When James Bond creator Ian Fleming bought 15 acres of beachfront on the northern coast of Jamaica in 1946, he set in motion two great endeavours. Not only would he go on to write all 14 of his James Bond novels from GoldenEye, the home he built above his private palm-fringed beach, he would also kick-start tourism in Jamaica, welcoming an assortment of Hollywood stars, world leaders and literary figures to his home over the next 20 years, Fast-forward 75 years – during which Bob Marley brought reggae music and Jamaican culture to the world – and the island remains a popular corner of the Caribbean for well-heeled visitors.
Though new resorts are few and far between, the well-established Half Moon in Montego Bay has transformed itself over the last few years, culminating in the opening of Eclipse in October, an elegant luxury retreat set on a wide swathe of white sand beach. Fifty-seven rooms and suites are spread across a collection of colonial-style cottages overlooking the beach and its private swimming cove, and
a market café, two restaurants and three bars are dotted around the spacious infinity pool and nearby Fern Tree spa. The new hotel is one of three at Half Moon, which is also home to a handful of five- to seven-bedroom villas at Rose Hall and a collection of original rooms and suites dating back to 1965 at Founders Cove.
www.halfmoon.com
On the northeast coast of Jamaica near Port Antonio, Geejam Hotel is one of the island’s best-kept secrets, with a collection of rooms, cabins and villas stretched along the coast at the foot of the Blue Mountains, and an in-house recording studio used by some of the world’s most well-known artists. When it reopens this month, the hotel will debut 12 new Rumba Studio
rooms, a new infinity pool and an extended Bushbar, where a treetop DJ booth lulls guests with Jamaica’s iconic sound every night.
www.geejamhotel.com
At the other end of the island, The Tryall Club is an exclusive collection of one- to 10-bedroom villas scattered across 2,200 acres of a former sugar plantation, with a 1.5 mile coastline that’s home to a new-look Beach Club and water sports centre: gateway to the blue waters of the Caribbean. Inland, miles of hiking trails snake through the hills and valleys of the estate, past heritage buildings and various wildlife habitats, a Ralph Plummer-designed golf course and nine tennis courts.
www.tryallclub.com
Anticipating the launch of the new Bond movie No Time To Die, in which Jamaica is once again due to play a starring role, the Jamaican Tourism Board is working on developing rural tourism hotspots across the country to immerse visitors in local culture. Though plans are still in their infancy, a new network of cycling routes will be introduced in the spring to open up more parts of the country to pedal-powered visitors.
While many of the world’s airlines are reducing their route networks, UK flag carrier British Airways is doubling down on Jamaica and introducing twice-weekly flights from London Gatwick to Montego Bay. The new route complements the carrier’s existing service to Kingston, which has been in service for 75 years, and Virgin Atlantic’s five-weekly flights from London Heathrow, further opening up the west Jamaican hotspot to visitors from the Middle East and Europe transiting through London.
www.visitjamaica.com