Hotel Mocking Bird Hotel

Description:

• A 10km (6-mile) drive east of Port Antonio, this charming, homey, and well-maintained inn competes effectively with hotels and resorts that are larger, grander, and sometimes, much more pretentious. In 1993, two imaginative women transformed the place into an enclave of good taste, reasonable prices, and ecological consciousness. Set about 180m (590 ft.) above the coastline on a hillside laden with tropical plants, within a 5-minute drive from Frenchman's Cove Beach, the hotel attracts a clientele of mostly European visitors who revel in the artsy and ecologically alert setting. The accommodations are tasteful and at their best, understatedly elegant, with neatly kept shower-only bathrooms, balconies or verandas, spinning ceiling fans, mosquito netting, and views that sweep over the rainforest down to the sea. Much of the establishment's interior, including its separately recommended restaurant (Mille Fleurs), is decorated with artworks, many executed by Barbara Walker, one of the owners. There are massage options available on-site, as well as day hikes and classes in painting and drawing.

• © Frommer's 2012

Awards:

Frommer's

•  Recommended 2010

Other features:

Limited room service, laundry, coffee maker, hair dryer, bathrobes, free snorkeling rental, library, satellite TV and gift shop. MAP plan available for breakfast, lunch and dinner.