How many hotels b4 you settled...

For us this was easy. Tensing Pen!!

This is how I explain Jamaica, Negril and Tensing Pen to friends that have never been to Jamaica or any other country.

The first time we wen to Jamaica/Negril was in the early 90's. When we arrived at the airport and walked out to the taxi area the feeling came over you "WE HAVE SPENT HOW MUCH TO GO WHERE"!!!

Once you find your drive and load up through the craziness and start the trip to Negril driving through Mobay you keep thing oh my god. Then you get in the area areounf Tryall and start feeling much better. As the drive continues along the coast especially the old road and you go through Lucea, Hopewell, Green Island that feeling of OH **** comes back. Then you come to the All Inclusive area or negril and you start to feel better again. Opps the bad feeling come back once you get to the round about in Negril and head out on the potholed west end road ( much better today). Drivind down westend that 'WE SPENT HOW MUCH TO GO WHERE" feeling returns.

Then you pull into the gate at Tensing Pen, look through the dinning area out onto the cliffs, walk the property the first time and realize you have arrived in Paradise!!

Each day of your trip the Westend becomes more familiar and you soon realize all the little places you though we just shacks along the road have some of the friendliest people and the best food on the planet. soon you realize "YES WE SPENT THIS MUCH MONEY" and "YES TENSING PEN AND NEGRIL ARE WORTH EVERY PENNY".

After our first afternoon, first dinner (the old Serious Chicken), first night under the stars, first morning waking to the sticky sweet smell of a Jamaica morning and first breakfast overlooking the cliffs at Tensing Pen we knew there would never be another place or country for us. We had found or home away from home.

I wont say Negril or Tp are without faults, you can find faults anywhere or within anyone. If there were one thing I could change about Jamaica as a whole would be the begging on the road and beaches. I don't even mind someone hustling you that is selling a service or product I can easily say no thanks, I just hate the ones that just straight out ask for a hand out!

There are many other nice properties to stay at but for us Tensing Pen is truly Home, we would not even consider a night at another place. The Jamaica saying "ONCE YOU GO YO KNOW" so very true.

Hedo 5 times (in the 90's) Sandals Mo bay/Breezes Ocho/Couples Ocho/Couples Negril/Swept Away(tooooo expensive now) Lido twice(only during early Dec sales)Rio Trop 5 times(overpriced now)Seastar/Rockhouse/Xtabi/Catcha (1 each) and now back to CCLP for the third time.......CoCo is now my home base always.It has everything,price,location,pools etc.....

this thread is so helpful and interesting.
for us:
Grand Lido
Hedo
Point Village
Samsara
Charela
Idle Awhile
Cocolapalm -which is our default home away from home.
its fun to try new places and appreciate the feedback.

I've been like Goldilocks looking for the one that is just right...........!!!

Villa Sur Mer-main villa-my very 1st trip!
Hidden Paradise
Catcha a number of times
LTU villas/Catcha Gardens a number of times
Citronella
Tensing Pen
Bar B Barn
Negril Escape
Banana Shout
Country Country
Coco LaPalm
Blue Horizon
Blue Cave Castle
Le Mirage


Enjoyed all of them for various reason. & I would stay at any of them again.

Some great, affordable & diverse properties all over Negril...my stays included...

Rockhouse
Idle Awhile
Xtabi
Country Country
Seastar
Ltu Villa
Catcha Falling Star

...then literally decided to settle here...:)

Bar B Barn room 118 --- been staying there since my son was 3 -- he's 17 now lol

Rondel 3x
Catcha Falling Star 2x
Grand Pineapple
Kuyaba
Seastar
Blue Cave Castle
LTU Villas
Moondance Cliffs
Beaches

Will be adding Treehouse and Idle Awhile to that list next reach. Love staying in different places and meeting new people.

Kind of like a rolling stone myself. Tend to settle in for a while and then get to know another resort. One nice thing about trying new resorts is that you get to know new people and a new area of the beach or cliffs. After many visits...ya feel like home just about anywhere. LOL

1st visit Sandals Ocho x1
Sandals Negril x3
Country County
Villa Sur Mer (also main villa...long before the refurb, when there were only 4 villas)
Xtabi x6
Mirage x3
BCC
Coco La Palm
Native Son Villas (Now Eco Villa??something)
Dragon Cove (private rental on cliffs)
Seastar x5
Catcha Gardens x2
As you will note, the cliffs have become home. As with West End Girl....I enjoyed every one of them and have no regrets, only new adventures. Hopefully, many new ones to come. :)

Opps left 2 out... Port Antonio..Dragon Bay Resort where Cocktail was filmed. Now, I think Butch Stewart (Sandals fame) owns this property which is going to be developed into a "high" end resort.
Jamaican Jewel in Duncans Bay.
Truly enjoyed both of these resorts and so nice to visit the low key areas of Jamaica. Again, no regrets only good memories!

Livin the dream

"sticky sweet smell of a Jamaica morning"
THAT is the best description I have ever heard........Good Job !