Rockhouse, Negril

My boyfriend and I recently stayed at The Rockhouse November 27 - December 1st and had the time of our lives. We arrived at the resort welcomed with rum punch, charm, and a friendly guide to our bedroom. The stone pathways and greenery really made the resort so endearing (reggae music very lightly playing in the background near the food areas was a pleasant surprise too). The food at the main restaurant, the pushcart, & the pool were insanely delicious.  All the food was made with so much love (takes awhile, but enjoy a "Dirty Banana" or Red Stripe as you wait). We ate at Rick's Cafe one night and immediately regretted missing a dinner at the resort! If you miss the beach and sand a hotel called Isle Awhile 5 minutes away accomodates Rockhouse guests. It is an easy breezy friendly hotel as well though different aesthetically. The Spa is a must - "Couples Morning Wake Up Package"  was what we chose (15mins foot soak & scrub, 50mins massage, & outdoor shower)! We originally arranged for the treatment to be at the “Caribbean Drench” cabana on the cliffs, having it take place in full at the spa was a way better decision as the ambiance was so serene and styled so naturally and the ladies were a dream. What makes The Rockhouse so special is the staff hands down. I cannot say enough how kind, helpful, fun and friendly each and every person was. They were all so warm and happy to be at work. The view, ocean, outdoor shower, comfortable room deck, romantic mosquito netted bed, and perfect sunsets were just extra perks! Who needs a TV or entertainment amenities in the bedroom when you are at a place as relaxing  - Extra sleep and waking up early to have long days in the sun was our plan of action.  If you need extra stimulation they have a common area lounge with plush oversized couches with wooden games, TV, and WiFi.  We would return in a heart beat and left on our last day scheming our wedding to take place there one day. Lastly, definitely make reservations to go on Famous Vincent's Glass Bottom Boat ride with Vincent himself and friend Roger. It is a 3 hour boat and snorkeling adventure all beginning at the steps at the bottom of the main restaurant. Truly lastly, because we are from NYC and miss Negril already we are definately going to check out Miss Lily's soon (affiliated worh TR). Highly recommend wholeheartedly and will return ASAP!

I personally would never stay at a hotel with a spectacular view of the Caribbean from the 21st floor, because it's too far to to get to the water. Couldn't imagine having a lounge chair in a sea of lounge chairs, just two. I don't want any meal plans, how do I know where and what I'm going to be in the mood to eat, nor do I want to stay at a hotel where they warn you not to leave the compound or a hotel where it isn't safe to leave the compound. I will not stay at a hotel whose beach or waterfront property is a public thoroughfare, it interferes with my past-time of horizon watching. Snorkeling, there has got to be good snorkeling. I can swim, but normally I don't swim. If I had my own in ground pool maybe I would but there has got to be more in it for me than getting wet. And it can't be a $1000 a night. It took to me a few tries before I found it but 10 years ago I found the Rockhouse, and I've only missed I believe 2 birthdays since not being there. For the money there is no place like it. The growth at the Rockhouse over the past 10 years has added to the experience one hopes to enjoy while staying there (for those of you who may remember the Pickled Parrot and Pirate's Cave.

The Rockhouse was our first trip to Jamaica. The property was amazing. The staff was very helpful and friendly. The atmosphere and vibe was very relaxing and romantic. I would recommend this place to anyone I know. We had so much fun and were planning our next trip back right now. Keep away from the pool guys and the push cart bartenders, there drinks are dangerously good.

Nestled in the western end of of the little Caribbean island Jamaica sheltered and securely perched on the rocky cliffs over looking the ocean is Rock house Negril one the most beautiful, arresting and tranquill vacation spots in the world. If you are depressed and tried from the hetic fast track business. It is time to take a break. Get rejuvenated at Rock House. Embrace the calming sea as it dashes across the rocks sending cascades of salty sprays resounding in the tunnels beneath your bed. Stretch out on your back in the magnificient pool right on the edge of the cliff over looking the ocean under the tropical sun and be energized. Feel as if your are master of the ocean as you set your spirit free. Visit the spa and enjoy the healing hands of the natives and the aroma theraphy of the island's sented naturals oils comingling with the epic sent of the sea. Sit and enjoy your meals in the dining room where the sea drums out island sound and they bash on the edges of rougged rocks. Rock House There is just so much to feel and experenc,undescribable , You have to come and experience it for your self,to be taken beyond your wildest dreams. Its unbelievable that sea and rocks could produce such magnificience, such magic and soul healing.

Our first--loooong awaited trip to Jamaica!! My wife and I spent 5 wonderfully relaxed days here. The location--perfect, I love the water, but not necessarily the beach so it was great being on the cliffs. The sea is literally your front "yard". The snorkeling right in front of our villa was awesome!! While the accomadations are fine, do not expect the Four Seasons. I think they would be best described as minimal and rustic. The beds were very comfortable, the open air shower cool. The on-site restaurant has to be the best in Negril. We ate all but 3 meals there (one was at the pool grill) and the other two off site. I own five restaurants and like to think i know something when it comes to food and service and they were both so great here we didn't feel the need to venture anywhere else and be disappointed--like when we went to the "highly-touted" Rick's tourist trap one night. The portions at the Rockhouse restaurant are generous and the prices very fair especially considering they know guests are potentially a captive audience. We did head up to Seven Mile beach and had a nice lunch one day, but cab rides were $8-10. We both had a couple of spa treatments. The staff excellent and the spa itself very nice. Our room was close to the "front desk" area so we were able to get internet service in our room. Otherwise you can acces it in this area or in the bar/restaurant. Never once did we feel unsecure in the property. Sure, right outside the gates you are hounded by some of the local merchants, but inside no problem. Nobody approaching you (like on the beach) to buy their wood carvings, lobsters or message services. Speaking of lobsters--that was my only disappointment--they were out of season and unavailable--otherwise i probably would have eaten a few. The only annoyance is when you leave your room thru the main door the A/C cuts off. We felt so safe here when we went to the restaurant for meals, we would leave thru one of the three sliding glass doors the villas have, requiring us to leave the room unlocked but keeping the A/C running. Keep in mind that we could see our room from the restaurant deck. We took a snorkle trip with Famous Vincent out to the reef. He'll pull right up to the cliffs and take you out for about $20 a person. It was a nice boat ride but I felt the snorkeling around the hotel was just as good. All-in-all a great relaxing time with doing a whole lot of nothing. Sure their are "tours" and stuff but we felt the need to do none of that. Will I go back? Well-- I wasn't that impressed with Negril itself --but i will DEFINITLEY go back to the Rockhouse. The only thing i will do next time is rent a scooter so we can do some exploring at our own pace and convenience.

The RockHouse was a very quiet and peaceful place to vacation. Everything is very laid back. Discover the convenience store early in your stay to buy some more affordable items though the in room fridge is reasonable. The water was beautiful and there were great points to jump off into the clear deep water. Food was good at the RockHouse and at several hotel resteraunts along a 2 mile strip. The best meal was an outside grill less than 1/2 mile that offered grilled "jerk" chicken and lobster. Very local place but several tourists were there licking their fingers. Only caution, I had my credit card cloned while visiting the island. Most likly occurred at one of the hotel resteraunts. I hope it wasnt the RockHouse. So, use cash in these situations. All in all, very affordable and relaxing.

Rockhouse is as good as most people describe it. I've been there 8 times in a row out of 12 trips to jamaica. Bang for buck you can certainly do better at an AI however. It is rustic and thats it's charm, so you are actually paying a lot to have less! Most diehard AI resort lovers will probably not enjoy the rockhouse scene because there is no beach, no free activities, no included meals or free booze. Rockhouse is becoming more and more expensive each year I go. Do your homework before you sign on to stay there so you don't have a bad experience. Most people I meet there that are not having a good time or find flaws with the hotel or staff typically are AI people or came at it with too high expectations. Rockhouse is also booking far too many weddings! It makes it next to impossible to wrangle the room you want and for the length of time you want because these weddings all show up on thursday and leave on monday. We used to book 2 months ahead for Feb, now we book our slot over a year in advance to make sure we get 2 weeks when we want it. Of course off season is easier. So don't just read these reviews here and think it is perfect. It is in many ways, but only if you are expecting a specific type vacation. If you need a beach but still want a rockhouse type vibe check out Kuyaba on the beach. It is very similar to rockhouse, not as laid back as it is in tourist central but very very nice. Be warned however that a few years ago the ocean took back large quantities of Negrils famous beach. If you want lots and lots of wide open beach area you will need to stay at an AI because they are the only hotels that could afford to pump sand back after the hurricanes and storms.

The Rockhouse Hotel is a beautiful piece of property- with the best sunset in Jamaica. However, the service is very very very slow – in my opinion, based on the service and the price charged per night, this gives consumers little value for their money. We encountered a “rude” person at the check in – and when we spoke to the operations manager, he claimed that “other people rave about our service” and basically ignored our complaint. He did nothing to assure us that this would never happen again … Guests staying on the property are not given priority for dinner – a place where you can watch the sunset—the reason people stay at the hotel is to have a romantic dinner and watch the sunset – how can this be?? I had high expectations only to have them squashed!! I would not recommend this place – beautiful property or not!!

We went with our 14yr son four years ago, and we will be back this Feb, 2008. We had a villa..... WOW. This time we will have a room to save money. If you haven't been and can get the extra cash it will be well worth it. you feel like you are really living in Jamaica. The food was great but we ate roadside and fresh food a lot. Try what the locals eat. Nice area, we were not afraid to walk every place. Just watch those cars! Look for music, we saw some. Get the lonely planet guide. I can't wait to be back!!!!!

The Rockhouse is truly a great place to stay. The staff gave impeccable service. The spa staff was just too good to be true. Definitely have a spa service I highly recommend it. The restaurant had great good with even better service. I was in the restaurant business and I can say I was very impressed. Our waiter served a table of 20 women and didn't miss a beat. Don't forget to ask the bartender to belt out a few songs. The wedding was fabulous. THe most romantic, beautiful setting I have ever seen. The Villas are clean bright and airy. You can't beat opening your shades to a breaktaking Caribbean view. Only bad part and this has NOTHING to do with the resort, was the length of time it took to get from Montego Bay to Negril. Look into a puddle jumper. I am pretty sure Negril has a local airport. Oh I almost forgot, best thing....no KIDS allowed.