Archival
10/10 Excellent
Mark J.
25 Aug, 2016
Invaluable tips for a perfect vacation in Jamaica with Dehaney Destinations
First, the only downside--finding the house! The development is brand new, and very few locals know of it; follow these directions to find it easily. For Immigration, use this address: Drax Hall Country Club, 17 Pimento Road, St. Ann. To drive to the house, coming from Montego Bay on the A-1, turn left at the light across from Vista del Mar (there’s a car park lot on the left). This the light BEFORE the light to Scotchie's Jerk Centre. At the end of the road, enter the 2nd gates, on the right, NOT the 1st gates, on the left. In the traffic circle, go all the way around till Pimento, the last road, and it’s the 6th house on the right. Caple Williams is an authorized Montego Bay airport cabbie, tour guide and super nice guy, so you might want to ask for him at the airport.
The rest is awesome! Renting a house is a great alternative: an entire house to yourself + a more authentic Jamaican experience.
Definitely hire Marlene as your cook. She cooks delicious Jamaican food, is delightful & trustworthy & takes great pride in her work. So you can save a lot of money AND get an authentic culinary experience! She also cleans up & does laundry.
Inside, the house is beautiful: nice front porch, lovely back veranda with table, sitting area, and full grill. Master BR has queen-sized bed & full bath, 2nd BR has queen, 3rd BR has 2 twins, all with VERY firm mattresses. There is a 2nd full bath.
The electrical switches are oddly paired with their devices, but they work fine, & outlets are compatible with American devices. WiFi is iffy; good for movies, but not for gaming.
Pool & tennis courts are good & very close-by. Fitness center disappointing--2 treadmills, 1 elliptical, 1 bike, & free weights + bench, which are all fine, but only overhead fans, no AC or TV, so hot & boring to work out (BYO entertainment).
Adrian Sr. is very helpful--but get his correct phone #!
You need to rent a car (if you can drive on the left!) or use cabs to get to supermarkets, Ocho Rios, clubs, nearby attractions. Don’t hesitate to negotiate the price, but remember that it will be more if driver waits for you. Want scuba? Garfield Diving Ctr in Ocho Rios is terrific. Just google them to find contact info. Great instructor (Collin) and got fully certified (4 open-water dives & all equipment)--great deal!
Mark J.
Stayed 8 nights in Aug 2016
