekers, romantic getaway, age 55+, tourists without a car, people with disabilities, pet owners, sightseeing, families with young children.

No Worries Just Relax

Guest: Paul and Nicole (Sarnia, ON, Canada)
Date of Stay: 03/13/11 Review Submitted: 03/23/11

We had been to Jamaica a few years ago at an all inclusive, and although that was a good experience, this was much better in our opinion.The owner, Veronica, was easy to communicate with and answered all of our questions about the villa and our stay in Jamaica. Miss Iris is a fabulous cook and extremely helpful in all regards - she cooks, she cleans, she shops and she shares stories!! The location is about a 30 second walk from a very nice and sparsely populated beach with white sand and clear water. The house is very well maintained with two outdoor sitting areas, one east facing and one west facing to facilitate sun or shade either time of the day. The garden surrounding the yard is the best one in the area - a variety of plants to look at and that provide lots of privacy - due to the expert gardener, Charlie. Iris can give you ideas and help to plan any number of day trips, or you can sit and relax all day and night between the beach and the yard. You'll definitely want to go to Leroy's Bar on the beach for the Saturday night band. The pace of life at the Yellow Canary is wonderfully slow and the food is exceptionally tasty!

Recommended for:Girls getaway, romantic getaway, age 55+, tourists without a car, families with young children.

One of the best villas you could run into

Guest: Alex (Edmonton, Alberta, Canada)
Date of Stay: 02/15/11 Review Submitted: 02/24/11

the location is ideal, the beach is extremely private and the neighborhood is beautiful. Several villas are for rent in this area. What sets this particular villa apart are two things: the best garden in the neighborhood and a fantastic cook (Iris). This is truly a quiet getaway. While staying my fiancee and I visited Falmouth & Montego Bay and were very glad we chose to stay at Duncans Bay rather than both of those places. We also did some shopping at a resort a few doors down from the villa and were very happy we did not choose the resort expirience over this one. The locals are friendly and unlike in other parts of Jamaica, you will not be hassled every five minutes by someone to buy something. My only caution is that some travel is required to go to restaurants or larger cities, so if you have come to shop you're looking at taxi rides, though they are cheap and not tough to get.

Recommended for:Girls getaway, romantic getaway, age 55+.

Amazing getaway

Guest: shimfamily (Toronto, Canada)
Date of Stay: 11/22/10 Review Submitted: 12/04/10

Our family stayed at the Yellow Canary Villa this past November and were delighted with the property, the location and Miss Iris(chef). Miss Iris was not only an amazing cook and hostess but very knowledgable about the the area and so patient with our two small boys. This was an important trip for us as we had the whole family together and our time at the Yellow Canary will be cherished for many years to come. We have decided to make Yellow Canary our vacation spot whenever we come to Jamaica.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, romantic getaway, age 55+, sightseeing, families with young children.

A Splendid Villa

Guest: Dave and Patty (Northern Pennsylvania)
Date of Stay: 07/31/10 Review Submitted: 08/10/10

Well, we have returned from a wonderful trip to Jamaica. The Yellow Canary Villa was just splendid, so comfortable and cozy, with all the amenities of home. Our housekeeper was a most gracious, helpful and knowledgeable hostess. She made our stay at the Villa so very pleasurable. The time with her at the Villa (and the meals she prepared) were priceless to our family. Also, the grounds were just beautiful. Thank you.

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, adventure seekers, age 55+, tourists without a car, sightseeing.

Like My 2nd Home!

Guest: Sam & Rasta (Gilbert, AZ)
Date of Stay: 01/10/10 Review Submitted: 05/08/10

I've stayed at Yellow Canary multiple times since 2008 and it has truly become my Jamaican home. My husband and I stayed there when we were dating, we married on the beach and our wonderful reception was at YC. Miss Veronica keeps the home in very good condition and is very accommodating to your needs. The location is just perfect with a great blend of locals and a great launching point for anywhere on the island. But a review wouldn't be complete without commenting on Miss Iris, the hostess. She is absolutely wonderful! My husband is a Rasta and a strict vegetarian. During our first stay at YC, he insisted on doing the cooking, certain that no one could cook his food properly. He quickly learned that not only could Miss Iris cook his style food, but cooked it wonderfully! Iris can be totally invisible if you want, but this is a wonderful lady to get to know! We'll be heading back in a couple months and we can't wait to get home!!

Recommended for:Girls getaway, families with teenagers, adventure seekers, romantic getaway, age 55+, sightseeing.