Best place for a single guy to stay in Negril?

Our best friend, Jamar is going to Negril in early November. My husband and I want to join him on this trip (more than anything in the world!!) but we're not sure if we can pull together the funds or enough vacation days

He is 28 years old, single, and looking to have a really fun vacation. This will be his first trip to Jamaica. He wants to eat good food, drink lots of rum, relax on the beach during the day, dance, party and meet new people.

Is there a hotel anyone can recommend for someone going solo to Negril, Preferably a place where he could meet a lot of other people in their 20's + 30's? A hotel where he would feel at home and make new friends easily. A place that is geared more for adults. (He wouldn't rule out Hedonism II, but I'm getting the impression from reviews I've read that this resort is more for couples. ) The accomodations can't go over $150 per night.

I really want his vacation to be amazing and I want him to have the time of his life. I only have experience with The Grand Pineapple (which might be too quiet for his taste) and Coco La Palm (which might be too family oriented for his liking)

Any ideas or suggestions?
Thanks guys, I really appreciate any help you can offer!

I bet I could show him a good time ..... He might like RIU Club Negril?

What about the rooms at Alfred's or Merril's? At Alfred's you can't get much closer to the action! Merril's has great rates and usually is a fairly young crowd....might be an Italian crowd but it's all good. Or Mom's Place might be a good option.

Bar B Barn on da beach.........or Negril Treehouse.......or more budget wise Greenleaf Cabins

or

SeaStar Inn on da cliffs.......you don't need any other choices on da Cliffs

and him won't be solo for long...........lol

Cool Runnings, Marko

If he's not into the AI fancy stuff, you can't beat Roots Bamboo for atmospheric immersion. Roots has a concert every Wednesday, the crowd that hangs out at Roots is of the younger variety. Ted, Effie and the gang take care of their guests very well. Roots is very rustic, cabins on the beach with a rotating fan, communal showers, just like in campgrounds, camping is available as well. The money you save from paying for fancy AI type of rooms can be spent on food and drink and you'll still end up ahead.

Just a thought.

After travelling solo many times (not single) That is something I often think of is where I would stay if I were travelling singe(imagine that)! Taking into account the fun factor Fun Holiday always has a younger crowd and right across from The Jungle! How convenient, lots of other places work too such as Cocolapalm, Treehouse, these places usually have more families and older guests, but can be a lot of fun too. Grand Pineapple also works as you know first hand and the rates in nov. are usually still reasonable. In the cliffs Seastar is a good choice, as well as Negril Escape espeacially if the winter concert series has started by then. Hedonism is a whole other story, its been a long time since staying there but not the same as staying at the smaller non AI. I would rule out the RIU,s as there is almost no night life and to pay for AI and leave every night to party makes no sense to me.

i was thinking with the RIU, there are hundreds of guests, so he could find friends easily to go out with ..... Plus, instead of paying 150 per night plus meals and drinks, he could pay 180 or so as an RIU single and have all the meals and drinks, then hit the town after dinner .....

The hubby went to Hedo by his self (not single-I hope LOL) a year ago today.He said it was strange going without me,but it was fun watching the single guys trying to hook up with some gals.The one single guy told him it wasnt what he thought it would be and wouldnt go back by him self.We went to Hedo 6yrs in a row to the tattoo gathering they used to have but we both agree we like being out side the AI much better.....We werent big nudies !

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Originally Posted by Mrs stuck

The hubby went to Hedo by his self (not single-I hope LOL) a year ago today.

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When I went to HedoII in '84 it was all solo guys and gals.......only one couple
When I went to HedoII in '91 it was mostly couples......and a few singles......
it's so crazy the way it completely flopped from singles to couples....
and think a lot of it had to do with HIV and the way people were being more careful of who they were with........
back in '84 HedoII was completely nuts and I'll never forget it.......absolutely wild
I slept for two days straight after I reached back home.....lol

oh da memories........

I wouldn't recommend HedoII to any solo people today.......though some still go there

all a solo person really needs to do in Negril......
is go to Ricks etc for sunsets......and work the calendar.....Sunday is Alfreds, etc etc
I usually recommend for first timers to stay on the beach......till they get a feel for Negril

mi have personally helped and given a lot of solo people information over the years so their stays are more comfortable.....
been even known to be a "Jamaican Tour Guide" for newbies in Negril......
just love their expressions when they discover the runnings der......lol

Cool Runnings, Marko

Thank you everyone for your helpful advice and great suggestions! I really appreciate it!:D

I’m going to tell him to look into Bar B Barn, Roots Bamboo, Negril Treehouse, Fun Holiday and Alfreds as a starting point. I know he wants to be on the beach. They’re all pretty central in location to all the stuff going on. I really want him to feel like he’s a part of it all and get the Negril vibe.

He’s talking about splitting his trip between two hotels like we did. I’m thinking that an AI might be the best way to start the first 3 days.

The Grand pineapple would be a good choice if we were going WITH him …but as a solo traveler, I’m afraid he might get lonely there. I remember a lot of people speaking foreign languages. It can be really quiet at night, bar closes at 11 or 12, lights shut off… Everyone goes to sleep…you just hear crickets. If he doesn’t meet someone to go out with he’ll end up retiring to bed early too.

My worst nightmare is that he returns from Negril saying that it was “Boring” – Honestly, I don’t know how anyone could return with that impression but I want to remove any possibility. Lol

So that leaves Riu Negril Club and Hedonism as two possible choices. Does anyone know how the scene is in Riu Negril? Are the bars open late? Is there live music to dance to and shows to watch? How is the beach there? Would you recommend this hotel? I’m worried that it’s isolated from the rest of Negril because it’s in Bloody Bay…

Then there is Hedonism …which he DID express interest in after viewing the website because they make it sound like paradise on earth.

Marko & Stuck –You mentioned that it’s become very couple oriented. So You definitely wouldn’t recommend it to a single guy. I think he would be better off "X"ing that one off his list of possible hotels then. Thanks for the heads up! :)

i would also say Alfred's. i was single when i first started going to Negril and the most sucess i had meeting the women was by renting a good size bike from Jah b.
you know the old saying (clean version). if a guy can't get lucky in negril then he probably couldn't get lucky in a *****house with a handfull of hundreds

The truth is, there are not too many single tourists, period, as tourism in Negril seems to be down, and most that do make it to the Rock are couples .... This low number of singles can have its disadvantages in terms of a lack of a party scene at the hotels and also finding a buddy to cruise around with, but it can have its advantages, too, as far as meeting locals is concerned.

i have been to RIU NEGRIL Club MANY times through the years, and there is a disco after midnight -- one of the few hotels with anything at all going on after midnight. SOmetimes, there can be dozens of peeps partying up a storm in that disco, other nights can be slow .... Just depends on the mix that particular week .... As for being an Bloody Bay, he can rent a scooter or pay for route cabs at 100j per trip.

Park him at Alfred's-he can get a room with his own washroom on that lovely 2nd floor porch fo $50 US per day. Believe me he will not ever mention the word bored. Plus think about all the extra $$$$$$$$$ he will have with the $50 room instead of $150. Also I agree that Roots Bamboo would be good also for just slightly more than Alfreds

I travel by myself to negril a lot (I am not a guy though!). I book where I am going to stay by the qualities of the place I am staying and what I want and the budget I have -kitchenette, beach, cliff, pool, no pool, food, bar, fridge no fridge etc. Then I go from there to where the party is--three venues on the beach with parties different nights, the jungle, etc. I always meet people at those places. And there there are the webcasts as well. I don't try to book my accommodation based on what kind of crowd might be there--sometime in off season there are barely any guests at places. I would say have him stay somewhere central on the beach (not tucked away up in an AI) and make sure he has the negril map and a list of the parties, etc. If he is feeling a little shy, a rum punch can do wonders. Also make sure he has an idea of how to get around. Or even better, if he can save a little money by staying somewhere like Bar B barn, maybe he could have a go-to driver guy that can take him around. If he is on the beach it is fun to bar hop and check out the vibe at different places. My first trip I stayed at Samsara and took their shuttle to the beach and walked the beach a lot, met a lot of tourists and locals, went to parties, and towards the end of my trip met a few girls who had checked in to Samsara hooked up with me and we went to a show at Bourbon beach together. I myself don't like to split my stay unless I have a couple of weeks--it takes valuable vacation time to check in and out--pack- unpack.

Definitely the beach side is for singles.

I travel solo and Negril is the best place for me. I am planning a trip in November also. My first 5 stays were at Firefly.It is still my favorite and I always spend my daytime hours at that bar,even though I am staying at different properties.That area of the beach is great for single guys like me. I've stayed at Greenleaf in March and it was great.I also stayed at Grand Pineapple and the Treehouse. I liked all of them, but Firefly is my favorite because of the Workers and the guests are all so much fun.Like a family.Alot of single people there and all are fun.What I also like about Firefly is that even though there are people of all ages,everyone has a blast and everyone wants to talk and have conversation and do things. That area of the beach has alot of cool places.I'm on the other side of 40,but party with 20 something kids to 70 year young friends and I'll say that more than once , my older friends and I have kept up with the youngsters many days and nights.

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Originally Posted by Boogzy

Park him at Alfred's-he can get a room with his own washroom on that lovely 2nd floor porch fo $50 US per day. Believe me he will not ever mention the word bored. Plus think about all the extra $$$$$$$$$ he will have with the $50 room instead of $150. Also I agree that Roots Bamboo would be good also for just slightly more than Alfreds

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he'll need a vacation after the vacation if he takes that route......that would kill this guy.......lol

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Originally Posted by shooter1

I travel solo and Negril is the best place for me. I am planning a trip in November also. My first 5 stays were at Firefly.It is still my favorite and I always spend my daytime hours at that bar,even though I am staying at different properties.That area of the beach is great for single guys like me.

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Firefly is awesome.....excellent location and the staff is super and aim to please
even the Secret Cabins there are pretty cool which saves you some money over Firefly Rooms.......

but for a first timer........the beach is almost a must.......or even for the second time....
then some will graduate to the West End.......which is the Best End........

the great thing about the Negril is that it only takes about 10 minutes to get to the Cliffs or vice versa.......
that's after you get the $100J Route Taxis figured out...which only takes about a day....lol


Cool Runnings, Marko

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Originally Posted by Marko

he'll need a vacation after the vacation if he takes that route......that would kill this guy.......lol

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It sounds like Alfred's really is in the center of the action. The price can't be beat! I remember Roots Bamboo being pretty wild too... Roots felt more local and a little less touristy than Alfreds. It could have been just the night I went though. I really like the idea of Jamar being surrounded by chill people and having a good time. Definitely the beach is the place to be. He loves to party and I think this would be the best place for him to let loose.

But like Marko just said... I don't want to kill him. lol

For those that have stayed in Roots or Alfreds.. were you able to sleep at all at night? Did the music stop thumping? Were you hassled at all by anyone? Were you able to get some relaxing time in? :)

IW -Bar B Barn looks really good too. I agree that a few rum punches will definitely remove any shyness and get him out of the hotel room. I know he's going to have a blast.

Shooter1 - I'm going to look into Firefly. That's cool that you're also going to visit in November. The flight prices are really good right now for the first part of the month.
Will anyone else be in Negril in the beginning of November?

Thanks everyone for your suggestions:)

When we stayed at Roots Bamboo, it was mostly populated by single Canadian Women. Easy to get to sleep at night, if that's what you wanted to do alone.. LOL But reality is, he'll make friends immediately and hang out, sleeping will be the last on the list. It's actually only noisy on Wednesday's, but he gets free entry to the live show, and he'll probably want to enjoy the vibe until the music stops, then it's off to another party or to bed or to someone's cabin to continue partying, or to your cabin with a bunch of new friends to continue partying. I would go back to roots today actually if it weren't for the kidlettes. Ted, Effie, Miss Heather have always been excellent hosts, and there's hot water now in the deluxe cabins with their own washrooms.

Having stayed at RIu and Grand Pineapple, I would pick GP over the RIU travelling single as most nights both places are pretty quiet come around midnight. At least at GP your right next to Alfreds and a quick walk to lots of cool little bars, and places to hangout.

Rooms on the Beach includes breakfast & very nice rooms, price depends on room location or size & hotel is by all the beach bars but can still get some sleep.
Roots Bamboo is okay if you don't mind walking down property to bathrooms & showers since rooms are just bare boned cabins with narrow beds. Very basic accommodations & music will keep you up on their 1-2 night party time.
Fun Holiday is another I might suggest pricing, usually lots of Germans or Italians staying there & can be fun or close to fun bars.
Negril Tree House is farther down 7mile from bars but great place to stay for singles & includes delicious breakfast buffet with room price.
Coco La Palm I would not recommend for singles, its more family oriented.
Firefly is you don't mind nudity.
Across the road from beach are lots of cheap room options, depends on how basic a room you want or noise you are willing to put up with. I prefer to have quiet while I sleep & party elsewhere...

I would definitely say main beach... if you gotta go AI pick GP or another near the action (Legends?). I agree with the person who said to pick a place based on what they offer, not the people you hope will be there... just cause you never know who will be there! He can always venture out to meet people!

I like the idea of Alfreds as it is in the middle of everything (if he wants to really live it up). If he wants a more chill spot as a homebase, I gotta throw my favorite White Sands into the mix.

Another possibility – Caribbean Delight (right next door to GP on the left as you head to the beach). You and Markus went out in the glass bottom boat that is based from their beach – in fact, the youngest fellow in your video of your snorkling trip is the 17 y.o. son of CD’s owners (Cyrano). Rooms are clean, comfortable, well furnished with frig, cable TV, AC and great veranda. Ask for the beach front cottage (either upstairs or downstairs). No restaurant on the premises, but Alfred’s is a 2 minute walk up the beach or Mama Flo’s a 2 minute walk down the beach; and there are numerous other restaurants/bars within short walking distances. Shamrock Grocery store (snacks, beer, sodas, fresh squeezed orange juice) is right across the street. Also within walking distance to Bourbon Beach, Roots Bamboo and The Jungle. No website, but you can contact the owner/operator Ann-Deta Forrester via cell phone 876-422-0339 or by email at: Caribbean.delight@yahoo.com for rates/availability

BCBUD- Thanks for the heads up on Caribbean Delight. I didn't realize we were on the snorkeling trip with the son of the owner! He was so sweet and fun to talk to. We're going to call them about the rates.

After reading all the helpful feedback, Jamar decided to book the first three days at the Grand Pineapple instead of the Riu or any other AI due to the location (next door to Alfred's, close to the jungle..etc). Even though it's slow at night, you guys are right, he can easily get around to party outside the hotel. The staff is great and will take care of him. It's also 65% off on those dates. Not to mention the fact that Markus and I already have 3 days already paid for April. These reservations could be easily moved to November if we're able to pull together the funds in time to purchase flight tickets to join him. This would make the trip more affordable for us. *fingers crossed*

As for the remaining days of his stay, he's been looking at all the suggestions.. i.e. Roots, Alfreds, Negril treehouse, fun holiday, Carribean delight..etc There are so many great hotels to choose from on the beach. He's super excited about this trip. He's contemplating the idea of just checking out the different hotels when he gets there and booking on site. I'm not sure if that's the best idea because I've never done it? He would have three days to explore and figure it out.

Has anyone gone to Negril without reservations for a chunk of their stay and just found a place that they liked after they arrived? How did that work out for you?

Thanks so much guys for all your help!:)

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Originally Posted by Clarity

Has anyone gone to Negril without reservations for a chunk of their stay and just found a place that they liked after they arrived? How did that work out for you?

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yup.......many times........tell him to wait till he gets there.........
he'll be able to check out places and then book the rest of his stay where he wants....
wi call them "walk ins" and you can get yourself a heck of a deal on the room rates too.......
and make sure he does this himself and not on the word of someone he just met in Negril.....

FYI - the only problem with GP is that it's not guest friendly at all which a lot of solo travelers don't like.......
otherwise the guy is going to get pretty spoiled at GP and hopefully won't be comparing everything to GP when he's Resort shopping....
oh......Caribbean Delight is right beside GP.......dunno if it's guest friendly though
all the places I mentioned previously above are guest friendly......

Cool Runnings, Marko

Clarity - I agree with Marko .. there will be no problem checking out rooms once he is in Negril at GP.
Caribbean Dellight is definately guest friendly

wish I had become a member of this site or at least stumbled across this thread before I booked :( lol

Clarity,

The Beach The Beach... I spent 16 years on the Beach (married)!! After my Divorce in 2006, I tried the Cliffs. Definitely not going back to the beach!!! LOL

If his budget is $150/per day, I'll fly down and meet him (I'll pay for my airfare) and he can hire me as his Jamaican Tour Guide (for $150 US per day, I'll provide lodging, meals, drinks, transportation and entertainment). We will both have seperate rooms on the cliffs and eat and drink like Kings!! He will definitely have an amazing time, and like Marko back in 1984, he will need two days of sleep upon his return.... GUARANTEED!!! Yes he will get to the beach if time permits, but honestly, he'll be having way too much fun to bother with the beach!!! WOO HOO

Single Guys should not be in an AI resort! The action and excitement is outside the gates!!!

Enjoy,

VVHT

I'm late on this, but I really liked Mariner's. I met lots of folks and partied and drank with a lot of them...haha.

Hey Brasi I think I told you this when you stayed but it never did make sense the room you got when booking Mariners online because you actually got a condo not a room and that condo has been rented out by Jean before while I have been there. I think you were in either G or E block of condos forget which is where. Last trip I stayed right above it. That same condo can be reserved thru Negril Beach Club Condos. Just wanted to make sure people knew the property itself is one in the same and you did get lucky as hell with what you got to stay in for the price you paid..

I was in Room F11. (:

We stayed at Alfreds. Manic! Close! Fun! LOUD!!!!!....Left........Blue Cave Castle, chilled :-)

Did he enjoy himself?...Ever since i been goin to negril i been staying at the hotel across from burger king and needed some ideas...thanks!!!

if i thought i might be the coolest guy at hedo (which i'm not ) i would stay there. my impression using primarily nightor day passes is there is typically just a couple attractive single women and a bunch of guys chasing them.
most fun i had going when i was single was staying in red ground. i got hit on quite a bit by the wonderful local ladies. i never thought it was just do to the large gold chain i wore either

having been in Negril the last two months I would say Bourbon Beach is a guys best bet to either stay or visit.......
the same goes for the solo North American and European ladies too.........
fun place and always sumthin going on der..........
and you won't be single for long in Negril if you don't want to be..........

Cool Runnings, Marko

Attachment 17559Attachment 17560In that age group and wants I recommend Roots Bamboo Cabins on the beach. Take a back row cabin with a bath and maybe a fridge and he is in the middle of FUN. I stay here for two months every year,Jan. and Feb. with my wife and it is the REAL Jamaica.Any q's feel free to email me @ rootsbmiyard @gmail.com. The picture shows the bar and beach with the cabins in the back row showing in the other pic,.... Barry

Hey Clarity, 4 Canadians (in our 30's) will be at Fun Holiday the first two weeks of Nov! If he doesn't stay there tell him to come by for the webcast on Tuesday at least and look for us crazy Canadians!

Brasi already said it but Negril Beach Club Condos for sure - book through Jean and not online.