The Caves Hotel in Negril Jamaica
A review of the secret paradise that billionaires and celebrities frequent, but you’ve never heard of…
On the western tip of Jamaica lies a secret that’s been kept from most of the traveling community. Hidden behind stone walls and a privacy gate, a short walk from one of the most infamous hangouts in the nation, and a five-minute drive from the coveted 7-mile beach, sits a secret utopia. This paradise is surrounded by 10 acres of jungle greenery, and perched atop limestone cliffs that overlook the vibrant blue waters of Negril.
This little known but highly praised resort offers 12 cottages and one Grand Villa. This isn’t your typical Caribbean all-inclusive. This all-inclusive is… it’s just different. Locally inspired gourmet meals served for breakfast, lunch, and dinner in an alfresco setting set the tone while enhancing the Santorini-like views of the sea and cliffs. Combine this with a true top-shelf alcohol selection and you’ve got something special, but catch your breath that’s not the half of it. This resort encourages their guests to get behind the bar, and fix their own cocktails when the bartenders aren’t available or have gone home for the evening. Did we forget to mention that there is a hidden bar that sits inside a natural cave? How about the fact that you can request a private, candle-lit dinner, inside one of the hidden caves that sit below the property? Can you say romance overload? It’s no wonder that this is a little talked about favorite of many celebrities, who are looking privacy and an unforgettable experience.
By now you’re probably thinking to yourself, “Why haven’t I heard of this place?” The answer is simple. They like to keep it that way. We had to get special permission just to shoot footage on the property. The property treats all its guests like A-list celebrities, and when you think about it, it probably has something to do with the fact that the owner has produced, and managed some of the biggest acts in the music industry. We almost forgot to tell you. The owner is the same man who introduced the world to Bob Marley and the Wailers.
This is our review of The Caves
Arrival & Check-in
The arrival was fairly smooth. Although we did have to wait about an hour for our cottage to be ready, we weren’t surprised by this at all. The Caribbean is known for its laid back and sometimes slow service. We weren’t bothered by this because during our wait we were served cocktails that featured fresh watermelon juice and some unknown spirits. All we know is, they hit the spot.
Once our cottage was ready, our bags were taken to the room, and we were greeted by one of the ladies from the front office at the property. It was time for us to get our official tour of the property.
Property Overview
The grounds are beautiful. Lush, thick, greenery lines the walkways and provides an amazing contrast to the azure blue waters. The main walkway overlooking the cliffs is simply spectacular. There are multiple steep staircases at different places across the property. They lead guests down to the water or they’ll lead guest to places to dive into the warm waters of the sea. For a moment, you forget where you are. The royal blue cushions of the loungers, and the white beach umbrellas, combined with the off-white limestone cliffs make for a Greece-like view. Just to make sure we weren’t the only people thinking this, we posted a video of the view on our Instagram and asked our audience to guess the location. A large percentage of participants guessed Santorini. We weren’t crazy after all! The Caves can give you a picturesque view similar to Greece, while also serving you some of the best Jamaican food and drinks you can imagine.
During our tour of the grounds we were shown each of the three dining areas. The dining areas will seem small to most who are used to the large, all-inclusive resorts. They are very intimate settings that seemingly force other guests to interact with each other. This is a good thing. Being that the resort is small and exclusive, you’ll get to speak with, and meet some very amazing people.
With the three restaurants, come three bars. There is also a rum bar that sits alone in one of the caves. The bars might have been our favorite part, but we will get to that later. During our tour we were also showed the spa, the blue hole, and the caves. After our tour of the property we were escorted to our cottage.
Room/Cottage
As mentioned previously, this is a small resort with 12 cottages. Each cottage is unique and made to feel like your own living space. During our stay, we stayed in two different cottages. The first was cottage was called Two Birds. This was a garden view room which was very close to the front desk, the blue hole, and the main area where most guests hang out during the day. Two Birds featured a queen size bed with mosquito net. There was also a seating area with a small love seat, and 2 person table which could be used for dining or ask a desk. The bathroom was not your standard bathroom. There is no bathtub with a shower. However, there is a door that leads guest outside to a private shower. This was a wonderful surprise for us, but we can see how some might not enjoy that aspect. Every cottage has its own mini fridge with snacks, beer, and a large bottle of wine. To put the icing on the cake, each room also gets a bottle of Blackwell Rum which is also owned by Chris Blackwell, the owner of The Caves and former owner of Island Records.
The second cottage we stayed in was the Butterfly Cottage. This cottage was larger and had a sea view. It was also located on the second level, with another cottage being on the first level. This cottage was decorated completely different than the last. Different colors, different furniture, and an indoor bathtub and shower. There are many interesting things about the rooms that make them unique, but instead of us pointing out every detail, we will leave it up to you to see for yourself.
Food & Drinks
Jamaica is one of our favorite places for food. The Caves did not disappoint. This is an all-inclusive but it’s not like most others you’ve been to. There is no 24-hour room service. There is no room service at all really. Your meals are to be eaten in one of the restaurants or at one of the many sitting areas perched above the sapphire blue water.
Images of some of the food that was prepared can be seen on our last blog. Click Here to view.
There are a few different areas for meals. The Bamboo Terrace, The Gazebo, and The Sands.
The main dining area is The Bamboo Terrace. This space sets the tone for the resort. There is bamboo furnishings and daybeds to ensure you are totally relaxed while enjoying meals and drinks.
For breakfast and lunch we’d always eat at the Gazebo. This is an Alfresco setting with a handful of tables to seat guests. Yes, you heard that correctly. There aren’t many guests so there is no need for dozens upon dozens of tables. We were worried that meals might get weird at first, but we actually ended up loving how small and intimate meals were. It was almost like a family meal. All of the guest put aside any preconceived differences and really ended up getting to know each other. Okay, back to breakfast. Each morning you are given a menu with Jamaican breakfast items. You let them know what you want and it is prepared fresh and to your liking. If you aren’t as risky, you can also order traditional foods like fruit, eggs, sausage, and pancakes. Speaking of pancakes, the freshly made banana pancakes from scratch were the best I’ve ever had. No syrup or any extra topping necessary. They were that good.
Lunch works the same way. Choose as much or as little as you want from the menu and enjoy. Every day we were there was something different. From jerk chicken to snapper burritos, everything was tasty.
We had dinner at the Bamboo Terrace and we also had dinner at The Sands. The sands is gorgeous at night. It is located outdoors, and there is a man-made sandy area where everyone dines on top of the cliff. Hence the name, The Sands. The sands is a really cool area because on Wednesdays and Saturdays it’s open to the public. On these days jerk chicken is prepared on site and there is a large blue tiled bar to make sure no one gets thirsty. One night we dined at the Sands and there was a gourmet Jamaican buffet with all the trimmings. While we dined there were local performers who kept everyone entertained.
One of the most interesting things about The Caves is the rules at the bars. All of the servers go home after dinner is served, so there is no one at the bar to fix drinks for guests. Surprisingly enough, this resort is prepared for those of us who like to drink into the wee-hours of the morning.
When there is no one at the bar you are welcome to walk into the bar area and fix your own drinks. You heard that correctly. They allow guests to be the bartenders at night. It’s the true meaning of an open bar! Fix what you want and enjoy the rest of your evening.
Private Dining
The icing on the cake is the private dining experience. For less than $100 USD per person guests are able to reserve a 5 course dinner in one of the two caves. Each cave is decorated with dozens upon dozens of rose petals. If that isn’t enough, there are about 100 real candles, which illuminate the tucked away dining areas. Combine this with excellent food, service, and the sounds of the sea punishing the limestone cliffs, and you have an experience that’s priceless. We have a blog dedicated to this experience. Click here to view
A+
We’d have to give The Caves a A+ or a 5-Star rating. This property is one of the reasons travelers should use travel advisors. If you were to google “Best Resorts in Jamaica” it’s likely that The Caves wouldn’t be high on your radar. It’s not officially considered a 5-Star property, and there aren’t many images and videos to show potential guests the resort features. Many potential guests end up selecting other, more well-known resorts. We are here to tell you that many people are missing out on a Jamaican gem. This place should get way more attention than it does. Maybe this blog will do just that. The Caves is a luxury property that we’d highly recommend to our clients, and especially couples looking for a romantic, one of a kind experience. There is one issue. Since there are only 12 cottages at the entire property it can become difficult to book here. Luckily for you, you know us. We have a personal relationship with the property management, and we can do everything in our power to secure a cottage for your next vacation.
Reserve your spot now. Pay a deposit today, and the rest later.